Wodonga Saints Football Club


The Wodonga Saints Football Netball Club is an Australian rules football and netball club playing their home games at Martin Park in Wodonga, Victoria, Australia.
Originally established as the Bethanga Football Club in 1907, with the club was based at the Bethanga Park Recreation Reserve, Bethanga, Victoria, Australia up until 2001.
Following the 1999 Victorian Country Football League report that stated a number of clubs, including Bethanga, were on the verge of collapsing if some kind of action was not taken. After playing a handful of matches at Wodonga's Martin Park to see if there would be enough local support to support the club moving there, the club made the decision in 2002 and Bethanga FC relocated fully to Martin Park, Wodonga & were renamed as the Wodonga Saints Football Club.
WWW wodongasaints.com.au

History

Bethanga Football Club

The Bethanga Football Club was established in 1907 and initially played in the Mitta Mitta Football League with its first match against Tallangatta Football Club at home at Bethanga Park in the black and red colors.
In June 1926, Bethanga Footballer, John Thomas Tankard received a knock to the stomach, resulting in severe pain, was later operated on at a private hospital, but later died.
Local brothers, Arthur Mills and Albert Mills played for Bethanga in the 1926 and 1927 Kiewa & District Football Association grand finals, before the family moved to Oxley, near Wangaratta, playing with Wangaratta Football Club in 1929, then both brothers made their debuts for the Hawthorn Football Club in 1930.
In 1928, Bethanga FC wore the colours of red, white and blue.
In 1958, Granya FC and Bethanga FC merged to become the Granya / Bethanga Bombers and were coached by Norm Benstead, who happened to kick 100 plus goals in 1958. In 1959, the merged club changed its name to the Murray United Football Club and was coached by Alf Deane. Unfortunately for the local community the new club folded after the 1959 season, after winning only one game and forfeiting two. Granya FC would never reform and the Bethanga FC would not reform until the 1976 Tallangatta & District Football League season.
;Football Competitions Timeline
Bethanga Football Club have played in the following football competitions.
;Senior Football - Premierships
  • Mitta Mitta Valley Football League
  • *1913: Bethanga defeated Granya by one point. Granya claimed that this match was a draw and refused to hand over the premiership trophy. Bethanga were compelled to take legal action against Granya Football Club to obtain possession of the premiership trophy. The case was to be heard at the Bethanga Police Court on the Wednesday 8 October 1913. This premiership trophy is now on display at the Bethanga Hotel.
  • Yackandandah Football Association
  • *1929 - Bethanga: 5.15 - 45 defeated Yackandandah: 4.7 - 31
;Senior Football - Runners Up
  • Tallangatta & District Football Association
  • *1922 - Tallangatta:9.8 - 62 defeated Bethanga: 3.5 - 23
  • Kiewa & District Football Association
  • *1926 - Bethanga: 7.11 - 53 defeated Granya: 5.10 - 40. Bethanga won the first grand final, but Granya as minor premiers had the right to challenge Bethanga to a "Challenge Grand Final".
  • *1926 - Granya: 4.18 - 42 defeated Bethanga: 5.8 - 38 Granya won the 1926 premiership.
  • *1927 - Granya: 8.12 - 60 defeated Bethanga: 3.1 - 19
  • Yackandandah Football Association
  • *1930 - Kergunyah: 11.6 - 72 defeated Bethanga: 6.16 - 52
  • *1931 - Talgarno: 8.6 - 54 drew with Bethanga: 8.6 - 54. Drawn grand final.
  • *1931 - Talgarno: 11.14 - 80 defeated Bethanga: 10.8 - 68. Grand final replay.
  • Hume Football League
  • *1938 - Lavington: 17.23 - 125 defeated Bethanga: 5.6 - 36
  • Tallangatta & District Football League
  • *1991 - Holbrook: defeated Bethanga:
; Bethanga FC footballers who played senior VFL football.

Wodonga Saints Football Netball Club

In 2002, the club decided to relocate to Martin Park, Wodonga in order to save the club from possibly folding.
Football SeasonSenior Ladder PositionReserves Ladder PositionThirds / U/17's Ladder PositionFourths / U/14's Ladder Position
20025
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
200911101st12
201012121011
201112977
20121291211
20131091212
20149101210
201512121212
201612101212
201711111212
20181291211
20191171211
2020COVID-19COVID-19COVID-19COVID-19
2021129No teamNo team
20221110No teamNo team
20231010No teamNo team
2024106No team2nd
2025

Back To Bethanga

Since 2009 the Wodonga Saints have moved one home match back to the old Bethanga Football Ground on four occasions. The move has been widely welcomed by both the football club & greater Bethanga community.