Glory Days

Yarrawonga had played in four straight OM netball A grade grand finals between 1999 and 2002 with just the one premiership in 2001, they then lost four straight preliminary finals between 2003 and 2006 – they broke the prelim final hoodoo in 2007 but were beaten in the 2007 grand final by North Albury – the following year they again lost to North Albury in the grand final – they had enough and were determined to make 2009 count under the guile of coach Tracey Gillies.

A fast finishing Albury missed finals in 2008 by the barest of margins, the momentum burst back into 2009 with some heavy recruiting of top end talent and the return of coaching legend Paul Spargo – the result was a year of footballing perfection culminating in the Tigers first premiership in 12 yrs, enjoy Tiger Tales 2009 – “Unbreakable, Unbeaten, Unbelievable”.

It was a long and frustrating 7 year battle for the Lavington Football Club to be finally accepted into the Ovens and Murray FL for the 1979 season -- year by year they built cracking finals in its third year and then a losing grand final in 1982 - Ken Roberts had the Blues primed and nothing was going to stand in their way - it was history in the making stuff at their doorstep - enjoy the very first episode of Lavington Legends 

Albury had never won back to back premierships across the first five decades of the OMFL – they were in a golden era of talent and had taken out the 1937 and 1939 premierships – 1940 loomed large but in its way was World War 2 raging across Europe and stretching the resources of clubs across community sport – Doug Strang was back in charge and the Tigers were racing against time and some stiff opposition.

One of the great Ovens and Murray FL grand finals was played out in 1939 between Albury and Wodonga – remarkably both captain/coaches of the sides were brothers Doug (Albury) and Gordon (Wodonga) Strang – originally from Jindera and premiership players in the VFL with Richmond they were back in town and oh boy what a season it was with World War 2 looming #TigerTales #GloryDays

The Tigers had returned to its original colours and name after almost a decade of name changes due to religious divide in the city – they were ready to pounce on its first premiership since 1928 under the coaching of Essendon star and Brownlow medallist Stan Judkins for the 1937 season  – they also had the mid-season return of a goalkicking legend of the VFL the one and only Doug Strang who would become a house hold legend in the OMFL.

After going back to back premiers in 2013 Albury Thunder set themselves to achieve the unthinkable in 2014 - three in a row under the coaching of Josh Cale and the astute leadership of President Rick O’Connell - with time running out in the preliminary final the dream looked over ---- until something clicked and Thunder got on a roll that continued into the following week in a remarkable grand final performance that smashed records as the Triple Treat was achieved in Rugby Leagues greatest achievement on the border city of Albury.

In between both World Wars the season of 1928 was to be one of the most tumultuous in the history of the OMFL with the bitter religious divide in Albury spilling onto the football fields and streets of Albury - amongst it all were some of the absolute greats of the Albury FC and the OMFL - the Bunton brothers Haydn arguably the greatest ever player in Australian Rules history and Cleaver who would go on to be a legend of Albury with his civic devotion and sporting administration - the year the Tigers broke the St Patricks premiership dominance - enjoy Tiger Tales 1928  “Times of War”

Henty had last tasted premiership success in 1937 - they had made it through to five grand finals since then but had come up short on each occasion - they were into its fifth year in the Hume FL and they had found a new coach in Wayne Styles are hardnosed and fearless leader who guided the Swampies to a season of excellence that was challenged right at the end - they dug deep and found a way to bring home the premiership cup and break a 47 year drought - enjoy Henty 1984 “The Drought Breaker”

The 1984 season was the third since amalgamation of Grong Grong-Matong and Ganmain in the Riverina Football League - from day one the GGGM Lions plan was a premiership in the third year - Ray “Rocky” O’Connor was also into his 3rd year as coach - the Lions had a 50% win/loss ratio in the first two years - couple of handy recruits a group of passionate and hungry players the Lions were ready to roar and roar they did in one of country footballs great grand final finishes - this is “The Merger - Signed Sealed Delivered”.