The Northern Riverina Football Netball League (NRFNL) is an Australian rules football and netball competition containing five clubs based in the northern Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia. The league features four grades in the Australian rules football competition, with these being Seniors, Under 17s, Under 14s and Under 11s. In the netball competition, there are six grades, with these being A-Grade, B-Grade, C-Grade, C-Reserve, Under 16s and Under 13s.

History

The Northern Riverina Football League was formed in May 1924 when the Ungarie Football Association amalgamated with the Lake Cargelligo Football Association to form the Northern Riverina Australian Rules Football Association.

The five foundation club's in 1924 were – Burgooney, Girral, Lake Callgelligo Rovers, Tullibigeal and Ungarie, with Girral defeating Ungarie in the grand final.

Blow Clear entered the competition in 1925, with Tullibigeal losing only one game for the year, but were defeated by Lake Callgelligo in the grand final.

Girral and Blow Clear merged in 1926 and went on to be the premier team. Following a split in the Tullibigeal club, Four Corners was formed in 1927 and went onto be a very competitive club right up until 1994, when they folded.

Calleen joined in 1928 and Four Corners won the premiership in only their second year in the NRFA. while in 1929 Weja joined the competition, which was divided into two divisions of four teams. Four Corners and Girral finishing on top of their divisions, with Four Corners coming out on top in the grand final.

Lake Callgelligo Rovers withdrew in 1930 and the competition went back to one division, with Four Corners defeating minor premiers, Ungarie in the grand final.

Calleen and Girral both withdrew in 1932 and Yelkin entered the competition, with minor premiers, Ungarie losing to Four Corners in the grand final.

Naradhan entered the NRFA in 1933 and Tullibigeal broke through for their first premiership with an eight-point victory over Four Corners in the grand final.

Burgooney won the 1934 flag when they defeated Tullibigeal by points, then Burgooney lost the 1935 grand final when Ungarie's Les Woolsterncroft snapped a goal late in the last quarter, to defeat Burgooney by one point!

West Milby who joined in 1935 and Erigolia who joined in 1936, played off the 1936 grand final, with West Milby winning their one and only premiership. Girral withdrew form the NEFA halfway through the 1936 season.

In 1937, Lake Cargelligo re-join with a blue uniform and West Milby make the grand final from fourth position, but are defeated by Four Corners in the grand final.

Kikoria entered the NRFA in 1938 and Tullibigeal won the flag, after drawing the first semi final against West Milby. Burgooney, minor premiers in 1938, only lost one match throughout the year, then kicked 7.19 – 61 in the grand final to lose by 30 points.

Ungarie dropped out in 1939, there only season they did not field a team, with Burgooney defeating West Milby by three points in the grand final.

Kikoria won the premiership in 1940, and also won it again in 1941, after Four Corner went into recess and some of their players moved across to play with Kikoria's premiership team of 1941.

The NRFA went into recess from 1942 to 1945 due to World War II. Tullibigeal then won three consecutive premierships immediately after the war from 1946 to 1948, under the leadership of George Imrie.

In 1947, Ungarie wore a white jumper with a red sash.

In 1949, the NRFA, best and fairest player was awarded the Griffith P. Evans Cup, Griff Evans was a former West Wyalong player and official and also a local solicitor and NSW State Member for Lachlan, whose family donated the cup.

Rankins Springs and West Wyalong boosted the competition to seven teams when they joined in 1949, but Forrest Vale withdrew.

In 1950, Lake Cargelligo returned to the NRFA and Ungarie won their first premiership since 1935, led by former Forrest Vale captain, Jim Dale.

Tullibigeal had a golden era in the 1950s winning senior football premierships in 1951, 1953, 1955, 1957 and 1958 and well as three of their players winning best and fairest award, the Evans Cup in – David Imrie, Kelth Imrie and Vince Dwyer.

Footballers from the NRFL who have played in the VFL/AFL include the Daniher brothers (Terry, Neale, Anthony and Chris) and Ben Fixter, all hailing from Ungarie.

Pre 1924 Football Australian rules football was introduced to the Northern Riverina region around in the early 1890s when farm land was being settled and with the discovery of gold at West Wyalong in 1893.

West Wyalong formed a club in 1913, consisting of two teams, the Rovers (maroon & gold) and the Globes (blue), then in 1914, a competition was held between Blow Clear, Hiawatha and West Wyalong. Ungarie was formed in 1916 and played three friendly matches against Blow Clear in their first season.

After World War I, the Bolygamy District Football Association was formed and Australian rules football was really starting to get established in the Northern Riverina area. Lake Cargelligo Rovers Football Club was formed in June 1922.

Premiers / Runners Up Nottle Cup 1913: West Wyalong Globes: 1.4 – 10 d West Wyalong Rovers: 1.1 – 7 Evans Cup 1914: Hiawatha: 3.13 – 31 d Blow Clear: 0.4 – 4 Football in recess due to World War I 1915 to 1917 Bolygamy District Football Association: Hodges Cup 1918: Blow Clear: 5.9 – 39 d West Wyalong: 2.11 – 23 (Hodges Cup) 1919: Blow Clear: 5.6 – 36 d Bolygamy: 3.7 – 25 (Hodges Cup) 1920: Blow Clear: d Girral 1921: Girral v Tullibigeal: F J Rath's Ungarie Hotel Cup 1922: Girral Rovers: 6.3 – 39 d Tullibigeal: 4.10 – 34 (Mesdame Wallder – Farrar Cup) Ungarie Football Association 1923: Ungarie: 35 d Blow Clear: 0.5 – 5 (J Heffernan – Girral Hotel Gold Medals) Lake Cargelligo District Football Association (Tom Crawford's Royal Mail Hotel Cup) 1923: Lake Cargelligo Rovers: 5.4 – 34 d Tullibigeal Ramblers: 4.3 – 27

Current clubs

ClubColoursNicknameHome GroundFormer LeagueEst.Years in NRFNLNRFNL Senior PremiershipsTotal Premiership Years Hillston Swans Stan Peters Oval, Hillston –2000 2000- 4 2007, 2019, 2023, 2024 Lake Cargelligo Tigers Lake Cargelligo Recreation Ground, Lake Cargelligo –1960 1960- 16 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1976, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2025 Tullibigeal Grasshoppers, Paddymelons Tullibigeal Recreation Ground, Tullibigeal –1919 1924-20 1933, 1938, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1951, 1953, 1955, 1957, 1958, 1968, 1975, 1981, 1982, 2004, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018 Ungarie Magpies, Angels Ungarie Recreation Ground, Ungarie –1916 1924-16 1935, 1950, 1956, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1974, 1978, 1979, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2015 West Wyalong-Girral Bulldogs McAlister Oval, West Wyalong –19771977-9 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 2005, 2009, 2022

Former clubs ColoursClubNicknameHome GroundFormer LeagueEst.Years in NRFNLNRFNL Senior PremiershipsFateTotal Premiership Years Barellan United Two BluesBarellan Sportsground, BarellanFFL19701993-20156 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2011 Returned to Farrer FL in 2015 Blow Clear –c.1910s19250 - Merged with Girral to form Girral-Blow Clear following 1925 season Burgooney Tigers–19241924-19592 1927, 1934 Merged with Lake Cargelligo to form Lake-Burgooney following 1959 season Calleen–c.1910s0 - Recess in 1929. Folded after 1930 season Cobar BluesWard Oval, Cobar–19951995-20140 - Folded after 2014 season Condobolin-Milby (1935-48)(1953-64)(1965-2018)Condobolin Showground, Condobolin–19261926, 1935-1940, 1946-1948, 1953-1996, 1997-2003, 2015-20183 1966, 1967, 1990 Disbanded after Rd.1 in 1996, reformed in 1997. Recess between 1927-34, 1941-45, 1949-52 and 2004-14. Folded after 2018 season Erigolia All Blacks–19361936-19370 - Folded after 1937 season Four Corners Redbreasts, RedlegsFour Corners Football Oval, Tullibigeal–19271927-199413 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1937, 1949, 1952, 1954, 1972, 1977, 1980, 1984 Folded after Round 1, 1994 Girral Rovers–c.1910s1924-1925, 1933, 19361 1924 Merged with Blow Clear to form Girral-Blow Clear following 1925 season. Re-formed in 1933, recess from 1934–35, folded after 1936 season Girral-Blow Clear Rovers–19261926-19271 1926 Folded after 1927 season Kikoira Kornstalks–19381938-19422 1940, 1941 Did not reform after World War II.Lake Cargelligo (1)Lake Cargelligo Recreation Ground, Lake Cargelligo–1920s1924-1929, 1937-1940, 1946-1947, 1950-1955,31925, 1934, 1939, Entered recess after 1955 season, merged with Burgooney to form Lake-Burgooney (now Lake Cargelligo) in 1960 Lake Cargelligo Swans SwansLake Cargelligo Golf Club Oval, Lake Cargelligo–19781978-19860 - Folded after 1986 season Naradhan–19331933-1936, 1948-1949, 1953-19540 - Entered recess after 1936 and 1949, folded after 1954 season Parkes Panthers North Parkes Oval, ParkesCWAFL19801980-1981, 1991-1996, 2005–20070 - Moved to Central West AFL following 1981 season, returned there in 1997 and 2008. Tallimba Hawks Tallimba Recreation Ground, Tallimba–19801980-19860 - Folded after 1986 season Weethalle-Rankins Springs Rankins Springs Recreation Ground, Rankins Springs–19491949-1951, 1961-19690 - Entered recess in 1952, folded after 1969 season Weja Wee Jugglers –19291929-19360 - Folded after 1936 season West Wyalong (1) McAlister Oval, West WyalongAPFA19491949, 1952-19560 - Moved to Ariah Park FA after 1949 season. Folded after 1956. Yelkin –19321932-19340 - Folded after 1934 season Yoogali Navy BluesB&DFL1972-19740 -Folded after 1974 seasonYoungSaintsMiller-Henry Oval, BurrangongCRFL19761978-19810 -Moved to Central West AFL after 1981 season

List of football premiers Football Senior Football Grand Final Results