Wangaratta Rovers Football Club

Wangaratta Rovers Football Club
Wangaratta Rovers Football Club
Names
Full name	Wangaratta Rovers Football / Netball Club Incorporated.
Nickname(s)	Hawks
Motto	The Family Club
2024 season
After finals	1st (Premiers)
Home-and-away season	2nd
Leading goalkicker	54: Alex Marklew
Bob Rose Medal	Sam Murray
Club details
Founded	1922; 102 years ago (entered O&MFL in 1950)
Colours	Brown Gold
Competition	Ovens and Murray Football League
President	Walter Pasquali
Coach	Sam Murray
Captain(s)	Alex Marklew
Premierships	16: O&MFL
Ground(s)	W. J. Findlay Oval (capacity: 10,000)
	(1953 to 2024)
Training ground(s)	W. J. Findlay Oval
Uniforms
Home	Away 1
Other information
Official website	wangrovers.com.au
	Current season

The Wangaratta Rovers, officially known as the Wangaratta Rovers Football & Netball Club, is an Australian rules football club based in Wangaratta, Victoria and play in the Ovens & Murray Football League. Their nickname is the Hawks. Their home ground is W.J. Findlay Oval in Wangaratta. Their playing guernsey consists of gold and brown stripes on the front and gold on the back.

History

Wangaratta Rovers were initially formed in 1922 and competed in the Wangaratta District Football Association (WDFA) from 1922 to 1924,^[1] then moved across to the Ovens and King Football League (O&KFL) from 1925 to 1929. Wangaratta Rovers lost both the 1922^[2] and the 1923^[3] WDFA grand finals to Milawa.

Wangaratta Rovers actually merged with the Wangaratta Football Club in 1930, who then entered one team in the Ovens and Murray Football League and one team in the O&KFL.

The Wangaratta Rovers re-formed in 1945 and competed in the O&KFL from 1945 to 1949, winning the 1948 premiership^[4] and losing to Myrtleford in the 1949 O&KFL grand final,^[5] before joining the Ovens & Murray Football League in 1950.^[6]

Football Premierships

Seniors

Ovens and King Football League (1)
- 1948^[7]
Ovens and Murray Football League (16)
- 1958, 1960, 1964, 1965, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1988, 1991, 1993, 1994, 2024.

Reserves

Ovens and Murray Football League (8)
- 1958, 1962, 1976, 1977, 1980, 1983, 1984, 2007.

Under 18 / Thirds

Ovens and Murray Football League (12)
- 1980, 1985, 1988, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2008, 2018, 2024.

Netball Premiership

A. Grade

Ovens and Murray Football League (4)
- 1993, 1994, 2005, 2006,

B. Grade

Ovens and Murray Football League (1)
- 1999

C. Grade

Ovens and Murray Football League (1)
- 1996,

16 & Under

Ovens and Murray Football League (1)
- 2019

League Best & Fairest Award Winners

Seniors

Ovens & Murray Football League - Morris Medal
- 1958 & 1960 - Bob Rose
- 1966 - Neville Hogan
- 1975 - Andrew Scott
- 1991, 1997, 1999, 2001 & 2003 - Robert Walker

Reserves

Ovens & Murray Football League
- 1969 - Alan Daniel
- 1975 - Barry Clarke
- 1979 - Malcom Dalton
- 1982 - Ian Gambold
- 1989 - Andrew Robinson
- 2021 - Mitchell Booth
- 2024 - Noah Amery

Thirds / Under 18's

Ovens & Murray Football League
- 1984 - Chris O'Connor
- 1989 - Daine Hochfeld* (Polled the most votes, but was disqualified due to a suspension)
- 1996 - Daniel McLaughlin
- 2002 - Jamie Allan
- 2005 - Ben Reid
- 2007 - Zac O'Brien
- 2016 & 2017 - Paul Sanderson
- 2018 - Ed Dayman
- 2019 - Alessandro Belci
- 2023 - Riley Allan

VFL / AFL Players

The following footballers played with Wangaratta Rovers, prior to playing senior football in the VFL/AFL, and / or drafted, with the year indicating their VFL/AFL debut.

1929 - Gil Patrick - Footscray
1950 - Mac Hill - Collingwood
1956 - Alan Dale - St. Kilda
1959 - Kevin Dellar - Essendon
1959 - Les Gregory - St. Kilda
1964 - Barrie Beattie - Footscray
1964 - Graeme Leydin - Essendon
1967 - Mike Hallahan - Fitzroy
1968 - Norm Bussell - Hawthorn
1972 - Phil Doherty - North Melbourne
1973 - Mick Nolan - North Melbourne
1975 - John Byrne - North Melbourne
1985 - Rohan Robertson - North Melbourne
1985 - Shane Robertson - North Melbourne
1987 - Paul Bryce - North Melbourne
1987 - Craig Patrick - North Melbourne, Pick No.35
1988 - Scott Williamson - West Coast Eagles, Pick No.44
1989 - Joe Wilson - Brisbane Bears, Pick No.51
1990 - Tim Rieniets - Carlton
1990 - Robert Hickmott - Melbourne
1990 - Scott Williamson - Melbourne, No. 31 (1990 Pre season draft)
1991 - Dean Harding - Fitzroy
2001 - Andrew Hill - Collingwood, No.39 (2001 AFL Rookie Draft)
2002 - Sean O'Keeffe - Carlton
2003 - Karl Norman - Carlton
2004 - Luke Mullins - St. Kilda
2006 - Alipate Carlile - Port Adelaide
2007 - Ben Reid - Collingwood
2010 - Sam Reid - Sydney Swans
2014 - Zac O'Brien - Brisbane Lions
2021 - Nick Murray - Adelaide Crows
2022 - Brayden George - North Melbourne
2023 - Darcy Wilson - St. Kilda
2024 - Toby Murray - Adelaide Crows

The following footballers played senior VFL / AFL football prior to playing and / or coaching with Wangaratta Rovers with the year indicating their first season at WRFNC.

1950 - Ken Bodger - Hawthorn
1954 - Alan Dale - St. Kilda
1956 - Bob Rose - Collingwood
1962 - Graeme Leydin - Essendon
1964 - Ken Boyd - South Melbourne
1964 - Frank Hogan - South Melbourne
1965 - Bob Hempel - Footscray
1967 - Ian Brewer - Collingwood
1975 - Andrew Scott - Hawthorn
1981 - Phil Seaton - Melbourne
1983 - Gerry McCarthy - Hawthorn & Fitzroy
1987 - Peter Tossol - Melbourne
2001 - Nick Trask - Brisbane Bears
2012 - Barry Hall - St. Kilda, Sydney Swans & Footscray
2014 - Daniel Archer - St. Kilda
2014 - Jarrad Boumann - Hawthorn
2014 - James Mulligan - Footscray
2019 - Daryn Cresswell - Sydney Swans
2021 - Matt Jones - Melbourne
2021 - Sam Murray - Collingwood
2024 - Lochie O'Brien - Carlton
2024 - Eddie Betts - Carlton & Adelaide Crows

References

^ "1923 - Wangaratta". The Argus. 16 April 1923. p. 14. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
^ "1922 - Country Matches: Wangaratta". The Argus. 4 September 1922. p. 12. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
^ "1923 - Matches in the Country: Wangaratta". The Age. 24 September 1923. p. 15. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
^ "1948 - Wang Rovers win premiership by 20 points". Ovens and Murray Advertiser (Beechworth, Vic). 29 September 1948. p. 4. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
^ "1949 - Myrtleford defeats Rovers in grand final". Ovens and Murray Advertiser (Beechworth, Vic). 28 September 1948. p. 4. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
^ "1950 - Two more teams?". Rutherglen Sun and Chiltern Valley Advertiser (Vic). 7 February 1950. p. 3. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
^ "1948 - Rovers well won premiership". The Myrtleford Times. 29 September 1948. p. 3. Retrieved 5 September 2023.

External links

[1] "1923 - Wangaratta". The Argus. 16 April 1923. p. 14. Retrieved 4 September 2023.

[2] "1922 - Country Matches: Wangaratta". The Argus. 4 September 1922. p. 12. Retrieved 4 September 2023.

[3] "1923 - Matches in the Country: Wangaratta". The Age. 24 September 1923. p. 15. Retrieved 4 September 2023.

[4] "1948 - Wang Rovers win premiership by 20 points". Ovens and Murray Advertiser (Beechworth, Vic). 29 September 1948. p. 4. Retrieved 4 September 2023.

[5] "1949 - Myrtleford defeats Rovers in grand final". Ovens and Murray Advertiser (Beechworth, Vic). 28 September 1948. p. 4. Retrieved 4 September 2023.

[6] "1950 - Two more teams?". Rutherglen Sun and Chiltern Valley Advertiser (Vic). 7 February 1950. p. 3. Retrieved 4 September 2023.

[7] "1948 - Rovers well won premiership". The Myrtleford Times. 29 September 1948. p. 3. Retrieved 5 September 2023.

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