The town of Wahgunyah has had an Australian rules football team since 1877[1] and Wahgunyah's first recorded match was against Corowa (a return match) on Saturday, 16 June 1877, played "on the hill" in Corowa, with Wahgunyah winning the first encounter by three goals to nothing. W Busch was the captain of Wahgunyah FC.[2] Throughout 1877, there was talk of the Wahgunyah and Corowa Football Club's merging to form one stronger club and be called Border United Football Club,[3] with this merger taking place in August, 1877 and their first match as Border United was played against the Rutherglen Football Club in August 1877 and was captained by Jacob Levin.[4] The Border United team wore pink and white colours.[5]
The Wahgunyah Recreation Reserve was set aside by the Victorian Government in 1864 and was controlled by a Government appointed committee of Management.[6]
In 1888, Border United FC fielded three teams, First Twenty, Second Twenty and a junior team that played against other local teams and towns.[7]
Wahgunyah FC (Juniors) was re-established in 1897, with Mr. J Grimmond elected as president and decided that the club colours would be black and white (Magpies) and they decided to play at the racecourse[8] in the Murray Valley Junior Football Association.[9] The club won the 1897[10][11] and 1899 Murray Valley Junior Football Association premierships. The Murray Valley Junior Football Association was abandoned in May, 1905.[12]
In 1901, Mr. Hancock won the club's most consistent player award at a club dinner at Wahgunyah's Victoria Hotel.[13]
Border United FC remained in place until 1905, when Corowa and Wahgunyah both entered stand alone teams in the Corowa District Football Association in 1906.[14]
In 1907, Wahgunyah finished on top of the ladder, with eleven wins from twelve games in the Corowa and District Football Association and won the premiership.[15]
Wahgunyah were runners to Howlong in the 1909 Ovens & Murray Junior Football Association grand final.[16][17] William King won the club's Best all round player award in 1909.[18] Interestingly, in 1896, King was suspended for life by the O&MFA after assaulting an umpire.[19][20] In 1909, Wahgunyah defeated Corowa to win the local State School premiership.[21]
In 1910, Wahgunyah were runners up to Lake Moodemere in the Ovens & Murray Junior Football Association grand final, after they walked off the ground at three quarter time due to excessively rough play.[22]
Wahgunyah have been involved in two drawn Chiltern & District Football Association senior football grand finals, in 1924 and again in 1954, with Wahgunyah winning both grand finals replays. Details below.
The following footballers played with Wahgunyah FNC prior to playing senior VFL / AFL football or were drafted into the AFL. The year indicates their VFL / AFL debut.
