River Murray Football League Explained

River Murray Football League
Sport:Australian rules football
Teams:9
Country:Australia
Champion:Jervios Football Club
Most Champs:Imperial Football Club
(22 premierships)
Related Comps:SANFL

The River Murray Football League is an Australian rules football competition based in the Murray Bridge region of South Australia, Australia. It is an affiliated member of the South Australian National Football League.

History

The competition was founded in 1931 with the foundation clubs Imperials, Ramblers and Mypolonga.[1]

Traditionally the 2 Murray Bridge clubs, Imperials and Ramblers, have had a fierce rivalry, and both have had their fair share of success over the years. Tailem Bend and Jervois, who are both based in smaller townships, are proud clubs with fine traditions and premiership success to go with it. Mannum and Mypolonga both broke premiership droughts in recent decades, however both clubs have struggled in the last 15 years to convert multiple grand final appearances into premierships. Meningie broke through for their first premiership in the RMFL in 2001, however their form since has fluctuated dependent on their ability to recruit players from the Adelaide region.

In 2007 the Jervois Football Club won their fourth consecutive League Premiership when they defeated the Imperial Football Club for the second consecutive year. 2004 to 2007 was a golden era for the Jervois Football Club, but they were unable to win 5 in a row in 2008, with the Rambler Football Club winning their first premiership since 1987 after defeating Mypolonga.

Ramblers won their 2nd premiership in 3 years in 2010 with victory over Mannum.

In the clash of the Murray Bridge clubs in 2011, Imperials defeated reigning premiers Ramblers in the Grand Final at Meningie Oval. Mail Medalist Tyson Wait led the Blues to victory with a dominant performance in defence.

Very little separated the top 5 clubs in season 2012. In the Grand Final at Johnston Park, the fast finishing Ramblers side defied the odds to claim a 5-point victory in a high-scoring game against Minor premiers Mypolonga.

The Mannum Football Club broke the recent stranglehold of the 2 Murray Bridge clubs, in 2013, with victory over Imperials in the Grand Final. With retired SANFL stars Jeremy Clayton and Jade Sheedy featuring prominently, the Roos stormed home in the last quarter to collect their first flag since 2003.

A merger was announced between Meningie and Border Downs-Tintinara of the Mallee Football League at the end of the 2022 season, with the two clubs forming the Coorong Cats.[2] Two other merged entities, Mallee Districts and the Southern Mallee Suns would also join the league following the demise of the Mallee Football League.[3]

Current clubs

JumperClubNicknameYears in compRMFL PremiershipsPremiership Years
CoorongCats2023–0-
ImperialBlues1931–221931, 1946, 1948, 1952, 1953, 1957, 1958, 1967, 1969, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1983, 1988, 1993, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2009, 2011, 2018, 2022
JervoisBluds1932–201932, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1959, 1961, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1968, 1984, 1986, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2020, 2021, 2023
Mallee DistrictsStorm2023–0-
MannumRoos1933–36, 1939–57, 1964–71944, 1949, 1955, 1956, 2003, 2013, 2015
MypolongaTigers1931–81938, 1939, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1994, 2017, 2019
RamblersRoosters1931–151933, 1950, 1951, 1971, 1975, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1985, 1987, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2016
Southern MalleeSuns2023–0-
Tailem BendEagles1946–141947, 1954, 1960, 1962, 1965, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2000

Former clubs

JumperClubNicknameYears in compRMFL PremiershipsPremiership YearsNotes
Border DownsMagpies1955–1991--Merged with Tintinara in 1992 to form Border Downs-Tintinara
Murray Bridge RedlegsRedlegs1983–2005--Folded in 2006
Border Downs-TintinaraCrows1992–2001--Moved to Mallee Football League in 2002
Nairne BremerRams1992–1997--Moved back to Hills Football League in 1998
Monteith1946–1951--
MeningieBears1955–202222001, 2014Merged with Border Downs-Tintinara in 2023 to form Coorong Cats

Inter-League

From 1958 to 1969 and from 1972 to 1999, the River Murray FL participated in the Lovelock Shield against the Great Southern Football League, Southern Football League and Hills Football League.[4]

League Premiers

Standard Medalists

The Mail Medal was awarded to the best and fairest player of the year. Awarded from 1938-1940, and then 1949-2012. In 2013 the RMFL changed the name to the Murray Valley Standard Medal.

Bohdan Cybulka Medal

Awarded to the best on ground during the League Grand Final.

Notable Players

Imperials Martin Mattner, Chad Wingard, Jarrod Lienert, Brandon Zerk-Thatcher

Ramblers Brad Hartman

Meningie Brodie Martin

Border Downs Matthew Dent

2010 Ladder

River Murray Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts
Mannum 13 0 3 0 2129 903 70.22% 26 Elimination 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Ramblers 13 0 3 0 2384 1022 69.99% 26 Qualifying 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Imperials 12 0 4 0 2282 1189 65.74% 24 1st Semi Imperials 14 15 99 Meningie 8 11 59
Meningie 9 0 7 0 1755 1290 57.64% 18 2nd Semi Ramblers 13 12 90 Mannum 5 16 46
Mypolonga 6 0 10 0 1458 2396 37.83% 12 Preliminary Mannum 15 11 101 Imperials 13 12 90
Jervois 3 0 13 0 868 2162 28.65% 6 Grand Ramblers 13 10 88 Mannum 9 16 70
Tailem Bend 0 0 16 0 791 2705 22.63% 0

2011 Ladder

River Murray Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts
Ramblers 14 0 2 0 2107 1386 60.32% 28 Elimination 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Imperials 10 0 5 1 1839 1378 57.17% 21 Qualifying 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Mannum 9 0 6 1 1614 1456 52.57% 19 1st Semi Jervois 16 11 107 Mannum 15 12 102
Jervois 7 0 9 0 1567 1697 48.01% 14 2nd Semi Imperials 15 16 106 Ramblers 14 8 92
Tailem Bend 6 0 10 0 1835 1978 48.12% 12 Preliminary Ramblers 21 16 142 Jervois 10 9 69
Mypolonga 6 0 10 0 1524 1935 44.06% 12 Grand Imperials 16 15 111 Ramblers 9 9 63
Meningie 3 0 13 0 1351 2007 40.23% 6

2012 Ladder

River Murray Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts
Mypolonga 13 0 3 0 1998 1275 61.04% 26 Elimination Meningie 16 18 114 Mannum 13 11 89
Imperials 12 0 4 0 1743 1174 59.75% 24 Qualifying Imperials 11 10 76 Ramblers 10 8 68
Ramblers 11 0 4 1 1753 1426 55.14% 23 1st Semi Ramblers 20 18 138 Meningie 17 7 109
Meningie 9 0 7 0 1730 1667 50.93% 18 2nd Semi Mypolonga 22 12 144 Imperials 15 11 101
Mannum 7 0 9 0 1416 1379 50.66% 14 Preliminary Ramblers 15 9 99 Imperials 8 8 56
Jervois 2 0 13 1 1332 2334 36.33% 5 Grand Ramblers 21 15 141 Mypolonga 21 10 136
Tailem Bend 1 0 15 0 1209 1926 38.56% 2

2013 Ladder

River Murray Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts
Imperials 13 0 3 0 1910 1154 62.34% 26 Elimination Meningie 31 20 206 Jervois 11 9 75
Ramblers 11 0 5 0 1591 1101 59.10% 22 Qualifying Mannum 17 9 111 Ramblers 10 11 71
Mannum 10 0 6 0 1510 1249 54.73% 20 1st Semi Ramblers 14 13 97 Mypolonga 12 17 89
Mypolonga 9 0 7 0 1680 1401 54.53% 18 2nd Semi Mannum 16 12 108 Imperials 10 12 72
Jervois 8 0 8 0 1314 1613 44.89% 16 Preliminary Imperials 20 20 140 Ramblers 7 4 46
Meningie 3 0 13 0 1254 1705 42.38% 6 Grand Mannum 13 15 93 Imperials 10 10 70
Tailem Bend 2 0 14 0 1056 2092 33.55% 4

2014 Ladder

River Murray Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts
Ramblers 12 0 4 0 1778 1051 62.85% 24 Elimination Meningie 12 14 86 Imperials 11 6 72
Meningie 10 0 5 1 1765 1242 58.70% 21 Qualifying Meningie 12 12 84 Mypolonga 10 14 74
Mypolonga 10 0 5 1 1686 1301 56.44% 21 1st Semi Mannum 18 11 119 Mypolonga 14 8 92
Mannum 10 0 6 0 1464 1218 54.59% 20 2nd Semi Meningie 11 12 78 Ramblers 8 11 59
Imperials 7 0 9 0 1525 1358 52.90% 14 Preliminary Ramblers 14 13 97 Mannum 12 12 84
Jervois 3 0 13 0 1230 1888 39.45% 6 Grand Meningie 15 17 107 Ramblers 7 7 49
Tailem Bend 3 0 13 0 1052 2442 30.11% 6

2015 Ladder

River Murray Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % PtsFinalTeamGBPtsTeamGBPts
Mannum 14 0 2 0 1721 875 66.29% 28 Elimination Ramblers 7 6 48 Meningie 4 9 33
Imperials 13 0 3 0 1482 1167 55.95% 26 Qualifying Imperials 13 6 84 Mypolonga 9 6 60
Mypolonga 11 0 5 0 1432 1154 55.38% 22 1st Semi Mypolonga 12 3 75 Ramblers 6 8 44
Meningie 9 0 7 0 1524 1225 55.44% 18 2nd Semi Mannum 15 13 103 Imperials 9 18 72
Ramblers 6 0 10 0 1313 1396 48.47% 12 Preliminary Imperials 8 2 50 Mypolonga 5 7 37
Jervois 2 0 14 0 1084 1773 37.94% 4 Grand Mannum 19 5 119 Imperials 11 5 71
Tailem Bend 1 0 15 0 1063 2029 34.38% 2

References

  1. Web site: River Murray Football Association. Mount Barker Courier and Onkaparinga and Gumeracha Advertiser (Sa : 1880 - 1954). 12 June 1931. 1.
  2. Web site: Strathearn . Peri . Merger talk intensifies following Meningie Bears' final game . 2023-04-12 . www.murraybridge.news . en.
  3. Web site: Strathearn . Peri . Southern Mallee Suns, Mallee Storm admitted to RMFL for 2023 . 2023-04-12 . www.murraybridge.news . en.
  4. Web site: Profiles - Eric Walter. Border Downs-Tintinara Football Club. 22 July 2013.

External links

Books