Walla Walla Football Club Explained

The Walla Walla Football Club was an Australian rules football club based in Walla Walla that played in the Hume Football League in southern New South Wales. The club's nickname is the Hoppers (short for grasshopper), the guernsey design consisted of green and white stripes on the front with an all green rear. Their home ground was the Walla Walla Sportsground in Walla Walla. In 2016, they merged with the Rand-Walbundrie Football Club to form the Rand Walbundrie Walla Giants.

History

The club was originally formed in 1903 and played ad hoc matches against other clubs in the district. However it did not participate in regular competition until 1910, when it began to compete in various associations against other local clubs.

In 1917-18 the club went into recess due to World War I, before resuming in 1919. It joined the Hume Football League in 1935, where it fielded teams (aside from a recess due to World War II) through to 2015.

During the 2015/16 off season the Walla Walla and Rand-Walbundrie football clubs entered merger talks for the 2016 Hume Football League season. The Walla Walla Hoppers members voted 100 per cent in favour of the merger; while The Rand-Walbundrie Tigers voted 83 per cent in favour of the merger

Walla Walla Football AssociationThe Walla Walla Football Association was formed in 1915 from the following clubs - Burrumbuttock, Gerogery, Jindera and Walla Walla.^[1] This competition ran from 1915 to 1916, then went into recess in 1917 and 1918, due to World War One, then re-formed from 1919 to 1921.

In 1922, there was a move to form a line association, but it fell through.^[2] Then former Walla Walla FA clubs - Brocklesby, Burrumbuttock and Walbundrie and Walla Walla joined the new Hume Football Association in 1922.

Walla Walla played in six consecutive grand finals from 1915 to 1922 (excluding 1917 and 1918), winning three premierships.

• Walla Walla FA - Grand Finals
  • 1915 - Burrumbuttock: 5.5 - 35 defeated Walla Walla: 4.7 - 31. Played at Walla Walla.^[3]
  • 1916 - Jindera defeated Walla Walla.^[4] Played at Burrumbuttock.
  • 1917 & 1918 - In recess due to WW1.
  • 1919 - Walla Walla defeated Bulgandra by 10 points. Played at Walbundrie.^{[5] [6]}
  • 1920 - Walla Walla: 8.5 - 53 defeated Bulgandra: 4.5 - 29. Played at Walbundrie. ^[7]
  • 1921 - Walla Walla defeated Burrumbuttock. Played at Brocklesby.^[8]

Competitions

• 1910 - 1913: Culcairn and District Football Association
• 1914: Walbundrie & District Football Association
• 1915 - 1921: Walla Walla District Football Association
• 1922 - 1923: Hume Football Association.
• 1924 - 1929: Riverina Football Association
• 1930 - 1934: Central Hume Football Association
• 1935 – 2015: Hume Football League

Merged Clubs

• 2016-2022: Hume Football League "T.B.D." - Joint Venture Club with the Rand-Walbundrie Tigers.^[9]

Football Premierships

Seniors

• Walla Walla Football Association
  • 1919, 1920, 1921
• Hume Football Association

• • Nil. Runners Up - 1922 Grand Final - Bulgandra: 8.12 - 60 defeated Walla Walla: 6.4 - 40.^[10]
• Central Hume Football Association

• • 1931: Walla Walla: 16.12 - 108 defeated Burrumbuttock: 13.12 - 90.^[11] Played at Jindera.
• Hume Football League

• • 1939: Walla Walla: 10.8 - 68 d Lavington: 4.7 - 31^{[12] [13] [14]} Played at Burrumbuttock.
  • 1940: Walla Walla: 15.19 - 109 d Walbundrie: 6.7 - 43^[15] Played at Jindera.
  • 1948: Walla Walla: 13.20 - 98 d Rand: 8.10 - 58^[16] Played at Brocklesby.
  • 1953: Walla Walla: 13.10 - 88 d Brocklesby: 4.6 - 30^[17] Played at Burrumbuttock.

1959, 1965, 1966, 1970, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1987.

Notes and References

1. Web site: 1915 - Burrumbuttock . The Border Morning Mail and Riverina Times (Albury, NSW) . 23 February 2022 . 4 . 10 June 1915.
2. Web site: 1922 - Line association falls through . The Corowa Free Press (NSW) . 23 February 2022 . 3 . 14 April 1922.
3. Web site: 1915 - Walla Walla . The Border Morning Mail and Riverina Times (Albury, NSW) . 23 February 2022 . 1 . 15 September 1915.
4. Web site: 1916 - Walla Walla . The Albury Banner and Wodonga Express (NSW) . 23 February 2022 . 2 . 1 September 1916.
5. Web site: 1919 - Walla Walla . The Albury Banner and Wodonga Express (NSW) . 23 February 2022 . 2 . 29 August 1919.
6. Web site: 1919 - Walla Walla . The Albury Banner and Wodonga Express (NSW) . 23 February 2022 . 3 . 5 September 1919.
7. Web site: 1920 - Walla District Football Association . The Daily Express (Wagga Wagga, NSW) . 23 February 2022 . 4 . 27 August 1920.
8. Web site: 1921 - Football . The Corowa Free Press (NSW) . 23 February 2022 . 3 . 23 September 1921.
9. Web site: Walla Hoppers, Rand-Walbundrie Tigers agree to merge The Border Mail Wodonga, VIC. 7 March 2016.
10. Web site: 1922 - Bulgandra Premiers . The Albury Banner and Wodonga Express (NSW) . 24 January 2022 . 43 . 15 September 1922.
11. Web site: 1931 - Central Hume Final . The Albury Banner and Wodonga Express (NSW) . 23 January 2022 . 12 . 11 September 1931.
12. Web site: 1939 - Walla Wins 1939 Premiership Hume League . Border Morning Mail (Albury, NSW) . 19 February 2022 . 4 . 21 August 1939.
13. Web site: 1939 - Sequel to Lavington / Walla match . The Corowa Free Press (NSW) . 19 February 2022 . 6 . 25 August 1939.
14. Web site: 1939 - Walla . Border Morning Mail (Albury, NSW) . 19 February 2022 . 7 . 6 October 1939.
15. Web site: 1940 - Premiership to Walla . Border Morning Mail (Albury, NSW) . 19 February 2022 . 4 . 19 August 1940.
16. Web site: 1948 - Walla are Hume League Premiers . Border Morning Mail (Albury, NSW) . 19 February 2022 . 6 . 13 September 1948.
17. Web site: 1953 - Football: Walla Hume League Premiers . The Corowa Free Press (NSW) . 19 February 2022 . 4 . 1 September 1953.