The Wangaratta Rovers, officially known as the Wangaratta Rovers Football & Netball Club, is an

Australian rules football Australian football, also called Australian rules football or Aussie rules, or more simply football or footy, is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an oval field, often a modified cricket ground. Points are scored by k ...

club based in

Wangaratta, Victoria Wangaratta ( ) is a city in the northeast of Victoria, Australia, from Melbourne along the Hume Highway. The city had an estimated urban population of 19,318 at June 2018. Wangaratta has recorded a population growth rate of almost 1% annually ...

and play in the

Ovens & Murray Football League The Ovens and Murray Football Netball League (O&MFNL) is an Australian rules football and netball competition containing ten clubs based in north-eastern Victoria, the southern Riverina region of New South Wales and the Ovens and Murray are ...

. Their nickname is the Hawks. Their home ground is W.J. Findlay Oval in

Wangaratta Wangaratta ( ) is a city in the northeast of Victoria, Australia, from Melbourne along the Hume Highway. The city had an estimated urban population of 19,318 at June 2018. Wangaratta has recorded a population growth rate of almost 1% annually ...

. Their playing guernsey consists of gold and brown stripes on the front and gold on the back.

History

Wangaratta Rovers were initially formed in 1923 and competed in the

Ovens and King Football League The Ovens & King Football Netball League is a minor country Australian rules football league based in North-Eastern Victoria in the vicinity of Wangaratta and more recently Benalla. History The ''Ovens & King Football League'' was formed on ...

(O&KFL) from 1923 to 1929. They merged with the

Wangaratta Football Club The Wangaratta Magpies Football Club, officially known as the Wangaratta Magpies Football & Netball Club, is an Australian rules football club, which first played in the Ovens and Murray Football League in 1893 and is based in Wangaratta, Victori ...

in 1930, who then entered one team in the

Ovens and Murray Football League The Ovens and Murray Football Netball League (O&MFNL) is an Australian rules football and netball competition containing ten clubs based in north-eastern Victoria, Australia, Victoria, the southern Riverina region of New South Wales, Austral ...

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 and losing to Myrtleford in the 1949 O&KFL grand final, before joining the

in 1950.

Football Premierships

;Seniors *

(1) **1948 *

(15) **1958, 1960, 1964, 1965, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1988, 1991, 1993, 1994. ;Reserves *

(8) **1958, 1962, 1976, 1977, 1980, 1983, 1984, 2007. ;Under 18 / Thirds *

(11) **1980, 1985, 1988, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2008, 2018.

Netball Premiership

;A. Grade *

(4) **1993, 1994, 2005, 2006, ;B. Grade *

(1) **1999 ;C. Grade *

(1) **1996, ;16 & Under *

(1) **2019

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 John McMahon "Mac" Hill (22 March 1925 – 24 September 1995) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Collingwood in the Victorian Football League (VFL). Originally from Beechworth where he won their 1947 best and fairest aw ...

- Collingwood *1956 -

Alan Dale Alan Hugh Dale (born 6 May 1947) is a New Zealand actor. As a child, Dale enjoyed theatre and rugby. After retiring from the sport, he took on a number of occupations, before deciding to become a professional actor at age 27. Dale subsequentl ...

- St. Kilda *1959 -

Kevin Dellar Kevin Dellar (born 28 May 1937) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Essendon in the Victorian Football League (VFL). Before being recruited to Essendon, Dellar played for several country clubs, including Seymour, Wanga ...

- Essendon *1959 - Les Gregory - St. Kilda *1964 -

Barrie Beattie Barrie Beattie (born 6 December 1944) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Footscray Football Club in the Victorian Football League The Victorian Football League (VFL) is an Australian rules football league in Austra ...

- Footscray *1964 -

Graeme Leydin Graham William Leydin (born 21 March 1940) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Essendon in the Victorian Football League (VFL). Nicknamed Yabbie, Leydin won a best and fairest at the Essendon Under-19s in 1958. He played mo ...

- Essendon *1967 - Mike Hallahan - Fitzroy *1968 - Norm Bussell - Hawthorn *1972 -

Phil Doherty Phil Doherty (born 10 April 1951) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with North Melbourne in the Victorian Football League The Victorian Football League (VFL) is an Australian rules football league in Australia serving as ...

- North Melbourne *1973 - Mick Nolan - North Melbourne *1975 - John Byrne - North Melbourne *1985 -

Rohan Robertson Rohan Robertson (Born 21 August 1961. Died December 27 2022) was a former Australian rules footballer who played for North Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL) between 1985 and 1988. He made his VFL debut on the same day as his you ...

- North Melbourne *1985 -

Shane Robertson Shane Robertson (born 27 December 1963) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Carlton Carlton may refer to: People * Carlton (name), a list of those with the given name or surname * Carlton (singer), English soul singer ...

- North Melbourne *1987 -

Paul Bryce Paul Bryce (born 12 July 1968) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with North Melbourne, Melbourne and the Sydney Swans in the Victorian/Australian Football League (VFL/AFL). Bryce was a defender but was also used in the ruck a ...

- North Melbourne *1987 -

Craig Patrick Craig Patrick (born May 20, 1946) is an American former hockey player, coach and general manager, the son of Lynn Patrick and the grandson of Lester Patrick. During the 1980 Winter Olympics, Patrick was the Assistant General Manager and Assistant ...

- North Melbourne, Pick No.35 *1988 -

Scott Williamson Scott Ryan Williamson (born February 17, 1976) is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) right-handed relief pitcher who played for the Cincinnati Reds (1999–2003), Boston Red Sox (2003-), Chicago Cubs (2005–2006), San Diego Padres ( ...

- West Coast Eagles, Pick No.44 *1989 - Joe Wilson - Brisbane Bears, Pick No.51 *1990 -

Tim Rieniets Tim Rieniets (born 14 April 1966) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Carlton in the Australian Football League (AFL). Rieniets, a Wangaratta Rovers junior, was recruited by North Melbourne and in two years with the club he ...

- Carlton *1990 -

Robert Hickmott Robert Hickmott (born 28 January 1969) is an Australian racehorse trainer and former Australian rules footballer, who played for the Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). In 2012, he became the first former footballer ...

- Melbourne *1990 -

- Melbourne, No. 31 (1990 Pre season draft) *1991 -

Dean Harding Dean Harding (born 10 October 1971) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Fitzroy in the Australian Football League (AFL). Harding was selected by Fitzroy, from the Wangaratta Rovers, with the 78th overall pick of the 1990 N ...

- Fitzroy *2001 - Andrew Hill - Collingwood, No.39 (2001 AFL Rookie Draft) *2002 -

Sean O'Keeffe Sean O'Keeffe (born 10 May 1982) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Carlton in the Australian Football League. O'Keeffe played his junior football for Wangaratta Rovers in the Ovens & Murray Football League, and played TAC ...

- Carlton *2003 -

Karl Norman Karl Norman (born 30 May 1983) is an Australian rules football player, who formerly played in the Australian Football League. From Wangaratta, Norman played his junior football for the Greta Football Club in the Ovens & King Football League & ...

- Carlton *2004 - Luke Mullins - St. Kilda *2006 -

Alipate Carlile Alipate Carlile (born 30 April 1987) is a former professional Australian rules footballer for who played for the Port Adelaide Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). Carlile was born in Lautoka to mother Asenaca of Batiki. He ...

- Port Adelaide *2007 -

Ben Reid Ben Reid (born 29 April 1989) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Collingwood in the Australian Football League (AFL). Personal life Reid grew up in Wangaratta Victoria, attending Galen Catholic College. He is the son of ...

- Collingwood *2010 - Sam Reid - Sydney Swans *2014 -

Zac O'Brien Zachary O'Brien (born 27 October 1990) is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Brisbane Lions in Australian Football League (AFL). O'Brien was drafted by the Lions with the 23rd selection in 2014 rookie draft. ...

- Brisbane Lions *2021 - Nick 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 -

- St. Kilda *1956 - Bob Rose - Collingwood *1962 -

- Essendon *1964 - Ken Boyd - South Melbourne *1964 -

Frank Hogan Frank Smithwick Hogan (January 17, 1902 – April 2, 1974) was an American lawyer and politician from New York. He served as New York County District Attorney for more than 30 years, during which he achieved a reputation for professionalism and ...

- South Melbourne *1965 -

Bob Hempel Bob Hempel (born 9 November 1936) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Footscray in the Victorian Football League The Victorian Football League (VFL) is an Australian rules football league in Australia serving as o ...

- Footscray *1967 -

Ian Brewer Ian Davidson Brewer (15 June 1936 – 15 April 2010) was an Australian rules footballer with a distinguished career between 1956 and 1970, in the three major leagues of his era: the Victorian Football League (VFL), West Australian National Foo ...

- Collingwood *1975 - Andrew Scott - Hawthorn *1981 -

Phil Seaton Phil Seaton (born 4 January 1957) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL). Originally from Tongala, he moved to Bendigo Teacher's College in 1977 and played in Sandhurst' ...

- Melbourne *1983 -

Gerry McCarthy Gerald Francis McCarthy (born 30 June 1958) is an Australian politician. He was a Labor member of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly The Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory is the unicameral legislature of the Northern ...

- Hawthorn & Fitzroy *1987 -

Peter Tossol Peter Anthony Tossol (born 21 November 1962) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL). He was also a Victorian Country representative in cricket. Melbourne career Tossol, a forward ...

- Melbourne *2001 -

Nick Trask Nick Trask (born 6 February 1978) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with the Brisbane Lions in the Australian Football League (AFL). Trask played for the Eastern Ranges in the TAC Cup and also at Vermont, before being drafted ...

- Brisbane Bears *2012 -

Barry Hall Barry Hall (born 8 February 1977) is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the St Kilda Football Club, Sydney Swans and Western Bulldogs in the Australian Football League (AFL). He is considered to be one of the be ...

- St. Kilda, Sydney Swans & Footscray *2014 - Daniel Archer - St. Kilda *2014 -

Jarrad Boumann Jarrad Boumann (born 18 August 1989) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Hawthorn Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). After having been drafted by the in 2007 and subsequently delisted, Boumann was pic ...

- Hawthorn *2014 - James Mulligan - Footscray *2019 -

Daryn Cresswell Daryn Cresswell (born 22 May 1971) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Sydney Swans in the Australian Football League, and the former senior coach of the Tasmanian Devils Football Club that played in the Victorian Foo ...

- Sydney Swans *2021 - Matt Jones - Melbourne *2021 - Sam Murray - Collingwood

External links

WRFNC - WebsiteWRFNC - Facebook
{{Ovens & murray football league Australian rules football clubs in Victoria (Australia) Ovens & Murray Football League clubs Sport in Wangaratta