By Tallon Smith

Time for a throwback to close out the year!

I recently stumbled on a couple of copies of The Area News from 2006 while cleaning up at home, and found some amazing sports articles.

One aspect which I paid particular attention to was the ‘Sports Details’ section, and looking at which leagues that sporting teams across the Riverina were competing in at the time.

So, let’s take a look at how the Riverina’s footballing landscape appeared in 2006, starting with rugby league.

Rugby League

Group 9

Then (12 clubs): Cootamundra Bulldogs, Gundagai Tigers, Harden-Murrumburrah Hawks, Junee Diesels, Lavington Panthers, South City Bulls, Temora Dragons, Tumbarumba Greens, Tumut Blues, Wagga Wagga Brothers, Wagga Kangaroos and Young Cherrypickers.

Now (9 clubs): Albury Thunder, Gundagai Tigers, Junee Diesels, South City Bulls, Temora Dragons, Tumut Blues, Wagga Brothers, Wagga Kangaroos, Young Cherrypickers.

Group 9 was in a period of transformation and consolidation. After reaching its peak with 14 sides in the 1990s after the merger of Group 9 and Group 13, the competition was on its way to its current number of sides.

The big story was the merger of Turvey Park and Wagga Magpies to form the South City Bulls the year before. Harden were still in the competition, before their departure (for the George Tooke Shield) at the end of the year, along with Tumbarumba (departed 2017) and the Lavington Panthers, the latter of which was to be renamed to the Albury Thunder in 2011.

Group 20

Then (8 clubs): Darlington Point-Coleambally Roosters, Griffith Black & Whites, Griffith Waratah Tigers, Leeton Greenies, Tullibigeal-Lakes United Sharks, West Wyalong Mallee Men, Yanco-Wamoon Hawks and Yenda Blueheelers.

Now (9 clubs): Darlington Point-Coleambally Roosters, Griffith Black & Whites, Griffith Waratah Tigers, Hay Magpies, Leeton Greenies, Tullibigeal-Lakes United Sharks, West Wyalong Mallee Men, Yanco-Wamoon Hawks and Yenda Blueheelers.

Group 20 was contested by just 8 teams in 2006, after the Narrandera Lizards entered recess following the previous campaign. The club was to return partially via a merger with Yanco-Wamoon in 2012 as the Bidgee Hurricanes, however this lasted just three years. The club then reformed in 2018 in the Western Riverina (ProTen) Community Cup. 

The Lizards are eyeing a return to Group 20 in the near future, as they look to end their extensive sojourn outside of the competition.

Hay joined the competition from Group 17 at the end of 2006.

Group 17

Then (5 clubs): Goolgowi Rabbitohs, Griffith Three Ways, Hay Magpies, Hillston Bluebirds and Rankins Springs Dragons.

Now (ProTen Community Cup, 6 clubs): Barellan Rams, Goolgowi Rabbitohs, Hillston Bluebirds, Ivanhoe Roosters, Narrandera Lizards, Rankins Springs Dragons.

Group 17 was to last just months after the publication of this newspaper, with Hay’s departure for Group 20 leaving the competition with just four sides, after it had already lost Weethalle (1990s), Whitton (2003), and Barellan and Ivanhoe (both 2004).

Thus, despite the four remaining clubs pleading to play on, the CRL closed the competition in early 2007.

In the meantime, Griffith Three Ways (who now only play in the Koori Knockout) also competed in their final full season in 2006.

The competition was resurrected in 2018, with three of the four remaining sides from early 2007, along with Barellan and Ivanhoe and Group 20’s Narrandera.

Other Sports

Just for fun, and for curiosity, this is how the other two tackle football codes in the area stack up 18 years on.

Riverina Football League (Aussie Rules)

Then (8 clubs): Coolamon, Eastern Hawks, Ganmain-Grong Grong-Matong, Griffith, Leeton-Whitton, Mangoplah, Narrandera, Turvey Park.

Now (9 clubs): Collingullie-Glenfield Park, Coolamon, Ganmain-Grong Grong-Matong, Griffith, Leeton-Whitton, Mangoplah, Narrandera, Turvey Park, Wagga Tigers.

This was in the middle of Wagga Tigers’ stint in AFL Canberra (2001-7). 

Farrer League (Aussie Rules)

Then (7 clubs): Collingullie-Ashmont-Kapooka, Marrar, North Wagga, Northern Jets, Rivcoll, Temora, The Rock-Yerong Creek.

Now (9 clubs): Barellan, Coleambally, CSU, East Wagga-Kooringal, Marrar, North Wagga, Northern Jets, Temora, The Rock-Yerong Creek.

Cootamundra had departed two years earlier for AFL Canberra, while North Wagga was to switch with the Eastern Hawks four years later in 2009 before rejoining the league in 2011 when Collingullie departed, also for the Riverina League.

Coleambally joined from the Coreen League via the Hume League in 2010, while Barellan followed suit from the Northern Riverina League in 2016.

Northern Riverina FL (Aussie Rules)

Then (8 clubs): Barellan, Cobar, Hillston, Lake Cargelligo, Parkes, Tullibigeal, Ungarie, West Wyalong.

Now (5 clubs): Hillston, Lake Cargelligo, Tullibigeal, Ungarie, West Wyalong.

Perhaps the most wide-ranging and perplexing league on the list, the NRFL included teams from as far away as Parkes and Cobar, which in rugby league terms are in a completely different administrative region. Cobar was to fold in 2015, along with a resurrected Condobolin side, while Parkes lives on in the AFL Central West Reserves competition.

Coreen League (Aussie Rules)

Then (7 clubs): Billabong Crows, Coleambally, Coreen-Daysdale-Hopefield-Buraja United, Jerilderie, Murray Magpies, Rennie, Wahgunyah (Vic).

Now: Defunct.

Where did the clubs go? 

Hume League: Billabong, Coleambally (2008-10), CDHBU, Murray Magpies, Rennie (2008).

Tallangatta League: Wahgunyah

Picola DFL: Jerilderie, Rennie (2009-present).

Farrer League: Coleambally (2011-present)

The Coreen League followed Group 17, going defunct one season later in 2007, however, given that all of its clubs found other leagues to join, it is highly unlikely we will ever see the competition return in any form.

Hume League (Aussie Rules)

Then (11 clubs): Brocklesby, Burrumbuttock, Culcairn, Henty, Holbrook, Howlong, Jindera, Lockhart, Osborne, Walbundrie, Walla Walla.

Now (12 clubs): Billabong Crows, Brocklesby-Burrumbuttock, CDHBU, Culcairn, Henty, Holbrook, Howlong, Jindera, Lockhart, Murray Magpies, Osborne, Rand-Walbundrie-Walla Walla.

Absorbed most of the Coreen League in 2008 and has seen many of its clubs merge to survive in recent years.

Southern Inland Rugby Union (Rugby Union)

Then (15 clubs): Albury, Condobolin, Cootamundra, Grenfell, Griffith, Hay, Rivcoll, Temora, Tumut, Wagga Ag College, Wagga City, Wagga Waratahs, West Wyalong, Young, (Second Grade: Leeton).

Now (10 clubs): Albury, CSU, Deniliquin, Griffith, Tumut, Wagga Ag College, Wagga City and Wagga Waratahs, (Second Grade: Leeton, Third Grade: Hay).

Out of any Riverina-based competition, SIRU has seen the most change since 2006.

Albury, CSU (formerly Rivcoll), Griffith, Tumut, Wagga Ag College, Wagga City and Wagga Waratahs all continue to compete in the 1st XV competition, joined this season by a resurrected Deniliquin side. Much like in 2006, Leeton continue to play in the 2nd XV competition, albeit after a brief stint back in the top grade, while Hay play 3rd XV, and won that level of competition in 2023.

Cootamundra, Grenfell, Temora, West Wyalong and Young now play in the South West Cup, a Third Division competition run by Central West Rugby, along with Boorowa and Harden.

Condobolin folded some time between 2006 and the present.