Riana Football Association
| Most recent season or competition: 1964 | |
| Sport | Australian rules football |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1911 |
| Folded | 1964 |
| No. of teams | 4 (1964), 11 (historical) |
| Country | Australia |
Last champion | Natone (1964) |
The Riana Football Association was the final name of an Australian rules football competition based around the town of Penguin in north-west Tasmania.
History
The Riana Football Association began as the Pine Road Football Association in 1911, servicing Penguin and the small towns based south of it. In addition to this name, the Association was known as the West Pine Football Association and the Penguin Football Association in its early years. The original line-up of clubs featured Ellenton, Penguin, Riana and Stowport.[1] Stowport were replaced by Pine Road in 1912,[2] who were in turn replaced by South Riana in 1913. The PRFA entered recess in 1915 due to WWI.
The PRFA was revived in 1919, however the season was left unfinished and the premiership not awarded due to the effects of the influenza outbreak on the clubs' ability to field teams.[3] Penguin departed for the stronger North West Football Union in 1922.[4] They were replaced by Ashwater, who only lasted two seasons before folding.[5] The Association adopted the Riana FA name for the first time in 1924, but would only last one season before entering recess in 1925.
1928 saw the Association revived under the Cuprona FA name, with Cuprona, Natone, Pines and South Riana competing.[6] By 1931 Pines had dropped out and Riana had re-formed and joined the CFA, along with Penguin Juniors. Stockport joined from the Burnie Football Association in 1932.[7] They won two premierships in their first two season in the CFA but returned to the BFA after losing the 1934 grand final. Cuprona entered recess in 1937 and Penguin Juniors were replaced by West Pine in 1938.[8] The Association became known as the Penguin Football Association in 1937 bu by 1939 the Riana FA name had re-appeared. The 1939 grand final between Riana and Natone saw a bizarre game played in which neither team was able to score a goal due to the deplorable conditions in which the game has played.[9] The game had already been delayed by a week due to poor conditions but it appears that the weather only worsened during this time. Light snow was reported to have fallen during the final break, causing the beginning of the final quarter to be delayed.[9] The final score saw Riana win 0.8 (8) to 0.4 (4), marking the only senior grand final in Tasmanian and likely Australian history to have been won with no goals scored by the winning team. The RFA entered recess a year later due to the onset of WWII.
Competition resumed in 1945 under the Natone Football Association name. The Association returned to 6 clubs, with Riana, South Riana and Natone joined by a re-formed Cuprona, Stockport and a newly-formed club from Upper Natone.[10] Stowport folded after losing the 1946 grand final and were replaced by a new club from Sulphur Creek in 1948.[11] Curpona won three premierships in a row from 1948 to 1950, but entered recess again for a year in 1954. Sulphur Creek also folded before the 1954 season.[12] The Riana FA name returned along with Cuprona in 1955. The competition continued until the end of the 1964 season, by which time Upper Natone had folded and Riana was struggling for numbers. They would be absorbed by South Riana and transfer to the Leven FA in 1965, while Cuprona and Natone moved to the Darwin FA.
Clubs
Final
| Club | Colours | Nickname | Home Ground | Former league | Est. | Years in RFA | Known RFA Senior Premierships | Fate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | Years | ||||||||
| Cuprona (Ellenton 1911-20) |  |
Robins | Wivenhoe Recreation Ground, Wivenhoe | – | 1911 | 1911-1922, 1924, 1928-1936, 1945-1953, c.1955-1964 | 8 | 1922, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1957, 1958, 1960, 1963 | In recess in 1923, 1925-27, 1937-44 and 1954. Moved to Darwin FA in 1965 |
| Natone (Upper Natone 1928) |   |
Magpies | Natone Recreation Ground, Natone | – | 1921 | 1921-1923, 1928-1964 | 5 | 1929, 1931, 1938, 1955, 1964 | Recess between 1924-27. Moved to Darwin FA in 1965 |
| Riana (Riana Ramblers 1914) |  |
Blues | Riana Football Ground, Riana | – | 1911 | 1911-1924, 1929-1964 | 8 | 1911, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1939, 1952, 1959, 1961 | Recess between 1924-28. Absorbed by South Riana in 1965 |
| South Riana (Riana Rovers 1914) |  .svg.png) |
Swans | South Riana Football Ground, South Riana | – | 1913 | 1913-1924, 1928-1964 | 6 | 1924, 1928, 1930, 1945, 1946, 1962 | Recess between 1925-27. Moved to Leven FA in 1965 |
Former
| Club | Colours | Nickname | Home Ground | Former league | Est. | Years in RFA | Known RFA Senior Premierships | Fate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | Years | ||||||||
| Ashwater | Ashwater Football Ground, Penguin | – | 1922 | 1922-1923 | 0 | - | Folded after 1923 season | ||
| Penguin |  |
Two Blues | Dial Park, Penguin | – | 1890 | 1911-1921 | 2 | 1913, 1921 | Moved to NWFU in 1922 |
| Penguin juniors | |
Two Blues | Dial Park, Penguin | – | 1890 | 1924, 1929-1937 | 0 | - | ? |
| Stowport |  |
Tigers | Stowport Football Ground, Stowport | BFA | 1903 | 1911, 1932-1934, 1945-1946 | 2 | 1932, 1933 | Entered recess in 1912. Returned to Burnie FA in 1935. Folded after 1946 season |
| Sulphur Creek | Sulphur Creek Recreation Ground, Sulphur Creek | – | 1948 | 1948-1953 | 0 | - | Folded after 1963 season | ||
| Upper Natone | .svg.png)  |
Upper Natone Recreation Ground, Upper Natone | – | 1945 | 1945-? | 4 | 1947, 1953, 1954, 1956 | Folded at unknown date between 1956 and 1964 | |
| West Pine (Pine Road 1912, Pines 1928-31) | – | 1912 | 1912, 1928, 1930-1931, 1938-1939 | 0 | - | Folded after 1939 season | |||
Premierships
| Year | Premier | Score | Runners-up | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pine Road FA | ||||
| 1911 | Riana | ? | ||
| 1912 | ? | ? | ||
| 1913 | Penguin | ? | ||
| 1914 | ||||
| 1915-18 | Association in recess (WWI) | |||
| 1919 | Premiership not awarded due to influenza outbreak | |||
| 1920 | ? | ? | ||
| 1921 | Penguin | ? | ||
| 1922 | Cuprona | ? | ||
| 1923 | ? | ? | ||
| Riana Football Association | ||||
| 1924 | South Riana | 6.9 (44) - 4.5 (29) | Riana | |
| 1925-27 | Association in recess | |||
| Cuprona Football Association | ||||
| 1928 | South Riana | 3.4 (22) - 2.5 (17) | Upper Natone | |
| 1929 | Natone | 3.8 (26) - 3.0 (18) | Riana | |
| 1930 | South Riana | Natone | ||
| 1931 | Natone | 8.12 (60) - 7.6 (48) | South Riana | |
| 1932 | Stowport | 6.3 (39) - 1.6 (12) | Riana | |
| 1933 | Stowport | 8.5 (53) - 1.12 (18) | Natone | |
| 1934 | Riana | 5.5 (35) - 4.4 (26) | Stowport | |
| 1935 | Riana | 4.6 (30) - 2.6 (18) | Penguin juniors | |
| 1936 | Riana | 9.10 (64) - 4.11 (35) | Cuprona | |
| Penguin Football Association | ||||
| 1937 | Riana | 9.5 (59) - 4.5 (29) | South Riana | |
| 1938 | Natone | 10.6 (66) - 8.5 (53) | Riana | |
| Riana Football Association | ||||
| 1939 | Riana | 0.8 (8) - 0.4 (4) | Natone | Played in "deplorable conditions" at Cuprona. |
| 1940-44 | RFA in recess (WWII) | |||
| Natone Football Association | ||||
| 1945 | South Riana | 9.17 (71) - 5.2 (32) | Natone | |
| 1946 | South Riana | 5.6 (36) - 4.7 (31) | Stowport | |
| 1947 | Upper Natone | 7.2 (44) - 6.5 (41) | Cuprona | |
| 1948 | Cuprona | 13.8 (86) - 9.7 (61) | South Riana | |
| 1949 | Cuprona | 10.11 (71) - 3.12 (36) | Natone | |
| 1950 | Cuprona | South Riana | ||
| 1951 | ? | |||
| 1952 | Riana | 8.3 (51) - 5.9 (39) | Upper Natone | |
| 1953 | Upper Natone | ? | ||
| 1954 | Upper Natone | 8.9 (57) - 5.3 (33) | South Riana | |
| Riana Football Association | ||||
| 1955 | Natone | 9.10 (64) - 5.8 (38) | South Riana | |
| 1956 | Upper Natone | 9.11 (65) - 4.3 (27) | Riana | |
| 1957 | Cuprona | 14.23 (107) - 11.11 (77) | South Riana | |
| 1958 | Cuprona | 5.9 (39) - 5.4 (34) | South Riana | |
| 1959 | Riana | 9.13 (67) - 4.4 (28) | Cuprona | |
| 1960 | Cuprona | 15.8 (98) - 7.15 (57) | South Riana | |
| 1961 | Riana | 7.8 (50) - 7.7 (49) | Cuprona | |
| 1962 | South Riana | 12.16 (88) - 9.11 (65) | Cuprona | |
| 1963 | Cuprona | 7.9 (51) - 3.3 (21) | Riana | |
| 1964 | Natone | 10.10 (70) - 5.4 (34) | Cuprona | |
References
- ↑ "RIANA V. ELLENTON". The North Western Advocate and the Emu Bay Times. 19 July 1911. p. 2. Retrieved 22 July 2026.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "WEST PINE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION". The Daily Telegraph (Launceston). 2 July 1912. p. 6. Retrieved 22 July 2026.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "FOOTBALL". The Advocate (Burnie). 14 June 1919. p. 6. Retrieved 22 July 2026.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "PENGUIN CLUB". The Examiner (Launceston). 15 April 1922. p. 9. Retrieved 22 July 2026.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "RIANA". The Advocate (Burnie). 21 August 1924. p. 4. Retrieved 22 July 2026.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "To-morrow's Fixtures". The Advocate (Burnie). 24 August 1928. p. 3. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Cuprona Association". The Advocate (Burnie). 30 April 1932. p. 3. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "PENGUIN ASSOCIATION". The Advocate (Burnie). 26 April 1938. p. 3. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - 1 2 "Riana Takes Premiership". The Advocate (Burnie). 4 September 1939. p. 3. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "FOOTBALL". The Advocate (Burnie). 5 July 1945. p. 3. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Natone Association". The Advocate (Burnie). 22 June 1948. p. 3. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Natone Association". The Advocate (Burnie). 6 August 1954. p. 12. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)