The Alexandra Football Club is over 120 years old, having celebrated it’s centenary in 1984 and during that time the Football Club has played a very important part in the culture of Alexandra, as do football clubs in any country town.
Most of the pre 20th century games were challenges or “friendlies” arranged by various leading young men of the town against the likes of Thornton, Mansfield, Yea, Jamieson and others and it was not until 1902 that the Alexandra club competed in the newly formed Alexandra – Yea Association against clubs like Yea, Thornton, Yarck and Kanumbra. Even Johnson’s Creek, Marysville and Taggerty, with some matches played on a Wednesday afternoon.
Alexandra began playing at the Showgrounds in front of the newly constructed grandstand in 1905. Teams came and went and football was hardly played at all in some years. After the Great War the Alexandra – Yea Association resumed with five teams with Eildon now fielding a team. Alexandra were runners-up in 1920, ‘21 and ’22 before winning the premiership in 1925.
Alexandra first wore the red, white and black colours and entered the Waranga F.A. in 1927 and were runners up in 1930. They also entered a team (Alexandra Rovers) in a lesser more local competition. Alexandra’s first Waranga premiership came in 1931against Nagambie at Broadford. Special trains were scheduled to carry the locals there and back. Rail travel was the normal method to get to the games “down the line”.
In 1936 Alexandra withdrew from the Waranga and the two Alexandra teams played against each other in the local competition. This continued until 1939 when Alexandra was premier with Bill Wearne captain and the outbreak of the Second World War. Football resumed locally in 1946 but Alexandra did not re-enter the Waranga until 1947. Alexandra’s most successful era began with a premiership in ’52 under coach Jack Cotter followed by thee under Ian Alexander ’56, ‘60,and ’62 also losing the grand final in ’53 and ‘65. Alexandra remained in the Waranga until it’s demise in 1976 then played in the Yarra Valley Mountain District League for the next 9 years with the only success in 1980 (second division)
Alexandra joined the Tungamah F.L. in 1986 where they played until 2005 although the composition and name of the league altered. Alexandra were moderately successful in this competition winning premierships under John Tossol in ’88 and George Steiner ’97 and 2000, whilst also reaching the grand final in ’87 and ’98. During this time Alexandra has had to field netball teams and has changed it’s name to the Alexandra Football and Netball Club. Alexandra had success in the netball and junior football in the latter years of that competition.
Alexandra then were directed to rejoin YVMDFL in 2006 and have won premierships in both football and netball in division two, culminating in a very successful 2008 and promotion to first division.
Alexandra have fielded many fine players over the years with the following winning the Leagues Best and Fairest Jim Bradley (3) ‘Drew Coller. Harry Dundas (Waranga) John Tossol (2) Andrew Walker, George Steiner (3) Michael Bretherton and Neil Oakley (2) whilst others such as Alan Jane (3), Jack Butler, Ron Cummings, Eddie Jackson, Rob Fox, John Cameron, Peter McKenzie (6) John Wallace and Doug Cooper along with those above are multiple winners of the Club B&F.
Names of the past that appear regularly in match reviews but before B&F awards were introduced are Fred Kilpatrick, Roy Payne, Vic Johnson, Bill Parsons, Alan Dobson, Tom Barton, Len Kidd, Herb Fitzroy Bernie O’Brien, Ernie Mawhinney Ken Bell, Ted Stillman, Bert Payne, Les McGorlick, Cyril Archer, Lyn Stillman amongst many others.
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