Maryborough Castlemaine District Football Netball League

The Maryborough Castlemaine District Football Netball League is an Australian rules football league based in central Victoria. This is a minor league with clubs coming from towns near the regional centres of Maryborough, and Castlemaine.

History
The Maryborough District Football Association was formed in 1892 from the following local clubs - Amhurst / Adelaide Lead, Carisbrook, Dunolly, Maryborough, Talbot and Timor.

In 1900, the Maryborough District Football Association met with defeat in a match played against Footscray with the scores, 9.17 - 71 to Maryborough & DFL, 2.7 - 19.

In 1901, Port Melbourne visited Maryborough and defeated the Maryborough Association, 8.7 - 55 to 2.9 - 21.

In 1924, there was a draw in the grand final, with the scores being Moorlort: 11.12 - 78 to Dunolly: 9.24 - 78, with Moorlort winning the replay the following the week.

In 1929, the Maryborugh DFA became known as the Maryborough District Football League.

Maryborough & DFL absorbed a number of clubs from the Castlemaine District Football League, when that competition ceased in 1952. Other clubs from the Castlemaine District Football League moved to the Bendigo District Football Association.

The competitions name was changed to Maryborough Castlemaine District Football League in 1982.

In 2011 the league admitted 4 clubs from the Lexton Plains Football League that had gone into recess.

The highest ever score in a senior game of Australian rules football was scored in this league in 1990, when Campbells Creek defeated Primrose 100.34 (634) to 3.0 (18).

Between round one of 2014 and round ten of 2016, Navarre won 50 consecutive matches in a row in senior football in the Maryborough Castlemaine District Football League. Navarre's last loss was in the 2013 2nd Qualifying Final where Newstead won by 24 points.

Football Premierships

 * Seniors


 * 1892 Maryborough
 * 1893 Maryborough v Bowenvale
 * 1894 Maryborough
 * 1895-98 ? No Maryborough DFA competition
 * 1899 Bowenvale
 * 1900 Timor
 * 1901 ?
 * 1902
 * 1903
 * 1904 Bristol Hill
 * 1905 ?
 * 1906
 * 1907 Dunolly
 * 1908 Maryborough
 * 1909 Dunolly
 * 1910 Dunolly
 * 1911 Temperance
 * 1912 Railways
 * 1913 Timor
 * 1914 Carisbrook
 * 1915 Season cancelled in July > WW1
 * 1916-18 MDFL in recess > WW1
 * 1919 Dunolly
 * 1920 Dunolly
 * 1921 Railways
 * 1922 Railways
 * 1923 Bristol Hill
 * 1924 Moolort
 * 1925 Carisbrook
 * 1926 Bristol Hill
 * 1927 Bealiba
 * 1928 Bealiba
 * 1929 Carisbrook
 * 1930 Dunolly
 * 1931 Primrose


 * 1932 Dunolly
 * 1933 Dunolly
 * 1934 Primrose
 * 1935 Royal Park
 * 1936 Railways
 * 1937 Primrose
 * 1938 Royal Park
 * 1939 Newstead
 * 1940 Patience & Nicholson
 * 1941-44 in recess > WW2
 * 1945 Patience & Nicholson
 * 1946 Maryborough
 * 1947 Patience & Nicholson
 * 1948 Patience & Nicholson
 * 1949 Carisbrook
 * 1950 Carisbrook
 * 1951 Primrose
 * 1952 Maldon
 * 1953 Campbells Creek
 * 1954 Carisbrook
 * 1955 Maldon
 * 1956 Maldon
 * 1957 Maldon
 * 1958 Dunolly
 * 1959 Dunolly
 * 1960 Carisbrook
 * 1961 Dunolly
 * 1962 Dunolly
 * 1963 Dunolly
 * 1964 Carisbrook
 * 1965 Talbot
 * 1966 Newstead
 * 1967 Royal Park
 * 1968 Royal Park
 * 1969 Dunolly


 * 1970 Carisbrook
 * 1971 Harcourt
 * 1972 Royal Park
 * 1973 Royal Park
 * 1974 Royal Park
 * 1975 Chewton
 * 1976 Carisbrook
 * 1977 Royal Park
 * 1978 Maryborough Rovers
 * 1979 Newstead
 * 1980 Carisbrook
 * 1981 Royal Park
 * 1982 Royal Park
 * 1983 Maldon
 * 1984 Primrose
 * 1985 Maldon
 * 1986 Chewton
 * 1987 Maldon
 * 1988 Maldon
 * 1989 Talbot
 * 1990 Maryborough Rovers
 * 1991 Maryborough Rovers
 * 1992 Trentham
 * 1993 Newstead
 * 1994 Trentham
 * 1995 Talbot
 * 1996 Talbot
 * 1997  Talbot
 * 1998  Talbot
 * 1999  Carisbrook
 * 2000  Newstead
 * 2001  Talbot
 * 2002  Harcourt
 * 2003  Harcourt
 * 2004  Carisbrook
 * 2005  Carisbrook
 * 2006  Harcourt
 * 2007  Harcourt
 * 2008  Carisbrook
 * 2009  Newstead
 * 2010  Maldon
 * 2011  Natte-Bealiba
 * 2012  Carisbrook
 * 2013  Navarre
 * 2014  Navarre
 * 2015  Navarre
 * 2016  Navarre
 * 2017  Carisbrook
 * 2018  Carisbrook
 * 2019  Natte-Bealiba
 * 2020 In recess > COVID-19
 * 2021  1st: Harcourt Shorten season > COVID-19
 * 2022  Harcourt
 * 2023  Harcourt

League Best and Fairest Awards

 * Senior Football

Leading MCDFNL Goalkicker
In 1929, Ned Kick, from Dunolly FC kicked 17 goals against Railways, to bring his goal tally up to 74 goals for the season.
 * Seniors

MCDFNL Office Bearers

 * Ron Ward: Employed by the MCDFNL / VCFL.

2007 Ladder
Finals

2008 Ladder
Finals

2009 Ladder
Finals

2010 Ladder
Finals

2011 Ladder
Finals

2012 Ladder
Finals

2013 Ladder
Finals

Match Report

Navarre are the 2013 Bendigo Bank Maryborough Castlemaine District Football Netball League Premiers after dominating Lexton to win by a massive 100 points in front of the second biggest Grand Final crowd ever at Princes Park on Sunday.

The Grasshoppers were not to be denied in their third successive Grand Final and their desperation from the opening bounce was evident as they led the Tigers to the ball at every opportunity, and used the ball with precision to allow free flowing scoring for the Navarre forwards while Lexton struggled to have any forward entries at all.

Ash Driscoll scored three goals in the opening term while Daniel Parkin was allowed to get loose on many occasions and made the most of his freedom. Parkin returned for the Grand Final from a broken jaw and was wearing protective headgear, but it had no ill effects on the Grasshoppers coach as he continually racked up possessions. Navarre led at the first change by 31 points. 5.2.(32) to 0.1.(1)

The first term was the template for the remainder of the game. Lexton tried hard but they had little influence on the scoreboard Star forward Matt Brown finally broke through for a goal at the nine-minute mark of the second term, but had to shoot from tight on the boundary as the Navarre defence led by Brent Flood and Bryce Tickner was holding up to any attacking moves by the Tigers.

Ben Scott had a remarkable final series and once again had a day out and was the recipient of the AFL Victoria Country medal for Best player on the ground. Scott kicked two of his five goals in the second term and led the way for the Navarre running brigade as did Josh Driscoll who was judged to be Navarre’s best player by the Grasshoppers hierarchy. Aiden Lee was also under notice and received the MCDFNL medal for his performance.

With the game being well and truly over at half time, Lexton still tried valiantly but could not make inroads on the scoreboard, as the Grasshoppers finished strongly in the final term with an avalanche of scoring shots which produced goals to numerous players including three to Sam Robertson who took some strong contested pack marks and kicked truly for the Grasshoppers to snare the 2013 Premiership, winning 19.12.126 to Lexton's 4.2.26

Lexton’s better players were Jimmy Templeton, Mick Jennings and Lewis Alexopolous, but it was a day the Tigers would rather forget with four teams (senior football and A, B & C Grade netball) in on the day and all suffered losses.

It was a memorable day for Navarre as their A Grade netball team, much like the Senior footballers, finally broke through for their first ever MCDFNL premiership on their third attempt, vanquishing the demons from twelve months prior after besting 2012 conqueror Lexton by 13 goals, winning 54–41 with Lauren Armstrong awarded the best on court medal.

2014 Ladder
Finals

Match Report

Navarre overcame a slow start in Sunday’s Maryborough-Castlemaine District Football League grand final before powering away from Carisbrook to win by 55 points at Princes Park.

The 16.21 (117) to 9.8 (62) victory capped a magnificent double for the MCDFL’s latest power side - not only back-to-back flags, but an undefeated 2014 season. “This is probably sweeter than last year” Navarre coach Daniel Parkin said. “Back-to-back is hard to do, but to have also done it undefeated this year is unbelievable.”

While the final result was a 55-point win to Navarre, there were anxious moments early for the Grasshoppers. The Grasshoppers kicked the opening goal of the game through Cody Driscoll, but that would be their only major of the first term.

Through the Grasshoppers’ previous 18 games this year, no side had led them by more than 10 points at any of the quarter breaks. But by quarter-time they were 20 points down after the Redbacks had the better of the first term. The Redbacks had nine scoring shots to four to lead 4.5 to 1.3 at quarter-time. Jackson Bowen, Liam Cunningham, Matthew Bilton and Cole Roscholler all kicked first-term goals for the Redbacks. But the 20-point quarter-time lead should have been more after the Redbacks squandered several gettable set-shots.

However, the Grasshoppers were quick to respond to the challenge in the second term. With the midfield led by Josh Driscoll, Ben Scott, Sam Kaye and captain Louis Hannett getting on top, the Grasshoppers surged back. Navarre kicked 5.3 to 1.1 in the second term, with a goal to Kris Brennan with the last kick of the quarter giving the Grasshoppers a six-point lead at half-time, 6.6 to 5.6.

And that momentum the Grasshoppers built in the second term continued into the third quarter as they blew the game open. The Grasshoppers’ domination of possession in the third term was highlighted in the 15-4 inside 50 count in their favour, while they kicked 5.8 to 1.1. To that stage since quarter-time, the Grasshoppers had kicked 10.11 to 2.2, had 30 inside 50s to 13 and 10 centre breaks to three. Leading by 37 points at three quarter-time, the Grasshoppers finished off with five goals to three in the final term.

All three of Carisbrook’s last-quarter goals were kicked by Cunningham, who earned the MCDFL best on ground medal for his effort in kicking six of the Redbacks’ nine goals for the match. His sixth goal was a sensational kick under pressure from the boundary in the scoreboard pocket.

The AFL Victoria Country Medal was won by Navarre’s Scott, who was also a best-on-ground medallist in last year’s 101-point grand final win over Lexton.

Others in the best were Daniel Reading, forward Kris Brennan (four goals), Hannett, the dashing Bryce Tickner and Josh Driscoll. As well as Brennan, full-forward Ashley Driscoll also kicked four goals to take his season tally to 84.

Carisbrook’s best were ruckman Bowen, Cunningham - who finished the year with 82 goals - defenders Andrew Lovett and Nathan O’Keefe, along with Jakob Tidyman and wingman Hayden Barby. “We started well and controlled the footy early, but to Navarre’s credit, they were just too good for us,” outgoing Carisbrook coach Luke Treacy said.

As well as the seniors, Navarre also won the A-grade netball for the second year in a row, too. "

2015 Ladder
Finals

Match Report

"Navarre has won their third successive premiership in the Bendigo Bank Maryborough Castlemaine District Football Netball League after a convincing 51 point victory over Carisbrook in the 2015 MCDFNL Grand Final

It was an opening term blitz that set up the victory as Navarre dominated at the centre bounce and took a stranglehold on possession denying the Redbacks the ball and restricting their scoring opportunities as the Grasshopper defence only allowed three entries into the forward fifty in the opening term. Mitch Whelan was the Redbacks only goal scorer when he marked a pass from Joel Riske, but this was to be their only score for the term. With Navarre having so much off the ball, the Carisbrook defence was under extreme pressure as the Grasshoppers shared the ball around amongst six different goal scorers for the quarter to take a 33 point lead into quarter time.

Carisbrook overcame their first quarter jitters and started to gain a lot more possession of the ball and had five shots on goal in succession, but inaccuracy was costly as they could only score two goals through Brady Neil and Nathan Wright. But any inroads they made into reducing the margin was nullified late in the quarter, when Jesse Hannett produced an outstanding piece of play when he bounced out of a pack of Redbacks and snapped a miraculous snap from the boundary on his left foot, and this was quickly followed by a goal to the MCDFNL Grand Final Medallist in Cody Driscoll who also threaded a goal from the same spot that Hannett had goaled from.

Driscoll goaled again on the siren as the Grasshoppers led by 45 points at half time.

Carisbrook was inspired by an incredible checkside goal from Mitch Whelan half way through the third term and this was followed by three more goals for the Redbacks through Nathan and Nick Wright and Brady Neil as they mounted as comeback and were able to win the term and reduced the margin to just 30 points going into the final term and with the momentum swinging their way, would have been confident of finishing the game strongly.

However, a left foot snap from Cody Driscoll from the first forward entry of the final quarter put to rest any chance of a Carisbrook revival, and then the high flying forward made sure of the victory when he took a very strong pack mark and kicked the sealer just a minute later. From this point in the game, Navarre coasted to victory knowing that they had the premiership cup in its keeping and the fifty one point victory gave the Grasshoppers their third premiership in succession and 41st consecutive senior victory.

It was an all-round performance from Navarre with every player contributing, but it was Daniel Parkin and Louis Hannett’s attack on the ball that was a key for the Grasshoppers victory, while being supported by the three Driscoll Brothers, with Cody kicking five goals and Ash booting four goals, and Josh providing a lot of drive on the wing on his way to winning the AFL Victoria Country Medal.

With the ball being in Navarre’s forward line for the majority of the game, Carisbrook defenders Kurt Bruechert and Adam Hurse were key players for the Redbacks, and were supported by Brady Neil, Jakob Tidyman and Mitch Whelan. "

2016 Ladder
In round 9 (26 June 2016), Navarre defeated Natte-Bealiba for its 50th consecutive victory.,

Finals

2017 Ladder
Finals

Books
History of Football in the Bendigo District – John Stoward –  ISBN 978-0-9805929-1-7