Balldale is a village in the mid-southern part of the

Riverina The Riverina () is an agricultural list of regions in Australia, region of south-western New South Wales, Australia. The Riverina is distinguished from other Australian regions by the combination of flat plains, a climate with significant seaso ...

New South Wales New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...

, Australia. It is about north-east of

Corowa Corowa is a town in the state of New South Wales in Australia. It is on the bank of the Murray River, the border between New South Wales and Victoria, opposite the Victorian town of Wahgunyah. It is the largest town in the Federation Counci ...

and about west of

Brocklesby Brocklesby is a village and Civil parishes in England, civil parish in the West Lindsey Non-metropolitan district, district of Lincolnshire, England. It is situated south of Habrough, south-west of Immingham, it is located close to the borde ...

. Balldale was established when the large farm holding of the Quat Quatta Estate was sub-divided in the early 1900s, and named in honour of local politician Richard Ball (1857–1937). Balldale Post Office opened on 1 June 1905. The Balldale Hotel was built in 1905 by Albert Beard. Balldale Football Club colours

Balldale Football Club

Balldale FC commenced played in the following

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 Australian rules football playing field, oval field, often a modified ...

competitions in 1906, in the green and black colours initially, before the club eventually folded in 1977. In early April 1927 Alby Anderson was appointed as the coach of Balldale in the Riverina Football Association; his father Bill owned the Carnsdale Hotel in Balldale at the time. Interestingly, in late April 1927, Anderson was granted a permit by the VFL from Richmond to the

Albury Football Club The Albury Football Club, nicknamed the ''Tigers'', is an Australian rules football and netball club based in Albury, a major regional city in New South Wales. Albury football and netball squads compete in the Ovens & Murray Football League. C ...

in the

Ovens & Murray Football League The Ovens and Murray Football Netball League (OMFNL or 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 ...

, but he definitely played with Balldale in 1927. Walter Longmire (

John Longmire John Longmire (born 31 December 1970) is the former senior coach of the Sydney Swans in the Australian Football League (AFL) from 2011 to 2024. As a player, he represented the North Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League (AF ...

’s grandfather) represented NSW v South Australia at the MCG in 1927. In 1930 Mr Jack Anderson–Balldale FC, tied for the Pearce Medal for the best and fairest player award in the Corowa & District Football Association Either A. or G. Bishop of Balldale trained with

Essendon Essendon may refer to: Australia *Essendon, Victoria **Essendon railway station **Essendon Airport *Essendon Football Club, in the Australian Football League *Electoral district of Essendon *Electoral district of Essendon and Flemington United Kin ...

in March, 1933. Frank Anderson was the winner of the 1935 club best and fairest award. Anderson polled 25 votes, second was Walter Longmire on 19 votes, with Boyle, third on 9 votes. In September, 1935, Anderson went to Melbourne to try out with

Collingwood Football Club The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed the Magpies or colloquially the Pies, is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria that competes in the Australian Football League (AFL), the sport's elite competition. ...

. He returned to play with Balldale in 1936 and won the best and fairest again in 1937. Mr.

Jim Steigenberger Jim Steigenberger (30 December 1911 – 3 August 1991) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Fitzroy and North Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL). After commencing the year with North Melbourne, Steigenberger wa ...

was appointed as captain / coach for Balldale in 1937 and 1938 In 1939 the Balldale's club jumper colors were royal Blue and gold braces. George Willis won the club best and fairest award in 1939 Former Balldale player Frank Anderson, younger brother of former St.Kilda player, Jack Anderson made his VFL debut with

North Melbourne North Melbourne is an inner-city suburb in Melbourne, Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia, north-west of Melbourne's Melbourne central business district, Central Business District, located within the City of Melbourne Local government ar ...

in June 1942. The club best and fairest winner in 1946 was "Snow" Seymour. In 1947, when Balldale FC re-entered the

Hume Football League The Hume Australian Football Netball League (HFNL), often shortened to Hume Football League, is an Australian rules football and netball competition containing twelve clubs based in the South West Slopes and southern Riverina regions of New Sou ...

, club President, Mr. Kelly Joseph Azzi, donated a medal for the Hume FL best and fairest award and to this day it is still called the Azzi Medal. Amy Krauz won the 1948 Hume Netball Association best and fairest award (Ada Marks Trophy). J Edmunds was the winner of the 1949 club best and fairest award. In 1953 Tom McCann was reappointed as the coach and Colin Wilson won the club best and fairest award. ;Football Competitions Timeline *1906 & 1907: Corowa & District Football Association *1908: Federal Football Association *1909:

Ovens and Murray Football League The Ovens and Murray Football Netball League (OMFNL or 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 ...

*1910 & 1911: Culcairn & District Football Association *1912 & 1913: Rutherglen & District Football Association *1914 & 1915: Coreen Shire Football Association *1916 & 1917: In recess due to

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

*1918: the club was reformed, but played in no official competition. They played several friendly matches against other local towns. *1919 to 1923: Coreen & District Football Association *1924 to 1929:

Riverina Football Association The Riverina Football Association was an Australian rules football competition formed in 1924 from the following clubs - Balldale, Brocklesby Culcairn, Henty Town, Henty Rovers, Holbrook and Walla Walla. History The Riverina Football Association wa ...

*1930 to 1934: Corowa & District Football Association *1935–1940:

Chiltern & District Football Association The Chiltern & District Football Association was first established in 1912 from six Australian Rules Football clubs—Barnawartha, Chiltern, Chiltern Valley, Christmastown, Southern and Wodonga—in North Eastern Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Aust ...

*1941–1944: Club in recess due to

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

*1945:

*1946:

*1947–1975:

*1976–1977:

Coreen & District Football League The Coreen & District Football League was an Australian rules football competition in the Coreen, New South Wales, Coreen district of the Riverina in New South Wales, initially formed in 1909. The netball competition commenced in 1972 in line w ...

;Premierships * Federal District Football Association **1908: Balldale: 3.4–22 defeated Daysdale: 1.10–16, at Buraja. *

**1921: Balldale: 7.9–51 defeated Buraja: 2.10–22 **1922: Balldale: 6.9–45 defeated Buraja: 6.7–43 **1923: Balldale: 10.5–65 defeated Daysdale: 3.5–23 * Corowa & District Football Association **1930: Balldale: 10.12–72 defeated Brocklesby: 8.8–56 **1931: Balldale: 9.12–66 defeated Coreen: 6.13–49 **1932: Balldale: 18.11–119 defeated Daysdale: 11.19–85 **1934: Balldale: 12.15–87 defeated Coreen: 8.11–59 *

** 1962: Balldale: 8.21–69 defeated Jindera: 5.8–38 ** 1972: Balldale: 14.17–101 defeated Walla Walla: 14.12–96 ;Runners Up *

: **1924: Brocklesby: 7.13–55 defeated Balldale: 7.7–49 *

**1955: Jindera: d Balldale: **1956: Jindera: 11.12–78 defeated Balldale: 10.13–73 **1961: Jindera: 10.8–68 defeated Balldale: 9.7–61 ;VFL Players The following footballers played with Balldale FC prior to playing VFL football. * 1913– Richard "Dick" Fitzgerald–South Melbourne * 1911– George Anderson–Collingwood * 1931– Jack Anderson–St. Kilda * 1942– Frank Anderson–North Melbourne

Notable people

* Jack Anderson, Australian rules footballer *

Olivia Barber Olivia Barber (born 14 July 2002) is an Australian rules footballer who played for Geelong and Collingwood in the AFL Women's (AFLW) league. Early life Barber was a representative for the New South Wales country team in both the under 16s and ...

, Australian rules footballer

Notes and references

External links

Balldale Railway Siding

1930–Corowa & District FA Premiers: Balldale FC team photo

1938–Chiltern & DFA defeated Preliminary Finalists: Balldale FC team photo

1939–Balldale FC team photo

1948–Balldale FC team photo

1962 & 1972 Balldale FC Past Player’s Photo

The Balldale / Longmire Connection

Hume FNL–Hall of Fame: Mr. Kelly J. Azzi
{{authority control Towns in the Riverina Towns in New South Wales Federation Council, New South Wales