Turmoil on North West coast

At a special ‘Disputes’ meeting of the North Western Football Association (controlling body on North West Coast) the Ulverstone club was disqualified and Latrobe, which supported Ulverstone in the dispute, withdrew from the competition. When no reconciliation was possible, Ulverstone and Latrobe combined with Penguin to form the North Western Football League.

The NWFA continued with its member clubs from the Western end of the coast.

On 17th April, both the NWFA and NWFL applied to the TFL for affiliation. The NWFA was accepted, but the NWFL was refused because Ulverstone and Latrobe were disqualified clubs.

After the TFL had sent a delegate to the coast to help resolve the dispute. The TFL finally recognised the NWFL only for the purpose of transfers and clearances and not as the controlling body of football on the coast.

TFL delegates heard appeals from both clubs and the Association and after several weeks made the following decision, (a) Appeal from Ulverstone was upheld on the grounds that the disqualification was imposed after the resignation had been accepted by the NWFA. (b) Latrobe: That the TFL considers that the fine imposed on the Latrobe club, having been paid, such club disqualification should upon application to the NWFA, be forthwith withdrawn by such Association and failing removal, the appeal be upheld and the disqualification be removed by the TFL.

Following this, the TFL advised both the NWFA and NWFL to get together and form a new strong Union. In 1910 the North Western Football Union was formed as the governing body of football on the North West Coast.

TFL State Premiership

The official State Premiership commenced in 1909 between premiers of the TFL and NTFA, and the State final was played between the two. 

It wasn’t until 1950 when Premiers of the NWFU joined, thus created a rotational format, ie one League would host and automatically qualify for the final, and the other two Leagues would play-off in a preliminary final, with the winner progressing to the final.

During the course of the competition there were several interruptions, mainly caused through disputes. Falling patronage became a serious concern and eventually, the State Premiership series came to an end in 1978. 

NWFU formed

1910 was an important year for football in general as the differences in the North and North West were healed, with the formation of the North Western Football Union at Latrobe on 3rd May, as a new governing body of football on the coast following dissatisfaction with the NWFA.

NWFU

The NWFU became responsible for the management of football in the North-West region.

Competing clubs in the inaugural season were: Burnie, Latrobe, Mersey, and Ulverstone.

It appears that several teams joined at varying times thereafter namely: A.P.P.M., Circular Head, Cooee, Devonport, Diggers, East Devonport, Penguin, Smithton and Wynyard,

NWFU Roster started 14 May

First roster matches played on 14th May. With teams from Latrobe, Mersey, Ulverstone, Penguin and Wesley Vale competing. Although Wesley Vale withdrew early in the season.

Ulverstone 1st Premiers

Ulverstone won the NWFU’s first premiership.

TFL Triangular Series

Matches once again were played between the NTFA, TFL and the NWFU, in what became known as the TFL Triangular Series.

NWFU Clubs

The make-up of the NWFU had chanced from the previous season ie: Mersey, Latrobe, Ulverstone and Devonport joined from a local Junior association. Penguin withdrew from the Union and entered the Burnie Football League.

NWFU Premiers

Latrobe declared Premiers and Mersey runners-up.

Wanderers joins the NWFU

Another change took place with the NWFU when its four clubs were joined by Wanderers from the Burnie Football League.

NWFU abandones games

Football abandoned until 1919 because of World War 1.

Wanders disqualified

At this time, the Wanderers club was disqualified, because of a non-payment of dues and returned to the Burnie Football League.

1916 - 1918 World War 1 – intervenes

The three major football bodies in Tasmania attended a meeting to discuss the future of the game. The result was a resolution that football be discontinued until the end of the War.

Football resumed after the war under difficult conditions

The resumption of football in Hobart and most other centres after the War, followed a three year lapse of the game. But if that wasn’t enough, the population had to contend with an epidemic of Influenza that swept Australia and rage throughout Tasmania later in the season, football had to be cancelled according to health authorities advice, which applied to all forms of sport that attracted crowds.

1920 War and epidemic recovery

The recovery process was a prosperous one for the game as most clubs around the State had survived well under the circumstance. A ‘remarkable resilience’ is probably the most apt description to describe the rebound by the peoples of Tasmania to the incredible impost of War and an epidemic.

Re-introduction of the Triangular Series

Saw the re-introduction of the Triangular Series between the three major bodies : TFL. NTFA and NWFU.

Tasmania selection issue for carnival team

Highlight of the season was the staging of the fifth AFL Carnival in Hobart – the first in Tasmania.

When the final Tasmanian team was being chosen, the League sent an invitation to through to the NWFU for Ivor Warne-Smith to join the team at the League’s expense.

The Union refused to endorse the application and as a result Warne-Smith was lost to the carnival team.

Triangular Series

In the annual Triangular Series, results were: NTFA 13.12 (90) defeated the TANFL 8.15 (63 in Launceston. The TANFL 17. 18 (120) defeated NTFA 7.10 (52) in Hobart, a crowd of 14,00 patrons saw the game which was a record between the two leagues. In the third deciding match the TANFL 9.20 (74) defeated the NWFU 7.11 (53) at Burnie. The TANFL was successful in winning the series.

Triangular Series

The TANFL repeated its 1928 performance in winning the Triangular Series. Results of games : In Hobart TANFL 17.7 (109) defeated NTFA 10.23 83. In Launceston NTFA 11.10 (76) defeated TANFL 6.10 (46) and at Burnie the TANFL clinched the series 13.21 (99) to NWFU 8.9 (57. 

Triangular Series

In the TANFL Triangular series the TANFL claimed the annual Jubilee Cup, scores from the three games played were : NTFA 16.17 (113) defeated TANFL 11.10 (76), in the second match the TANFL 17.7 (109) defeated NTFA 13.9 (87), the third clash was an easy win for the TANFL 19.17 (131) defeated NWFU 8.10 (58).

Tasmanian Greater Northern League (TGNL)

The NTFA had several disruptions over the years it operated in the Northern region of the State. One major change took place in 1981 when the NTFA merged with the NWFU to form the Greater Northern League (TGNL).

The TGNL came about by a merger of Northern Tasmanian Football Association and the North Western Football Union in 1981.

The concept was to have the top teams from the two major Northern competitions (NTFA & NWFU) play in one strong competition (TGNL). However, the move quickly found it had several challenges, such as a financial strain for both the Leagues and its clubs. Logistical problems of extensive travel across the Northern region of the State, and a lack of support from clubs and governing bodies. As a consequence of this, the TGNL folded after two seasons.

The TGNL competition was supported by the following competing clubs:

From NTFA:
City South Redlegs, East Launceston Demons, Launceston Blues, Longford Tigers, North Launceston Robins, Scottsdale Magpies.

From NWFU:
Burnie Tigers, Cooee Bulldogs, Devonport Magpies, East Devonport Swans, Latrobe Demons, Penguin Two Blues, Ulverstone Robins, Wynyard Cats and Smithton Saints.

TGNL ends

Following the collapse of the TGNL at the end of 1982, both the NTFA and NWFU continued their respective competitions until the end of 1986.

Further Change to NTFA

As a result of the TANFL (controlling body in Tasmania) deciding to introduce a State-wide competition in 1986, several clubs from both the NTFA and NWFU had committed to participate. This caused the two Northern bodies (NTFA & NWFU) to form a new body known as the Northern Tasmanian Football League (NTFL).

The inaugural season of the Northern Tasmanian Football League commenced in 1987.

Following the formation of the NTFL, the former NTFA folded in 1986.

TFL State Wide League new clubs

In 1987 the TFL State Wide League was extended to ten clubs when NWFU clubs namely Burnie Hawks (later became Burnie Dockers) and Devonport Blues (later became Devonport Power), joined to complete a true State Wide competition.

Northern Tasmanian Football League (NTFL)

The NTFL was formed in the early part of 1987, by both the NTFA and NWFU merging to become the NTFL. This was caused as a result of the TANFL creating a Statewide competition known as the TFL State-Wide League (TSWL) that commenced in 1986.

The TANFL granted the NTFL Second Tiered Status which was retained until 1998. The home base for the NTFL was in central Devonport.

The NTFL participated in the annual Victorian Country Championships, as it happened the exercise was a financial loss, that caused the NTFL to withdraw after three years in 1989. Instead, the NTFL played matches against the TANFL Under 23’s, the Southern Football League and the Tasmanian Amateur State Team.

Teams that participated in NTFL from 1987 included: Burnie, Deloraine, East Devonport, George Town, Latrobe, Launceston, Longford, Penguin, Scottsdale, Smithton, Ulverstone and Wynyard,