1886
Northern Tasmanian Football Association (NTFA)
The NTFA emerged in 1886 to become one of three major competitions in Tasmania and reigned supreme in the North/North-East region of the State until 1986, when a State-wide competition commenced.
From within the centre of Launceston the NTFA was formed to create a strong competition with the following member clubs: Launceston, Fitzroy, North Launceston, Longford, Scottsdale, South Launceston, East Launceston, City, Essendon, Cornwell, City South, Deloraine and George Town.
Surveyed in 1826, Launceston was named after a town in the United Kingdom, the birth place of Philip Gidley King, third Governor of the Colony of New South Wales. In the 1830’s, Launceston was a whaling port and agricultural district. It was proclaimed a Municipality in 1852, a town in 1858 and a City in 1888. Launceston was the first city in Australia to have underground sewers, and the first City to be lit with hydroelectricity.
1887
NTFA Premier
No premiership played, but City was declared premiers based on heading the roster ladder. South Launceston were declared runners-up.
1902
Collingwood visit
Highlight of the season was a visit of VFL powerhouse club Collingwood who played two games in Launceston and Hobart. The result of the Southeners match was Collingwood 17.17 (119) defeated STFA 8.11 (59).
1903
South Melbourne visit
South Melbourne came to Tasmania to play two game. But after the first game against the NTFA, the Southern match was cancelled due to an outbreak of smallpox in the capital.
1904
Boundary umpires
Boundary umpires were introduced in both the South and North.
1906
Tasmanian Football League
Probably the most significant decision to emerge from the Australian Football Council (AFC) conference was that it recognised the TFL as being the controlling body for football in Tasmania, which in turn gave the TFL a right to have two delegates to the AFC conferences. There was however, a stipulation that one of the two Tasmanian Delegates be appointed from the NTFA.
Mr. W. H. Gill was elected as the TFL’s representative to its Executive Committee.
When the TFL was formed there would be only three clubs competing, Lefroy, North Hobart and Derwent Football Clubs. The Derwent Club had replaced Wellington Football Club that disbanded at the end of the 1905 season.
1907
NTFA Premier
No premiership played, but City was declared premiers based on heading the roster ladder. North Launceston were declared runners-up.
1907
Intra-State matches
There were two games played between the TFL and NTFA, the first in Launceston on 3rd June, where the League 10.14 (74) defeated the Northerners 7.9 (51).
The return match was also won by the TFL 8.13 (61) defeated NTFA 6.11 (47).
1909
NTFA Premier
No premiership played, but Launceston was declared premiers based on heading the roster ladder. North Launceston was declared runners-up.
1909
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.
1910
TFL Triangular Series
Matches once again were played between the NTFA, TFL and the NWFU, in what became known as the TFL Triangular Series.
1913
State premiership abandoned
This years State premiership was abandoned when NTFA premiers Launceston, caused a sensation by refusing to take the field against TFL premiers Cananore, following a dispute with the League over the appointment of the central umpire for the match. The League endeavoured to replace the original umpire engaged, but no avail. This did not suit Launceston and the match was cancelled. The action of Launceston was reported to the NTFA, which took up the position of supporting the offending players in their action.
Finally, the League, as controlling body of football in the State, took action and disqualified the Launceston players, until such time as the League thought that such disqualification should be lifted.
1915
World War 1 caused mayhem for Tasmanian Football
The three TFL clubs found it very difficult to field reasonable teams on a weekly basis. Mainland clubs were unable to visit Tasmania. The TFL and NTFA officials decided not to play a State premiership in 1915.
At the end of the season the following players had enlisted for the Armed Service:
Lefroy: Bailey, I. Margetts, N. Allison, C. Abey, T. W. Simpson. W. Abel, F. Burton, B. Kilmartin, R. Totham, D. Nichols, F. Green, L. Barnett, Newman, E. Smith, Townley
Cananore: Randall, Clennett, Hope (killed in action), Lipscombe, Turner, Freeman, Brownell, C. Hannigan (killed in action), Westwood, Shaw, Pennyquick, Bowen.
North Hobart: A. Aulsebrook (killed in action), L. Chambers, E. Russell, A. Bucirde, K. Moore, W. Jack, K. Mackey, Ward (killed in action), V. Shirley, A. Stanton, H. Brain, Mahoney, W. D. Leitch.
1916
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.
1919
NTFA no competition
No competition due to Influenza outbreak that swept Australia.
1919
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
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.
1923
Re-introduction of the Triangular Series
Saw the re-introduction of the Triangular Series between the three major bodies : TFL. NTFA and NWFU.
1926
Cananore TFL & State Premiers
Cananore won the TFL premiership and then defeated NTFA premiers Launceston for State honours.
1928
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.
1929
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.
1930
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).
1931
State premiership
TANFL premiers Cananore met NTFA premiers North Launceston in the State final and won the match by just one point.
1942
NTFA 1942-1944
No competition due to World War 2.
1981
Greater Northern League (GNL)
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 (GNL).
The GNL 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 (GNL).
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 GNL folded after two seasons.
The GNL 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.
1982
GNL ends
Following the collapse of the GNL at the end of 1982, both the NTFA and NWFU continued their respective competitions until the end of 1986.
1986
TFL State Wide League (TSWL)
In1986 the TANFL had created a State wide competition. Member clubs were the existing six Southern, Clarence, Glenorchy, Hobart, New Norfolk, North Hobart and Sandy Bay. Two clubs from the NTFA namely, North Launceston and South Launceston joined to form an 8 team competition
1987
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 cause 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,
1987
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.