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.

The Maryborough District Football Association was formed in 1892 from the following local clubs - Amhurst / Adelaide Lead, Carisbrook, Dunolly, Maryborough, Talbot and Timor.^[1]

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.^[2]

In 1901, Port Melbourne visited Maryborough and defeated the Maryborough Association, 8.7 - 55 to 2.9 - 21.^[3]

In 1924, there was a draw in the grand final, with the scores being Moorlort: 11.12 - 78 to Dunolly: 9.24 - 78,^[4] with Moorlort winning the replay the following the week.

In 1929, the Maryborugh DFA became known as the Maryborough District Football League.^[5]

Maryborough & DFL absorbed a number of clubs from the Castlemaine District Football League, when that competition ceased in 1952.^[6] 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).^[7]

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.^[8] Navarre's last loss was in the 2013 2nd Qualifying Final where Newstead won by 24 points.

Avoca Lexton Natte Bealiba Navarre class=notpageimage| Current MCDFNL clubs (Pyrenees)

Carisbrook Dunolly Maryborough Talbot class=notpageimage| Current MCDFNL clubs (Goldfields)

Campbells Creek Harcourt Maldon Newstead Trentham class=notpageimage| Current MCDFNL clubs (Mount Alexander & Hepburn)

Club	Jumper	Nickname	Home Ground	Former League	Est.	Years in MCDFNL	MCDFNL Senior Premierships
							Total	Years
Avoca		Bulldogs	Avoca Recreation Reserve, Avoca	LPFL	1873	2005–	0	-
Campbells Creek		Magpies, Creekers	Campbells Creek Recreation Reserve, Campbells Creek	CFL	1864	1952–	1	1953
Carisbrook		Redbacks	Carisbrook Recreation Reserve, Carisbrook	–	c.1900s	1901, 1919–	18	1914, 1925, 1929, 1949, 1950, 1954, 1960, 1964, 1970, 1976, 1980, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2012, 2017, 2018
Dunolly		Eagles	Dunolly Recreation Reserve, Dunolly	LVFL	1873	1919–1981, 2004–	14	1907, 1909, 1910, 1919, 1920, 1930, 1932, 1933, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1969
Harcourt		Lions	Harcourt Recreation Reserve, Harcourt	GCFL	c.1900s	1970–	2	1971, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2022, 2023
Lexton		Tigers	Lexton Recreation Reserve, Lexton	LPFL	1920	2011–	0	-
Maldon		Bombers	Bill Woodful Reserve, Maldon	GCFL	1873	1952–	9	1952, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1983, 1985, 1987, 1988, 2010
Maryborough Giants		Giants	JH Hedges Memorial Park, Maryborough	–	2023	2024–	0	-
Natte Bealiba		Swans	Natte Yallock Recreation Reserve, Natte Yallock	LPFL	1961	2011–	3	2011, 2019, 2024
Navarre		Grasshoppers	Navarre Recreation Reserve, Navarre	LPFL	1920	2011–	4	2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
Newstead		Kangaroos	Newstead Recreation Reserve, Newstead	CFL	1881	1960	7	1938, 1939, 1966, 1979, 1993, 2000, 2009
Talbot		Hawks	Talbot Recreation Reserve, Talbot	CFL	c.1870s	1956–	7	1965, 1989, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001
Trentham		Saints	Trentham Recreation Reserve, Trentham	RDFNL	1892	1988–	2	1992, 1994

Club	Jumper	Nickname	Home Ground	Former League	Est.	Years in MCDFNL	MCDFNL Senior Premierships
							Total	Years	Fate
Bealiba		Woodcutters	Bealiba Recreation Reserve, Bealiba	KKFL	c.1870s	1924-1929, 1932-1935, 1945-1948	2	1927, 1928	Moved to Loddon Valley FL following 1948 season
Bowenvale				–	c.1900s	1892, 1899, 1905, 1908	1	1899	Folded
Bristol Hill (Maryborough)				MJFA	1919	1921-1954	3	1904, 1923, 1926	Folded
Campbelltown				–	c.1920s	1938-1939	0	-	Merged with Newstead in 1940 to form Newstead Campbelltown
Chewton		Tigers	Chewton Soldiers Memorial Park, Chewton	GCFL	c.1900s	1970-1990	2	1975, 1986	Folded
Clunes		Magpies	Ligar Street Reserve, Clunes	CFL	1869	1922-1924, 1928-1930, 1945	0	-	Moved to Clunes FL following 1945 season.
Majorca				MJFA	c.1920s	1934	0	-	Folded
Maryborough Rovers		Magpies	Princes Park, Maryborough	–	1960s	1966-2023	3	1978, 1990, 1991	Merged with Royal Park to form Maryborough Giants following 2023 season.
Moolort				–	c.1920s	1922-1924	1	1924	Folded after 1924 season.[9]
Natte Yallock		Swans	Natte Yallock Recreation Reserve, Natte Yallock	PFA	c.1910s	1939-1947	0	-	Moved to Lexton FL following 1948 season
Newstead Campbelltown				–	1940	1940	0	-	De-merged into Newstead and Campbelltown in 1947
Patience & Nicholson				–	c.1930s	1937-1949	4	1940, 1945, 1947, 1948	Folded
Primrose		Demons	Princes Park, Maryborough	–	1919	1920-1994	3	1934, 1937, 1984	Folded
Railways				–	1919	1919-1923	4	1912, 1921, 1922, 1936	Folded
Redbank Stuart Mill		Reds	Redbank Recreation Reserve, Redbank	–	1956	1956-1958	0	-	Moved to Lexton FL following 1958 season
Royal Park		Tigers	JH Hedges Memorial Park, Maryborough	–	1934	1934-2023	9	1935, 1967, 1968, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1977, 1981, 1982	Merged with Maryborough Rovers to form Maryborough Giants following 2023 season.
Temperance (Maryborough)				MJFA	c.1910s	1913-1920	1	1911	Moved into the Maryborough Junior FA in 1921.
Timor				MJFA	c.1910s	1900, 1913, 1951-1957	2	1900, 1913	Folded after 1957 season

Seniors

Senior Football

In 1929, Ned Kick, from Dunolly FC kicked 17 goals against Railways, to bring his goal tally up to 74 goals for the season.^[64]

Seniors

• Ron Ward: Employed by the MCDFNL / VCFL.

Finals

Finals

Finals

Finals

Finals

Finals

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.^[68]

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. " ^[69]

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. " ^[70]

In round 9 (26 June 2016), Navarre defeated Natte-Bealiba for its 50th consecutive victory.,^[71][72]

Finals

Finals

• Campbells Creek vs Primrose (1990 MCDFL season)

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

• MCDFNL Official Website
• Lexton Plains Football League
• 1929 - Maryborough Junior FA Premiers: Timor FC team photo
• 1932 - Maryborough DFA Premiers: Dunolly FC team photo
• 1951 - Maryborough DFA team: Dunolly FC team photo
• 2014 MCDFNL Premiers: Navarre FNC team photo