The Kingborough Football Association was an Australian rules football competition based in the Kingborough region of southern Tasmania.
History The KFA began as the Channel Football Association, first formed in 1922 with Gordon, Kettering, Woodbridge and Middleton playing in the inaugural season. Records of the early years of the Association are somewhat incomplete and it isn't always clear which clubs competed in which years between 1923 and 1926. Some premierships from this era are also unknown. in 1926 Woodbridge won the premiership after Middleton forfeited the deciding match. Records of the competition become more concrete starting with the 1927 season, in which Kettering, Margate, Woodbridge and Sandfly all competed.
The Kingborough Football Association name was adopted in 1929 with the entry of Kingston and the return of Middleton. Middleton re-named itself as South Channel in July but withdrew before the completion of the season. Kettering left before the 1931 season and the competition seems to have lapsed in 1932, before returning the next season. Sandfly were the dominant club of the 1930s, winning four premierships including three in a row from 1937 to 1939. They also went undefeated for two seasons during this period. Kingston left the Association during the 1938 season after a protest registered against them by Sandfly for playing an ineligible player was upheld. They were replaced by Kettering in the following season. Owing to a lack of players due to WWII enlistments, the four KFA clubs decided to merge and play in the Huon Football Association as Kingborough for the 1940 season.
The KFA was re-formed in 1945 with Kingston returning and Snug joining from the Channel Junior Football Association. Kingston, Margate and Snug were the dominant clubs of the next 15 years, with two of these three clubs competing in every grand final from 1950 until 1963. Margate won four premierships in a row between 1949 and 1952. Kettering finally broke the three-club dominance with a win over Kingston in the 1964 grand final. Sandfly briefly played in the AYC competition from 1962 to 1963, before returning to the KFA as Longley in 1964.
The end of the KFA came abruptly. Just before the 1967 season opened, many KFA clubs were finding it difficult to fill out 3 football sides. On February 7th, enormous bushfires swept through large swathes of southern Tasmania, devastating the Kingborough region. It became clear that it would be impossible for the clubs to form for the season, and the decision was made for Kettering, Margate, Woodbridge and Snug to merge and play in the Huon Association instead. Kingston absorbed Longley and also moved to the HFA. Longley donated its St Kilda-style jumpers to the newly-formed Channel club, which would become known as the Saints as a result.
Clubs
Final ClubColoursNicknameHome GroundFormer LeagueEst.Years inKFAKFA Senior PremiershipsFateTotalYearsKettering(1920s)(1946-?)(?-1966)Kettering Oval, Kettering–19011922, 1924-1925, 1929-1930, 1939-19662 1947, 1964In recess/not associated with a league between 1932-38. Merged with Margate, Snug and Woodbridge to form Channel in Huon FA in 1967KingstonTigersKingston Beach Sports Ground, Kingston BeachQFA19031929-1931, 1933-1938, 1945-1966101930, 1933, 1936, 1948, 1953, 1958, 1960, 1961, 1965, 1966Played in Queenborough FA in 1939. Moved to Huon FA in 1967Longley (1924-61)(1964-67)Sandfly Football Ground, SandflyAYC19091924, 1927-1931, 1933-1961, 1964-19667 1924, 1934, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1945, 1946Played in AYC between 1962-63. Absorbed by Kingston after 1966 seasonMargate(1962)(1967)WaratahsMargate Memorial Oval, Margate–19101924, 1927-1931, 1933-19669 1935, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1955, 1959, 1962, 1963Merged with Kettering, Snug and Woodbridge to form Channel in Huon FA in 1967SnugMagpiesSnug Football Ground, SnugCJFA19051945-196631954, 1956, 1957Merged with Kettering, Margate and Woodbridge to form Channel in Huon FA in 1967WoodbridgeBlue and GoldsWoodbridge Football Ground, Woodbridge–19101922-1931, 1933-196631926, 1929, 1931Merged with Kettering, Margate and Snug to form Channel in Huon FA in 1967
Former ClubColoursNicknameHome GroundFormer LeagueEst.Years inKFAKFA Senior PremiershipsFateTotalYearsGordonGordon Football Ground, Gordon–192019220 -Unaffiliated in 1923, did not re-form after 1923 seasonSouth Channel Middleton Football Ground, Middleton–19201922, 1926, 19290 -Withdrew during 1929 season, folded in early 1930.
Premierships YearPremierScoreRunners-upNotes192219231924SandflyWoodbridge19251926Woodbridge192719281929Woodbridge8.11 (57) - 5.7 (37)Kingston1930Kingston7.12 (54) - 4.16 (40)Woodbridge1931Woodbridge9.10 (64) - 6.16 (52)Margate1932KFA in recess1933Kingston9.13 (67) - 7.13 (55)Sandfly1934Sandfly11.9 (75) - 4.10 (34)Woodbridge1935Margate7.8 (50) - 7.7 (49)Woodbridge1936Kingston14.7 (91) - 7.14 (56)Woodbridge1937Sandfly10.13 (73) - 8.14 (62)Margate1938Sandfly1939Sandfly7.18 (60) - 5.12 (42)Margate1940-44KFA in recess1945SandflyKettering1946Sandfly13.14 (92) - 6.14 (50)Margate1947KetteringWoodbridge1948Kingston13.11 (89) - 7.12 (54)Margate1949Margate8.9 (57) - 5.10 (40)Woodbridge1950Margate13.13 (91) - 11.10 (76)Kingston1951Margate11.13 (79) - 12.6 (78)Snug1952Margate14.17 (101) - 2.7 (19)Kingston1953Kingston8.17 (65) - 5.11 (41)Margate1954Snug9.12 (66) - 9.9 (63)Margate1955Margate21.14 (140) - 16.5 (101)Kingston1956Snug14.9 (93) - 9.13 (67)Margate1957Snug14.7 (91) - 11.11 (77)Kingston1958Kingston7.14 (56) - 7.10 (52)Snug1959Margate9.23 (77) - 6.11 (47)Snug1960Kingston15.19 (109) - 7.11 (53)Snug1961Kingston9.10 (64) - 5.11 (41)Snug1962Margate16.17 (113) - 8.12 (60)Kingston1963Margate11.15 (81) - 10.14 (74)Margate1964Kettering13.15 (93) - 10.15 (75)Kingston1965Kingston14.10 (94) - 5.6 (36)Kettering1966Kingston24.22 (160) - 6.4 (40)Kettering
References