Wodonga Saints Football Club

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The Bethanga Football Club was established in 1907 and initially played in the Mitta Mitta Football League (Tallangatta Football Association) with its first match against Tallangatta Football Club at home at Bethanga Park in the black and red (Essendon) colors.^[1]

In June 1926, Bethanga Footballer, John Thomas Tankard received a knock to the stomach, resulting in severe pain, was later operated on at a private hospital, but later died.^[2]

Local brothers, Arthur Mills and Albert Mills played for Bethanga in the 1926 and 1927 Kiewa & District Football Association grand finals, before the family moved to Oxley,^[3] near Wangaratta, playing with Wangaratta Football Club in 1929, then both brothers made their debuts for the Hawthorn Football Club in 1930.

In 1928, Bethanga FC wore the colours of red, white and blue.

In 1958, Granya FC (who folded in 1954) and Bethanga FC merged to become the Granya / Bethanga Bombers and were coached by Norm Benstead, who happened to kick 100 plus goals in 1958. In 1959, the merged club changed its name to the Murray United Football Club and was coached by Alf Deane. Unfortunately for the local community the new club folded after the 1959 season, after winning only one game and forfeiting two. Granya FC would never reform and the Bethanga FC would not reform until the 1976 Tallangatta & District Football League season.^[4]

Football Competitions Timeline

Bethanga Football Club have played in the following football competitions.

• 1907 & 1908: Tallangatta Football Association^[5]
• 1909: Twomey Stewart Football Association^[6]
• 1910 to 1912: Club in recess.
• 1913: Mitta Mitta Valley Football League
• 1914: Wodonga & District Football Association^[7]
• 1915 to 1919: Club in recess due to World War I
• 1920 to 1921: Kiewa Football Association^[8][9]
• 1922 to 1923: Tallangatta & District Football Association^[10]
• 1924 to 1928: Kiewa & District Football Association^{[11][12][13][14]}
• 1928: Yackandandah & District Football Association - B. Grade competition^[15][16][17]
• 1929 to 1932: Yackandandah Football Association^{[18][19][20][21]}
• 1933: Tallangatta & District Football League^[22]
• 1934 to 1938: Hume Football League^{[23][24][25][26]}
• 1939: Dederang & District Football League^[27][28][29]
• 1940: Kiewa & Mitta Football League^[30]
• 1941 to 1944: Club in recess, due to World War II
• 1945 to 1955: Tallangatta & District Football League^[31][32]
• 1956: Chiltern & District Football Association^[33][34]
• 1957: Tallangatta & District Football League^[35]
• 1958: Granya / Bethanga Bombers FC - Tallangatta & District Football League^[36]
• 1959: Murray United Football Club - Tallangatta & District Football League^[37]
• 1960 to 1975: Club in recess
• 1976 to 2001: Bethanga FNC - Tallangatta & District Football League
• 2002 to 2020: Wodonga Saints FNC - Tallangatta & District Football League

Senior Football - Premierships

• Mitta Mitta Valley Football League
  • 1913: Bethanga defeated Granya by one point.^[38] Granya claimed that this match was a draw and refused to hand over the premiership trophy.^[39] Bethanga were compelled to take legal action against Granya Football Club to obtain possession of the premiership trophy. The case was to be heard at the Bethanga Police Court on the Wednesday 8 October 1913.^[40] This premiership trophy is now on display at the Bethanga Hotel.
• Yackandandah Football Association
  • 1929 - Bethanga: 5.15 - 45 defeated Yackandandah: 4.7 - 31^[41]

Senior Football - Runners Up

• Tallangatta & District Football Association
  • 1922 - Tallangatta:9.8 - 62 defeated Bethanga: 3.5 - 23^[42]
• Kiewa & District Football Association
  • 1926 - Bethanga: 7.11 - 53 defeated Granya: 5.10 - 40.^[43] Bethanga won the first grand final, but Granya as minor premiers had the right to challenge Bethanga to a "Challenge Grand Final".^[44]
  • 1926 - Granya: 4.18 - 42 defeated Bethanga: 5.8 - 38^[45] Granya won the 1926 premiership.
  • 1927 - Granya: 8.12 - 60 defeated Bethanga: 3.1 - 19^[46]
• Yackandandah Football Association
  • 1930 - Kergunyah: 11.6 - 72 defeated Bethanga: 6.16 - 52^[47]
  • 1931 - Talgarno: 8.6 - 54 drew with Bethanga: 8.6 - 54. Drawn grand final.^[48]
  • 1931 - Talgarno: 11.14 - 80 defeated Bethanga: 10.8 - 68. Grand final replay.^[49]
• Hume Football League
  • 1938 - Lavington: 17.23 - 125 defeated Bethanga: 5.6 - 36^{[50][51][52][53]}
• Tallangatta & District Football League
  • 1991 - Holbrook: defeated Bethanga:

Bethanga FC footballers who played senior VFL football.

• 1927 - Clarrie Morelli - Collingwood^[54]
• 1930 - Arthur Mills - Hawthorn
• 1930 - Bert Mills - Hawthorn
• 1958 - Len Cottrell - Carlton

In 2002, the club decided to relocate to Martin Park, Wodonga in order to save the club from possibly folding.

• 2002–present: Tallangatta & District Football League

Football Season	Senior Ladder Position	Reserves Ladder Position	Thirds / U/17's Ladder Position	Fourths / U/14's Ladder Position
2002			5
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009	11	10	1st	12
2010	12	12	10	11
2011	12	9	7	7
2012	12	9	12	11
2013	10	9	12	12
2014	9	10	12	10
2015	12	12	12	12
2016	12	10	12	12
2017	11	11	12	12
2018	12	9	12	11
2019	11	7	12	11
2020	COVID-19	COVID-19	COVID-19	COVID-19
2021	12	9	No team	No team
2022	11	10	No team	No team
2023	10	10	No team	No team
2024	10	6	No team	2nd
2025