Upper Murray: Tumbarumba, Cudgewa, Bullioh and Corryong set for season opener

Tumbarumba and Cudgewa will soon meet in the first round of a history-defining season for Victoria’s smallest country football league.

Victoria’s smallest country football league with only four clubs starts on Saturday with the captain of the reigning premiers confident it can survive.

The Upper Murray’s fifth team, Federal, folded in the off-season after a push failed for all clubs to join forces and play as a combined team in the Tallangatta and District league.

Reigning premiers Tumbarumba, Cudgewa, Bullioh and Corryong are the clubs left standing in an area where football was first played 130 years ago.

“It’s what the league needs to do to survive,” Tumbarumba premiership captain Jim Waters said.

“As long as all teams are competitive it will be a really good competition.

“One bye a month is pretty appealing for the blokes who are on the back end of their careers.”

Tumbarumba captain James Waters. Picture: Supplied

The league will play a 12-round season with byes scheduled each time clubs have played everyone.

Every club is guaranteed to play finals with the finals series starting in the first week of August.

The same four-team structure existed in the Omeo league until the late 1970s when Benambra, Omeo, Swifts Creek and Ensay were joined by Bruthen and Buchan.

Tumbarumba is the only NSW-based club in the league and like all teams is heavily reliant on attracting players from the larger centres of Albury-Wodonga and Wagga.

Waters hoped Hume and Tallangatta league clubs that had struggled to be competitive might consider a move to the Upper Murray.

Tumbarumba won the seniors premiership last year in the Upper Murray Football League. Picture: Nadia Edwards

But avoiding the fate suffered by Federal is the short-term aim, according to Waters.

“We all know recession is putting off the inevitable of folding,” he said.

Tumbarumba has lost Mitch Palmer and Tyler Lampe from its premiership side, but has recruited Blake Ryan from Lavington and Connor Smith from Brock-Burrum Saints.

Tumbarumba and Cudgewa meet in the grand final replay on Saturday with Drew Cameron taking over as Cudgewa coach and adding Jason and Josh Bartel from Kiewa-Sandy Creek to the ranks.

Corryong’s Patrick Riley, Tumbarumba’s Henry Waters, Upper Murray league president Gordon Nicholas, Cudgewa’s Mitch Pynapples and Tumbarumba’s Sam Clarke. Picture: Simon Dallinger

Chris and Josh Lieschke will also join brother Craig at the club.

Cameron said he was preparing for an even season in his first foray into coaching.

“Yes there are only four clubs, but they are all strong,” he said.

“They’ve got juniors, under-12s and under-14s, and reserves.

“Some Tallangatta league clubs don’t have four sides.”