Loxton Football Club
'Tigers'
INTRODUCTION THE FIRST FIFTY YEARS 1894 -1945
The first settlers arrived in 1894 and the Loxton township was proclaimed in 1907. Early records suggest that ‘scratch’ matches were arranged in the earliest days of settlement. An unofficial competition commenced in 1910 involving Loxton, Alawoona and Tiger Bore (Pata) while the first official Loxton Football Association was formed in 1913 comprising Loxton, South Loxton (Pata) and Woodleigh (Nangari district). Football thrived in the district during the twenties and thirties with many young men involved in the scrub clearing and building railway and pipe lines.
Various competitions were formed
1923-1925: Loxton Line Association which involved teams from the town and west of the district
1924-1931: Gordon Association which comprised teams along the Meribah to Taldra railway line
1926-1931: Loxton Browns Well Association
1932-1940: Loxton Association with teams from Wunkar, Pata, Taldra, Taplan, Loxton Imperials (East of the Line), Loxton Olympians (West of the Line) and for a short period Moorook
More detailed information on the first 50 years is available from the authors.
At the end of WW2 in 1945, the Bonney Friendly Football Association was formed. This was an unofficial competition held in the Upper Murray and comprised teams from Berri, Barmera, Moorook, Loxton, Renmark, Waikerie and later admittances, Cobdogla and Loveday Camps.
Loxton finished the minor round in top position with 11 wins and 3 loses and formed the final four with Renmark, Barmera and Berri. Lew Proud won a trophy for the Associations Best and Fairest player donated by The Murray Pioneer. In the second semi-final, Renmark 14-15 defeated Loxton 8-9 and in the final Berri 13-8 defeated Loxton 5-12. The Grand Final was won by Berri 11-15 to Renmark 6-12. There was no real indication that Loxton would be a dominant force in the Upper Murray Football circles but the end of the war and the return or servicemen to the area was to have a marked effect when the UMFA commenced in 1946.
The Premiership Year (1946)
Loxton joined the Upper Murray Football Association (UMFA) in 1946 with the competition comprising of 7 teams, the remainder being Berri, Barmera, Cobdogla, Moorook, Renmark and Waikerie. The AGM of the LFC was held in the boy’s club hall and a major item on the agenda was the establishment of a turf oval. Les Proud was elected President, John Westover Secretary/ Treasurer, with subs set at 7/6.
There is some conjecture about the club colours. Press reports refer to the team wearing navy blue and white. Some of the players involved insist they wore black and white while others are not so sure. The First game was played against Cobdogla on the 4thof May 1946 with Loxton successful 12-23 to 3-4. Best players named were Robert, Lew, Fred and Giff Proud and so commenced what was to become an indelible mark by this talented sporting club on football in this league and far beyond. There was immediately a show of depth in the Loxton Football Club as on that same day the B grade defeated Cobdogla 9-13 to 5-12.
Team Captain Lew Proud totalled 20 goals in the first 2 games of the season and later against Moorook he posted 13 as his team bolted to a massive 36-22 to 1-0 victory. His tally for the minor round was 59 goals. Adrian Jolly, who was to become a legend in UMFA circles, entered the Loxton side on June 29th1946. Football was well supported by sports the hungry population and when Loxton defeated keen rivals Berri at Berri on 13th July, 800 people witnessed the clash and it was noted at the time that this was the largest attendance at a sporting fixture since the introduction of betting shops which had adversely affected the sporting crowds.
The minor round contained only 12 games and Loxton finished undefeated premiers, with Berri, Waikerie and Renmark completing the final four. In the second semi final, however, an upset occurred when Berri 12-9 defeated an inaccurate Loxton 8-17 and Waikerie, after eliminating Renmark in the first semi, were the opponents for the final, later renamed the Preliminary Final. It was a tremendous contest and quarter by quarter scores are worth recording.
Loxton 3-7 5-12 9-13 13-18-96
Waikerie 4-1 5-6 10-12 11-15-81
Loxton therefore prepared for a rematch with their second semi final conquerors but at the risk of suggesting the players had it easy in those days they had to wait a week as there was a break between the final and the grand final.
Appetites were well and truly whetted, however for the showdown at Renmark and 4000 people attended the game contributing gate takins of 125 pounds. Loxton was still without vice-Captain WL Bert Christie who had been injured earlier in a collision with a team mate. Glav Nitschke, home on holidays from college and Brian Habel replaced Murray Tonkin and Felix Rudiger in the starting 18 from the second semi and on this occasion, it was Loxton’s turn as they defeated Berri comfortably for the title in a game umpired by R. Fluris of Winkie.
Loxton 4-8 10-11 13-13 20-17-137
Berri 2-2 3-5 7-10 9-10-64
Goals: G. Thompson 6, A. Jolly, D. Kroemer 4, L. Proud, E. Waechter 2, B. Habel, R. Westbrook 1
Best: R. Westbrook, G. Thompson. L. Proud, A. Jolly, D. Kroemer, G. Proud, F. Proud, R. Waechter, J. Neuen, R. Proud
With superb ruck work, high marking and long kicking, Joe Westbrook was awarded the Murray Pioneer Cup for the best afield performance. Team coach Allen Hosking gained praise for his astute and inspiring efforts with his charges. His move of full forward Lew Proud to centre half forward had been questioned and seen as robbing the team of goal scoring potential. However, that move like most of the coach’s strategies was successful.
PREMIERSHIP TEAM
F: E. Waechter
HF: R. Bahnisch
C: J. Neuen
HB: D. Woon
B: G. Nitschke
1st Ruck: R. Westbrook
2nd Ruck: A. Jolly
19th: M. Tonkin
A. Jolly
L. Proud
G. Proud
F. Proud
A. Westover
D. Kroemer
G. Nitschke
B. Habel
R. Proud
R. Waechter
M. Bartsch
A. Kroemer
G. Thompson
E. Waechter
20th: F. Rudiger
YEAR FORMED (1909 0n rugby top)
1910-Loxton FC
1930-Loxton Olympians FC (Loxton FC split into Loxton Olympians FC & Loxton Imperials FC)
1930-Loxton Imperials FC (Loxton FC split into Loxton Olympians FC & Loxton Imperials FC)
1945-Loxton FC (Merger between Loxton Olympians FC & Loxton Imperials FC)
1946-Loxton 2nds FC
1971-Loxton 2nds finished
THE TROPHY CABINET
PREMIERS
1926-loxton-brown's well fa (loxton fc)
1930-loxton-brown's well fa (loxton olympians fc)
1932-loxton district fa (loxton olympians fc)
1934-loxton district fa (loxton olympians fc)
1937-loxton district fa (loxton imperials fc)
1939-loxton district fa (loxton imperials fc)
1940-loxton district fa (loxton imperials fc)
1946-upper murray fa (loxton fc)
1947-upper murray fa (loxton fc)
1948-upper murray fa (loxton fc)
1949-upper murray fa (loxton fc)
1951-upper murray fa (loxton fc)
1953-upper murray fa (loxton fc)
1953-upper murray 'b' grade fa (loxton 2nds fc)
1954-upper murray 'b' grade fa (loxton 2nds fc)
1955-upper murray fa (loxton fc)
1957-upper murray fa (loxton fc)
1957-upper murray 'b' grade fa (loxton 2nds fc)
1958-upper murray fa (loxton fc)
1960-upper murray fa (loxton fc)
1961-upper murray fa (loxton fc)
1962-upper murray fa (loxton fc)
1963-upper murray fa (loxton fc)
1964-upper murray fa (loxton fc)
1965-upper murray fa (loxton fc)
1965-upper murray 'b' grade fa (loxton 2nds fc)
1967-upper murray 'b' grade fa (loxton 2nds fc)
1970-upper murray fa (loxton fc)
1971-upper murray fa (loxton fc)
1976-riverland fl (loxton fc)
1988-riverland fl (loxton fc)
1996-riverland fl (loxton fc)
2006-riverland fl (loxton fc)
Loxton Hotel Wunkar Football Carnival 2001 (div 1)