finley cats' history
Key FactsOfficial name
Finley Football Netball Club Known as Finley or Finley Cats Formed c 1890s Colours Navy blue and white Emblem Cat Affiliation (Current) Murray Football League (MFL) 1933–2022 Affiliation (Historical) Southern Riverina Football League (SRFL) 1909–1931 Senior Premierships Murray Football League - 1952, 1954, 1958, 1971, 1981-2, 1988 (7 total) Website www.finleycats.com Vertical Divider
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FinleyThe Cats are one of six New South Wales-based clubs in the Murray Football League, which also contains seven clubs from the Victorian side of the river. The club dates back to the late nineteenth century but details of its achievements are patchy until 1933, when it first competed in the MFL. After struggling initially, Finley gradually improved and in 1938 qualified for a grand final for the first time. However, Numurkah emerged victorious by 16 points in a tight, low scoring affair.
The Cats’ second MFL grand final appearance in 1951 also saw them confronted by Numurkah, and although the margin was narrower - 5 points - the result was the same. Two years later Finley and Deniliquin contested the first and, to date, only drawn grand final in league history. The replay might easily have finished the same way, but in the end the Cats scraped their way to victory by a single straight kick, 10.17 (77) to 11.5 (71). The 1950s brought two further grand final appearances, against Tocumwal in 1954 and Deniliquin in 1958, and Finley was successful on both occasions by margins of 41 and 5 points respectively. The Cats’ next grand final outing, in 1968, ended in defeat at the hands of Berrigan. There then followed successive grand final clashes with Deniliquin in 1971 and 1972, with Finley winning the former match by 9 points, but losing the latter by 4 goals. The club’s only back to back premiership triumphs came in 1981 and 1982 at the expense of Numurkah and Cobram respectively. Then, between 1986 and 1988 the Cats established a new benchmark by contesting three consecutive grand finals for the only time in their history. However, only the last of these, against Jerilderie, was won. Since 1988 the closest Finley has come to claiming an eighth senior grade flag has been in losing grand finals against Tocumwal in 1991, Barooga in 1993, Nathalia in 2012, Rumbarala in 2014 and Nathalia in 2016. Following their 2016 reversal the Cats endured a dismal 2017 campaign which produced just a single win, consigning them to the wooden spoon. They showed considerable improvement a year later, qualifying for the finals for an eventual finishing position of fifth. |
Senior Premiers: 1952, 1954, 1958, 1971, 1981, 1982, 1988
The Finley Football Club, nicknamed the Cats, is an Australian Rules Football club playing in the Murray Football League.
The club is based in the town of Finley located in the Riverina district of New South Wales.
Finley joined the Murray Football League in 1933.
Some players from Finley have risen to the VFL/AFL such as: (the year indicates their debut year)
The Finley Football Club, nicknamed the Cats, is an Australian Rules Football club playing in the Murray Football League.
The club is based in the town of Finley located in the Riverina district of New South Wales.
Finley joined the Murray Football League in 1933.
Some players from Finley have risen to the VFL/AFL such as: (the year indicates their debut year)
- 1934: Bert Taylor – Melbourne
- 1947: Terry Walsh – North Melbourne
- 1955: Alan Jeans – St. Kilda. Later coached St.Kilda, Hawthorn & Richmond
- 1958: Jim Broockmann – Fitzroy
- 1973: Jack Hawkins – Geelong
- 1973: Michael Hawkins- Geelong
- 1984: David Murphy - Sydney Swans
- 1984: Robb Hawkins – Geelong
- 1984: Darren Jackson – Geelong
- 1987: Peter Baldwin- Geelong
- 1990: Damian Sexton – St. Kilda
- 1992: Damien Angove - Sydney Swans
- 1993: Shane Crawford – Hawthorn
- 1995: Justin Crawford - Sydney Swans
- 2000: Marcus Baldwin - Geelong
- 2007: Tom Hawkins – Geelong
- 2012: Mark Whiley – Greater Western Sydney & Carlton
Senior Premierships
- 1952 Finley def Deniliquin
- 1954 Finley 13.13 (91) def Tocumwal 7.8 (50)
- 1958 Finley def Deniliquin
- 1971 Finley def Deniliquin
- 1981 Finley def Numurkah
- 1982 Finley def Cobram
- 1988 Finley def Jerlilderie
- 1980
- 1981
- 1982
- 1983
- 1986
- 1990
- 1991
- 1973
- 1980
- 1982
- 1989 Finley 9.4 (58) def Deniliquin 6.8 (44)
- 1992 Finley 8.5 (53) def Cobram 4.5 (29)
- 2006
- 2009 Finley 6.4 (40) def Deniliquin 4.8 (32)
- 1977
- 1989 Finley 5.12 (42) def Barooga 1.0 (6)
- 2010 Finley 12.18 (90) def Cobram 3.7 (25)
Wally Mumford (Coach), leads the Cats team onto the field for the 1971 Grand Final.
Above: Norm Pyle's memorable goal in the 1982 Murray League Grand Final