The Katandra Football Club has competed in official competitions dating back to at least 1914 when they competed in a Katandra District competition.
During these early years records have shown Katandra to have participated in the:
- Katandra District Football Association
- Drumanure-Katamatite-Dookie Football Association
- Goulburn Valley Second XVIII Football League
- Central Goulburn Valley Football League
Katandra competed in the Central Goulburn Valley Football League for a number of years. Records indicate that the side were premiers in 1950 and 1951. They were runners up in 1952.
Joining the Benalla-Tungamah League in the early 1950s, a league where Katandra would go on to lay claim to being one of the most successful football clubs in Australia. Over a 40 year period (1955 to 1995) in the Benalla-Tungamah FL, and subsequently the Tungamah FL, Katandra would claim 12 senior premierships. Coupled with being runners-up on 10 occasions meant that if you went to watch the Grand Final, chances were that you'd be watching Katandra play in the main game. If the seniors were not represented chances were that they would be in the lower grades or on the netball courts.
Katandra seemed to work in eras. Where a group of players would ride a wave of premiership success or grand final heart break... in some cases both. Katandra's sole League Medallist, Harry Britain, lead Katandra to a remarkable 4 premiership victories in succession from 1955 to 1958. The Katandra side of the 1970's played in 9 grand finals only to collect the pennant on 3 occasions. Winning back to back premierships in the early 80s, playing in four grand finals from 1989-1992 to collect the 1990 and 1992 flags.
Participating in the Tungamah FL, a league that evolved from a Tungamah centred competition to one where Tungamah were the most northern club and treks extended as far south as Thornton-Eildon and Alexandra by 1995, meant that extended travel down south was not conducive to a dairy farming family and we followed our traditional rivals, Tungamah and Katamatite, to the Picola Football League for the 1996 season.
On joining the PDFL in 1996, many thought it a step down from the once powerful Tungamah League. Katandra, the once super-power, was expected to dominate the league. How wrong everyone was? Katandra struggled to 8th position in the first two seasons, but success was brewing in the junior ranks. Premiership success in the 4ths in 1993 and 1995, coupled with the undefeated 3rds sides in 1996 and 1997 meant that senior success would soon return. In 1998, under the guidance of Greg Reynoldson and with the return of favourite son, Rod Grinter, Katandra broke a 6 season drought to take their first Picola League flag and started to gain some respect from opposition sides. Tungamah and Katamatite must have surely thought 'Here we go again!'
The success however did not flow as it did in eras past. After slipping down the ladder over the next few seasons, Katandra could only manage 8 wins in the 2001 season and were on the receiving end on some comprehensive beltings to the tone of 20 or more goals.
Things started to change in 2002, with the return of many players and sensible recruitment of others Katandra improved but still missed the finals. Although a foundation was laid for a typical Katandra era. With 2002 assistant coach Mark Nolen stepping up to coach along with a former team-mates from Manangatang, Chris Pohlner (co-coach) and Aaron Plant Katandra emerged again and took the premiership from 4th position. The 2004 premiership followed and by round 18 2005 another was on the horizon, an undefeated season under the guidance of Morrison Medalist, Mark Lambourn came unravelled with a near straight sets exit from the finals series, losing a preliminary final to Picola League power Waaia.
2006 bought the addition of former Tungamah League foes Shepparton East and Dookie United. Two sides that would deny Katandra of the next two premierships, losing both by less than 3 goals. After three seasons of heart-break Mark Lambourn stepped aside and former West Coast and Geelong player Derek Hall was appointed and led a young group of players to another grand final, which many thought was impossible at the beginning of the season. The Kats were unable to match the undefeated Tungamah and subsequently lost their third successive grand final. A feat that occured twice in the 70s.
The 2009 season bought about another change in league format with the Picola League being split into a North-West conference and a South-East conference. Katandra participating in the latter along with former Tungamah League rivals; Dookie United, Katamatite, Shepparton East and Tungamah along with long time Picola League powerhouse Waaia and Katunga along with new inclusion Rennie. After a promising season the side was defeated by Shepparton East in the Preliminary Final. Tungamah was the eventual premier. The real achievement was our first ever A Grade netball premiership, the side lead by Danni Hall and League Medallist Steph Teague were stand outs.
The 2010 home and away season was one of the worst in recent memory as we only managed 9 wins and 9 losses. The side then went about winning two finals before losing the Preliminary Final to Tungamah in muddy conditions at Mulwala. Steph Teague won her second A Grade best & fairest, but like the Seniors were unable to progress past the Preliminary Final.
Katandra's senior record since 1950 includes 32 Grand Final Appearances in 61 years of competition (18 premierships and 14 runners up).
The following is from Footypedia.com
Timeline :
1914 - Katandra DJFA : Katandra participated.
1927 - Drumanure-Katamatite-Dookie DJFA : Katandra were a founding club.
1928 - Katandra DFA : Katandra participated.
1929 (Katandra DFA) :
Grand Final - Drumanure 11.13.79 defeated Katandra 7.6.48.
Grand Final Challenge - Drumanure defeated Katandra (walkover) @ Katamatite.
1930 - Katandra DFA : Katandra participated.
1932 - Katandra DFA : Katandra participated.
1936-37 - Goulburn Valley 2nd 18s FL : Katandra participated.
1946-49 - Central Goulburn Valley FL : Katandra participated.
1950 - Central Goulburn Valley FL: Katandra were premiers.
1951- Central Goulburn Valley FL: Katandra were premiers.
1952 - Central Goulburn Valley FL: Katandra runners up.
1953-54 - Benalla-Tungamah FL : Katandra participated.
1955 - Benalla-Tungamah FL Grand Final : Katandra 14.27.111 defeated Burramine 10.9.69.
1956 - Benalla-Tungamah FL Grand Final : Katandra 13.11.89 defeated Mulwala 7.7.49.
1957 - Benalla-Tungamah FL Grand Final : Katandra 11.8.74 defeated Dookie Agricultural College 10.8.68.
1958 - Benalla-Tungamah FL Grand Final : Katandra 9.9.63 defeated Mulwala 6.4.40.
1959 - Benalla-Tungamah FL : Katandra participated.
1960 - Benalla-Tungamah FL Grand Final : Violet Town defeated Katandra by 12pts.
1961-65 - Benalla-Tungamah FL : Katandra participated.
1966 - Benalla-Tungamah FL : Katandra were premiers.
1968-71 - Tungamah FL : Katandra participated.
1973 - Tungamah FL : Katandra were premiers.
1974 - Tungamah FL : Katandra were premiers.
1975 - Tungamah FL : Katandra were premiers.
1977 - Tungamah FL : Katandra were premiers.
1982 - Tungamah FL : Katandra participated.
1983 - Tungamah FL : Katandra were premiers.
1984 - Tungamah FL : Katandra were premiers.
1986 - Tungamah FL Grand Final : Tungamah 13.11.89 defeated Katandra 10.13.73.
1989 - Tungamah FL: Katandra were runners up.
1990 - Tungamah FL : Katandra were premiers.
1991 - Tungamah FL : Katandra were runners up.
1992 - Tungamah FL : Katandra were premiers.
1995 - Tungamah FL : Katandra won 6 matches, Finished 6th.
1996 - Picola & DFL : Katandra commenced. 8th
1997 - Picola & DFL : Katandra participated. 8th
1998 - Picola & DFL Grand Final : Katandra 10.12.72 defeated Katunga 3.9.27.
1999 - Picola & DFL : Katandra participated.
2000-02 - Picola & DFL : Katandra participated
2003 -Picola & DFL : Katandra were premiers. Grand Final - Katandra 20.8.128 defeated Tungamah 9.13.67.
2004 - Picola & DFL Grand Final : Katandra 9.14.68 defeated Katamatite 7.2.44.
2005 - Picola & DFL Undefeated Minor Premiers: Preliminary Final: Waaia defeated Katandra
2006 - Picola & DFL Grand Final : Shepparton East defeated Katandra
2007 - Picola & DFL Grand Final : Dookie United defeated Katandra.
2008 - Picola & DFL Grand Final : Tungamah defeated Katandra.
2009 - Picola & DFL (South East) Preliminary Final: Shepparton East defeated Katandra
2010 - Picola & DFL (South East) Preliminary Final: Tungamah defeated Katandra
2014 - Picola & DFL (South East) Preliminary Final: Katamatite defeated Katandra
