Ungarie Football Club
Encyclopedia
The Ungarie Football Netball Club (nicknamed The Magpies) is an Australian rules football
and netball
club that plays in the Northern Riverina Football Netball League (NRFNL). Formed in 1916, the club currently recruits players from smaller farming communities such as Weethalle
, Yalgogrin and Tallimba
, as well as larger areas that include Condobolin
and Wagga Wagga
, since the population of Ungarie
had been dramatically affected by a drought that had lasted from 2000-2010.
Overall, the Magpies have been one of the most successful clubs of the NRFNL, having won the second largest amount of senior premierships along with Tullibigeal at fifteen and by producing one of the most famous football dynasties in history, the Daniher brothers (Terry
, Neale
, Anthony
and Chris
). The Daniher brothers are famous for being the only quartet of brothers to have played for one team (this being Essendon
) in an AFL match, while also being famous for having played a combined total of 752 games and winning three AFL premierships between the four of them. Other Ungarians to have made it to the AFL include Ben Fixter
, the #6 draft pick in the 1999 AFL Draft, who played fifty-four games for Sydney
and Brisbane
, and Kyle Archibald, who was the #81 draft-pick in the 2003 AFL Draft but didn't play any senior games for Richmond
due to several injuries.
came to farm in the district. The first two years of the club's existence saw the Magpies play against Blow Clear in friendly social games in 1916 and 1917 after which the Bolagamy and District Association (which later became the Ungarie-Girral Association) was formed in 1918. Five years later, the Magpies won their only Ungarie-Girral Association premiership in 1923. One year later, the Ungarie-Girral Association amalgamated with the Lake Cargelligo Association to form the Northern Riverina Australian Rules Football Association.
It was in the 1950s that the NRFL and the Ungarie Football Club first became famous when Jim Daniher, Jr, son of Jim Daniher, Sr, was asked to try out for both Carlton
in the Victorian Football League
, as well as North Sydney
in the New South Wales Rugby League
, although he ultimately decided to stay with the Magpies due to his love for the farm. Jim, Jr was asked to try out for both clubs after gaining much fame for both football codes; this fame included winning three NRFL best & fairests and scoring a couple of tries against Britain when the Riverina rugby league team took on the British. Jim, Jr would go on to help form the juniors in the 1960s so that his sons could play during their childhoods.
It was in 1975, some ten years after the junior competition in the NRFL was formed, that Jim, Jr's eldest son, Terry
, was asked to play for South Melbourne
. Terry played there for two seasons before being traded to Essendon in 1977. It was in 1979, 1981 and 1987, respectively, that Terry's brothers, Neale
, Anthony
and Chris
made it to the VFL/AFL. It was over a combined total of 752 games throughout twenty-three seasons that the Daniher brothers won three AFL premierships, two Essendon Best & Fairests and one Leigh Matthews Trophy
(the AFL MVP Award) between them.
After their respective careers came to an end, two of the Daniher brothers (Terry and Neale) went into coaching, with Terry being an Assistant Coach to Essendon when they won the 2000 AFL Grand Final
and Neale becoming the Senior Coach of Melbourne
for ten seasons from 1998-2007, with Neale leading them from the 1997 Wooden Spoon to the 2000 Grand Final against Essendon. Meanwhile, Anthony would go on to become the CEO of Daniher Property Services, a cleaning service in Melbourne that he, Terry and Chris had formed, while Chris returned to Ungarie to become a farmer.
In 1999, another Ungarian came into the AFL when Ben Fixter became the #6 Draft Pick in the 1999 AFL Draft, being drafted to the Sydney Swans. Fixter would go on to play 27 games for the Swans over five seasons from 2001–2005. Fixter was delisted by the Swans after the 2005 season before becoming the #6 Draft Pick in the 2006 AFL Pre-Season Draft, this time being drafted to the Brisbane Lions. Fixter played another 27 games for the Lions before being delisted again in 2007.
It was also in 1999 that the Ungarie seniors broke a thirteen-year premiership drought when they defeated Barellan 25.13.163 to 9.7.61. This was the first of a hat-trick of premierships for the Magpies, as they would win the next two premierships in a row.
The Magpies had a good start to the 2000 season, with the youngest of the Daniher brothers, Chris, returning to the NRFNL. It was with Chris' help that the Magpies won their second consecutive senior premiership by defeating Barellan 15.11.101 to 10.4.64. The Magpies continued this success by winning their third consecutive premiership in 2001 when they beat Barellan yet again, this time 17.14.116 to 4.6.30. In 2002, the seniors would end up falling to their future allies in Condobolin-Milby in the Preliminary Final to miss out on making it four in a row for the Ungarians. The Magpies would strike back in 2003 to defeat Minor Premiers Lake Cargelligo in the Major Semi-Final before losing to Lake Cargelligo by a goal in the 2003 Grand Final.
Since 2003, the senior Magpies have had yet to reach another Grand Final, with the Ungarians failing to reach the Finals from 2004-2006 before making it to third on the ladder in 2007, only to be knocked out of the Finals by Lake Cargelligo in a Qualifying Final and arch-rivals Tullibigeal in the Minor Semi-Final. The senior Magpies would then go down to the bottom of the ladder in 2008, before making it to the Finals in 2009, where they defeated Tullibigeal in the Elimination Final before falling to Barellan in the Minor Semi-Final. It was in 2010 that the Magpies begun to recruit men from Condobolin
and Wagga Wagga
to rejuvenate the side. It was this side that surprised everyone when the senior Magpies snatched a thrilling two point victory over Barellan in the Elimination Final. The Magpies brought this momentum into the Minor Semi-Final, where they thrashed 2009 Premiers West Wyalong-Girral 26.14.170 to 4.9.33, although they would lose the Preliminary Final to Hillston. The senior Magpies would then have an ordinary year in 2011, just scraping into the Finals where they were knocked out by West Wyalong-Girral in the Elimination Final.
, Victoria. It was in 1984, however, that the Magpies begun to wear white guernseys with vertical black stripes.
Cheer, cheer, the black and the white,
Ungarie Magpies, day and by night!
Hoist the loyal banner high,
Shake down the thunder from the sky!
When we're up, we're flying high,
When we're down, we never say die!
The Ungarie boys are fighting,
Onwards to victory!
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
and netball
Netball
Netball is a ball sport played between two teams of seven players. Its development, derived from early versions of basketball, began in England in the 1890s. By 1960 international playing rules had been standardised for the game, and the International Federation of Netball and Women's Basketball ...
club that plays in the Northern Riverina Football Netball League (NRFNL). Formed in 1916, the club currently recruits players from smaller farming communities such as Weethalle
Weethalle
Weethalle is a town in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia. The town is the Bland Shire Local government area and on the Mid-Western Highway, west of the state capital, Sydney, and north east of Griffith. At the 2006 census, Weethalle and the surrounding area had a population...
, Yalgogrin and Tallimba
Tallimba, New South Wales
Tallimba is a small country town in the Central West area of New South Wales, Australia. It is a part of the Bland Shire 34 km from West Wyalong and 1½ hours drive from Wagga Wagga...
, as well as larger areas that include Condobolin
Condobolin, New South Wales
Condobolin is a town in the west of the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia, on the Lachlan River. At the 2006 census, Condobolin had a population of 2,847.- History :...
and Wagga Wagga
Wagga Wagga, New South Wales
Wagga Wagga is a city in New South Wales, Australia. Straddling the Murrumbidgee River, and with an urban population of 46,735 people, Wagga Wagga is the state's largest inland city, as well as an important agricultural, military, and transport hub of Australia...
, since the population of Ungarie
Ungarie, New South Wales
Ungarie is a town in New South Wales, Australia which is the second major town of the Bland Shire, located in the Central West region of New South Wales. It is located west of Sydney and north of Melbourne, between the towns of West Wyalong and Lake Cargelligo and is situated above sea level...
had been dramatically affected by a drought that had lasted from 2000-2010.
Overall, the Magpies have been one of the most successful clubs of the NRFNL, having won the second largest amount of senior premierships along with Tullibigeal at fifteen and by producing one of the most famous football dynasties in history, the Daniher brothers (Terry
Terry Daniher
Terrence "Terry" John Daniher is a former Australian rules footballer who played with the South Melbourne and Essendon Football Clubs in the Australian Football League . Terry was also an Assistant Coach to the Essendon, Collingwood, St Kilda and Carlton Football Clubs. Terry's brothers, Neale,...
, Neale
Neale Daniher
Neale Francis Daniher is a former Australian rules footballer who played with the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League . Neale was also an Assistant Coach to the Essendon and Fremantle Football Clubs and the Coach of the Victorian State Team and the Melbourne Football Club...
, Anthony
Anthony Daniher
Anthony Joseph Daniher is a former Australian rules footballer who played with the South Melbourne/Sydney and Essendon Football Clubs in the Australian Football League . Anthony's brothers, Terry, Neale and Chris, also played for Essendon in the AFL...
and Chris
Chris Daniher
Christopher "Chris" James Daniher is a former Australian rules footballer who played with the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League . His brothers Terry, Neale and Anthony also played for Essendon in the AFL...
). The Daniher brothers are famous for being the only quartet of brothers to have played for one team (this being Essendon
Essendon Football Club
The Essendon Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
) in an AFL match, while also being famous for having played a combined total of 752 games and winning three AFL premierships between the four of them. Other Ungarians to have made it to the AFL include Ben Fixter
Ben Fixter
Ben Fixter is an Australian rules football player who played with the Sydney and Brisbane Football Clubs in the Australian Football League...
, the #6 draft pick in the 1999 AFL Draft, who played fifty-four games for Sydney
Sydney Swans
The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
and Brisbane
Brisbane Lions
The Brisbane Lions is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Brisbane, Queensland. The club was formed from the merger of the Brisbane Bears and the Fitzroy Lions in 1996...
, and Kyle Archibald, who was the #81 draft-pick in the 2003 AFL Draft but didn't play any senior games for Richmond
Richmond Football Club
The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the Australian Football League. Richmond shares healthy rivalries with Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon. After winning five premierships between 1967 and 1980, the club hit the depths in 1990,...
due to several injuries.
Formation and Early Years
The Ungarie Football Club was formed in 1916, forty-two years after the founding of the town in 1872. The club only became stronger when farmers from Victoria and South AustraliaSouth Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
came to farm in the district. The first two years of the club's existence saw the Magpies play against Blow Clear in friendly social games in 1916 and 1917 after which the Bolagamy and District Association (which later became the Ungarie-Girral Association) was formed in 1918. Five years later, the Magpies won their only Ungarie-Girral Association premiership in 1923. One year later, the Ungarie-Girral Association amalgamated with the Lake Cargelligo Association to form the Northern Riverina Australian Rules Football Association.
20th Century
The Magpies enjoyed their first eighty-four years of existence, winning more than thirty premierships in both football and netball, with these being:- Seniors: 1923 (Ungarie-Girral Association), 1935, 1950, 1956, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1974, 1978, 1979, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1999
- Under 16s/17s: 1969, 1972, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1981, 1982, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1995, 1996
- Under 13s (Football): 1981, 1982, 1983, 1987, 1988, 1992, 1994
- A-Grade: 1993, 1997, 1998, 1999
- B-Grade: 1995
- Under 13s/14s (Netball): 1985, 1998
It was in the 1950s that the NRFL and the Ungarie Football Club first became famous when Jim Daniher, Jr, son of Jim Daniher, Sr, was asked to try out for both Carlton
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
in the Victorian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
, as well as North Sydney
North Sydney Bears
The North Sydney Bears are an Australian rugby league football club based in North Sydney, New South Wales. They currently compete in the New South Wales Cup, having exited the National Rugby League following the 1999 NRL season after 92 years of top-grade competition. The Bears are based on...
in the New South Wales Rugby League
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
, although he ultimately decided to stay with the Magpies due to his love for the farm. Jim, Jr was asked to try out for both clubs after gaining much fame for both football codes; this fame included winning three NRFL best & fairests and scoring a couple of tries against Britain when the Riverina rugby league team took on the British. Jim, Jr would go on to help form the juniors in the 1960s so that his sons could play during their childhoods.
It was in 1975, some ten years after the junior competition in the NRFL was formed, that Jim, Jr's eldest son, Terry
Terry Daniher
Terrence "Terry" John Daniher is a former Australian rules footballer who played with the South Melbourne and Essendon Football Clubs in the Australian Football League . Terry was also an Assistant Coach to the Essendon, Collingwood, St Kilda and Carlton Football Clubs. Terry's brothers, Neale,...
, was asked to play for South Melbourne
Sydney Swans
The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
. Terry played there for two seasons before being traded to Essendon in 1977. It was in 1979, 1981 and 1987, respectively, that Terry's brothers, Neale
Neale Daniher
Neale Francis Daniher is a former Australian rules footballer who played with the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League . Neale was also an Assistant Coach to the Essendon and Fremantle Football Clubs and the Coach of the Victorian State Team and the Melbourne Football Club...
, Anthony
Anthony Daniher
Anthony Joseph Daniher is a former Australian rules footballer who played with the South Melbourne/Sydney and Essendon Football Clubs in the Australian Football League . Anthony's brothers, Terry, Neale and Chris, also played for Essendon in the AFL...
and Chris
Chris Daniher
Christopher "Chris" James Daniher is a former Australian rules footballer who played with the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League . His brothers Terry, Neale and Anthony also played for Essendon in the AFL...
made it to the VFL/AFL. It was over a combined total of 752 games throughout twenty-three seasons that the Daniher brothers won three AFL premierships, two Essendon Best & Fairests and one Leigh Matthews Trophy
Leigh Matthews Trophy
The Leigh Matthews Trophy is an annual award given by the AFL Players Association to the Most Valuable Player in the Australian Football League. It is named in honour of Leigh Matthews, who won the first MVP award in 1982, when the league was still known as the Victorian Football League...
(the AFL MVP Award) between them.
After their respective careers came to an end, two of the Daniher brothers (Terry and Neale) went into coaching, with Terry being an Assistant Coach to Essendon when they won the 2000 AFL Grand Final
2000 AFL Grand Final
The 2000 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Essendon Football Club and the Melbourne Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 2 September 2000. It was the 104th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian...
and Neale becoming the Senior Coach of Melbourne
Melbourne Football Club
The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League , based in Melbourne, Victoria....
for ten seasons from 1998-2007, with Neale leading them from the 1997 Wooden Spoon to the 2000 Grand Final against Essendon. Meanwhile, Anthony would go on to become the CEO of Daniher Property Services, a cleaning service in Melbourne that he, Terry and Chris had formed, while Chris returned to Ungarie to become a farmer.
In 1999, another Ungarian came into the AFL when Ben Fixter became the #6 Draft Pick in the 1999 AFL Draft, being drafted to the Sydney Swans. Fixter would go on to play 27 games for the Swans over five seasons from 2001–2005. Fixter was delisted by the Swans after the 2005 season before becoming the #6 Draft Pick in the 2006 AFL Pre-Season Draft, this time being drafted to the Brisbane Lions. Fixter played another 27 games for the Lions before being delisted again in 2007.
It was also in 1999 that the Ungarie seniors broke a thirteen-year premiership drought when they defeated Barellan 25.13.163 to 9.7.61. This was the first of a hat-trick of premierships for the Magpies, as they would win the next two premierships in a row.
21st Century
Since the beginning of the 21st century, the Magpies have continued to enjoy their existence, having won fifteen premierships across both sports from eleven seasons, with these being:- Seniors: 2000, 2001
- Under 17s: 2009
- Under 13s/14s: 2001, 2006, 2011
- Under 12s: 2002, 2009
- A-Grade: 2000, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
- B-Grade: 2000
The Magpies had a good start to the 2000 season, with the youngest of the Daniher brothers, Chris, returning to the NRFNL. It was with Chris' help that the Magpies won their second consecutive senior premiership by defeating Barellan 15.11.101 to 10.4.64. The Magpies continued this success by winning their third consecutive premiership in 2001 when they beat Barellan yet again, this time 17.14.116 to 4.6.30. In 2002, the seniors would end up falling to their future allies in Condobolin-Milby in the Preliminary Final to miss out on making it four in a row for the Ungarians. The Magpies would strike back in 2003 to defeat Minor Premiers Lake Cargelligo in the Major Semi-Final before losing to Lake Cargelligo by a goal in the 2003 Grand Final.
Since 2003, the senior Magpies have had yet to reach another Grand Final, with the Ungarians failing to reach the Finals from 2004-2006 before making it to third on the ladder in 2007, only to be knocked out of the Finals by Lake Cargelligo in a Qualifying Final and arch-rivals Tullibigeal in the Minor Semi-Final. The senior Magpies would then go down to the bottom of the ladder in 2008, before making it to the Finals in 2009, where they defeated Tullibigeal in the Elimination Final before falling to Barellan in the Minor Semi-Final. It was in 2010 that the Magpies begun to recruit men from Condobolin
Condobolin, New South Wales
Condobolin is a town in the west of the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia, on the Lachlan River. At the 2006 census, Condobolin had a population of 2,847.- History :...
and Wagga Wagga
Wagga Wagga, New South Wales
Wagga Wagga is a city in New South Wales, Australia. Straddling the Murrumbidgee River, and with an urban population of 46,735 people, Wagga Wagga is the state's largest inland city, as well as an important agricultural, military, and transport hub of Australia...
to rejuvenate the side. It was this side that surprised everyone when the senior Magpies snatched a thrilling two point victory over Barellan in the Elimination Final. The Magpies brought this momentum into the Minor Semi-Final, where they thrashed 2009 Premiers West Wyalong-Girral 26.14.170 to 4.9.33, although they would lose the Preliminary Final to Hillston. The senior Magpies would then have an ordinary year in 2011, just scraping into the Finals where they were knocked out by West Wyalong-Girral in the Elimination Final.
Club Guernsey
The Ungarie Magpies guernsey was originally white with horizontal black stripes, the same design that Jim Daniher, Sr, played in with his former team in EuroaEuroa, Victoria
Euroa is a town in the Shire of Strathbogie in North-East Victoria, Australia.At the 2006 census, Euroa had a population of 2,776. The name Euroa comes from an Aboriginal word in the old local dialect meaning "joyful".-History:Major T.L...
, Victoria. It was in 1984, however, that the Magpies begun to wear white guernseys with vertical black stripes.
Club Song
The Magpies' club song is as follows:Cheer, cheer, the black and the white,
Ungarie Magpies, day and by night!
Hoist the loyal banner high,
Shake down the thunder from the sky!
When we're up, we're flying high,
When we're down, we never say die!
The Ungarie boys are fighting,
Onwards to victory!
Seniors
- Ungarie-Girral Association Premierships: (1)
- 1923
- NRFL Premierships: (15)
- 1935, 1950, 1956, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1974, 1978, 1979, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1999, 2000, 2001
- NRFL Runners-Up: (7)
- 1982, 1984, 1990, 1994, 1995, 1998, 2003
- Undefeated in Home & Away season: (8)
- 1978, 1979, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1995
Under 16s/17s
- NRFL Premierships: (14)
- 1969, 1972, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1981, 1982, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1995, 1996, 2009
Under 13s/14s (Football)
- NRFL Premierships: (10)
- 1981, 1982, 1983, 1987, 1988, 1992, 1994, 2001, 2006, 2011
A-Grade
- NRNL Premierships: (11)
- 1993, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
NRFL Best & Fairests (Evans Memorial Trophy)
- 1948 Jim Daniher, Jr
- 1951 Leo Daniher
- 1954 Jim Daniher, Jr
- 1958 Jim Cullen
- 1958 Jim Daniher, Jr
- 1974 Terry DaniherTerry DaniherTerrence "Terry" John Daniher is a former Australian rules footballer who played with the South Melbourne and Essendon Football Clubs in the Australian Football League . Terry was also an Assistant Coach to the Essendon, Collingwood, St Kilda and Carlton Football Clubs. Terry's brothers, Neale,...
- 1977 Lindsay Henley
- 1981 Garry Koop
- 1982 Lindsay Henley
- 1983 P Poulsen
- 1985 Garry Koop
- 1990 Malcolm Williams
- 1992 Malcolm Williams
- 1997 Peter King
- 1998 Peter King
- 1999 Jamie Grintell
- 2000 Chris DaniherChris DaniherChristopher "Chris" James Daniher is a former Australian rules footballer who played with the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League . His brothers Terry, Neale and Anthony also played for Essendon in the AFL...
- 2001 Chris Daniher
- 2002 Chris Daniher
- 2004 Chris Daniher
Further reading
- Daniher, Terry Daniher, Neale Daniher, Anthony Daniher and Chris Daniher. The Danihers: The Story of Football's Favourite Family. Sydney: Allen & Unwin, 2009. ISBN 1741756510