Thanks to a generous $5,000 donation from former OMFNL Board and League life member Mr Ken Jasper, in-depth research and initial interviews with key figures attached to the competition have begun in earnest.
Local journalist Steve Tervet has been engaged by the league as chief researcher and author of the project.
As the league enters its 132nd year in existence, there is no set deadline for the completion of the book, but it is expected to take at least a couple of seasons to reach print publishing stage.
SS&A Club President Mr Eddie Dunlop also announced at the O&M season launch function last week, that the SS&A club would also contribute $5,000 towards the book.
This gesture further cements the long-term commitment to community sport the SS&A Club provides through their major partnership with the league, which that now extends across 25 years.
Some of the highlights of the competition’s rich history that will be expected to be covered in the publication include: 1893 – Beechworth named first ever premier.
1953 – Introduction of Reserve grade football to the competition.
1973 – Thirds football played for the first time.
1993 – Netball is introduced to create the Ovens & Murray Football Netball League. “With no definitive chronicle of the league’s history since its inception, the OMFNL Board felt a project of this nature has been long overdue,” OMFNL Chairman David Sinclair said.
“Plans to commission the book were forced to be put on the backburner at the start of the decade as the league navigated its way through the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It now feels appropriate to document stories from legends of the competition whilst they are still amongst us, before we lose a chapter or two of the league’s rich history forever.”
