The Kyabram District Football League (KDL) is an Australian rules football league in Victoria. It is made up of 15 teams; the most recent additions include Dookie United in 2018 and Shepparton East in 2019.^[1] The KDL is made up of smaller country town football clubs in the Goulburn Valley.

The majority of these towns have a population base of around 1000 people, each of these clubs aims to field four football sides in the Senior, Reserve, Under 18 and Under 13 divisions of the KDFL as well as eight netball sides in A-Grade, B-Grade, C-Grade, C Reserve, 17 & Under, 15 & Under, 13 & Under and 11 & Under divisions,

The KDL season is made up of 18 rounds in the home and away season, with each side playing 16 games, at the conclusion of the home and away season, the top six teams in each division face off in the finals series. The top two teams in this series are assured a second chance at making the Grand Final, however the third, fourth, fifth and sixth placed teams have no such luxury and are eliminated after any loss, this system works to reward the teams who have performed better over the home and away season.

During the season, each club will play eight home games and eight away games, in finals however, venues are designated to different clubs on a cycle. For over a decade the Grand Final has been hosted by Goulburn Valley Football League ground, Mooroopna hosting on most occasions and Tatura being the venue in 2013.

The original Kyabram District Football Association was formed in 1915 at a meeting at Mate's Hotel, Kyabram from the following clubs - Kyabram Ramblers, Kyabram Rovers, Merrigum, Tongala, Undera and Wyuna,^[2] but when several club's pulled out mid season to take up lessons in rifle shooting, by the Kyabram Rifle Club, the season was abandoned, due to the local World War One movement.^[3]

The Kyabram District Football Association was formed in 1932,^[4][5] changing its name to Kyabram District Football League in 1960.^[6]

The Kyabram District Patriotic Football League was established in 1944 and continued on in 1945 to provide some local football in the Goulburn Valley area and also raised £400 in funds for the War.^[7]

In 2021, 18 home and away matches were played in the KDFNL, but no finals series was played due to the COVID-19 situation enforced by the Victorian Labor Government.

Seniors

Most flags in a row

4 – Shepparton East 1958–1961

Most consecutive grand finals

7 - Merrigum: 1947 to 1953 (Premiers: 1949, 50, 51 & 53)

Most goals in a grand final

12 - 1953: Les Pell - Merrigum

Highest score in a grand final

1967: Nagambie: 24.19 - 163 d Merrigum: 6.3 - 39

Highest overall score

Stanhope: 62.30 - 402 d Ardmona 0.1 - 1. Rd. 12, 6 July 2019^[28]

Most McNamara Medal / KDFNL best & fairest wins

4 - Rohan Aldous: 1988, 1998, 1999, 2000.

Most goals in a game

34 – Craig Whelan: Violet Town: 56.22 - 358 d Ardmona: 2.5 - 17. Rd. 12, 30 June 2012^[29]

Most goals in a season

173 – Perry Meka – Ardmona – 1992

Most wins in a row

35 – Lancaster 2001–2002, but lost the 2002 grand final to Ardmona.

Most losses in a row

• Ardmona FC Seniors: 61
  • 2015 - Losses: 5 - From Rd.16, 2015,^[30]
  • 2016 - Losses: 18
  • 2017 - Losses: 0 (Ardmona 1sts in recess in 2017)
  • 2018 - Losses: 18^[31]
  • 2019 - Losses:16,^[32]
  • 2020 - Losses: 0 KDFNL / Ardmona both in recess . COVID-19
  • 2021 - Losses: 4 ^[33] Ardmona won against Longwood, Rd. 5, 2021.^[34] 2121 days since their last win.^[35]

Seniors

In 1944 and 1945, the competition was called the Kyabram District Patriotic Football League.

The Kyabram District Junior Football Association was formed on Saturday evening, 14th May 1910 at the Albion Hotel, Kyabram from delegates from the following club's - Cooma, Kyabram Imperials, Merrigum and Wyuna.^[102] The KDJFA disbanded in May, 1929 due to several clubs pulling out of this Wednesday competition and entering a newly formed Saturday football competition, the Central Goulburn Valley Junior Football Association.^[103]

Football Grand Finals

Seniors