Oatlands District Football Association
| Founded | 1952 |
| Previous Names | Oatlands District Football Competition. |
| Current Clubs | Bothwell Rabbits Mount Pleasant Mounties Swansea Swans Campbell Town Robins Campania Wallabies Tasman Peninsula Crows Tribunna Roos Oatlands Tigers |
| Stadiums | Bothwell Oval Mt Pleasant Football Ground Triabunna Rec. Ground Swansea Rec. Ground Campania Rec. Ground Campbell Town Rec. Ground Port Arthur Rec. Ground Oatlands Oval |
| 2016 ODFA Season | |
|---|---|
| Premiers | Bothwell |
| Minor Premiers | Bothwell |
| Wooden Spoon | Triabunna |
| Best and Fairest Winner: | Alex Downie - Campbell Town |
| Under 21 Best and Fairest Winner: | Jarrod Kaye - Tribunna |
| Highest Goal Kicker | Kris Cashion - Bothwell |
The Oatlands District Football Association (ODFA) is a non-professional Australian rules football league from Tasmania, Australia.
On Monday 24 March 1952 a meeting was held at the Parattah Hotel, with the aim being to form a local football competition, the meeting was attended by representatives from Tunbridge, Woodsdale and Parattah.
When the competition was formed it aimed to give players of the Oatlands Municipality, who could not be absorbed into the Midlands Football Association, an opportunity to play football.
The three clubs affiliated with the Oatlands District Football Competition, and football commenced on 19 April 1952, with Woodsdale defeating Parattah 3.7 (25) to 2.3 (15).
Amazingly, this match holds the record for the lowest winning score to this day. Parattah's coach for the first season was Max Kelly, Tunbridge had Ken Gourlay in charge, and Cyril Payne was the first ever coach of Woodsdale.
Tunbridge had the distinction of winning the first premiership.
Mr Ron Rowlands of Woodsdale donated the first shield, which was to be retained by the club gaining the most match points at the end of three years, it was appropriately won by Woodsdale in 1954 with 138 points, although they had not yet won a premiership.
The late Max Fergusson of Parattah was the first President/Chairman of the competition, and the first Secretary/Treasurer was the late Alan Payne of Woodsdale.
In 1953, Mt.Pleasant affiliated, making an even number of teams in the competition.
The Association did not affiliate with any parent body until 1955, when it affiliated with the Tasmanian Football League.
In sympathy with a number of other country football associations, and because it believed it was right thing to do, the Association became unaffiliated and joined the Southern Tasmanian Country Football Council in 1960. The ODFA re-affiliated with the TFL in 1971 and remained so until the TFL collapsed after the 2000 season.
In 1955, it was decided to change the name of the body to the Oatlands District Football Association.
The first lightning premiership was conducted by the Association in 1955 at Parattah, resulting in a draw between Woodsdale and Tunbridge, each scoring 4.2 (26).
The first tribunal meeting was held on the 19 August 1952 after an umpires' report was lodged with Max Burns of Parattah and Clyde Hart of Tunbridge found guilty of striking each other and were stood down for two roster matches.
The Association decided in 1956 the teams in the Association field 16 players a side, and this policy was retained until 1977, when it was increased to eighteen players and two interchange players.
In 1957 the late Mr H.M Jones was elected President/Chairman, and in the same year, the late Ron Bean of Tunbridge was elected Secretary/Treasurer, a position he held for 30 years, Ron had attended all but two meetings of the Association between 1953 and 1977.
In recognition of Mr Bean's service to the Association he was made a Life Member in 1971.
The late Mr H.M Jones donated the second shield in 1955, which was to be won by the team winning 3 titles since then, this was won by Woodsdale in 1959.
It was decided in 1959 that the premiership team in the Association be presented with a pennant, a practice the Association continues to this day.
In 1992, the ODFA decided it would provide medallions for the players of the Premiership teams.
In 1970, discussions commenced between the Midlands Football Association, which consisted of Oatlands, Tunnack, Ross and Campbell Town, and the ODFA with regards to the possibility of a merger because of dwindling population from country areas.
These discussions did not come to any definite arrangements, and the Midlands Football Association went into recess in 1971.
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