The Dalyston Football Club - a proud history
The Dalyston Football Club has a proud history which dates back as far as 1898. In the early days the club was known as Powlett River and there was only one other team in the competition, Ryanston. The local football ground was situated where the present Dalyston Hall is now situated.
One match played on this ground resulted in a victory for Powlett River, One Point to Nil, the only score for the day.
Mr Chas. Sibly, was credited with originating football in the Dalyston district in the 1890's. Two of the better known players in those days were Len Insignara who later was captain-coach of Richmond and Melbourne and P McLaren, a world famous axeman. Other players known to the district were Albert Abraham, Joe Chisholm, Wally Neck, Gus Churchill, Pat Buckley and George Hollins.
One of the key recruits was the appointment of the local teacher at the Dalyston Primary School and much effort was put to in to encourage the Education Department to not appoint a female teacher.
In 1910, a more formalised league was developed, with teams being Dalyston, Powlett River, South Dudley and Archies Creek, however this league folded in 1915 as most players wanted to play in the "Line" competition, which consisted of Wonthaggi, Korumburra, Koo Wee Rup, Loch, Poowong, Nyora, Leongatha and State Mine.
In 1923, Dalyston joined the local competition again, after Wonthaggi were removed from the "Line" competition and some of the prominent teams were Ramblers, Diggers, Boomerangs and State Mine. In this year, Dalyston were premiers against the Diggers.
After this came the Westernport Association which included teams, Kernot, Dalyston, Glen Forbes and Bass. A combined Dalyston-Glen Forbes team were premiers in 1933 with Charlie Luke kicking 133 goals for the year.
In 1945 the Glen Alvie Football Association and the Wonthaggi Football Association merged to form the Wonthaggi & District Football League and in this year, Dalyston were premiers under the captaincy of C Daly. During this time there many players for Dalyston who were from the Kilcunda area and in 1945, a meeting was held between Dalyston and Kilcunda players to consider the formation of a Kilcunda Football team; however the players decided to remain with Dalyston.
Soon after Inverloch, Bass and Phillip Island were admitted to the League. In 1946 Kilcunda joined the Wonthaggi League and requested clearance for many of their players from Dalyston. The participating teams were Dalyston, Bass, East Wonthaggi, Glen Alvie, Inverloch Kilcunda, Phillip Island, San Remo, Shop Assistants and Workmens Club.
With Noel Hanley captain, Dalyston were premiers in 1947 and again in 1949 and 1950 under the leadership of Peter McLaren. In 1953, Noel Buckley was appointed coach at £2.10.0 per week and proved to be one of Dalyston's greatest coaches, winning the 1953 and 1954 flags. In 1953 Dumbalk, Stony Creek and Meeniyan had teams in the league however Dumbalk left the League in 1954.
1955 saw the amalgamation of the Bass Valley Football Association and the Wonthaggi & District Football League to form the Bass Valley Wonthaggi & District Football League.
The Association clubs were Arawata, Bena, Glen Alvie, Kongwak, Korumburra Butter Factory, Loch Nyora, Poowong, Triholm and Wonthaggi Blues. The Wonthaggi League clubs were Dalyston, Bass, Dumbalk, East Wonthaggi, Inverloch, Kilcunda Meeniyan, Phillip Island, Shop Assistants and Stony Creek.
The newly formed Bass Valley League clubs in 1955 were Dalyston, Bass, Bena, East Wonthaggi, Glen Alvie, Inverloch, Kilcunda, Kongwak, Korumburra Butter Factory, Loch, Nyora, Phillip Island and Shop Assistants.
In 1955 Dalyston and Kilcunda Football Clubs held discussions to amalgamate as one team however this was decided against. But by 1958-59 many clubs had left the league or merged and by now the clubs were Dalyston, Bena, Glen Alvie, Inverloch-Kongwak (merged), Kilcunda-Bass (merged), Loch, Phillip Island and Wonthaggi Rovers (formerly East Shops)
In 1958 and 1959 with Noel Buckley returning as coach, Dalyston were premiers. During this time Dalyston formed our third eighteen team. In 1961, with the retirement of Noel Buckley, Bonny Connelly was appointed coach and with a weekly payment of £8.10.0, Connelly lead Dalyston to another premiership.
In 1962 the new (and current) clubrooms were built and officially opened and in 1965 the canteen (recently demolished Bay 13) was built.
Dalyston were again premiers in 1963 under Bonny Connelly however it would be some years before they had success again, winning the thirds premierships in 1969 and 1970 under Con Donohue.
During this time two of Dalyston's most prominent players were Colin McRae who also played for Fitzroy and Ian Robertson who became one of Carlton's best players and a very successful television and radio commentator.
In 1967 Lang Lang joined the competition from the West Gippsland Football League and 1969 Wonthaggi Blues joined from the South Gippsland League. 1981 saw Lang Lang leave the Bass Valley League to rejoin the West Gippsland League. Glen Alvie played their final season in 1987 and Loch disbanded in 1993.
1995 was the final year of the Bass Valley League and in 1996 Dalyston, Inverloch-Kongwak, Bena, Wonthaggi Rovers and Korumburra joined the Alberton Football League.
