Federal almost went into recess prior to the start of the 2022 football season, but avoided it at the last minute,[1] but unfortunately the club went into recess after the end of the 2022 season.[2]
History
Originally known as Mount Elliott,[3] the club enjoyed premiership success in the Corryong Football Association (CFA), precursor of the Upper Murray Football League, on three occasions in 1894, 1897 and 1898. The Mount Elliott "Miners" did not compete in the CFA in 1900. Mount Elliott apparently then became known as the Federal Football Club in 1901.[citation needed]
Federal's claimed their first pre-world war one flag in 1901 when they lost the last match of the home and away season to Walwa, but then won it on protest and thus the premiership.[4] and 1902 at the expense of Cudgewa.[5]
In May 1904, due to a dispute over the football premiership trophy, the Federal FC withdrew from the UMFA and Walwa FC was of the opinion that the new trophy should not be accepted.[6] Subsequently the season was abandoned in May 1904.[7] In June 1904, the UMFA was taken over by a new committee of management and was named the Corryong District Association,[8] When this new association was formed in June 1904, both Federal FC and Walwa FC were not included in the updated draw for the remainder of the 1904 season.
After a break of five years, the Federal FC returned to the UMFA in 1909 and over the remainder of the twentieth century Federal firmly established itself as one of the UMFL's leading clubs, claiming at least one premiership every decade.
The 1920s brought several grand final appearances but only one flag, achieved in 1925 against Walwa.[9] Over the course of the 1930s the Swans, with a total of three premierships, all claimed in succession between 1933 and 1935, vied with Walwa as the competition's most successful club.
Federal began the post-war period by downing Walwa, 8.8 (56) to 3.9 (27), in the 1945 grand final,[10] but there then followed an unusually long premiership drought that was not broken until 1959. The Swans overcame Corryong in that year's grand final, as they would do again the following season. Both matches were close, with Federal getting home by 10 points in the former year and 9 points in the latter.
The remainder of the 1960s saw the Swans contesting another four grand finals but only once, against Cudgewa in 1965, did they emerge victorious. The ensuing decade was altogether more successful as the side procured its second hat trick of grand final triumphs between 1975 and 1977 besides finishing second on four occasions.
The 1980s proved to be the Swans' most successful decade to date, with grand final victories over Tumbarumba in 1980, Border-Walwa in 1983, Cudgewa in 1986, Corryong in 1988, and Border-Walwa in 1989. There were also losing grand final appearances against Corryong in both 1985 and 1987.
2000 and beyond
The club had successive grand final wins in 1993 and 1994, while since the turn of the century the Swans have been grand finalists five times for victories in 2006 over Corryong and 2007 against Bullioh and in 2016 over Corryong.
Overall, their record of 27 UMFL premierships places them third on the all-time list behind Corryong (31) and Cudgewa (28).
The following footballers played with Federal, prior to playing senior football in the VFL/AFL, and / or drafted, with the year indicating their VFL/AFL debut.
An award for the "best all-round footballer" in the Upper Murray Football Association was first awarded in 1926 and was voted on by the general public.[20] In 1927 there was no fewer than three different football awards donated by local business owners in the Upper Murray FA. These were - Mrs McDonough's Crystal Cafe, Mrs Graham's and Mr Anderson.[21]
The first official UMFA senior football best and fairest award was donated and presented in 1940. Donor T A Edwards donated a silver cup for the award.[22]
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