With such a long history to cover there is a veritable tapestry of storylines which could be woven about the league, but one thread which always remains constant is that of those in charge.
It could be said that while players, volunteers and supporters make a league what it is, administrators give them the platform to do so.
And the GVL has had plenty of standout administrators.
Going all the way back to the man known as the architect of the competition — DC Morrison — just after the turn of the 20th century, the league has always had presidents, secretaries and managers willing to push it towards great heights.
Morrison took over as president in 1902, overseeing the inclusion of Echuca, Nagambie and Rochester during the following five years.
When the league returned from a forced recess — due to World War I — in 1919 it was again Morrison who was at the helm until he moved to Melbourne in 1931.
Further along the line it was Tom Hastie steering the ship when the league returned following World War II.
Hastie was keen to test the league’s strength and further its standing, organising practice matches against VFL teams — where the GVL even defeated Geelong at one stage.
Throughout Hastie’s long tenure — 1939-64 — he helped bring in The Weekender, which was originally called the Footballer in 1949 and the Supporter before landing under its current banner.
The league’s ranks swelled through the addition of Lemnos and City United — the forerunners to Shepparton Swans and Shepparton United respectively — as well as Echuca East, while a reserves competition was also formed.
Jack Arthur took over following Hastie’s death, and thrust the league into the spotlight by attracting the likes of Euroa, Rochester, Echuca and Seymour to the competition and spearheading a Winfield Country Football Championships crown in 1978.
Keith Wellman is another name which stands out across the league’s history as a man who knew how to get things done.
As secretary, and later general manager, Wellman set the league up financially and gave great support to the establishment of a netball competition and the publishing of Great Goals, a book about the organisation’s history.
Although he retired from his post, Wellman returned to rescue the league once more when it hit financial trouble before overseeing the handover of the competition to its regional administration centre.
Recently elevated legend of the GVL Hall of Fame Freddo McMahon has also made his mark on the competition at an administration level and was instrumental in the establishment of the interactive display of the league’s history at AFL Goulburn Murray offices at Kialla.
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