The Waikerie Magpies have enjoyed greater success over the past two decades or so than at any other time during their history. During the 1980s they only made it through to the senior grade grand final once, in 1988, when they suffered the indignity of registering just 1.4 (10) in losing to Loxton by 35 points. The 1990s would prove to be an altogether different affair, however, producing half a dozen grand final appearances for three wins. There was also a drawn grand final against Renmark in 1990 which was lost on replay.
The first decade of the new century would prove to be the most memorable in Waikerie's eighty year history. Between 2000 and 2009 the Magpies qualified for seven out of ten grand finals, winning in 2001 against Barmera Monash, 2003, 2005 and 2007 at the expense of Loxton, and 2008 against Renmark. The last of these triumphs gave the club a total of eleven senior grade premierships, the earliest of which had been won in the Upper Murray Football Association (direct precursor of the Riverland Football League) in 1934. That victory was achieved against Berri, by a margin of eight points. Two years later Waikerie again downed Berri in the grand final, this time somewhat more comfortably, with 25 points to spare.
After losing the grand finals of 2011 and 2012 the Magpies returned to winning ways in 2014 when they accounted for Barmera Monash on grand final day by 34 points. A grand final loss to Loxton North followed in 2015 before the Magpies acquired their thirteenth and most recent flag in 2016 by defeating Barmera Monash in the decisive match of the year by 42 points, 17.9 (111) to 10.9 (69).
The Magpies rounded off the 1930s with consecutive grand final losses to Berri and then did not qualify for another grand final until 1971, when they went down by 68 points to Loxton. Waikerie's third senior grade flag finally arrived in 1974 courtesy of a 12.12 (84) to 12.5 (77) grand final defeat of Loxton North, but there then followed a prolonged series of 'outs' until the glory decades of the nineties and noughties.
The Magpies are the second club to represent Waikerie. The original Waikerie Football Club existed between 1908 and 1926 when it split into two separate clubs, Waikerie Districts and Waikerie Ramblers, both of which disbanded shortly afterwards. This first incarnation of the club won premierships in 1911, 1912, 1913 and 1926, and was runner-up three times.
Source
John Devaney - Full Points Publications
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