BORDER-Walwa's last premiership coach Peter Murray has described the Magpies demise as a "sad day for a great little footy club".
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Murray, who led the club to premierships in 1997 and 1998 before losing a thrilling grand final to Cudgewa in 1999, said the community would be hard hit by the absence of the football and netball sides.
Club members voted to go into recess for 12 months at Sunday night's annual general meeting.
"It's terrible news," Murray said.
"I had some great times up there.
"My young bloke, Sam, played his first game of footy when he was three in the under-9s at half-time.
"Hopefully they can find a way to get back."
Murray was approached to coach Border-Walwa by club stalwart John Hunt soon after arriving in town as the town's publican in 1997.
He had the pub for five-and-a-half years.
Murray spent a short period as club president before moving to Ganmain.
"I wasn't going to coach because I had the business but we sorted something out," he said.
"We had some good sides for a while there.
"You never forget the premierships and it was good to catch up with some of the boys at a reunion two years ago.
"There were a lot of really good people at the club like the Greenhills, Hunts, old Normie Hughes, Tom Kleyn and Les Broadhurst.
"I could go on and on."
Murray said the introduction of netball was a huge positive
"When we arrived at Walwa there was no netball but it got going and was great for the community," he said.
Upper Murray league manager Gavin Rendell said Border-Walwa would be sorely missed.
"It's disappointing but I guess you wouldn't say it's a total surprise," Rendell said.
"It's disappointing for the club, locals, members and past players but it's a harsh reality of rural living I guess.
"The fire situation didn't help."
Rendell will meet with clubs next Monday to discuss a range of draw options.