The Horsham District Football League is an amateur Australian rules football league based in the Wimmera area of Western Victoria.
History Prior to World War Two a number of local Australian Rules football leagues existed around Horsham. The clubs that played in Horsham Junior (District) Football League in 1934 were Green Park (which won the premiership), Adelphians, Horsham CYMS, Church of England, Longerenong, Pimpinio Reserves and Quantong. In 1935 the competition name was referred to as the Horsham District Football League, with the term "junior" meaning a "minor" league back in the 1930's.
In 1944, the Horsham Junior Football Association was formed from the following clubs - Homing Club, Horsham Seniors, Horsham YCW, Kalkee, Laharum, Longerenong College and Wail, with Horsham YCW winning the premiership, with Wail winning the flag in 1945.
The clubs that played in 1946 Horsham District Junior Football League were Kalkee (which won the premiership), Horsham Homers, Horsham RSL, Horsham YCW, Jung, Laharum, Longerenong College, Taylors Lake, Wail and Wonwondah.
In 1982 the league expanded after the West Wimmera Football League disbanded and five clubs joined: Goroke, Noradjuha, Douglas-Harrow-Miga Lake, Gerang - Kiata, and Netherby-Lorquon. This brought the total to sixteen clubs. Since then all of these West Wimmera clubs have gone into recess, and Imperials-Wonwondah moved to the Wimmera Football League in 1983.
In 1986 netball was introduced with Kalkee winning the first eight A grade premierships. Under 16 football commenced in 1998 with the demise of the Horsham District Junior Football League which included clubs from the HDFL and WFL. Under 13s was included the next year but the grades changed to under 17 in 2006 and under 14 in 2007.
In 2000, after the folding of the Ararat & District Football Association, Stawell Swifts and Great Western joined the competition.
Edenhope-Apsley joined from the Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara Football League in 2007. Natimuk and Horsham Diggers (Wimmera Football League) voted on a merger for 2014 season and beyond under the banner of Natimuk United Football Netball Club. The club wore the Natimuk jumper for home games and Horsham Diggers jumper for away games. They kept scheduling a match on Anzac Day.
Swifts were premiers in 2014 after defeating the previously undefeated Laharum in the grand final.
Laharum defeated Kalkee in the 2015 grand final.
Jeparit-Rainbow transferred from the Mallee Football League for the 2015 season. This caused the Mallee League to fold at the end of the 2015 season.
Consequently, Hopetoun and Beulah merged to form the Southern Mallee Giants and transferred to the Horsham & District League in 2016. They dominated the competition for two seasons without losing a game before transferring to the Wimmera Football League.
The league did not play any games in 2020 due to Victorian restrictions for the COVID-19. Kaniva-Leeor United joined the Horsham & District League in 2020 from the Kowree-Naracoorte-Tatiara League, as state border restrictions made it difficult for Kaniva, a Victorian club, to play in the South Australian league.
12 home and away matches were played in 2021, with the last match on the 14th August 2021; however, there were no finals due to the COVID-19 lockdowns in August 2021.
Jeparit Rainbow left the league at the end of 2023 after merging with the Southern Mallee Giants in the Wimmera Football Netball League, leaving the Horsham & District League with 11 clubs.
Clubs
Locations
Current ClubColoursNicknameHome GroundFormer LeagueEst.Years in compHDFNL Senior Premierships Total Years Edenhope-Apsley SaintsEdenhope Showgrounds, EdenhopeKNTFL1999 2007– 0 - Harrow Balmoral KangaroosHarrow & District Recreation Reserve, Harrow and Balmoral Recreation Reserve, Balmoral–1997 1997– 9 1999, 2002, 2004, 2007, 2018, 2019, 2023, 2024, 2025 Kalkee KeesKalkee Recreation Reserve, KalkeeCWFL1890 1945–1948, 1954–1958, 1960– 15 1946, 1947, 1948, 1974, 1978, 1979, 1982, 1983, 1989, 2000, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012Kaniva Leeor UnitedCougarsKaniva Recreation Reserve, KanivaKNTFL19962020– 0 - Laharum Demons, Mountain MenCameron Oval, LaharumCWFL1923 1936– 11 1938, 1958, 1959, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1987, 1995, 2013, 2015, 2026 Natimuk United RamsNatimuk Showgrounds, Natimuk–2014 2014– 0 - Noradjuha-Quantong BombersQuantong Recreation Reserve, Quantong–1997 1997– 0 - Pimpinio TigersPimpinio Sporting Complex, PimpinioCWFL1909 1968– 2 2005, 2006 Rupanyup PanthersRupanyup Recreation Reserve, RupanyupWFNL1870s 1981– 8 1985, 1986, 1990, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2022 Swifts BaggiesNorth Park, StawellADFA1913 2000– 2 2003, 2014 Taylors Lake LakersDock Lake Recreation Reserve, Drung–1946 1946– 1 1952
Past Clubs ClubColoursNicknameHome GroundFormer LeagueEst.Years in compHDFNL Senior PremiershipsFate Total YearsAdelphiansHJFAc.1930s19360 -Folded Ararat Eagles EaglesAlexandra Oval, Ararat–2000 2000 0 -Moved to Lexton Plains FL in 2001 Armoured Car–1939 1939 0 -Folded when HDFL went into recess during WWII CannumCannum Recreation Ground, CannumLSFAc.1880s 1969–1970 0 -Folded in 1971Dimboola 2ndsRoosDimboola Recreation Reserve, DimboolaDDFA1880s1936-193711937Moved to Central Wimmera FL in 1938 Douglas-Harrow-Miga Lake CatsHarrow Recreation Reserve, Harrow and Wombelano Recreation Reserve WombelanoWWFL1970 1982–1996 0 -Merged with Balmoral in 1997 to form Harrow BalmoralGerang-Kiata (1982-90s)(Late 90s)Highway MenKiata Recreation Reserve, KiataWWFL19621982–1999 0 -Folded in 2000 Goroke MagpiesGoroke Recreation Reserve, GorokeWWFLc.1890s 1982–1998 0 -Folded in 1999 and absorbed by Border Districts in Kowree-Naracoorte-Tatiara FL Great Western LionsGreat Western Recreation Reserve, Great WesternADFA1880s 2000–2010 0 -Recess in 2011, re-formed in Mininera & District FL in 2012Green ParkTigersHJFAc.1890s1936-193821934, 1936Folded Haven(1939)(1948–55)TigersHaven Recreation Reserve, HavenHJFAc.1920s 1939, 1948–1955 1 1939Folded in 1956 Homers PigeonsOatlands Park, Horsham–1945 1945–1998 2 1965, 1992Folded in 1999 Horsham RSL Diggers–1945 1946–1961 0 -Folded in 1962 Horsham Imperials TigersHorsham City Oval, Horsham–c.1890s 1962–1975 1 1966Merged with Wonwondah in 1976 to form Imperials-Wonwondah Imperials–Wonwondah DiggersHorsham City Oval, Horsham–1976 1976–1982 1 1980Moved to Wimmera FL in 1983 Jeparit RainbowStormSir Robert Menzies Park, Jeparit and Rainbow Recreation Reserve, RainbowMFL19962015–2023 0 -Merged with Southern Mallee Giants to form Southern Mallee Thunder in the Wimmera FL in 2024Jung Jung Recreation Reserve, Jung–c.1890s1946–197321954, 1968Folded in 1974Longerenong College The CollegeLongerenong College, LongerenongHJFAc.1900s1945–198641951, 1967, 1970, 1971Folded in 1987Murtoa SecondsMagpiesMurtoa Recreation Reserve, MurtoaDFL1880s1938, 1948 0Moved to Central Wimmera FL in 1939, returned to South Wimmera FL in 1949NatimukRamsNatimuk Showgrounds, NatimukWWFLc.1900s1973–201411975Merged with Horsham United in 2014 to form Natimuk UnitedNetherby-Lorquon SaintsNetherby Memorial Park, NetherbyWWFL19621982 0 -Folded in 1983Noradjuha Grass ParrotsNoradjuha Recreation Reserve, NoradjuhaWWFLc.1900s1982–199611984Merged with Quantong in 1997 to form Noradjuha-QuantongQuantong BombersQuantong Recreation Reserve, QuantongCWFLc.1910s1950–1996101955, 1956, 1960, 1961, 1972, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1993, 1994Merged with Noradjuha in 1997 to form Noradjuha-QuantongSouthern Mallee Giants GiantsBeulah Memorial Park, Beulah and Hopetoun Recreation Reserve, Hopetoun–20162016–201722016, 2017Moved to Wimmera FL in 2018St Michael's SaintsCoughlin Park, Horsham–19451945–1954, 1957–1962, 1967–199251950, 1969, 1981, 1988, 1991Moved to Wimmera FL in 1993, now known as Horsham SaintsWail DDFAc.1920s1945–194811945Folded in 1949Wonwondah MagpiesWonwondah Recreation Reserve, WonwondahCWFLc.1920s1946–197531949, 1953, 1957Merged with Horsham Imperials in 1976 to form Imperials-Wonwondah
Football Premiership Winners Seniors
1934 Green Park d Horsham CYMS 1935 Adelphians d Green Park 1936 Green Park d Quantong 1937 Dimboola Seconds d Laharum 1938 Laharum d Murtoa 2nds 1939 Haven d Armoured Car 1940-43 In recess > WW2 1944 Horsham YCW d Homing 1945 Wail d Homing 1946 Kalkee d Homing 1947 Kalkee d Wonwondah 1948 Kalkee d Horsham RSL 1949 Wonwondah d Longerenong 1950 St Michaels d Jung 1951 Longerenong d St Michael's 1952 Taylors Lake d Jung 1953 Wonwondah d Laharum 1954 Jung d Quantong 1955 Quantong d Homers 1956 Quantong d Homers 1957 Wonwondah d Homers 1958 Laharum d Wonwondah 1959 Laharum d Quantong 1960 Quantong d Wonwondah 1961 Quantong drew Homers 1961 Quantong d Homers (Replay) 1962 Laharum d Homers 1963 Laharum d Quantong 1964 Laharum d Quantong 1965 Homers d Jung 1966 Imperials d Longerenong 1967 Longerenong d Imperials 1968 Jung d Longerenong 1969 St Michaels d Longerenong 1970 Longerenong d St Michael's 1971 Longerenong d Imperials 1972 Quantong d Imperials 1973 Quantong d Natimuk 1974 Kalkee d Natimuk 1975 Natimuk d Quantong 1976 Quantong d Homers 1977 Quantong d Kalkee 1978 Kalkee d Laharum 1979 Kalkee d Quantong 1980 Imperials-Wonwondah d St Michael's 1981 St Michaels d Natimuk 1982 Kalkee d Pimpinio 1983 Kalkee d Noradjuha 1984 Noradjuha d St. Michaels 1985 Rupanyup d Noradjuha 1986 Rupanyup d Laharum 1987 Laharum d Homers 1988 St Michaels d Homers 1989 Kalkee drew St Michael's 1989 Kalkee d St Michael's 1990 Rupanyup d Quantong 1991 St Michaels d Quantong 1992 Homers d Kalkee 1993 Quantong d Kalkee 1994 Quantong d Rupanyup 1995 Laharum d Natimuk 1996 Rupanyup d Natimuk 1997 Rupanyup d Goroke 1998 Rupanyup d Kalkee 1999 Harrow Balmoral d Kalkee 2000 Kalkee d Rupanyup 2001 Rupanyup d Kalkee 2002 Harrow Balmoral d Rupanyup 2003 Stawell Swifts d Harrow Balmoral 2004 Harrow Balmoral d Laharum 2005 Pimpinio d Laharum 2006 Pimpinio d Harrow Balmoral 2007 Harrow Balmoral d Kalkee 2008 Kalkee d Laharum 2009 Kalkee d Harrow Balmora 2010 Kalkee d Harrow Balmoral 2011 Kalkee d Harrow Balmoral 2012 Kalkee d Edenhope Aspley 2013 Laharum d Kalkee 2014 Swifts d Laharum 2015 Laharum d Kalkee 2016 Southern Mallee Giants d Harrow Balmoral 2017 Southern Mallee Giants d Harrow Balmoral 2018 Harrow Balmoral d Kalkee 2019 Harrow Balmoral d Noradjuha-Quantong 2020 In recess > COVID-19 2021 1st: Noradjuha Quantong . No finals>COVID-19 2022 Rupanyup d Kalkee 2023 Harrow Balmoral d Jeparit-Rainbow 2024 Harrow Balmoral d Noradjuha Quantong 2025 Harrow Balmoral d Noradjuha Quantong 2026 Laharum d Noradjuha Quantong
Reserves
1974: Homers d Kalkee 1975: Homers d Natimuk 1976: Kalkee d Homers 1977: Kalkee d St Michael's 1978: Kalkee d Pimpinio 1979: Pimpinio d Kalkee 1980: Taylor's Lake d Pimpinio 1981: Rupanyup d Homers 1982: Rupanyup d St Michael's 1983: St Michael's d Rupanyup 1984: Rupanyup d St Michael's 1985: Rupanyup d Laharum 1986: Rupanyap d Goroke 1987: Homers d Kalkee 1988: Taylors Lake d Homers 1989: St Michael's d Kalkee 1990: St Michael's d Rupanyup 1991: Quantong d St Michael's 1992: Kalkee d Laharum 1993: Kalkee d Laharum 1994: Kalkee d Homers 1995: Kalkee d Natimuk 1996: Kalkee d Homers 1997: Kalkee d Noradjuha Quantong 1998: Kalkee d Natimuk 1999: Kalkee d Harrow Balmoral 2000: Kalkee d Noradjuha Quantong 2001: Kalkee d Stawell Swifts 2002: Stawell Swifts d Harrow Balmoral 2003: Stawell Swifts d Kalkee 2004: Stawell Swifts d Harrow Balmoral 2005: Laharum d Pimpinio
League Best and Fairest Awards Senior Football - Best and Fairest The current name for the senior football best and fairest medal is known as the Dellar Medal since 19??.