Warrnambool District Football League

The Warrnambool District Football League is an Australian rules football competition based in and around Warrnambool. It is a ten team competition starting in April and finishing in September. The league was founded in 1946.

History

While the history of Warrnambool & District FL commenced in 1946 there were several other leagues that fulfilled the needs for senior age players before the WW2.

When the Warrnambool DFA merged with the Corangamite FA in 1924 to form the Western District FL it created a void for young footballers who were not able to play for the major town teams.

In 1924 they organised ward football, Warrnambool was divided into four wards, Albert, Merri, Hopkins and Victoria wards.this lasted four years before being replaced by Warrnambool City Association. In 1931 the Warrnambool Junior Football Association came into being and lasted until the hostilities of WW2

Clubs

Locations Club locations - WarrnamboolClub locations - Greater Warrnambool

Current

ClubColoursNicknameHome GroundFormer LeagueEst.Years in WDFNLWDFL Senior Premierships Total YearsAllansford CatsAllansford Recreation Reserve, Allansford– 1971 1971- 7 1971, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1987Dennington DogsDennington Recreation Reserve, DenningtonWCFA 1900s 1953- 4 1966, 1982, 1988, 2015 Kolora Noorat PowerNoorat Recreation Reserve, Noorat– 2003 2003- 5 2009, 2010, 2011, 2017, 2019Merrivale TigersMerrivale Recreation Reserve, WarrnamboolWCFA 1931 1946- 7 1958, 1979, 1991, 1996, 2003, 2006, 2014Nirranda BluesNirranda Recreation Reserve, NirrandaHFL 1900s 1992- 8 1999, 2016, 2018, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026Old Collegians WarriorsDavidson Oval, Warrnambool– 1951 1951- 8 1956, 1964, 1965, 1969, 1970, 1984, 1989, 1992Panmure BulldogsPanmure Recreation Reserve, PanmureHMFNL 1919 1997- 5 1997, 2001, 2002, 2012, 2013Russells Creek KangaroosMack Oval, Warrnambool– 1931 1946- 11 1946, 1947, 1957, 1963, 1973, 1974, 1990, 1998, 2000, 2004, 2005South Rovers LionsWalter Oval, WarrnamboolWDJFA 1919 1946- 5 1975, 1985, 1986, 1993, 2007Timboon DemonsTimboon Recreation Reserve, Timboon– 2002 2003- 1 2008

Former ClubColoursNicknameHome GroundFormer LeagueEst.Years in WDFNLWDFL Senior PremiershipsFateTotal Years BushfieldBulldogsBushfield Recreation Reserve, BushfieldHFL1900s 1959–1985 1 1977Merged with Grassmere to form Northern Districts in 1986Deakin University SharksThe Pond, Warrnambool and DC Farran Oval, Mortlake–19771977–20160 -Folded in 2017East Warrnambool BombersReid Oval, WarrnamboolWCFA1900s1946–201921967, 1995Went into recess in 2020 due to COVID, formally folded in 2025 GrassmereMagpiesPurnim Recreation Reserve, PurnimHFL1900s 1959–1985 3 1960, 1968, 1972Merged with Bushfield to form Northern Districts in 1986 Northern DistrictsSaintsBushfield Recreation Reserve, Bushfield–1986 1986–1997 1 1994Moved to Hampden FNL in 1997 under the name North Warrnambool Tower HillDemonsKillarney Recreation Reserve, KillarneyPFFL1919 1958–1983 2 1959, 1961Folded in 1984WangoomWangoom Recreation Reserve, WangoomHFL191919490 -Folded in 1950s West EndWalter Oval, Warrnambool–1920s 1946–19709 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1962Merged with Allansford to form West End-Allansford in 1971 YambukBluesYambuk Recreation Reserve, YambukSWDFNL1920s 1981–19870 -Folded in 1988

Founding

West End (merged with Allansford in 1971) South Warrnambool Juniors (now known as South Rovers) Merrivale Russells Creek

Notable players Dave Hughes Old Collegians

Luke Thompson Timboon

Hugh McCluggage Allansford

Jamarra Ugle-Hagan East Warrnambool

Leon Cameron East Warrnambool

Ben Cross East Warrnambool

Nick Bourke Kolora Noorat

Thomas Walker Kolora Noorat

Premiers 1946 Russell Creek 9 6 60 def South Juniors 8 8 56 1947 Russell Creek 7 12 54 def West End 6 8 44 1948 West End 8 16 64 def South Rovers 6 12 48 1949 West End 10 4 64 def East Stars 4 12 36 1950 West End 10 12 72 def Merrivale 1 10 16 1951 West End 10 8 68 def Merrivale 7 9 51 1952 West End 8 5 53 def Merrivale 5 15 45 1953 West End 19 7 121 def Russell Creek 8 12 60 1954 West End 13 14 92 def Merrivale 6 18 54 1955 West End 7 8 50 def Old Collegians 4 13 37 1956 Old Collegians 13 16 94 def South Rovers 8 10 58 1957 Russell Creek 10 11 71 def South Rovers 6 2 38 1958 Merrivale 13 15 93 def Russell Creek 13 13 91 1959 Tower Hill 9 10 64 def Grassmere 3 3 21 1960 Grassmere 11 8 74 def South Rovers 9 7 61 1961 Tower Hill 5 12 42 def Old Collegians 3 5 23 1962 West End 7 10 52 def Old Collegians 6 9 45 1963 Russell Creek 9 14 68 def Old Collegians 3 7 25 1964 Old Collegians 7 13 55 def Russell Creek 6 11 47 1965 Old Collegians 8 11 59 def Bushfield 8 9 57 1966 Dennington 12 15 87 def Old Collegians 9 7 61 1967 East Warrnambool 10 12 72 def Old Collegians 10 7 67 1968 Grassmere 7 11 53 def Merrivale 7 8 50 1969 Old Collegians 9 6 60 def Merrivale 7 12 54 1970 Old Collegians 16 10 106 def Dennington 10 14 74 1971 WE Allansford 13 15 93 def Merrivale 12 18 90 1972 Grassmere 15 15 105 def Dennington 11 11 77 1973 Russell Creek 15 11 101 def Dennington 11 12 78 1974 Russell Creek 9 7 61 def Merrivale 5 9 39 1975 South Rovers 15 11 101 def Russell Creek 11 11 77 1976 WE Allansford 16 15 111 def East Warrnambool 12 10 82 1977 Bushfield 12 16 88 def East Warrnambool 9 6 60 1978 WE Allansford 16 14 110 def Dennington 8 14 62 1979 Merrivale 12 10 82 def WE Allansford 10 13 73 1980 WE Allansford 12 18 90 def Dennington 5 9 39 1981 WE Allansford 18 14 122 Defeated Dennington 13 15 93 1982 Dennington 19 14 128 def WE Allansford 16 15 111 1983 WE Allansford 21 19 145 def Dennington 9 7 61 1984 Old Collegians 14 11 95 def WE Allansford 8 13 61 1985 South Rovers 18 11 119 def WE Allansford 8 18 66 1986 South Rovers 14 12 96 def Dennington 4 5 29 1987 WE Allansford 16 12 108 def Old Collegians 13 9 87 1988 Dennington 10 14 74 def Old Collegians 6 8 44 1989 Old Collegians 19 18 132 def Dennington 8 11 59 1990 Russell Creek 12 11 83 def Institute 10 15 75 1991 Merrivale 16 16 112 def Old Collegians 14 9 93 1992 Old Collegians 8 9 57 def Northern Districts 3 10 28 1993 South Rovers 14 10 94 def Nirranda 8 16 64 1994 Northern Districts 19 16 130 def East Warrnambool 9 13 67 1995 East Warrnambool 33 10 208 def Merrivale 10 5 65 1996 Merrivale 24 20 164 def Russell Creek 16 6 102 1997 Panmure 16 8 104 def Merrivale 11 13 79 1998 Russell Creek 15 7 97 def Panmure 11 10 76 1999 Nirranda 10 7 67 def Russell Creek 5 5 35 2000 Russell Creek 10 8 68 def Deakin Uni 9 7 61 2001 Panmure 16 3 99 def Deakin Uni 11 11 77 2002 Panmure 11 8 74 def Merrivale 6 8 44 2003 Merrivale 19 7 121 def Russell Creek 17 8 110 2004 Russell Creek 22 12 144 def Allansford 4 12 36 2005 Russell Creek 19 13 127 def Old Collegians 14 12 96 2006 Merrivale 20 16 136 def Dennington 12 9 81 2007 South Rovers 19 10 124 def Timboon 17 16 118 2008 Timboon 18 12 120 def Kolora-Noorat 17 9 111 2009 Kolora-Noorat 12 11 83 def Timboon 5 3 33 2010 Kolora-Noorat 11 6 72 def Dennington 9 10 64 2011 Kolora-Noorat 15 12 102 def Old Collegians 12 15 87 2012 Panmure 9 4 58 def Kolora-Noorat 7 12 54 2013 Panmure 13 13 91 def Dennington 5 11 41 2014 Merrivale 11 9 75 def Panmure 6 12 66 2015 Dennington 12 15 87 def Merrivale 12 7 79 2016 Nirranda 6 9 46 def Old Collegians 5 8 38 2017 Kolora Noorat 17 7 109 def Old Collegians 8 7 55 2018 Nirranda 10 11 71 def Old Collegians 5 10 40 (3 GFs in a row) 2019 Kolora-Noorat 10 8 68 def Nirranda 3 14 32 2020 League in recess due to COVID19 pandemic 2022 Nirranda 16 22 118 def Panmure 4 7 31 2023 Nirranda 9 8 62 def Merrivale 6 5 41 2024 Nirranda 9 10 64 def Merrivale 9 6 60 2025 Nirranda 10 11 71 def Allansford 9 4 58 2026 Nirranda 15 6 96 def Allansford 10 10 70

Esam Medal (Football Best & Fairest Seniors) 1946 J. Maguire, South Juniors, 9 votes 1947 Paddy O’Keefe, East Stars, 12 votes 1947 Stuart Isles, West End, 11 votes 1947 Dudley Maslin, Merrivale, 10 votes 1947 Bill Maguire, South Rovers, 8 votes 1948 Kevin O’Keefe, East Stars, 17 votes 1949 Jack Hawthorne, South Rovers, 32 votes 1950 Kevin O’Keefe, East Stars, 21 votes 1951 John Devlin, South Rovers, 22 votes 1952 Kevin Bren, Russells Creek, 21 votes 1953 Kevin Bren, Russells Creek, 19 votes 1954 Gavin Gleeson, Merrivale, 14 votes 1954 Neil Johnstone, Dennington, 14 votes 1955 Jim Fitzgerald, South Rovers, 14 votes 1956 Lionel Lovett, Dennington, 23 votes 1957 Neville Anders, Tower Hill, 33 votes 1958 Anthony Ryan, Old Collegians, 20 votes 1959 Jim Bushell, Tower Hill, 21 votes 1960 Peter Madden, Tower Hill, 14 votes 1960 John Carmody, Merrivale, 14 votes 1961 Brian Primmer, Russells Creek, 17 votes 1961 Robert Edwards, Bushfield, 17 votes 1962 Brian Primmer, Russells Creek, 16 votes 1962 Les Hawkins, Old Collegians, 16 votes 1962 Noel Lawson, South Rovers, 16 votes 1963 Norm McCullagh, South Rovers, 25 votes 1964 Gerry Lane, Tower Hill, 27 votes 1965 Norm McCullagh, South Rovers, 24 votes 1966 Ron Reed, Dennington, 26 votes 1967 Peter Lake, West End, 23 votes 1968 Basil Ryan, Grassmere, 19 votes 1968 William Dwyer, Tower Hill, 19 votes 1969 Noel Thornton, Dennington, 20 votes 1970 Barry Sullivan, South Rovers, 25 votes 1971 Norm Thwaites, West End-Allansford, 22 votes 1972 Pat Gleeson, Grassmere, 20 votes 1973 Glendon Henry, West End-Allansford, 18 votes 1974 Brendan Moloney, Tower Hill, 26 votes 1975 Jeff Griffiths, East Warrnambool, 27 votes 1976 Michael Hamblin, Merrivale, 21 votes 1977 Brendan Moloney, Tower Hill, 24 votes 1978 Frank King, Tower Hill, 25 votes 1979 Michael Hamblin, Merrivale, 23 votes 1980 Terry Carr, West End-Allansford, 29 votes 1981 Gary McLeod, Grassmere, 22 votes 1982 Wayne Cox, Dennington, 33 votes 1983 Wayne Cox, Dennington, 23 votes 1984 Wayne Cox, Dennington, 30 votes 1985 Wayne Cox, Dennington, 18 votes 1986 Peter Doolan, Old Collegians, 22 votes 1987 Iain Jackson, Russells Creek, 15 votes 1987 Don Steel, West End-Allansford, 15 votes 1987 Jamie Darmody, Northern Districts, 15 votes 1988 John Lyons, East Warrnambool, 28 votes 1989 Robert Mifsud, Old Collegians, 22 votes 1990 Murray Turner, Dennington, 27 votes 1991 David Cassidy, Merrivale, 26 votes 1992 Gary Rowbottom, West End-Allansford, 26 votes 1993 Ken Wines, Northern Districts, 20 votes 1994 Dean Picken, South Rovers, 19 votes 1994 Jason Porter, Merrivale, 19 votes 1995 Simon Cross, East Warrnambool, 28 votes 1996 Dean Picken, South Rovers, 25 votes 1997 Leo Duynhoven, Old Collegians, 21 votes 1998 Jamie Neave, Merrivale, 21 votes 1999 Jodie Bailie, Russells Creek, 24 votes 2000 Peter Hobbs, Panmure, 25 votes 2001 Jamie Squires, Dennington, 23 votes 2002 Brad Sheen, Allansford, 20 votes 2003 Chris Morrison, Deakin University, 23 votes 2004 Matt Scoble, East Warrnambool, 22 votes 2005 Troy Richardson, Old Collegians, 22 votes 2006 Klint Wagstaff, Timboon Demons, 26 votes 2007 Matthew Steel, Allansford, 37 votes 2008 Matthew Steel, Allansford, 30 votes 2009 Luke Madden, Kolora-Noorat, 32 votes 2010 Jye Bidmade, Panmure, 35 votes 2011 Bradley Johnson, Kolora-Noorat, 24 votes 2012 Corey Rounds, Kolora-Noorat, 31 votes 2012 Nicholas Johnstone, Allansford, 31 votes 2013 Brad McCosh, South Rovers, 25 votes 2014 Nicholas Johnstone, Allansford, 22 votes 2015 Josh Sobey, Merrivale, 19 votes 2016 Joseph Conheady, Kolora-Noorat, 22 votes 2017 Scott Lenehan, Old Collegians, 25 votes 2018 Andrew McMeel, Russells Creek, 25 votes 2019 Andrew McMeel, Russells Creek, 19 votes 2020 No games played due to COVID-19 2021 Scott Carlin, Nirranda, 24 votes 2022 Blair McCutcheon, Merrivale, 22 votes 2023 John Paulin, Nirranda, 30 votes 2024 Logan McLeod, Russells Creek, 19 votes 2025 Manny Sandow, Merrivale, 33 votes 2026 Bayley Thompson, Timboon, 24 votes

Changing teams 1947 East Stars Koroit Seconds (one season only) South Warrnambool Juniors become South Rovers 1949 Wangoom (one season only) 1951 YCW (renamed Old Collegians in 1953) 1953 Dennington 1957