Warrnambool District Football League
Warrnambool District Football League
General Information
Founded
1946
Records
Highest Score
360 – Dennington 56.24.360 (v Bushfield 1.2.8) – 1985
Most goals in a game
24 – Anthony Kelly – Dennington (v Bushfield) – 1985
Most goals in a season
165 – Tony Russell – South Rovers 1993
Most wins in a row
39 – Merrivale – 1996–1997
Most losses in a row
79 – East Warrnambool – 2007–2011
Most flags in a row
8 – West End – 1948–1955
Warrnambool District Football League is an Australian rules football competition based in the region of rural of Warrnambool . It is a ten team competition starting in April and finishing in September. The league was founded in 1946.[ 1]
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
Current
Club
Colours
Nickname
Home Ground
Former League
Est.
Years in WDFNL
WDFL Senior Premierships
Total
Years
Allansford (West End-Allansford)
Cats
Allansford Recreation Reserve, Allansford
–
1971
1971-
7
1971, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1987
Dennington
Dogs
Dennington Recreation Reserve, Dennington
1900s
1953-
4
1966, 1982, 1988, 2015
Kolora Noorat
Power
Noorat Recreation Reserve, Noorat
–
2003
2003-
5
2009, 2010, 2011, 2017, 2019
Merrivale
Tigers
Merrivale Recreation Reserve, Warrnambool
1931
1946-
7
1958, 1979, 1991, 1996, 2003, 2006, 2014
Nirranda
Blues
Nirranda Recreation Reserve, Nirranda
1900s
1992-
6
1999, 2016, 2018, 2022, 2023, 2024
Old Collegians
Warriors
Davidson Oval, Warrnambool
–
1951
1951-
8
1956, 1964, 1965, 1969, 1970, 1984, 1989, 1992
Panmure
Bulldogs
Panmure Recreation Reserve, Panmure
HMFNL
1919
1997-
5
1997, 2001, 2002, 2012, 2013
Russells Creek
Kangaroos
Mack Oval, Warrnambool
–
1931
1946-
9
1946, 1947, 1957, 1963, 1973, 1974, 1990, 1998, 2000
South Rovers
Lions
Walter Oval, Warrnambool
1919
1946-
5
1975, 1985, 1986, 1993, 2007
Timboon
Demons
Timboon Recreation Reserve, Timboon
–
2002
2003-
1
2008
8km 5miles
Timboon
South Rovers
/ Russells Creek
Panmure
Old Collegians
Nirranda
Merrivale
Kolora Noorat
Dennington
Allansford
Club
Colours
Nickname
Home Ground
Former League
Est.
Years in WDFNL
WDFL Senior Premierships
Fate
Total
Years
Bushfield
Bushfield Recreation Reserve, Bushfield
1900s
1959–1985
1
1977
Merged with Grassmere to form Northern Districts in 1986
Deakin University (W.I.A.E)
Sharks
The Pond, Warrnambool and DC Farran Oval, Mortlake
–
1977
1977–2016
0
-
Folded in 2017
East Warrnambool
Bombers
Reid Oval, Warrnambool
1900s
1900s–2019
2
1967, 1995
Folded in 2020 due to COVID
Grassmere
Purnim Recreation Reserve, Purnim
1900s
1959–1985
3
1960, 1968, 1972
Merged with Bushfield to form Northern Districts in 1986
Koroit
Saints
Victoria Park, Koroit
1886
1943-1945
2
1943, 1944
Returned to Port Fairy FL in 1946
Northern Districts
Eagles
Bushfield Recreation Reserve, Bushfield
–
1986
1986–1997
1
1994
Moved to Hampden FNL in 1997 under the name North Warrnambool
Tower Hill
Demons
Killarney Recreation Reserve, Killarney
1919
1958–1983
2
1959, 1961
Folded in 1984
Wangoom
1919
1949
0
-
Folded in 1950s
West End
–
1920s
1943–1970
9
1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1962
Merged with Allansford to form West End-Allansford in 1971
Yambuk
Blues
Yambuk Recreation Reserve, Yambuk
SWDFNL
1920s
1981–1987
0
-
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
Ben Cross East Warrnambool
Nick Bourke Kolora Norat
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
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
1957
Tower Hill joined from Port Fairy FL
1959
Bushfield joined from Purnim FL
Grassmere joined from Purnim FL
1965
East Stars become East Warrnambool
1970
West End and Allansford from (Purnim FL) merged to form West End Allansford
1977
W.I.A.E. (Warrnambool Institute of Advanced Education) joined
1981
1984
1986
Northern Districts created from (merger of Bushfield and Grassmere)
1988
1992
Nirranda
W.I.A.E change name to Deakin University
1997
2003
Timboon Demons
Kolora-Noorat
2017
2019
East Warrnambool went into recess
2021 Ladder
Warrnambool DFL
Wins
Byes
Losses
Draws
For
Against
%
Pts
Nirranda
13
0
0
0
1687
445
379.10%
52
Kolora-Noorat
12
0
1
0
1493
599
249.25%
48
Merrivale
9
0
4
0
1280
653
196.02%
36
Panmure
8
0
5
0
1245
752
165.56%
32
South Rovers
6
0
7
0
1122
891
125.93%
24
Russell Creek
6
0
7
0
1079
983
109.77%
24
Old Collegians
5
0
8
0
687
1303
52.72%
20
Allansford
4
0
9
0
574
1204
47.67%
16
Timboon Demons
2
0
11
0
589
1330
44.29%
8
Dennington
0
0
13
0
311
1907
16.31%
0
Season incomplete and Finals cancelled due to State Government lockdown
2022 Ladder
Warrnambool DFL
Wins
Byes
Losses
Draws
For
Against
%
Pts
Final
Team
G
B
Pts
Team
G
B
Pts
Nirranda
17
0
1
0
1956
628
311.46%
68
Elimination
Merrivale
11
7
73
Russell Creek
7
7
49
Panmure
15
0
3
0
2090
963
217.03%
60
Qualifying
Panmure
12
13
85
Kolora-Noorat
9
8
62
Kolora-Noorat
13
0
5
0
1497
1030
145.34%
52
1st Semi
Kolora-Noorat
13
14
92
Merrivale
11
2
68
Merrivale
12
0
6
0
1676
890
188.31%
48
2nd Semi
Nirranda
11
14
80
Panmure
8
11
59
Russell Creek
12
0
6
0
1840
1050
175.24%
48
Preliminary
Panmure
13
13
91
Kolora-Noorat
14
5
89
South Rovers
9
0
9
0
1521
1456
104.46%
36
Grand
Nirranda
16
22
118
Panmure
4
7
31
Allansford
4
0
14
0
1072
1652
64.89%
16
Dennington
4
0
14
0
777
1962
39.60%
16
Old Collegians
3
0
15
0
846
1798
47.05%
12
Timboon Demons
1
0
17
0
491
2337
21.01%
4
2023 Ladder
Warrnambool DFL
Wins
Byes
Losses
Draws
For
Against
%
Pts
Final
Team
G
B
Pts
Team
G
B
Pts
Merrivale
18
0
0
0
2061
528
390.34%
72
Elimination
Kolora-Noorat
11
10
76
Russell Creek
10
11
71
Nirranda
15
0
3
0
1811
688
263.23%
60
Qualifying
Nirranda
13
8
86
Panmure
11
8
74
Panmure
13
0
5
0
1806
911
198.24%
52
1st Semi
Kolora-Noorat
14
11
95
Panmure
12
7
79
Kolora-Noorat
11
0
7
0
1541
859
179.39%
44
2nd Semi
Merrivale
4
7
31
Nirranda
8
8
56
Russell Creek
11
0
7
0
1430
1353
105.69%
44
Preliminary
Merrivale
12
10
82
Kolora-Noorat
5
10
40
Allansford
10
0
8
0
1372
1153
118.99%
40
Grand
Nirranda
9
8
62
Merrivale
6
5
41
South Rovers
5
0
13
0
1013
1722
58.83%
20
Dennington
4
0
14
0
782
2031
38.50%
16
Timboon Demons
3
0
15
0
639
1548
41.28%
12
Old Collegians
0
0
18
0
620
2282
27.17%
0
References
External links
Representative side Governing bodies Professional clubs Statewide leagues Metropolitan leagues Regional leagues (major) Regional leagues (district) Women's leagues Other leagues Defunct leagues Principal venues Other articles