Hills Football League
The Hills Football League (HFL) is an Australian rules football league, situated in the Adelaide Hills region of South Australia, to the south east of the state capital Adelaide.
| General Information | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1967 in the Adelaide Hills |
| Current clubs | Birdwood Blackwood Echunga Gumeracha Hahndorf Ironbank–Cherry Gardens– Bridgewater Kangarilla Kersbrook Macclesfield Meadows Milang Mount Barker Mount Lofty Nairne Bremer Onkaparinga Valley Torrens Valley Uraidla Districts |
The League has over 3000 players belonging to 20 member Clubs.[1] The League's Clubs are divided into two playing Divisions:
- Division 1 (Formerly Central Division – mostly the larger towns in the Hills region);
- Division 2 (Formerly Country Division – the remaining clubs in the region).
Both divisions have their own programs for the season. There is a promotion and relegation system that received criticism in 2014 following the ultimately unsuccessful decision to relegate Echunga in the same season that they won the Central Division premiership.[2] It is the second biggest league in South Australia after the South Australian Amateur Football League.
In 2009 the Uraidla Districts Football Club became the first team in HFL history to secure all senior premierships (A,B&C) in a single season a feat that was followed by Hahndorf in 2016.
History
The Hills FL was formed in 1967 as a result of the merger of the original Hills Central FL and the Torrens Valley FL. For a number of years, the competition consisted of three divisions, firstly known as the Central Zone, the Northern Zone and the Southern Zone. This later changed to Zone 1, 2 and 3 with two years also providing a Zone 4. Eventually in 1979 the two divisions that exist today was established. The one year that was an exception was 1983 when competition was played in one division.[3]
Heathfield-Aldgate United hold the record for the most premierships won in succession from 1971 to 1977.
Grades
The HFL consists of:
- Junior Grades
- Under 14's (mini colts)
- Under 16's (junior colts)
- Under 18's (senior colts)
- Senior Grades
- A Grade (A1)
- B Grade (A2)
- C Grade (A3)
Division 1
| Jumper | Club | Nickname | Years in comp | HFL Premierships |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Blackwood[4] | Woods | 1987– | Div 1: 1988, 1991, 2017 |
 |
Echunga | Demons | 1967– | Div 1: 2014 Div 2: 1995-96, 2000, 2011, 2013 Div 3: 1972 Southern B: 1968 |
 |
Hahndorf[5] | Magpies | 1967– | Div 1: 1984–85, 1992–93, 1995, 1997, 2001, 2015–16, 2018–21 |
 |
Ironbank Cherry Gardens Bridgewater | Raiders/Thunderers | 2023– | - |
 |
Lobethal[6] | Tigers | 1967– | Div 1: 1981, 199 –99, 2002, 2022 |
 |
Mount Barker[7] | Barkeroos | 1967– | Div 1: 1969–70, 1982–83, 2000, 2003–04, 2012 |
 |
Mount Lofty District[8] | Mountain Devils | 1986– | Div 1: 1986, 1990, 2006–08 Div 2: 2014 |
 |
Nairne Bremer United[9] | Rams | 1978–1991, 1998– | Div 1: 2023Div 2: 1985, 1989, 2017 |
 |
Onkaparinga Valley[10] | Bulldogs | 1967– | Div 1: 1978, 1994 |
| Uraidla Districts | Demons | 1997– | Div 1: 2005, 2009–11, 2013 | |
Premierships
- 1967 – Heathfield-Aldgate United
- 1968 – Heathfield-Aldgate United
- 1969 – Mount Barker
- 1970 – Mount Barker
- 1971 – Heathfield-Aldgate United
- 1972 – Heathfield-Aldgate United
- 1973 – Heathfield-Aldgate United
- 1974 – Heathfield-Aldgate United
- 1975 – Heathfield-Aldgate United
- 1976 – Heathfield-Aldgate United
- 1977 – Heathfield-Aldgate United
- 1978 – Onkaparinga Valley
- 1979 – Uraidla
- 1980 – Uraidla
- 1981 – Lobethal
- 1982 – Mount Barker
- 1983 – Mount Barker
- 1984 – Hahndorf
- 1985 – Hahndorf
- 1986 – Mount Lofty District
- 1987 – Eastern Rangers
- 1988 – Blackwood
- 1989 – Uraidla
- 1990 – Mount Lofty District
- 1991 – Blackwood
- 1992 – Hahndorf
- 1993 – Hahndorf
- 1994 – Onkaparinga Valley
- 1995 – Hahndorf
- 1996 – Uraidla
- 1997 – Hahndorf
- 1998 – Lobethal
- 1999 – Lobethal
- 2000 – Mount Barker
- 2001 – Hahndorf
- 2002 – Lobethal
- 2003 – Mount Barker
- 2004 – Mount Barker
- 2005 – Uraidla Districts
- 2006 – Mount Lofty District
- 2007 – Mount Lofty District
- 2008 – Mount Lofty District
- 2009 – Uraidla Districts
- 2010 – Uraidla Districts
- 2011 – Uraidla Districts
- 2012 – Mount Barker
- 2013 – Uraidla Districts
- 2014 – Echunga[12]
- 2015 – Hahndorf
- 2016 – Hahndorf
- 2017 – Blackwood
- 2018 – Hahndorf
- 2019 – Hahndorf
- 2020 – Hahndorf
- 2021 – Hahndorf
- 2022 – Lobethal
- 2023 – Nairne Bremer United
Division 2
| Colours | Club | Nickname | Years in comp | HFL Premierships |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Birdwood | Roosters | 1967- | Div 2: 1973, 1975-76-77, 1992, 1994 |
 |
Gumeracha | Magpies | 1967- | Div 2: 1970, 1982, 1984, 2019, 2022, 2023 |
 |
Kangarilla | Double Blues | 1967–1978, 2006- | Div 2: 2006 Div 3: 1970, 1973–74, 1978 |
 |
Kersbrook | Blues/Brookers | 1971- | Div 2: 1972, 1974, 1986, 1993, 1997, 2008–09, 2012, 2015, 2021 |
 |
Macclesfield | Blood and Tars | 1967–1983, 1987- | Div 2: 1980 Div 3: 1969 Div 4: 1972-1973 |
 |
Meadows | Bulldogs | 1967-1982, 2001- | Div 2: 2001-2004 Div 3: 1967 |
 |
Torrens Valley | Mountain Lions | 1997- * | Div 2: 2005, 2007, 2010 |
Premierships
- 1967 Pleasant Valley
- 1968 Pleasant Valley
- 1969 Pleasant Valley
- 1970 Gumeracha
- 1971 Pleasant Valley
- 1972 Kersbrook
- 1973 Birdwood
- 1974 Kersbrook
- 1975 Birdwood
- 1976 Birdwood
- 1977 Birdwood
- 1978 Lenswood Rangers
- 1979 Lenswood Rangers
- 1980 Macclesfield
- 1981 Bridgewater
- 1982 Gumeracha
- 1983 No Division 2
- 1984 Gumeracha
- 1985 Nairne Bremer
- 1986 Kersbrook
- 1987 Barossa District
- 1988 Barossa District
- 1989 Nairne Bremer
- 1990 Barossa District
- 1991 Mount Torrens
- 1992 Birdwood
- 1993 Kersbrook
- 1994 Birdwood
- 1995 Echunga
- 1996 Echunga
- 1997 Kersbrook
- 1998 Ironbank-Cherry Gardens
- 1999 Ironbank-Cherry Gardens
- 2000 Echunga
- 2001 Meadows
- 2002 Meadows
- 2003 Meadows
- 2004 Meadows
- 2005 Torrens Valley
- 2006 Kangarilla
- 2007 Torrens Valley
- 2008 Kersbrook
- 2009 Kersbrook
- 2010 Torrens Valley
- 2011 Echunga
- 2012 Kersbrook
- 2013 Echunga
- 2014 Mount Lofty District[13]
- 2015 Kersbrook
- 2016 Bridgewater Callington
- 2017 Nairne Bremer
- 2018 Ironbank-Cherry Gardens
- 2019 Gumeracha
- 2020 Ironbank-Cherry Gardens
- 2021 Kersbrook
- 2022 Gumeracha
- 2022 Gumeracha
C-Grade Only
| Colours | Club | Nickname | Years in comp | HFL Premierships |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Milang | Panthers | 1986-2005, 2010-2017, 2021- | - |
Former Clubs
| Colours | Club | Nickname | Years in comp | HFL Premierships |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashton | 1972-81 (merged with Lenswood Rangers) | - | ||
| Barossa District | Bulldogs | 1987-90 (moved to Barossa, Light & Gawler FA) | Div 2: 1987-88, 1990 | |
| Bremer | 1967-78 (merged with Nairne) | Div 3B: 1974, 1978 | ||
| Bridgewater | Raiders | 1967-2012 (merged with Callington United Eagles) | Div 2: 1981 | |
 |
Bridgewater-Callington Raiders[14] | Raiders | 2013-2023 | Div 2: 1981, 2016 |
| Callington United Eagles[15] | Eagles | 1995-2012 (merged with Bridgewater) | - | |
| Eastern Rangers | Saints | 1983-96 (merged with Uraidla) | Div 1: 1987 | |
| Heathfield-Aldgate United | 1967-78 (merged with Stirling) | Div 1: 1967-68, 1971-72-73-74-75-76-77 | ||
 |
Ironbank-Cherry Gardens | Thunderers | 1986-2023 | Div 2: 1998-99, 2018, 2020 |
| Langhorne Creek | 1967-77 (moved to Great Southern Football League) | Div 3: 1975-76-77 | ||
| Lenswood Rangers | 1967-82 (merged with Ashton) | Div 2: 1978-79 | ||
| Littlehampton | 1967-72 | Southern: 1968 | ||
| Mount Torrens | Bombers | 1967-75 (merged with Sedan Cambrai) 1986-1996 (merged with Pleasant Valley) |
Div 2: 1991 | |
| Mount Torrens-Cambrai | 1976-85 | - | ||
| Mylor | 1967-72 | Southern B: 1967, 1970 | ||
| Nairne | 1967-78 (merged with Bremer) | - | ||
| Palmer | 1967-70, 1972–73 | Div 4B: 1972 | ||
| Pleasant Valley | Roos | 1967-88 (merged with Mount Torrens) | Northern: 1967-68-69, 1971 | |
| Sedan Cambrai | Magpies | 1967-75 (merged with Mount Torrens) 2010-15 (moved to Riverland Independent FL)[16] |
- | |
| Stirling | Eagles | 1967-78 (merged with Heathfield-Aldgate United) | - | |
| Uraidla | Redlegs | 1967-96 (merged with Eastern Rangers) | Div 1: 1979-80, 1989, 1996 | |
| Williamstown | Rovers | 1967-73 | - | |
AFL Players
The following were drafted to AFL club lists having previously participated in the Hills Football League.[17]
References
- http://www.sportingpulse.com/assoc_page.cgi?assoc=6621&pID=1 About the League
- Turner, Matt (26 September 2014). "Echunga Football Club exploring ways to avoid relegation despite winning Hills Football League flag". News Limited. Messenger Community News. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
- http://footypedia.isgreat.org/00002257.htm Footypedia
- "Blackwood Football Club". Retrieved 7 July 2009.
- "Hahndorf Football Club". Retrieved 8 May 2010.
- "Lobethal Football Club". Retrieved 7 July 2009.
- "Mt Barker Football Club". Retrieved 7 July 2009.
- "Mt Lofty Football Club". Archived from the original on 9 July 2009. Retrieved 7 July 2009.
- "Nairne Bremer Football Club". Archived from the original on 21 June 2009. Retrieved 7 July 2009.
- "Onkaparinga Valley Football Club". Retrieved 11 August 2009.
- "Past Premiers". Hills Football League. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
- "Central Div A Grade Grand FiInal". Hills Football League. Fox Sports Pulse. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
- "Country Div A Grade Grand Final". Hills Football League. Fox Sports Pulse. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
- "Bridgewater Raiders". Archived from the original on 21 June 2009. Retrieved 7 July 2009.
- "Callington United Eagles Football Club". Retrieved 7 July 2009.
- Dillon, Nick (5 February 2016). "Sedan-Cambrai makes eight for Independents". Murray Pioneer. Retrieved 13 February 2016.
- "AFL Drafted Players". Retrieved 24 December 2013.
- Rielly, Stephen (9 August 2003). "Scott Burns: Humble Pie". The Age. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
- Devaney, John. "SA Football Companion - Brett James". Full Points Footy. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
- Connolly, Rohan (23 November 2003). "French Plans to Stand Tall". The Age. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
- Fjeldstad, Jesper (2 November 2013). "Darren Pfeiffer: It's lonely on the fringe of the AFL". Sunday Mail (SA). Retrieved 20 January 2014.
- Porter, Ashley (21 June 2008). "Cubs on song as Tigers stun Port". Illawarra Mercury. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
- Lines, Peter (2012). South Australian Country Football Digest. Cowell: Peter Lines. pp. 227–237. ISBN 978-0-9871591-9-9.
External links
Books
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.