Western Border Football League

The Western Border Football League is an Australian rules football competition based in the Lower South East region of South Australia, and south-western border region of Victoria. It is an affiliated member of the South Australian National Football League. The league used to be regarded as the premier country football league in South Australia, and a leading country Victorian league, however the number of clubs and standard has declined in recent years.

Western Border Football League
SportAustralian rules football
Founded1964 (1964)
PresidentDarren Philps[1]
No. of teams6
CountryAustralia
Most recent
champion(s)		Millicent Football Club
Most titlesSouth Gambier Football Club
(12 premierships)
Sponsor(s)Bendigo Bank[2]
Related
competitions		SANFL

Brief history

In 1964, after almost a decade of discussions, the Western District Football League in Victoria and the South-East & Border Football League in South Australia merged to form the Western Border Football League. The founding 12 clubs were Casterton, Coleraine, East Gambier, Hamilton, Hamilton Imperials, Heywood, Millicent, North Gambier, Penola, Portland, South Gambier and West Gambier.[3][4]

Hamilton and Millicent both had jumpers similar to Collingwood's, so an agreement was made that the team that finished lower on the ladder for 1964 had to change jumpers. Hamilton finished ninth, while Millicent finished 11th of 12, so Millicent was forced to change to the St Kilda strip.

Penola left and joined the Kowree-Naracoorte Football League in 1988; Coleraine left and joined the South West District Football League in 1995.

In 2011, the Heywood Football Club left the Western Border Football League due to the club struggling to compete with the larger town clubs in the league. Their first application to leave was rejected, so they were forced to go to higher levels at the VCFL to resolve issues between the League and the Heywood Football Netball Club.

In 2012, the Hamilton and Hamilton Imperials club merged upon recommendation from the VCFL and competed in the Hampden Football Netball League from 2013. Portland also transferred to the Hampden Football Netball League for 2013, leaving just 6 teams in the competition today. Casterton merged with neighbouring club Sandford (from the South West District Football League) in 2014. When the VFL had zoning from 1968 to 1986 the league was allocated to Collingwood.

Some famous players that have played in the Western Border Football League have been Billy Picken, Matthew Clarke, Nick Daffy, Nathan Lovett-Murray, Mal Michael, John Mossop, Wally Lovett.

Clubs

Current
Colours Club Nickname Years in comp Premiers
won		 Premiership Years
 Casterton-Sandford Cats 1964–
2
 1969,119901
 East Gambier Bulldogs 1964–
9
 1965, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1982, 1983, 1988, 2017
 Millicent Saints 1964–
5
 1984, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023
 North Gambier Tigers 1964–
9
 1964, 1979, 1987, 1989, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2019
 South Gambier Demons 1964–
12
 1974, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2009, 2015
 West Gambier Roos 1964–
3
 1971, 2010, 2011
Notes
1 As the Casterton Football Club

Former
Colours Club Nickname Years in comp Premiers
won		 Premiership Years Notes
 Coleraine Maroons 1964–94
1
 1967 Transferred in the South West District Football League in 1995
 Hamilton Magpies 1964–2012
4
 1968, 1970, 1981, 2004 Merged with the Imperials and moved to the Hampden Football League in 2013
 Hamilton Imperials Bulldogs 1964–2012
6
 1977, 1978, 1980, 1993, 1995, 2001 Merged with the Magpies and moved to the Hampden Football League in 2013
 Heywood Lions 1964–2011
0
 Transferred in the South West District Football League in 2012
Penola Blues 1964–87
0
 transferred to the Kowree Naracoorte FL in 1988, now in the KNTFL
 Portland Tigers 1964–2012
8
 1966, 1985, 1986, 1991, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008 Transferred to the Hampden Football League in 2013

Timeline

League Awards
Season Best & Fairest Club Leading Goalkicker Club Goals
1964 G Hariott Coleraine Kevin Malseed Heywood 75
1965 Kevin Malseed Heywood M Graham Penola 74
1966 J McBain Penola R Duncan Heywood 54
1967 David Robbie Casterton B Norman South Gambier 75
1968 G Cayzer Hamilton L Dethmore South Gambier 68
1969 G Cayzer Hamilton H Graham Penola 91
1970 Michael Graham Penola R Harvey Casterton 83
1971 B Smith South Gambier B Norman South Gambier 76
1972 Gary Lazarus East Gambier Gary Lazarus East Gambier 64
1973 D Clarke East Gambier G Sims South Gambier 67
1974 Kevin Douglas West Gambier D Trotter East Gambier 117
1975 S McKew Hamilton Imperial D Trotter East Gambier 122
1976 M Whitington Millicent M Soulsby Hamilton 80
1977 Greg Curnow North Gambier D. Maczkowiack West Gambier 81
1978 P Cranage Hamilton W. Chapman West Gambier 88
M Horsborugh Coleraine
1979 G Richards Hamilton Imperial S. Skeer Penola 98
1980 J Beaton West Gambier Tony Russell Hamilton 101
1981 I McGuiness Heywood N. Osborn Hamilton Imperial 84
1982 G Reichman Hamilton Imperial R. Lawson East Gambier 136
1983 M Gregg Casterton D. Maczkowiack West Gambier 76
1984 Wayne Fletcher North Gambier N. Carracher Hamilton Imperial 106
1985 L King Portland Michael Timms South Gambier 100
1986 L Bell South Gambier Michael Timms South Gambier 113
1987 Darren Wright North Gambier T. Russell Hamilton 131
1988 Andrew Close West Gambier T. Russell Hamilton 89
1989 Tony Lithgow Casterton Tony Otter Portland 104
1990 D Lane East Gambier P. Harrison Millicent 65
1991 G Stevens Hamilton D. Pannenburg East Gambier 112
1992 R Elliott South Gambier L. Hampshire Portland 87
1993 M Jones East Gambier Tim Williamson Casterton 82
1994 Michael Edmonds Hamilton Imperial D. Pannenburg East Gambier 100
1995 D Jenkinson Heywood A. Salmon South Gambier 73
1996 Mick Ryan South Gambier M. Lane North Gambier 59
1997 Andrew Nitschke Millicent Leigh Capewell South Gambier -
Barry Knight Portland
1998 Wayne Riddle Hamilton Leigh Capewell South Gambier 101
1999 Brad Cooper Hamilton Imperial G. Goss North Gambier 100
2000 Matthew Steel Portland P. Harten South Gambier 74
2001 Andrew Nitschke Millicent K. Cook East Gambier 54
2002 Scott Flett North Gambier Michael Silvy North Gambier 89
Justin Munro Casterton
2003 Andrew Nitschke Millicent Leigh Capewell South Gambier 59
Winis Imbi Portland
2004 Brent Howard South Gambier B. Edwards Portland 59
2005 Scott Flett North Gambier G. Ewing Hamilton Imperial 73
2006 Jon Copping South Gambier R. Larcombe East Gambier 81
2007 James Imbi Portland G. Ewing Hamilton Imperial -
2008 Marcus England Portland G. Ewing Hamilton Imperial 69
2009 Marcus England Portland C.Murray Millicent 83
2010 Justin McConnell North Gambier Courtney Johns Heywood 78
2011 Simon Berkefeld South Gambier Justin McConnell North Gambier 85
Brad Vassal Casterton
2012 Richard O'Grady North Gambier Jarrod Holt Portland 65
2013 Brad Wilson West Gambier Justin McConnell North Gambier 70
2014 Richard O'Grady North Gambier Justin McConnell North Gambier 74
Dylan Ayton Casterton-Sandford
2015
2016
2017 Brett O'Neil South Gambier
2018 Tom Hutchesson Millicent
2019 Michael Telford North Gambier
2021 Clint Gallio Millicent Gene Robinson Millicent 103
2022 Jayden Eldridge East Gambier Brayden Kain South Gambier 59

Notable WBFL Players

Bibliography
  • Encyclopedia of South Australian country football clubs compiled by Peter Lines. ISBN 9780980447293
  • South Australian country football digest by Peter Lines ISBN 9780987159199

References
  1. "WBFL Executive". WBFL. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  2. "Official League Sponsors". WBFL. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  3. Western Border Football League history at fullpointsfooty.net
  4. Western Border FL at the Footypedia
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