Western Region Football League
The Western Region Football League is an Australian rules football semi-professional league, based in the western suburbs of Melbourne, for both seniors and juniors.
History
The league was formed in 1931, as the "Footscray District Football League".During the fifties, the VFL club Footscray was financially backing the competition, so they decided to bar clubs that were inside the zone. This resulted in six clubs leaving. More changes in 1952 as the League decided that clubs had to provide an under 18 competition, this action reduced the club numbers down to twelve. The next initiative was the introduction of an under 16 competition in 1954.
In 1988 the league absorbed clubs from the West Suburban Football League and in 2000, to reflect the fact that the league had expanded across the western suburbs, it changed its name to the Western Region Football League. The league's headquarters are at Whitten Oval which is the home of current AFL club Western Bulldogs.
In 2002 the league, in particular its second Division, found itself a national audience when a Seven Network reality TV show, The Club, followed the performance of a team called the Kensington Hill Hammerheads throughout the season. The players, coach and president were chosen on the show, and after finishing third in the regular season, went on to win the flag.
In 2006 the League suspended the Central Altona Football Club for attempting to re-register a player and suspended Brunswick Power after the club was found guilty of playing unregistered players. Central Altona had a variety of on-field violence and abuse issues, and for re-registering banned players.
In 2013 Manor Lakes and Sanctuary Lakes entered the Division Two of the senior competition. In 2014, Werribee Districts transferred from the VAFA and Tarneit entered a senior team. The league then announced that a third division will form midway through 2014.
In 2015 the Wyndham Suns were admitted to the third division. Parkside, which won the second division premiership in 2014 suffered a bitter internal division and lost most of the players and committee. Instead of being promoted to first division, Parkside staved off recess and were permitted to rebuild the club in the third division.
Clubs
Participating clubs for the 2019 season:Division One
Club | Colours | Nickname | Location | Home ground | Founded | Years in comp |
Albion | Cats | Sunshine | JR Parsons Reserve | 1961 | 1961–present | |
Altona | Vikings | Altona | JK Grant Reserve | 1918 | 1933–37, 1945–51, 1977–79, 1988–present | |
Caroline Springs | Lakers | Caroline Springs | Town Centre Oval | 2002 | 2011–present | |
Deer Park | Lions | Deer Park | John McLeod Reserve | 1925 | 1935–41, 1947–51, 1967–present | |
Hoppers Crossing | Warriors | Hoppers Crossing | Hogans Road Reserve | 1972 | 1988–present | |
Point Cook | Bulldogs | Point Cook | Saltwater Reserve | 2003 | 2018–present | |
Spotswood | Woodsmen | Spotswood | Donald W McLean Reserve | 1927 | 1935–present | |
St Albans | Saints | Kings Park | Kings Park Reserve | 1947 | 1947–53, 1958–present | |
Sunshine | Kangaroos | Braybrook | Kinder Smith Reserve | 1959 | 1978–present | |
Werribee Districts | Tigers | Werribee | Soldiers Reserve | 1995 | 1995–97, 2014–present |
Division Two
Club | Colours | Nickname | Location | Home ground | Founded | Years in comp |
Manor Lakes | Storm | Manor Lakes | Howqua Reserve | 2012 | 2013–present | |
Newport | Power | Newport | Bryan Martyn Oval | 2005 | 2016–present | |
North Footscray | Devils | West Footscray | Hansen Reserve | 1934 | 1935–present | |
Parkside | Magpies | Footscray | Henry Turner Reserve | 1897 | 1931–present | |
Point Cook Centrals | Sharks | Point Cook | Featherbrook Reserve | 2012 | 2013–present | |
West Footscray | Roosters | West Footscray | Shorten Reserve | 1932 | 1932–present | |
Wyndhamvale | Falcons | Wyndham Vale | Wyndham Vale South Oval | 1979 | 1989–94, 1999–present | |
Yarraville Seddon | Eagles | Yarraville | Yarraville Oval | 2006 | 2007–present |
Division Three
Club | Colours | Nickname | Location | Home ground | Founded | Years in comp |
Albanvale | Cobras | Deer Park | Robert Bruce Reserve | 1978 | 1978–1988, 1993–present | |
Braybrook | Brookers | Braybrook | Pennell Reserve | 1874 | 1931–present | |
Glen Orden | Hawks | Werribee | Heathdale Oval | 1979 | 1979–2016,2018 | |
Laverton | Magpies | Altona Meadows | Laverton Park | 1924 | 1988–present | |
North Sunshine | Roadrunners | Sunshine North | Dempster Park | 1967 | 1979–present | |
Sunshine Heights | Dragons | Sunshine West | Ainsworth Reserve | 1971 | 1988–present | |
Tarneit | Titans | Tarneit | Wootten Road Reserve | 2014 | 2014–present | |
Wyndham | Suns | Tarneit | Goddard Street Reserve | 2015–present |
Former Clubs
Folded
Merged
Moved to CYMS Football Association
Moved to [Essendon District Football League]
Moved to Southern Football League">Southern Football Netball League">Southern Football League
Moved to [Victorian Football Association]
Moved to Western Suburban Football League
Moved to Werribee District Football League
Premiers
Division One
Premiers by club (Div One)
;NotesDivision Two
1934 – Newells 13.13.91 d Victor Socials 9.12.661935 – Baptist-Church 10.14.74 d Spotswood 5.8.38
1936 – Braybrook 7.20.62 d North Footscray 7.7.49
1937 – South Footscray 7.17.59 d Braybrook 6.20.56
1938 – North Footscray 10.17.77 d Combine 8.7.55
1939 – Victor Socials 10.5.65 d Combine 6.17.53
1940 – South Footscray 12.16.88 d Combine 10.12.72
1941 – West Footscray 20.13.133 d Victor Socials 11.13.79
1942 – Kingsville 17.12.114 d Sunshine Districts 11.13.79
1943 – Newport CYMS 9.16.70 d Spotswood 7.9.51
1944 – Spotswood 10.9.69 d Sunshine Districts 7.7.49
1945 – Essendon Districts 12.14.86 d Yarraville Socials 8.15.63
1946 – Sunshine Districts 11.17.83 d Spotswood 8.5.53
1947 – Altona 12.25.97 d Waratah 4.5.29
1948 – Spotswood 11.15.81 d St Albans 7.12.54
1949 Sec 1 – North Footscray 8.19.67 d F & Y Socials 9.10.64
1949 Sec 2 – 6th Melbourne Scouts 15.18.108 d West Footscray 5.4.34
1950 – Maidstone 10.10.70 d Williamstown Rovers 7.13.55
1951 – Altona 12.12.84 d Kingsville 11.7.73
NOTE: 1952 TO 1985 NO DIVISION 2 COMPETITION
1986 – North Sunshine 13.11.89 d EHSES 8.15.63
1987 – EHSES 22.10.142 d North Sunshine 4.10.34
1988 – Coburg Districts 7.10.52 d Ascot Vale 5.10.40
1989 – Ascot Vale 18.12.120 d Williamstown United 9.8.62
1990 – Port Melbourne Colts 16.18.114 d Hoppers Crossing 12.10.82
1991 – Altona City 10.14.74 d Sunshine Heights 7.13.55
1992 – Hoppers Crossing 5.12.42 d East Brunswick 4.5.29
1993 – Braybrook 9.15.69 d Sunshine Heights 7.4.46
1994 – Albion 18.12.120 d Sunshine YCW 11.17.83
1995 – West Newport 14.20.104 d Sunshine YCW 14.8.92
1996 – North Melb & Kens 17.18.120 d Fawkner Amateurs 9.8.62
1997 – St Albans 15.15.105 d North Footscray 9.9.63
1998 – Seddon/Yarraville Club 10.10.70 d Braybrook 8.6.54
1999 – Braybrook 12.21.93 d Central Altona 8.1.49
2000 – Yarraville 12.18.90 d Glen Orden 6.8.44
2001 – Seddon/Yarraville Club 18.12.120 d Albanvale 5.9.39
2002 – Kensington Hill Hammerheads 11.12.78 d North Footscray 7.11.53
2003 – North Sunshine 12.9.81 d Glen Orden 6.12.48
2004 – Altona 11.14.80 d Deer Park 8.7.55
2005 – Altona 19.12.126 d Glen Orden 8.9.57
2006 – Glen Orden 13.20.98 d Deer Park 8.8.56
2007 – West Footscray 18.16.124 d Sunshine Heights 7.16.58
2008 – Sunshine Heights 18.7.115 d North Footscray 7.11.53
2009 – Deer Park 16.12.108 d Parkside 13.9.87
2010 – North Footscray 11.13.79 d Parkside 10.14.74
2011 – Deer Park 21.23.149 d Albanvale 2.6.18
2012 – Yarraville Seddon Eagles 14.14.98 d Parkside 9.16.70
2013 – Glen Orden 15.12.102 d Parkside 8.11.59
2014 – Parkside 14.20.104 d West Footscray 10.6.66
2015 – Wyndhamvale 17.12.114 d West Footscray 10.5.65
2016 – Caroline Springs 12.8.80 d Yarraville Seddon Eagles 9.12.66
2017 – North Footscray 15.14.104 d Yarraville Seddon Eagles 6.10.46
2018 – Point Cook 9.14.68 d Yarraville Seddon Eagles 8.13.61
2019 – Yarraville Seddon Eagles 14.17.101 d Wyndhamvale 4.10.34
2020 League in recess due to COVID19 pandemic
Division Three
1988 – Sunshine Heights 11.21.87 d East Brunswick 7.11.531989 – Laverton 2.16.28 d Wyndhamvale 4.3.27
1990 – Braybrook 16.16.112 d East Brunswick 11.9.75
1991 – Wembley Park 11.15.81 d Glenorden 12.7.79
1992 – Glenorden 8.11.59 d Newport 5.5.35
1993 – North Melb & Kens 16.15.111 d Newport 4.6.30
1994 – Flemington 14.4.88 d Wyndhamvale 6.4.40
1995 – Newport 18.11.119 d Albanvale 3.15.33
1996 – West Newport 17.22.124 d Albanvale 7.10.52
1997 – Braybrook 18.18.126 d Laverton 10.16.76
1998 – Sunshine Heights 9.11.65 d Gladstone Park 8.11.59
2014 – Braybrook 12.15.87 d Albanvale 12.13.85
2015 – Albanvale 12.12.84 d Parkside 7.7.49
2016 – Newport Power 12.8.80 d Parkside 6.11.47
2017 – Parkside 12.17.89 d Tarneit 7.6.48
2018 – Point Cook Centrals 9.11.65 d Wyndham Suns 5.10.40
2019 – Glenorden 10.12.72 d Albanvale 6.10.46
2020 League in recess due to COVID19 pandemic
Leading Goalkickers (Andrew Gibson Medal)
2019 Ladder Division 1
FINALSFinal | Team | G | B | Pts | Team | G | B | Pts |
Elimination | Hoppers Crossing | 7 | 6 | 48 | Werribee Districts | 17 | 14 | 116 |
Qualifying | Spotswood | 8 | 8 | 56 | Deer Park | 13 | 8 | 86 |
1st Semi | Spotswood | 7 | 7 | 49 | Werribee Districts | 5 | 15 | 45 |
2nd Semi | Altona | 9 | 11 | 65 | Deer Park | 6 | 10 | 46 |
Preliminary | Deer Park | 12 | 7 | 79 | Spotswood | 7 | 10 | 52 |
Grand | Altona | 9 | 10 | 64 | Deer Park | 9 | 13 | 67 |
2019 Ladder Division 2
FINALSFinal | Team | G | B | Pts | Team | G | B | Pts |
1st Semi | Point Cook Centrals | 4 | 12 | 36 | Parkside | 5 | 10 | 40 |
2nd Semi | Wyndhamvale | 8 | 7 | 55 | Yarraville Seddon Eagles | 11 | 14 | 80 |
Preliminary | Wyndhamvale | 5 | 12 | 42 | Parkside | 5 | 5 | 35 |
Grand | Yarraville Seddon Eagles | 14 | 17 | 101 | Wyndhamvale | 4 | 10 | 34 |
2019 Ladder Division 3
FINALSFinal | Team | G | B | Pts | Team | G | B | Pts |
1st Semi | Glenorden | 15 | 9 | 99 | Tarneit | 8 | 10 | 58 |
2nd Semi | Albanvale | 11 | 13 | 79 | Sunshine Heights | 10 | 9 | 69 |
Preliminary | Sunshine Heights | 7 | 5 | 47 | Glenorden | 17 | 7 | 109 |
Grand | Albanvale | 6 | 10 | 46 | Glenorden | 10 | 12 | 72 |
Junior clubs
- Albanvale
- Albion
- Altona Juniors
- Caroline Springs
- Deer Park
- Flemington Juniors
- Glenorden
- Hoppers Crossing
- Manor Lakes
- Newport Power
- North Footscray
- PEGS Juniors
- Point Cook
- Point Cook Centrals
- Spotswood
- St Albans
- St Bernard's
- Sunshine
- Sunshine Heights
- Tarneit
- Werribee Centrals
- Werribee Districts
- West Footscray
- Williamstown Juniors
- Wyndham Suns
- Wyndhamvale
- Yarraville Seddon Eagles
Book
- History of the WRFL/FDFL – Kevin Hillier -
- History of Football in Melbourne's North West – John Stoward -