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Victorian Women's Football League

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Victorian Women's Football League
Most recent season or competition:
2016 VWFL season
SportAustralian rules football
First season1981
Ceased2016
Replaced byVFL Women's
South Eastern Women's Football
No. of teams31 (final season)
CountryAustralia
HeadquartersMelbourne, Australia
Last
champion(s)
Deer Park
(2016)
Most titlesScorpions (11)
TV partner(s)C31
Official websiteVictorian Women's Football League
The rucks reach for the ball after the umpire (in orange) has balled it up.
A Melbourne University player jostles for best position in a marking contest.
A Darebin Falcons player is wrapped up in a gang tackle by two Melbourne University opponents in the 2006 WVFL senior women's Grand Final.

The Victorian Women's Football League (VWFL) was the oldest and largest Australian rules football league for women in the world, consisting of 47 clubs from Victoria, Australia across seven divisions with a total of over 1,000 players.[1]

History[edit]

Early years[edit]

The Victorian Women's Football League was formed in 1981 with four teams competing at open level.

In 1995, Sal Rees caused controversy when she nominated for the 1995 AFL Draft: the nomination was subsequently voided, with the AFL amending its Draft rules to prevent any repeat of this incident.

The VWFL grew quickly, increasing dramatically the number of players and participating teams with a Division 3 added in 2001.

In 2002, VWFL player Debbie Lee made headlines for pushing to play against men in the made-for-television team the Hammerheads. She has commented, "My whole idea with the Hammerheads was to promote women's football. At no point in time did I really think I was going to play against the men, and frankly it wouldn't really have been smart for me to do that. My whole idea was to cause a bit of activity."

An U17 Youth Girls Competition was established by Football Victoria in 2004, primarily to provide a pathway to the VWFL. This was following legal action having been taken against them in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (following a complaint to the Equal Opportunity Commission) by junior players Penny Cula-Reid, Emily Stayner, and Helen Taylor.

In May 2004, the first VWFL game was played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), with the Melbourne Uni Mugars defeating St Albans Spurs on Mother's Day. A second game was played at the MCG later in the same year, featuring the Mugars and St Kilda Sharks reserves teams.

A quarter-century of competition[edit]

In 2005, the VWFL celebrated its 25th season, and created a reserves competition for Division 1.

In 2006, the league posted a $6000 loss, however this was turned around in 2007 with a $19000 profit being posted at the end of 2007. 2007 saw five divisions (Premier seniors & reserves, North West, South East & Country) and 27 teams (from 20 clubs), and culminated in an Australian crowd record for women's Australian rules football at the 2007 Grand Final held on 19 August at the Preston City Oval in Melbourne. Two finals matches were also held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground for the first time.

The work done by the VWFL Media Manager Leesa Catto was instrumental in increasing media coverage across the competition. A significant partnership was negotiated with the Leader News group and weekly coverage was captured across the Melbourne Metropolitan area. Events like the participation of two VWFL players Shannon McFerran and Daisy Pearce in the E. J. Whitten Legends Game also helped lift the profile of the league.[2]

The VWFL integrated into AFL Victoria in 2013.[1]

Dissolution[edit]

At the end of the 2016 season, it was announced that the VWFL would be dissolved, with the forty-seven clubs and sixty teams of the VWFL joining ten Victorian community leagues in 2017, along with additional clubs and teams from a further eighty clubs that had expressed interest in joining women's Australian football competitions.[3][4] AFL Victoria would retain management of the ten-team VFL Women's league, with the remainder of the expected 150 teams to play in regional leagues.[5][1]

Final clubs[edit]

Premier Division[edit]

Colours Club Nickname Home Ground Est. Years in VWFL VWFL Premierships Fate
Total Most Recent
Bendigo Thunder Kangaroo Flat Oval, Kangaroo Flat 2011 2011-2016 2 2013 Moved to NFNL
Deer Park Lions John McLeod Reserve, Deer Park 1926 1981-2016 1 2016 Moved to WREDWFL
Eastern Devils (formerly East Burwood) Devils Mulgrave Reserve, Mulgrave 1999 1990-2016 2 2013 Moved to SEWF
Melbourne University Mugars Main Oval, University of Melbourne, Parkville 1996 1997-2016 5 2005 Moved to NFNL
Port Melbourne Colts Colts J.L. Murphy Reserve, Port Melbourne 1957 2014-2016 1 2015 Moved to SEWF
St Kilda Sharks Sharks Peanut Farm Reserve, St Kilda 1992 1992-2016 4 2014 Moved to SEWF

Division 1[edit]

Colours Club Nickname Home Ground Est. Years in VWFL VWFL Premierships Fate
Total Most Recent
Darebin Falcons A.H. Capp Reserve, Preston 1990 1990-2016 12 2015 Moved to NFNL
Diamond Creek Creekers C.T. Barling Reserve, Reservoir 2002 2002-2015 3 2012 Moved to NFNL
Endeavour Hills Eagles Barry Simon Reserve, Endeavour Hills 2011 2015-2016 0 - Moved to SEWF
Kew Bears Victoria Park, Kew 2006 2014-2016 2 2016 Moved to NFNL
La Trobe University Trobers Tony Sheehan Oval, La Trobe University, Bundoora 1967 2009-2016 1 2011 Moved to NFNL
Pascoe Vale Panthers Raeburn Reserve, Pascoe Vale 1909 2013-2016 1 2013 Moved to NFNL
Redan Lions Western Oval, Ballarat Central 1871 2014-2016 0 - Moved to AFLGW
Whitehorse Pioneers Pioneers (formerly Suns) Springfield Park, Box Hill North 1954 2014-2016 0 - Moved to NFNL

Division 2[edit]

Colours Club Nickname Home Ground Est. Years in VWFL VWFL Premierships Fate
Total Most Recent
Chirnside Park Panthers Kimberley Reserve, Chirnside Park 1978 2011-2016 0 - Moved to SEWF
Cranbourne Eagles Frenken Homes Oval, Clyde North 1889 2009-2016 1 2015 Moved to SEWF
Mordialloc Bloodhounds Ben Kavanagh Reserve, Mordialloc 1891 2014-2016 1 2002 Moved to SFNL
Seaford Tigerettes RF Miles Recreation Reserve, Seaford 1921 2013-2016 1 2014 Moved to SEWF
South Morang Lions Mill Park Lakes Recreation Reserve, South Morang 1954 2014-2016 1 2015 Moved to NFNL
St Kilda Sharks Sharks Peanut Farm Reserve, St Kilda 1992 1992-2016 4 2014 Moved to SEWF
Sunbury Lions Clarke Oval, Sunbury 1879 1981-2016 3 2015 Moved to WREDWFL
Western Spurs Spurs Henry Turner Memorial Reserve, Footscray 1993 1993-2016 3 2016 Moved to NFNL

Division 3[edit]

Colours Club Nickname Home Ground Est. Years in VWFL VWFL Premierships Fate
Total Most Recent
AJAX Jackas Gary Smorgon Oval, St Kilda 1957 2015-2016 0 - Moved to VAFA
Bayswater Waters Marie Wallace Bayswater Park, Bayswater 1895 2012-2016 0 - Moved to ERWFC
Brunswick Renegades A.G. Gillon Oval, Brunswick 1963 2014-2016 0 - Moved to VAFA
Fitzroy Roy Girls WT Peterson Oval, Fitzroy North 1883 2015-2016 0 - Moved to VAFA
Gippsland Maroons Traralgon Recreation Reserve, Traralgon 2015 2015-2016 2 2016 Moved to SEWF
Melbourne University Mugars Main Oval, University of Melbourne, Parkville 1996 1997-2015 5 2005 Moved to NFNL
SKOB Saints Basil Reserve, Malvern East 1947 2016 0 - Moved to VAFA

Goldfields[edit]

Colours Club Nickname Home Ground Est. Years in VWFL VWFL Premierships Fate
Total Most Recent
Bacchus Marsh Cobras Maddingley Park, Maddingley 1979 2015-2016 0 - Moved to AFLGW
East Point Dragons White Flat Recreation Reserve, Ballarat Central 2001 2016 0 - Moved to AFLGW
Kyneton Tigers Kyneton Showgrounds, Kyneton 1861 2015-2016 0 - Moved to NCWL
Lake Wendouree Lakers C E Brown Reserve, Wendouree 1994 2016 0 - Moved to AFLGW
MCDFNL Lions Lions Carisbrook Recreation Reserve, Carisbrook 2016 2016 1 2016 Folded

North West[edit]

Colours Club Nickname Home Ground Est. Years in VWFL VWFL Premierships Fate
Total Most Recent
Fitzroy Roy Girls WT Peterson Oval, Fitzroy North 1883 2015-2016 0 - Moved to VAFA
Glen Orden Hawks Heathdale Reserve, Werribee 1979 2016 0 - In recess
Jacana Jaguars Jacana Reserve, Jacana 1961 2013-2016 0 - Folded
Manor Lakes Storm Howqua Way Reserve, Manor Lakes 2012 2014-2016 0 - Moved to WREDWFL
Melton Central Blues Arnolds Creek Reserve, Melton West 1996 2007, 2014-2016 1 2007 Moved to AFLGW
Roxburgh Park Magpies Lakeside Reserve, Roxburgh Park 2002 2016 0 - Moved to WREDWFL
Shepparton Bears Notre Dame College, Emmaus Campus, Shepparton North and John Gray Oval, Mooroopna 1880s 2016 0 - Moved to NCWL

South East[edit]

Colours Club Nickname Home Ground Est. Years in VWFL VWFL Premierships Fate
Total Most Recent
Beaconsfield Eagles Holm Park, Beaconsfield 1890 2016 0 - Moved to SEWF
Edithvale Aspendale Eagles Regents Park, Aspendale 1921 2016 0 - Moved to SEWF
Endeavour Hills Eagles Barry Simon Reserve, Endeavour Hills 2011 2015-2016 0 - Moved to SEWF
Hallam Hawks Hallam Recreation Reserve, Hallam 2012 2011-2016 2 2012 Moved to SFNL
Knox Falcons Knox Gardens Reserve, Wantirna South 1980 2013-2016 0 - Moved to VFLW
Mornington Bulldogs Alexandra Park, Mornington 1888 2014-2016 1 2016 Moved to SEWF
Mount Eliza Redlegs Emil Madsden Reserve, Mount Eliza 1964 2016 0 - Moved to SEWF
Rosebud Buds Olympic Park, Rosebud 1929 2015-2016 0 - In recess
Seaford Tigerettes RF Miles Recreation Reserve, Seaford 1921 2013-2016 1 2014 Moved to SEWF
Warragul Colts Colts Eastern Park, Warragul 1948 2016 0 - Moved to SEWF (as Warragul Industrials

Former[edit]

Colours Club Nickname Home Ground Est. Years in VWFL VWFL Premierships Fate
Total Most Recent
Albion 1 1997
Altona 0 -
Ballarat Lions 2 1995
Ballarat Eagles 1 1990
Bell Post Hill 0 -
Braybrook 0 -
Dingley Cobras 1 1983
East Geelong 1 2002
Eastern Lions 1 2007
Fairfield 1 1996
Ferntree Gully 1 2001
Geelong Cheetahz 1 2006
Gembrook Cockatoo 0 -
Gladstone Park 1 1986
Golden Point 0 -
Hadfield 1 2007
Heidelberg 1 2008
Keysborough 0 -
Lalor 1 2005
Lalor Park 0 -
Montmorency 1 2014
North Ballarat 0 -
North Heidelberg 1 2001
Northcote Park Scorpions 10 1994
North Geelong 1 2014
Parkdale 0 -
Parkside 2 2001
Port Melbourne
Seville Ranges 0 -
Scoresby 3 2013
South Mornington 1 2010
St John's Old Collegians 0 -
Surrey Park 1 2003
Yarra Valley Cougars 3 2007
Wyndhamvale 0 -

Records[edit]

Division One/Premier Division[edit]

Year Premiers Helen Lambert Medal
(Best & Fairest)
Rohenna Young Medal
(Leading Goal Kicker)
Lisa Hardeman Medal
(Best on Ground in Grand Final)
2016 Deer Park Emma Grant (Bendigo) Bella Ayre 34 (Bendigo) Brooke McKinley (Deer Park)
2015 Darebin Daisy Pearce (Darebin) Moana Hope 68 (St Kilda Sharks)[6] Darcy Vescio (Darebin)[7]
2014 Darebin Daisy Pearce (Darebin) Moana Hope 87 (St Kilda Sharks)[6] Daisy Pearce (Darebin)[8]
2013 Darebin Daisy Pearce (Darebin) Stephanie Brown 25 (Berwick)[9][10] Melissa Hickey (Darebin)[11]
2012 Diamond Creek Lou Wotton (East Burwood) Amy Catterall 39 (St Albans)[12] Kirsty Lamb (Diamond Creek)[13]
2011 St Albans Daisy Pearce (Darebin) Sarah D'Arcy 51 (East Burwood) Karen Paxman (St Albans)[14]
2010 Darebin Daisy Pearce (Darebin) &
Lou Wotton (East Burwood)
Jane Lange 52 (Darebin) Aasta O'Connor (Darebin)[15]
2009 Darebin Daisy Pearce (Darebin) Brittany Grech 58 (Diamond Creek) Sarah Hammond (Darebin)[16]
2008 Darebin Cecilia McIntosh (Melbourne Uni) Moana Hope 63 (Darebin) Moana Hope (Darebin)[17]
2007 Darebin Shannon McFerran (St Albans) Moana Hope 67 (Darebin) Roi Boutsikakis (Darebin)[18]
2006 Darebin Shannon McFerran (St Albans) Moana Hope 74 (Darebin) Kathy Zacharopolous (Darebin)[19]
2005 Melbourne University Shannon McFerran (St Albans) Rebecca Jennings 45 (Melbourne Uni) Daisy Pearce (Darebin)[20]
2004 St Albans Meg Hutchins (Deakin Uni) Rohenna Young 65 (St Albans) Debbie Lee (St Albans)
2003 Melbourne University Shannon McFerran (St Albans) Nic Lalor 33 (Deakin Uni)
2002 Melbourne University Shannon McFerran (St Albans) Anita Rhook (Parkside)
2001 Parkside Magpies Debbie Lee (St Albans) Dee Dundov (St Albans) Rohenna Young (Parkside)
2000 Parkside Magpies Sharon Bonnici (St Kilda City Sharks) Nic Lalor (St Kilda City Sharks)
1999 St Kilda Sharon Bonnici (St Kilda City Sharks) Nic Lalor (St Kilda City Sharks)
1998 St Kilda Sharon Bonnici (St Kilda City Sharks) Nic Lalor (St Kilda City Sharks)
1997 Albion Cats Bronwyn Hutchinson (Fairfield) Nic Lalor (St Kilda Sharks)
1996 Fairfield Debbie Lee (St Albans) Debbie Lee (St Albans)
1995 Ballarat Lions Debbie Lee (St Albans) Yasmin Horsham (Ballarat Lions)
1994 Northcote Park Scorpions Debbie Lee (St Albans) &
Doreen de Pasquale (St Kilda City)
Bronwyn Hutchinson (Ballarat Lions)
1993 East Brunswick Scorpions Debbie Lee (St Albans)
1992 Ballarat Lions Kris Gardiner (Fairfield)
1991 East Brunswick Scorpions Bronwyn Hutchinson (Ballarat) Debbie Lee (East Brunswick)
1990 Ballarat Eagles Rhonda Rumler (Ballarat)
1989 Parkville Scorpions Lisa Hardeman (Parkville)
1988 Parkville Scorpions Doreen de Pasquale (Ballarat) &
Bernie Marantelli (Parkville)
1987 Parkville Scorpions Bernie Marantelli (Parkville)
1986 Gladstone Park Tracey Winch (Ferntree Gully)
1985 Aberfeldie Scorpions Siobhan Taylor (Gladstone Park)
1984 Aberfeldie Scorpions Maree Cave (Broadmeadows)
1983 Dingley Cobras Maree Cave (Broadmeadows)
1982 Broadmeadows Scorpions
1981 Broadmeadows Scorpions

Source:[21][22]

Premier Reserves[edit]

Year Premiers Fraser Griffiths Medal Leading Goal Kicker Best on Ground in Grand Final
2013 Eastern Devils Georgia Hammond 37 (Darebin)
2012 St Albans Rachael Gullo (St Albans) Lauren Chalkey 19 (Berwick) Rachael Gullo (St Albans)
2011 Darebin Natasha Hardy (Sunbury) Melissa Beadles 24 (East Burwood) Gemma Anderson (Darebin)
2010 Darebin Belinda Bowey (St Kilda Sharks) Rebecca Hickmont 31 (Darebin) Laura Cartledge (East Burwood)
2009 Darebin Rebecca Hickmont (Darebin)
2008 East Burwood Kristy Baeffel (St Kilda Sharks)
2007 Darebin Luisa Callegari (Darebin)
2006 St Kilda Sharks Jessica Williams (Melbourne Uni) Ivanna Hern (St Kilda Sharks)
2005 Melbourne University Jessica Williams (Melbourne Uni)

Premiers: North West Conference[edit]

Year Premiers Runners-Up
2016 Manor Lakes Melton Centrals
2013 (Division 1) Bendigo North Geelong
2013 (Division 2) Pascoe Vale Deer Park
2012 Bendigo La Trobe University
2011 La Trobe University North Ballarat
2010 Sunbury Lalor Park
2009 Sunbury Lalor Park
2008 Heidelberg Sunbury
2007 Hadfield
2006 Diamond Creek

Premiers: South East Conference[edit]

Year Premiers Runners-Up
2016 Mornington Beaconsfield
2013 (Division 2) Scoresby Keysborough
2012 Hallam St John's Old Collegians
2011 Hallam Cranbourne
2010 South Mornington Parkdale
2009 Scoresby
2008 Scoresby Berwick
2007 (Division 1) Yarra Valley
2007 (Division 2) Eastern Lions
2006 Berwick

Premiers: Country Conference[edit]

2007 Melton Centrals
2006 Geelong Cheetahz

Premiers: Division One[edit]

Year Premiers Runners-Up
2016 Kew Darebin
2015 Cranbourne Knox
2014 St Kilda Sharks Melbourne University

Premiers: Division Two[edit]

Year Premiers Runners-Up
2016 VU Western Spurs Seaford
2015 Port Melbourne Colts Montmorency
2014 North Geelong Seaford
2005 Lalor
2004 St Kilda Sharks
2003 Melbourne University
2002 East Geelong
2001 Hadfield
2000 North Heidelberg
1997 St Kilda Sharks

Premiers: Division Three[edit]

Year Premiers Runners-Up
2016 Gippsland Fitzroy
2015 Kew Deer Park
2014 Wyndhamvale Whitehorse
2006 Yarra Valley
2005 (Division 1) Yarra Valley
2005 (Division 2) Diamond Creek
2004 Berwick
2003 Surrey Park
2002 Mordialloc
2001 Ferntree Gully

Premiers: Division Four[edit]

Year Premiers Runners-Up
2015 South Morang Brunswick
2014 Montmorency Golden Point

Premiers: Division 5[edit]

Year Premiers Runners-Up
2014 Seaford Kew

Premiers: East Division[edit]

Year Premiers Runners-Up
2015 Gippsland AJAX

Premiers: West Division[edit]

Year Premiers Runners-Up
2015 Sunbury Melton Centrals

Premiers: Goldfields Division[edit]

Year Premiers Runners-Up
2016 MCDFNL Lions Lake Wendouree

VWFL Life Members[edit]

2009 Leesa Catto
2009 Bron McGorlick
2008 Kerryn Stephen
2006 Chyloe Kurdas
2005 Di Smith
2004 Belinda Bowey
2003 Sally Rees, Rohenna Young
2002 Debbie Lee, Kerry Saunders
2001 Nicole Graves
2000 Lisa Hardeman
1999 Ann Rulton
1998 Julie Allen
1997 Dianne Vaux
1996 Bernadette Marantelli
1995 Coral White
1990 Jan Wilson, Janet Graham
1983 Helen Lambert

250 Games (as at end of 2011)[edit]

Debbie Lee (East Brunswick Scorpions/Sunshine YCW/St Albans Spurs)
Kerry Saunders (Darebin Falcons/St Kilda City)
Belinda Bowey (St Kilda Sharks/Keysborough)

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Olle, Sarah (8 November 2016). "AFL Women's: AFL Victoria releases control of local leagues, will create more football jobs". Fox Sports. Retrieved 23 March 2017.
  2. ^ Gliddon, Greg (14 June 2007). "McFerran to join the greats". Leader Community Newspapers. Melbourne. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 23 March 2017.
  3. ^ "Siren Sounds on VWFL - Victorian Women's Football League". SportsTG. 9 November 2016. Retrieved 23 March 2017.
  4. ^ Choahan, Neelima (26 February 2017). "Girls-only football teams on the rise after the launch of AFLW". The Age. Retrieved 23 March 2017.
  5. ^ "2017 Swisse VFL Women's Fixture - VFL - SportsTG". SportsTG. 12 January 2017. Retrieved 23 March 2017.
  6. ^ a b "Moana Hope". Precision Sports Entertainment Group. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  7. ^ Cavanagh, Chris (13 September 2015). "Darebin Falcons fly to eighth premiership in 10 years with victory over Diamond Creek in VWFL Premier Division grand final". Herald Sun. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  8. ^ Cavanagh, Chris (8 September 2014). "Darebin Falcons go back-to-back with victory over Diamond Creek in VWFL Premier Division grand final". Herald Sun. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  9. ^ Alanna (10 September 2013). "2013 VWFL Presentation night". Darebin Women's Sports Club. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  10. ^ "STEPHANIE 'RICHO' BROWN TO PLAY GAME 100 | St Kilda Sharks". stkildasharks.com. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  11. ^ Cavanagh, Chris (13 August 2013). "Darebin Falcons make for undefeated season with demolition of Diamond Creek in Victorian Women's Football League grand final". Herald Sun. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  12. ^ "2012 VWFL AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED - Victorian Womens Football League". GameDay. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  13. ^ "VWFL Grand Final: Darebin up the creek without a Premiership". www.footyalmanac.com.au. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  14. ^ "VWFL – Darebin's amazing run of 5 flags in a row comes to an end". www.footyalmanac.com.au. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  15. ^ O'Meara, Patrick (25 August 2010). "Clean sweep Darebin wins all three women's premierships". Northcote Leader. p. 30.
  16. ^ "Women's Footy: Darebin take VWFL flag". www.footyalmanac.com.au. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  17. ^ "Hope earns Darebin double billing". Herald Sun. 25 August 2008. p. 77.
  18. ^ "VWFL RESULTS - PREMIER SENIORS GRAND FINAL - Victorian Womens Football League". GameDay. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  19. ^ Johnson, Lyall. "Sweet indeed as Falcons' flag breaks drought". The Age. p. 11.
  20. ^ "VIC - AFLW National Championships". GameDay. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  21. ^ "Best Fairest - Victorian Womens Football League". GameDay. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  22. ^ "Leading Goal Kickers - Victorian Womens Football League". GameDay. Retrieved 15 June 2022.

External links[edit]