South West Football League

The South West Football League is an Australian rules football league based in the south-west of Western Australia. The league is affiliated to the West Australian Country Football League.[1]

South West Football League
Established1957 (Bunbury/Collie league 1953)
Teams10
2019 premiersHarvey Brunswick Leschanult
Most premierships15 South Bunbury
websitewww.swfl.com.au

History

The idea of creating larger league was discussed early in 1951.[2] The idea that three clubs from the Collie Football Association and the three clubs from the Bunbury Football association would invigorate public interest in the South West region on the state. Talks continued into 1952 and it was finally agree to trial a competition with all the two associations clubs for a two-year period. The associations administrations would remain separate. Sensing opportunity, Donnybrook left their local competition to become the seventh club.[3]

In 1953 the Bunbury-Collie League was founded with seven teams. South Bunbury, Bunbury Railways, Bunbury Pastimes, Mines Rovers,Collie Railways,Centrals and Donnybrook. The public response was evident, interest was up, attendances to games were up and the general standard of play was an obvious improvement.

The trail was deed so successful that it kicked off a series of consolidation of smaller leagues within the state of Western Australia.

  • 1954 Eastern and Western Districts Busselton commenced from Busselton FA.
  • 1955 Eastern and Western Districts Busselton amalgamated to become Busselton
  • 1956 Harvey Brunswick admitted, Bunbury Pastimes becomes Carey Park
  • 1957, the league changed names to the South West National Football League.
  • 1959 Boyanup-Capel-Dardanup joins
  • 1961 Collie Railways and centrals amalgamate to become Collie
  • 1966 Augusta-Margaret River joins
  • 1990 Harvey Brunswick become Harvey Brunswick Leschenault
  • 1991 the name changed again, to the current South West Football League
  • 2000 Boyanup-Capel-Dardanup relocates to Eaton and changes name to Eaton Boomers.
  • 2001 Collie and Mines Rovers amalgamated to become Collie Eagles[4]
  • 2009 Harvey Bulls commence, transferred from Peel Football League.

Expansion

In 1993 a proposed submission from the new Harvey Football Club was rejected because the SWFL thought 10 teams was a sufficient number. Harvey then put in a successful submission into the Peel Football League where they played their first season in 1994.

The start of the 2009 season saw the introduction of the Harvey Bulls, who made the move over from the expanding Peel Football League. This was different from their bid in 1993, as they had nowhere else to go. The SWFL were also looking for a tenth team (after the merger of Collie and Mines) to get rid of the dreaded bye and extended season. Harvey left the PFL because of the rumour of Perth teams entering the PFL for 2009 so therefore increasing travel commitments. This idea fell through but Harvey still joined the SWFL after an 8–1 vote by the SWFL clubs, with HBL the only club opposing the idea.

Clubs

Current clubs

Colours Club Nickname Location Home ground First season in league Premierships
  
Augusta Margaret River Football Club
Hawks
Margaret River, Western Australia
Gloucester Park
1966 3
  
Bunbury Football Club
formerly known as Bunbury Railways
Bulldogs
Bunbury, Western Australia
PC Payne Park
1953 8
  
Busselton Football Club
Formed from a merger of East Busselton and West Busselton
Magpies
Busselton, Western Australia
Sir Stuart Bovell Park
1955 6
  
Carey Park Football Club
Formed in 1914; formerly known as Pastimes
Panthers
Bunbury, Western Australia
Kelly Park
1953 7
   
Collie Eagles Football Club
formed in 2002 from a merger of the Collie Saints and Mines Rovers
Eagles
Collie, Western Australia
Collie Recreation Ground
2002 2
  
Donnybrook Football Club
Dons
Donnybrook, Western Australia
VC Mitchell Park
1953 5
   
Eaton Boomers Football Club
formerly known as Boyanup Capel and as Boyanup Capel Dardanup
Boomers
formerly known as the Cardinals
Eaton, Western Australia
formerly played in Boyanup, Western Australia
Glen Huon Oval
formerly Boyanup Oval
1959 2
   
Harvey Football Club
Bulls
Harvey, Western Australia
Harvey Recreation Ground
2009 0
  
Harvey Brunswick Leschenault Football Club
formerly known as Harvey Brunswick
Lions
Brunswick Junction, Western Australia
Brunswick Oval
1956 9
  
South Bunbury Football Club
Tigers
South Bunbury, Western Australia
Hands Oval
1953 15

Previous

Club Joined league Left league Notes
Collie Railways 1953 1961 Merged with Collie Centrals to become Collie Saints, no premierships
Collie Centrals 1953 1961 Merged with Collie Railways to become Collie Saints, no premierships
Mines Rovers 1953 2002 Merged with Collie Saints to become the Collie Eagles, 4 league premierships
Collie Saints 1962 2002 Merged with Mines Rovers to become Collie Eagles, 2 premierships

Premierships

League
Club Years won Total
South Bunbury 1953 ,1954 , 1955, 1957, 1959, 1966, 1968, 1971, 1976, 1980, 1981, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1993, 2002, 2016 15 (+3 B/C league)
Harvey-Brunswick-Leschenault 1960, 1974, 1975, 1990, 1991, 1992, 2007, 2010, 2019 9
Bunbury 1956, 1958, 1961, 1962, 1970, 1982, 1983, 2001, 2017 8 (+1 B/C league)
Carey Park 1963, 1973, 1986, 2003, 2006, 2008, 2009 7
Busselton 1964, 1967, 1978, 1996, 2012, 2015 6
Mines Rovers 1965, 1969, 1979, 1997 4
Donnybrook 1977, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2018 5
Collie Saints 1972, 1987 2
Augusta Margaret River 1994, 1995, 2011 3
Collie Eagles 2004, 2005 2
Eaton Boomers 2013, 2014 2

Grand Finals 2009-19

Year Premier Score Runner up Score Pike Medalist Field Umpires
2009 Carey Park8.7(55)South Bunbury4.9 (33)Scott Roche (CP)Anthony Raudino, Mike Hearne, Kane Whittaker
2010 Harvey Brunswick Leschanult9.11 (65)South Bunbury6.11(47)Daniel Houghton (HBL)Anthony Raudino, Mike Hearne, Kane Whittaker
2011 Augusta Margaret River13.11 (89)South Bunbury9.7(61)Cody Miller (AMR)Mike Hearne, Kane Whittaker, Cam Edmonds (EMG Jodi Maisley)
2012 Busselton9.14 (68) (Draw), 11.8 (74)(Replay)Collie Eagles10.8 (68) (Draw) 5.9 (39) (Replay)Dan McGinlay (BM), Louis Davies (BM)Paul Matthews, Peter Franklin, Anthony Raudino (Draw), Scott Jones (EMG Draw, Main Replay), (EMG Replay Matt Carpenter)
2013 Eaton Boomers9.13 (67)Collie Eagles6.7 (43)Gino Catalano/]osh Bowe/Michael Battaglia (EB)Paul Matthews, Scott Jones, Matt Carpenter (EMG Aaron Andrews)
2014Eaton Boomers10.9 (69)South Bunbury5.8 (38)Chris Atthowe (EB)Aaron Andrews, Scott Jones, Glen Omodei (EMG Peter Franklin)
2015Busselton15.13 (103)Carey Park7.16 (58)Brent Hall (BM)Adam Hauswirth, Glen Omodei, Kevin Hutchins (EMG Bernie Stokes)
2016South Bunbury12.14 (86)Collie Eagles4.7 (31)Dylan Harper (SB)Adam Hauswirth, Aaron Andrews, Zak Shurko (EMG Matt Stewart)
2017Bunbury10.8 (68)Harvey Brunswick Leschanult2.6 (18)Aidan Clarke (BB)Adam Hauswirth, Aaron Andrews, Shane Miller (EMG Kevin Hutchins)
2018Donnybrook16.16 (112)Bunbury11.7 (74)Brett Eades (DD)Mike Hearne, Aaron Andrews, Kevin Hutchins (EMG Darren Browne)
2019Harvey Brunswick Leschanult9.11 (65)Eaton Boomers4.12 (36)Jack Fletcher (HBL)Greg Rolfe, Matt Carpenter, Damien O'Donoghue (EMG Kevin Hutchins)

Notable players

References

Further reading

  • A Way of Life - The Story of country football in Western Australia - Alan East
  • WA footy forum
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