Geelong & District Football Netball League
 | |
| Formerly | Multiple names
Geelong & District Football Association (1879–1918; 1939–1944) Geelong Junior Football Association (1922–1932) Geelong & District Football League (1919–1921; 1933–1938; 1945–2016) |
|---|---|
| Sport | Australian rules football Netball |
| Founded | 1879 |
| President | Neville Whitley |
| No. of teams | 12 |
| Country | Australia |
| Headquarters | Breakwater, Victoria, Australia |
| Confederation | AFL Barwon |
| Most recent champion | North Geelong (2025) |
| Most titles | Geelong West (26 premierships) |
| Sponsor | Morris |
| Related competitions | Geelong FNL Bellarine FNL |
| Official website | gdfnl.com.au |
The Geelong & District Football Netball League (GDFNL) is an Australian rules football and netball league in Victoria, being the oldest surviving competition in the region. It is one of three leagues in the Geelong area, the others being the Geelong FNL and the Bellarine FNL.
There are 12 teams competing in the GDFL, which has also produced over 600 VFL/AFL players.[1]
History
[edit]The league was formed in 1879 as the Geelong and District Football Association (GDFA). In 1919 it changed name to the GDFL, before changing to the Geelong Junior Football Association in 1922. It reverted to the GDFL name in 1933, then back to the GDFA in 1939, and back to the GDFL in 1945.[1] From 1922 until 1927, the league operated and administrated the Geelong Association Football Club, which competed in the Victorian Football Association.[2]
From 1946 onwards, the GDFL maintained a divisional system, with clubs in the First Division competing for the Evelyn Hurst Trophy, the Second Division for the Woolworth Cup, and the Third Division for the Jarman Cup.
In 1973 the GDFL had a restructure that insisted in having the senior club also provide a reserve grade side. This meant that senior clubs had to align with a junior club to survive. The Evelyn Hurst Trophy, the Woolworth Cup and the Jarman Cup titles were dropped for the more standard 1st and 2nd divisions. 1st division would have twelve clubs while 2nd division started with 8 and eventually grew to 11 clubs.
The league took the form it is today when 12 clubs broke away in 1979 to form the Geelong Football League. The city and country clubs of the old GDFL were divided into the major league competition of the GFL and the minor league GDFL. Many of the teams in the lower league wanted a system of promotion and relegation, which saw the movement of a couple of clubs.
The GDFL were left with 11 clubs but over the next couple of years it grew to fourteen. It was enough for the league add another division of competition. From 1984 until 1995 the league had two divisions that operated on a promotion/demotion system. From 1996 onwards, the league has reverted to a single division competition.[3]
Today the GDFL is opposed to the promotion-relegation system, with the Geelong Football League, Geelong & District Football League and Bellarine Football League forming a three-league, three-division football structure in the Geelong area. From 2002, the GDFL included netball teams, introducing A Grade, B Grade & C Grade senior teams, as well as U/17's, U/15's & U/13's netball.[4]
In 2009, the GDFL introduced a fourth senior netball section, D Grade, in which East Geelong and Werribee Centrals have each won three of the last six premierships.[when?]
Clubs
[edit]Locations
[edit]
Current clubs
[edit]| Club | Colours | Moniker | Home venue | Former
league |
Est. | Years in GDFNL | GDFNL premierships | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | Most recent | |||||||
| Anakie |  |
Roos | Anakie Reserve, Anakie | EC | c. 1897 | 1949- | 4 | 1994 |
| Bannockburn |  |
Tigers | Victoria Park, Bannockburn | EC | 1878 | 1953-1958, 1970- | 6 | 2022 |
| Bell Post Hill |  |
Panthers | Myers Reserve, Bell Post Hill | — | 1976 | 1977- | 7 | 2017 |
| Belmont Lions (St Bernards 1965-73, East Belmont 1974-97) |  |
Lions | Winter Reserve, Belmont | — | 1965 | 1965- | 1 | 2007 |
| Corio |  |
Devils | Shell Reserve, Corio | — | 1974 | 1974- | 1 | 1995 |
| East Geelong |  |
Eagles | Richmond Oval, East Geelong | — | 1879 | 1879-1978, 1981- | 24 | 2009 |
| Geelong West |  .svg) |
Giants | West Oval, Geelong West | — | 2017 | 2017- | 0 | — |
| Inverleigh |  |
Hawks | Inverleigh Recreation Reserve, Inverleigh | — | 1970 | 1954-1995, 2003 | 2 | 2023 |
| North Geelong |  |
Magpies | Osborne Park, North Geelong | — | 1876 | 1890-1978, 1983- | 22 | 2025 |
| Thomson |  |
Tigers | Thomson Recreation Reserve, Thomson | — | 1953 | 1957-1978, 1982-1983, 1985- | 11 | 2024 |
| Werribee Centrals |  |
Centurions | Galvin Park Reserve, Werribee | WSFL | 1969 | 1984- | 7 | 2004 |
| Winchelsea |  |
Blues | Eastern Reserve, Winchelsea | BFL | 1876 | 1921-1922, 2002- | 0 | — |
Former clubs
[edit]| Club | Colours | Moniker | Home venue | Former League | Est. | Years in competition | GDFNL premierships | Fate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | Most recent | ||||||||
| Anglesea |  |
Roos | Ellimatta Reserve, Anglesea | – | 1963 | 1963-1972 | 0 | - | Moved to Bellarine FNL after 1972 season |
| Bacchus Marsh | |
Tigers | Maddingley Park, Maddingley | BFL | 1881 | 1931-1932 | 0 | - | Moved to Bacchus Marsh & Melton FA in 1933 |
| Barrabool | – | 1919 | 0 | - | Moved to Leigh District FA in 1920 | ||||
| Barwon |  |
Bulldogs | Highton Recreation Reserve, Highton | – | 1856 | 1913-1978 | 3 | 1967 | Moved to Geelong FNL following 1978 season |
| Barwon Heads |  |
Seagulls | Howard Harmer Reserve, Barwon Heads | FCDFA | 1922 | 1947-1970 | 0 | - | Moved to Bellarine FNL after 1970 season |
| Barwon Rowing Club | GASFL | 1923-1925 | 0 | - | Folded | ||||
| Bell Park | .svg) |
Dragons | Hamlyn Park, Bell Park | – | 1958 | 1959-1978 | 2 | 1970 | Moved to Geelong FNL following 1978 season |
| Belmont |  |
Two Blues | McDonald Reserve, Belmont | GFA | 1874 | 1928-1929, 1945-1989 | 0 | - | Merged with Barwon in 1990 to form South Barwon |
| Belmont Amateurs | GFA | 1939 | 0 | - | Folded partway through 1939 season | ||||
| Chilwell |  |
Bombers | – | 1874 | 1879-1933 | 0 | - | Merged with Newtown in 1934 to form Newtown & Chilwell | |
| Colac Rovers | CFL | 1936-1938 | 0 | - | Moved to Colac & District FL in 1939 | ||||
| CYMS | – | 1946-1950 | 0 | - | Merged with YCW to form CYMS-YCW in 1951 | ||||
| CYMS-YCW | – | 1951 | 1951 | 0 | - | De-merged into CYMS and YCW in 1952 | |||
| Drysdale | |
Hawks | Drysdale Recreational Reserve, Drysdale | GSDFL | 1879 | 1940-1970 | 4 | 1970 | Moved to Bellarine FNL after 1970 season |
| Ford | 1926 | 1926, 1936-1938 | 0 | - | Folded | ||||
| Freshwater Creek |  |
Sparrows | GFA | 1939-1940, 1947-1961 | 2 | 1951 | Folded | ||
| Geelong Amateur |  |
Ammos, Pegasus | Queens Park, Highton | VAFA | 1926 | 1983-1994 | 2 | 1983 | Moved to Bellarine FNL after 1994 season |
| Geelong Guild Scouts | 1933-1934 | 0 | - | Moved to Geelong FA in 1935 | |||||
| Geelong High School Ex-Students | GFA | 1939 | 0 | - | Folded due to WWII | ||||
| Geelong West |  |
Roosters | West Oval, Geelong West | – | 1878 | 1879-1945 | 25 | 1945 | Moved to Ballarat FL following 1945 season |
| Geelong West SC |  |
Cheetahs | West Oval, Geelong West | GFNL | 1926 | 1939-1978, 1986-2016 | 5 | 1987 | Merged with Geelong West-St Peter's in 2017 to form Geelong West |
| Geelong West YCW | – | 1955-1958 | 0 | - | Folded | ||||
| Grovedale | |
Tigers | Burdoo Reserve, Grovedale | – | 1947 | 1946-1978 | 2 | 1977 | Moved to Geelong FNL following 1978 season |
| Herne Hill | – | 1947-1951 | 0 | - | Folded | ||||
| International Harvester Club | – | 1945 | 0 | - | Folded | ||||
| Lara |  |
Cats | Lara Recreation Reserve, Lara | WDFL | 1880 | 1907-1914, 1947-1988 | 4 | 1988 | Moved to Geelong FNL following 1988 season |
| Leopold |  |
Lions | Leopold Memorial Park, Leopold | – | 1955 | 1955-1964 | 0 | - | Moved to Polwarth FL after 1964 season |
| Lethbridge (Bannockburn-Lethbridge 1956-58) | Lethbridge Recreation Reserve, Lethbridge | EC | c.1890s | 1953-1962 | 0 | - | Folded | ||
| Little River | Little River Recreation Reserve, Little River | W&DFA | 1953-1966 | 0 | - | Folded | |||
| Marnock Vale | GFA | 1939 | 0 | - | Folded due to WWII | ||||
| Meredith |  |
Swans | Meredith Cricket & Recreation Reserve, Meredith | BBMFL | c.1890s | 1976-1980 | 0 | - | Folded |
| Military | Q&BDFA | 1923-1924, 1926-1927 | 0 | - | Returned to Queenscliff & Bellarine District FL in 1925, folded at an unknown date | ||||
| Modewarre |  |
Warriors | Mt Moriac Recreation Reserve, Mount Moriac | EC | 1879 | 1951-1995 | 8 | 1994 | Moved to Bellarine FNL after 1995 season |
| Newtown | |
Two Blues | Elderslie Reserve, Newtown | – | 1875 | 1879-1933 | 0 | - | Merged with Chilwell in 1934 to form Newtown & Chilwell |
| Newtown & Chilwell | |
Eagles | Elderslie Reserve, Newtown | – | 1933 | 1934-1978 | 6 | 1978 | Moved to Geelong FNL following 1978 season |
| Norlane | – | 1957-1963 | 0 | - | Folded | ||||
| North Shore |  |
Seagulls | Windsor Park, North Shore | GSDFL | 1927 | 1940-1978 | 3 | 1977 | Moved to Geelong FNL following 1978 season |
| Ocean Grove | .svg) |
Grubbers, Swans | Shell Road Reserve, Ocean Grove | – | 1964 | 1964-1968 | 0 | - | Moved to Polwarth FL after 1968 season |
| Portarlington |  |
Demons | Portarlington Recreation Reserve, Portarlington | GFA | 1874 | 1945-1963 | 4 | 1959 | Moved to Polwarth FL after 1963 season |
| Queenscliff |  |
Barracoutas | Queenscliff Recreation Reserve, Queenscliff | GSDFL | 1884 | 1945-1956 | 0 | - | Moved to Polwarth FL after 1956 season |
| Sea Scouts | GFA | 1946-1947 | 1 | 1946 | Folded | ||||
| St Albans | .svg) |
Supersaints | St Albans Reserve, Thomson | – | 1880 | 1897-1978 | 6 | 1972 | Moved to Geelong FNL following 1978 season |
| St. Augustines | GFA | c.1920s | 1939-1940 | 0 | - | Folded | |||
| St Joseph's |  |
Joeys | Herne Hill Reserve, Herne Hill | – | 1973 | 1973-1984 | 2 | 1984 | Moved to Geelong FNL following 1978 season |
| St Leonards |  |
Saints | St Leonards Lake Reserve, St Leonards | BFNL | 1985 | 1991-1995 | 0 | - | Folded |
| St Mary's | .svg) |
Saints | Kardinia Park West, South Geelong | – | 1953 | 1953-1978 | 8 | 1975 | Moved to Geelong FNL following 1978 season |
| St Peter's | |
Saints | Walker Oval, Herne Hill | – | c. 1950 | 1959-1978, 1980-1981 | 2 | 1981 | Moved to Geelong FNL following 1981 season |
| Stonehaven | |
Tigers | Stonehaven Recreation Reserve, Fyansford | EC | 1953–1969 | 0 | - | Merged with Inverleigh in 1970 to form Leigh Districts | |
| Torquay | |
Tigers | Spring Creek Reserve, Torquay | – | 1952 | 1952-1963 | 3 | 1962 | Moved to Polwarth FL after 1963 season |
| Werribee | WBMDFA | 1930, 1932-1936[5] | 0 | - | Moved to Werribee District FA after WWII | ||||
| Wyndhamvale |  |
Falcons | Wyndham Vale South Reserve, Wyndham Vale | – | 1979 | 1987-1988 | 0 | - | Moved to Western Region FL following 1988 season |
| YCW | – | 1946-1950 | 1 | 1948 | Merged with CYMS to form CYMS-YCW in 1951. Merged with St Mary's in 1952 when CYMS split from previous merger. | ||||
List of premiers
[edit]First single-division era (1879–1945)
[edit]Multi-division era (1946–1995)
[edit]Second single-division era (1996–present)
[edit]| Year | Premiers |
|---|---|
| 1996 | Thomson |
| 1997 | Bannockburn |
| 1998 | Bannockburn |
| 1999 | Werribee Centrals |
| 2000 | Werribee Centrals |
| 2001 | Werribee Centrals |
| 2002 | North Geelong |
| 2003 | Bannockburn |
| 2004 | Werribee Centrals |
| 2005 | Thomson |
| 2006 | Thomson |
| 2007 | Belmont Lions |
| 2008 | Thomson |
| 2009 | East Geelong |
| 2010 | Bell Post Hill |
| 2011 | Bell Post Hill |
| 2012 | Bell Post Hill |
| 2013 | North Geelong |
| 2014 | Bell Post Hill |
| 2015 | Bell Post Hill |
| 2016 | Bell Post Hill |
| 2017 | Bell Post Hill |
| 2018 | Thomson |
| 2019 | Bannockburn |
| 2020 | Season cancelled |
| 2021 | Season curtailed |
| 2022 | Bannockburn |
| 2023 | Inverleigh |
| 2024 | Thomson |
| 2025 | North Geelong |
Notes
[edit]- ^ From 1946 to 1972, the first division competition was known as the Evelyn Hurst Trophy.
- ^ From 1946 to 1972, the second division competition was known as the Woolworths Cup.
- ^ For the life of its existence (1948 to 1972), the third division competition was known as the Jarman Cup.
- ^ For the life of its existence (1963 to 1964), the fourth division competition was known as the Bancroft Cup.
References
[edit]- ^ a b Fanning, Noel (9 April 2008). "Geelong and District Football League boasts a long list of superstars". Geelong Advertiser. www.geelongadvertiser.com.au. Retrieved 10 November 2008.
- ^ J.W. (3 December 1921). "Football – turning the tables". The Australasian. Vol. CXI, no. 2905. Melbourne, VIC.
- ^ Geelong & District Football League at Footypedia
- ^ McLure, Daryl (24 May 2008). "Kick to kick". Geelong Advertiser. Archived from the original on 26 February 2012. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
- ^ "1929 - Football". Werribee Shire Banner (Vic. : 1911 - 1952). 31 January 1929. p. 5. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
External links
[edit]- Official Twitter
- SportsTG website
- GDFL Archived 25 May 2019 at the Wayback Machine on AFL Barwon
- GDFL Netball