Sport | Australian rules football |
---|---|
Founded | 1964 |
President | Darren Philps [1] |
No. of teams | 6 |
Country | Australia |
Most recent champion(s) | Millicent Football Club |
Most titles | South Gambier Football Club (12 premierships) |
Sponsor(s) | Bendigo Bank [2] |
Related competitions | SANFL |
The Limestone Coast Football Netball 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.
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.
In late 2023, it was announced that the league would be renamed to the Limestone Coast Football Netball League for the 2024 season. It was also announced that for the 2025 season, one club each from the Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara Football League and the Mid South Eastern Football League would transfer to the competition. [5]
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.
Colours | Club | Nickname | Years in comp | Premiers won | Premiership Years |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Casterton-Sandford | Cats | 1964– | 2 | 1969, 1 1990 1 | |
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 |
Colours | Club | Nickname | Years in comp | Premiers won | Premiership Years | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Coleraine | Maroons | 1964–94 | 1 | 1967 | Transferred to the South West District Football League in 1995 | |
Hamilton | Magpies | 1964–2012 | 4 | 1968, 1970, 1981, 2004 | Merged with Hamilton Imperials to form Hamilton Kangaroos in the Hampden Football League in 2013 | |
Hamilton Imperials | Bulldogs | 1964–2012 | 6 | 1977, 1978, 1980, 1993, 1995, 2001 | Merged with Hamilton to form Hamilton Kangaroos in 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 |
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 |
Mount Gambier is the second most populated city in South Australia, with an estimated urban population of 33,233 as of 2021. The city is located on the slopes of Mount Gambier, a volcano in the south east of the state, about 450 kilometres (280 mi) south-east of the capital Adelaide and just 17 kilometres (11 mi) from the Victorian border. The traditional owners of the area are the Bungandidj people. Mount Gambier is the most important settlement in the Limestone Coast region and the seat of government for both the City of Mount Gambier and the District Council of Grant.
Penola is a town in the Australian state of South Australia located about 388 kilometres (241 mi) southeast of the state capital of Adelaide in the wine growing area known as the Coonawarra. At the 2021 Australian Census, the town of Penola had a population of 1,376.
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The Kowree-Naracoorte-Tatiara Football League is an Australian rules football competition based in the Limestone Coast region of South Australia, Australia. It is an affiliated member of the South Australian National Football League. One unusual aspect of the league is that it includes clubs from both South Australia and Victoria. The 2018–21 league medalist was Darcy “Sauce” Boyanton.
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