South Wimmera Football League
The South Wimmera Football League was the final name of an Australian rules football league based in the Wimmera area of Western Victoria.[1]
History
The league began as the Stawell & District Football Association in 1912 and was contested by clubs based in Stawell itself.[2] The first incarnation of the league was short-lived, only lasting until 1914 before entering recess due to WWI. The competition re-formed for two years in 1920 and 1921 before lapsing again until 1926. The SDFA was renamed to the South Wimmera Football League in 1929. Warriors won three premierships in a row from 1932 to 1934.[3] The SWFL entered recess in 1940 due to WWII.[4]
The league continued until the end of the 1969 season, all clubs apart from Marnoo moved to the Ararat & District Football Association. [5]
Clubs
Final clubs in 1969
| Club | Jumper | Nickname | Home Ground | Former League | Est. | Years in comp | SWFL Senior Premierships | Fate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | Years | ||||||||
| Glenorchy | Glenorchy Recreation Reserve, Glenorchy | DFL | 1913-1914, 1927-1969 | 4 | 1914, 1930, 1946, 1969 | Moved to Ararat & District FA in 1970 | |||
| Halls Gap |  |
Halls Gap Recreation Reserve, Halls Gap | – | 1952 | 1952-1969 | 3 | 1957, 1963, 1964 | Moved to Ararat & District FA in 1970 | |
| Marnoo |  |
Tigers | Marnoo Recreation Reserve, Marnoo | DFL | 1900s | 1927-1930, 1934-1938, 1946-1969 | 6 | 1935, 1937, 1953, 1956, 1966, 1967 | Moved to Lexton FL in 1970 |
| Swifts |  |
Baggies | North Park, Stawell | ET | 1914 | 1920-1969 | 9 | 1926, 1928, 1931, 1950, 1952, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1962 | Moved to Ararat & District FA in 1970 |
| Warriors |  |
Warriors | North Park, Stawell | ET | 1890s | 1920-1969 | 12 | 1932, 1933, 1934, 1939, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1954, 1955, 1961, 1965, 1968 | Moved to Ararat & District FA in 1970 |
Previous Clubs
| Club | Jumper | Nickname | Home Ground | Former League | Est. | Years in comp | SWFL Senior Premierships | Fate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | Years | ||||||||
| Fire Brigade | 1914 | 0 | - | Folded after 1914 season | |||||
| Great Western |  |
Demons | Great Western Public Park Reserve, Great Western | A&DJFA, A&DFA | 1880s | 1926-1927, 1950-1951 | 2 | 1927, 1951 | Moved to Ararat & District FA after 1927 and 1951 seasons |
| Illawarra | – | 1926-1928 | 0 | - | Folded after 1928 season | ||||
| Joel Rovers | WVFA, MCFA | 1890s | 1926-1930, 1933-1938 | 1 | 1929 | Played in Mountain Creek FA in 1932. Moved to Ararat & District FA in 1939 | |||
| Landsborough |  |
Burras | Landsborough Recreation Reserve, Landsborough | MCFA, LFL | 1935-1936, 1955-1956 | 0 | - | Moved to Ararat & District FA in 1937 and 1957 | |
| Minyip Juniors |  |
Blues | Minyip Recreation Reserve, Minyip | EBFA | 1880s | 1947-1950, 1957-1968 | 0 | - | Moved to Wimmera FL reserves in 1969 |
| Murtoa Juniors |  |
Magpies | Murtoa Recreation Reserve, Murtoa | EBFA | 1880s | 1949-1950, 1957-1968 | 0 | - | Moved to Wimmera FL reserves in 1969 |
| Nationals | FT | 1 | 1913 | Folded after 1921 season | |||||
| Navarre |  |
Grasshoppers | Navarre Recreation Reserve, Navarre | MCFA, KKFL | 1929-1930, 1944 | 0 | - | Returned to Mountain Creek FA in 1931. Moved to Lexton FL in 1946 | |
| North Western Woollen Mills | – | 1934-1936, 1944 | 1 | 1944 | Folded atfer 1944 season | ||||
| Pomonal | Orchardists, Apple-Eaters | Pomonal Cricket Ground, Pomonal | – | 1931-1934 | 0 | - | Folded after 1934 season | ||
| Railways | HT | 1912-1914 | 0 | - | Moved to Glenorchy FA in 1919 | ||||
| Rovers | – | 1912-1914 | 1 | 1912 | Folded after 1914 season | ||||
| Rupanyup |  |
Panthers | Rupanyup Recreation Reserve, Rupanyup | MWFL | 1880s | 1936-1939 | 1 | 1936 | Moved to Central Wimmera FL in 1940 |
| Rupanyup Juniors | |
Rovers | Rupanyup Recreation Reserve, Rupanyup | DFL | 1880s | 1946-1950, 1957-1968 | 0 | - | Moved to Wimmera FL reserves in 1969 |
| Stawell |  |
Redlegs | Central Reserve, Stawell | WFL | 1874 | 1944 | 0 | - | Moved back to Wimmera FL in 1946 |
| Stawell Imperials |
(?-1929) |
Lake Reserve, Stawell | – | 1927-1933 | 0 | - | Folded after 1933 season | ||
| Stawell Seconds | |
Redlegs | Central Reserve, Stawell | 1874 | 1954 | 0 | - | ? | |
Grand Finals
| Year | Premier | Score | Runner-up | Venue | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1912 | Rovers | ||||
| 1913 | Nationals | ||||
| 1914 | Glenorchy | Railways | Won on forfeit | ||
| 1915-1919: Recess due to WWI | |||||
| 1920 | ? | ||||
| 1921 | ? | ||||
| 1920-1925: No competition | |||||
| 1926 | Swifts | 3.15 (33) – 3.8 (26) | Joel Joel | ||
| 1927 | Great Western | 7.9 (51) – 3.15 (33) | Stawell Imperails | ||
| 1928 | Swifts | 5.17 (47) – 3.6 (24) | Glenorchy | Central Park, Stawell | |
| 1929 | District Rovers | 12.14 (86) – 6.5 (41) | Marnoo | Central Park, Stawell | |
| 1930 | Glenorchy | 8.13 (61) – 8.12 (60) | Swifts | Central Park, Stawell | |
| 1931 | Swifts | 7.14 (56) – 6.7 (43) | Warriors | ||
| 1932 | Warriors | 11.10 (76) – 10.8 (68) | Pomonal | ||
| 1933 | Warriors | 15.16 (106) – 9.10 (64) | Pomonal | Central Park, Stawell | Challenge final. Pomonal won the original "final". |
| 1934 | Warriors | 10.8 (68) – 10.6 (66) | Swifts | Central Park, Stawell | |
| 1935 | Marnoo | 11.15 (81) – 7.8 (50) | Joel Rovers | Central Park, Stawell | |
| 1936 | Rupanyup | 13.11 (89) –11.14 (80) | Marnoo | Central Park, Stawell | |
| 1937 | Marnoo | 15.12 (102) – 6.8 (44) | Rupanyup | Central Park, Stawell | |
| 1938 | No premier. Marnoo drew with Rupanyup 7.26 (68) – 9.14 (68) however due to the death of a player as a result of an injury sustained during the match the final was never replayed.[6] | Central Park, Stawell | |||
| 1939 | Warriors | 8.4 (52) – 7.9 (51) | Rupanyup | ||
| 1940-1943: Recess due to WWII | |||||
| 1944 | North Western | No grand final | |||
| 1945: Recess due to WWII | |||||
| 1946 | Glenorchy | 5.5 (35) – 4.7 (31) | Warriors | ||
| 1947 | Warriors | 9.9 (63) – 6.8 (44) | Swifts | Central Park, Stawell | |
| 1948 | Warriors | 12.24 (96) – 8.8 (56) | Marnoo | ||
| 1949 | Warriors | 6.11 (47) – 2.8 (20) | Murtoa Juniors | ||
| 1950 | Swifts | 12.16 (88) – 2.4 (16) | Marnoo | Minyip | |
| 1951 | Great Western | 9.12 (66) – 8.10 (58) | Swifts | ||
| 1952 | Swifts | 10.9 (69) – 8.6 (54) | Marnoo | ||
| 1953 | Marnoo | 10.13 (73) – 8.8 (56) | Warriors | Glenorchy | |
| 1954 | Warriors | 8.9 (57) – 7.9 (51) | Marnoo | Glenorchy | |
| 1955 | Warriors | 12.10 (82) – 6.12 (48) | Marnoo | ||
| 1956 | Marnoo | 13.9 (87) – 6.5 (41) | Swifts | ||
| 1957 | Halls Gap | 10.15 (75) – 7.7 (49) | Warriors | ||
| 1958 | Swifts | 7.10 (52) – 4.13 (37) | Minyip Juniors | ||
| 1959 | Swifts | 8.15 (63) – 9.8 (62) | Glenorchy | Marnoo | |
| 1960 | Swifts | 8.13 (61) – 4.11 (35) | Glenorchy | Marnoo | |
| 1961 | Warriors | 15.10 (100) – 8.18 (66) | Swifts | Central Park, Stawell | |
| 1962 | Swifts | 11.11 (77) – 9.9 (63) | Glenorchy | ||
| 1963 | Halls Gap | 6.13 (49) – 6.11 (47) | Warriors | ||
| 1964 | Halls Gap | 12.8 (80) – 11.12 (78) | Warriors | ||
| 1965 | Warriors | 20.20 (140) – 15.12 (102) | Marnoo | ||
| 1966 | Marnoo | 15.14 (104) – 14.17 (101) | Swifts | ||
| 1967 | Marnoo | 14.12 (96) – 6.11 (47) | Warriors | ||
| 1968 | Warriors | 11.17 (83) – 10.9 (69) | Murtoa Juniors | ||
| 1969 | Glenorchy | 11.13 (79) – 10.14 (74) | Warriors | ||
References
- ^ "Stawell And District Football Association / South Wimmera Football League (Vic)". footypedia.info. Retrieved 2025-06-17.
- ^ "FOOTBALL". Ballarat Courier. 1914-06-05. Retrieved 2025-06-27.
- ^ "South Wimmera Grand Final". Weekly Times. 1934-08-11. Retrieved 2025-06-27.
- ^ "South Wimmera In Recess". Weekly Times. 1940-04-20. Retrieved 2025-06-27.
- ^ "Home Page - Swifts - GameDay". GameDay. Retrieved 2025-06-17.
- ^ "South Wimmera Final". Age. 1938-09-14. Retrieved 2025-06-27.