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South West Football League

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South West Football League
Established 1957 (Bunbury/Collie league 1953)
Teams 11
2023 premiers Busselton Magpies
Most premierships 15 South Bunbury
website www.swfl.com.au

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

History

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The idea of creating a 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 agreed 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 improved greatly.

The trial was deemed so successful that it kicked off a series of consolidations 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.
  • 2022 Dunsborough Sharks women's, colts and reserves team commence playing
  • 2023 Dunsborough Sharks league team commence playing

Expansion

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In 1993 a proposed submission from the new Harvey Football Club was rejected because the SWFL believed10 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.

During January 2021, the Dunsborough Sharks, who field juniors teams in the South West put in an application to field a colts side ahead of the 2021 season. This was rejected. Post the 2021 season the Dunsborough Sharks put in an application for a Reserves, Colts and Women's team for the 2022 season. These applications were accepted with a 7–3 vote, allowing the Sharks to field a league team for the 2023 season.

Clubs

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Current clubs

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Colours Club Nickname Location Home ground First season in league Premierships
Augusta Margaret River Football Club
Hawks
Margaret River, Western Australia
Gloucester Park
1966 5
Bunbury Football Club
formerly known as Bunbury Railways
Bulldogs
Bunbury, Western Australia
PC Payne Park
1953 9
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
Sharks
Dunsborough, Western Australia
Dunsborough Playing Fields
2022 0
Dons
Donnybrook, Western Australia
VC Mitchell Park
1953 5
Eaton 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 Bulls 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
Tigers
South Bunbury, Western Australia 1953 15

Previous

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Colours Club Joined league Left league Fate
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

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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)
Bunbury 1956, 1958, 1961, 1962, 1970, 1982, 1983, 2001, 2017, 2020 9 (+1 B/C league)
Harvey-Brunswick-Leschenault 1960, 1974, 1975, 1990, 1991, 1992, 2007, 2010, 2019 9
Carey Park 1963, 1973, 1986, 2003, 2006, 2008, 2009 7
Busselton 1964, 1967, 1978, 1996, 2012, 2015, 2023 7
Donnybrook 1977, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2018 5
Mines Rovers 1965, 1969, 1979, 1997 4
Augusta Margaret River 1994, 1995, 2011, 2021, 2022 5
Collie Saints 1972, 1987 2
Collie Eagles 2004, 2005 2
Eaton Boomers 2013, 2014 2
Harvey Bulls 0
Dunsborough 0

Grand Finals 2009–23

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Year Premier Score Runner up Score Pike Medalist Field Umpires
2009 Carey Park 8.7(55) South Bunbury 4.9 (33) Scott Roche (CP) Anthony Raudino, Mike Hearne, Kane Whittaker
2010 Harvey Brunswick Leschanult 9.11 (65) South Bunbury 6.11(47) Daniel Houghton (HBL) Anthony Raudino, Mike Hearne, Kane Whittaker
2011 Augusta Margaret River 13.11 (89) South Bunbury 9.7(61) Cody Miller (AMR) Mike Hearne, Kane Whittaker, Cam Edmonds (EMG Jodi Maisley)
2012 Busselton 9.14 (68) (Draw), 11.8 (74)(Replay) Collie Eagles 10.8 (68) (Draw) 5.9 (39) (Replay) Dan McGinlay (BSN), Louis Davies (BSN) Paul Matthews, Peter Franklin, Anthony Raudino (Draw), Scott Jones (EMG Draw, Main Replay), (EMG Replay Matt Carpenter)
2013 Eaton Boomers 9.13 (67) Collie Eagles 6.7 (43) Gino Catalano/]osh Bowe/Michael Battaglia (EB) Paul Matthews, Scott Jones, Matt Carpenter (EMG Aaron Andrews)
2014 Eaton Boomers 10.9 (69) South Bunbury 5.8 (38) Chris Atthowe (EB) Aaron Andrews, Scott Jones, Glen Omodei (EMG Peter Franklin)
2015 Busselton 15.13 (103) Carey Park 7.16 (58) Brent Hall (BSN) Adam Hauswirth, Glen Omodei, Kevin Hutchins (EMG Bernie Stokes)
2016 South Bunbury 12.14 (86) Collie Eagles 4.7 (31) Dylan Harper (SB) Adam Hauswirth, Aaron Andrews, Zak Shurko (EMG Matt Stewart)
2017 Bunbury 10.8 (68) Harvey Brunswick Leschanult 2.6 (18) Aidan Clarke (BB) Adam Hauswirth, Aaron Andrews, Shane Miller (EMG Kevin Hutchins)
2018 Donnybrook 16.16 (112) Bunbury 11.7 (74) Brett Eades (DBK) Mike Hearne, Aaron Andrews, Kevin Hutchins (EMG Darren Browne)
2019 Harvey Brunswick Leschanult 9.11 (65) Eaton Boomers 4.12 (36) Jack Fletcher (HBL) Greg Rolfe, Matt Carpenter, Damien O'Donoghue (EMG Kevin Hutchins)
2020 Bunbury Bulldogs 11.8 (74) Busselton Magpies 10.9 (69) Jesse Gribble (BB) Greg Rolfe, Aaron Andrews, Scott Jones (EMG Paul Davey)
2021 Augusta Margaret River 10.6 (66) Busselton Magpies 3.8 (26) Simon Moore (AMR) Scott Jones, Greg Rolfe, Mike Hearne (EMG Cam Edmonds)
2022 Augusta Margaret River 5.7 (37) South Bunbury 4.9 (33) Jace Cormack (SB)
2023 Busselton 8.13 (61) Carey Park 8.10 (58) Cooper Sparks (CP)

Notable players

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References

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  1. ^ "Country Football Affiliated Leagues". West Australian Football Commission. Archived from the original on 8 June 2009. Retrieved 12 May 2009.
  2. ^ "Football". Blackwood Times. 10 August 1951.
  3. ^ "Bunbury Discussion". Blackwood Times. 1952 – via Trove.
  4. ^ "About the league". South West Football League. Retrieved 12 May 2009.