Horsham District Football League

The Horsham District Football League is an amateur Australian rules football league based in the Wimmera area of Western Victoria.

Horsham District Football League

Sport	Australian rules football
Founded	1935; 90 years ago (1935)
No. of teams	11
Country	Australia
Most recent champion(s)	Seniors: Harrow Balmoral (2024) Reserves: Laharum (2024)
Official website	www.playhq.com/afl/org/horsham-district-football-netball-league/708fa229

History

The league in its present form was created in 1946. Prior to World War 2 a number of local leagues existed around Horsham, shrinking to one in 1934. The clubs that played in the previous incarnation in 1934 were Green Park (which won the premiership), CYMS, Quantong, Adelphians, Church of England, Longerenong and Pimpinio Seconds. The clubs that played in 1946 were Kalkee (which won the premiership), Horsham Homers, Wonwondah, Jung, Wail, Laharum, RSL, Longerenong College, Taylors Lake and YCW.

In 1982 the league expanded after the West Wimmera Football League disbanded and five clubs joined: Goroke, Noradjuha, Douglas-Harrow-Miga Lake, Gerang - Kiata, and Netherby-Lorquon. This brought the total to sixteen clubs. Since then all of these West Wimmera clubs have gone into recess, and Imperials-Wonwondah moved to the Wimmera Football League in 1983.

In 1986 netball was introduced with Kalkee winning the first eight A grade premierships.^[1] Under 16 football commenced in 1998 with the demise of the Horsham District Junior Football League which included clubs from the HDFL and WFL. Under 13s was included the next year but the grades changed to under 17 in 2006 and under 14 in 2007.^[2]

In 2000, after the folding of the Ararat & District Football Association, Stawell Swifts and Great Western joined the competition.

Edenhope-Apsley joined from the Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara Football League in 2007. Natimuk and Horsham Diggers (Wimmera Football League) voted on a merger for 2014 season and beyond under the banner of Natimuk United Football Netball Club. The club wore the Natimuk jumper for home games and Horsham Diggers jumper for away games. They kept scheduling a match on Anzac Day.^[3][4]

Swifts were premiers in 2014 after defeating the previously undefeated Laharum in the grand final.^[5]

Laharum defeated Kalkee in the 2015 grand final.^[5]

Jeparit-Rainbow transferred from the Mallee Football League for the 2015 season. This caused the Mallee League to fold at the end of the 2015 season.

Consequently, Hopetoun and Beulah merged to form the Southern Mallee Giants and transferred to the Horsham & District League in 2016. They dominated the competition for two seasons without losing a game before transferring to the Wimmera Football League.

The league did not play any games in 2020 due to Victorian restrictions for the COVID-19 pandemic. Kaniva-Leeor United joined the Horsham & District League in 2020 from the Kowree-Naracoorte-Tatiara League, as state border restrictions made it difficult for Kaniva, a Victorian club, to play in the South Australian league. Some of the season was played in 2021; however, there were no finals due to lockdowns in August.

Jeparit Rainbow left the league at the end of 2023 after merging with the Southern Mallee Giants in the Wimmera Football Netball League, leaving the Horsham & District League with 11 clubs.

Clubs

Locations

14km
8.7miles

Taylors Lake

Stawell

Rupanyup

Pimpinio

Noradjuha-Quantong

Natimuk United

Laharum

Kaniva Leeor United

Kalkee

Harrow Balmoral (Balmoral)

Harrow Balmoral (Harrow)

Edenhope-Apsley

   

Locations of the 2025 Horsham & District FL clubs. The orange pogs represent Harrow Balmoral FNC, which has multiple home grounds in Harrow and Balmoral.

Current

Club	Colours	Nickname	Home Ground	Former League	Est.	Years in comp	HDFNL Senior Premierships
							Total	Years
Edenhope-Apsley		Saints	Edenhope Showgrounds, Edenhope	KNTFL	1999	2007–	0	-
Harrow Balmoral		Kangaroos	Harrow & District Recreation Reserve, Harrow and Balmoral Recreation Reserve, Balmoral	–	1997	1997–	8	1999, 2002, 2004, 2007, 2018, 2019, 2023, 2024
Kalkee		Kees	Kalkee Recreation Reserve, Kalkee	CWFL	1890	1945–1948, 1954–1958, 1960–	15	1946, 1947, 1948, 1974, 1978, 1979, 1982, 1983, 1989, 2000, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
Kaniva Leeor United		Cougars	Kaniva Recreation Reserve, Kaniva	KNTFL	1996	2020–	0	-
Laharum		Demons, Mountain Men	Cameron Oval, Laharum	CWFL	1923	1936–	10	1938, 1958, 1959, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1987, 1995, 2013, 2015
Natimuk United		Rams	Natimuk Showgrounds, Natimuk	–	2014	2014–	0	-
Noradjuha-Quantong		Bombers	Quantong Recreation Reserve, Quantong	–	1997	1997–	0	-
Pimpinio		Tigers	Pimpinio Sporting Complex, Pimpinio	CWFL	1909	1968–	2	2005, 2006
Rupanyup		Panthers	Rupanyup Recreation Reserve, Rupanyup	WFNL	1870s	1981–	8	1985, 1986, 1990, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2022
Swifts		Baggies	North Park, Stawell	ADFA	1913	2000–	2	2003, 2014
Taylors Lake		Lakers	Dock Lake Recreation Reserve, Drung	–	1946	1946–	1	1952

Past Clubs

Club	Colours	Nickname	Home Ground	Former League	Est.	Years in comp	HDFNL Senior Premierships		Fate
							Total	Years
Adelphians				HJFA	c.1930s	1936	0	-	Folded
Ararat Eagles		Eagles	Alexandra Oval, Ararat	–	2000	2000	0	-	Moved to Lexton Plains FL in 2001
Armoured Car				–	1939	1939	0	-	Folded when HDFL went into recess during WWII
Cannum			Cannum Recreation Ground, Cannum	LSFA	c.1880s	1969–1970	0	-	Folded in 1971
Dimboola Seconds		Roos	Dimboola Recreation Reserve, Dimboola	DDFA	1880s	1936-1937	1	1937	Moved to Wimmera FL in 1938
Douglas-Harrow-Miga Lake		Cats	Harrow Recreation Reserve, Harrow and Wombelano Recreation Reserve Wombelano	WWFL	1970	1982–1996	0	-	Merged with Balmoral in 1997 to form Harrow Balmoral
Gerang-Kiata	(1982-90s) (Late 90s)	Highway Men	Kiata Recreation Reserve, Kiata	WWFL	1962	1982–1999	0	-	Folded in 2000
Goroke		Magpies	Goroke Recreation Reserve, Goroke	WWFL	c.1890s	1982–1998	0	-	Folded in 1999 and absorbed by Border Districts in Kowree-Naracoorte-Tatiara FL
Great Western		Lions	Great Western Recreation Reserve, Great Western	ADFA	1880s	2000–2010	0	-	Recess in 2011, re-formed in Mininera & District FL in 2012
Green Park				HJFA	c.1890s	1936-1938	1	1936	Folded
Haven			Haven Recreation Reserve, Haven	HJFA	c.1920s	1939, 1948–1955	1	1939	Folded in 1956
Homers (North Horsham in 1998)		Pigeons	Oatlands Park, Horsham	–	1945	1945–1998	2	1965, 1992	Folded in 1999
Horsham RSL		Diggers		–	1945	1946–1961	0	-	Folded in 1962
Horsham Imperials		Tigers	Horsham City Oval, Horsham	–	c.1890s	1962–1975	1	1966	Merged with Wonwondah in 1976 to form Imperials-Wonwondah
Horsham YCW				–	1945	1945-1946	0	-	Folded
Imperials–Wonwondah		Diggers	Horsham City Oval, Horsham	–	1976	1976–1982	1	1980	Moved to Wimmera FL in 1983 as Horsham United
Jeparit Rainbow		Storm	Sir Robert Menzies Park, Jeparit and Rainbow Recreation Reserve, Rainbow	MFL	1996	2015–2023	0	-	Merged with Southern Mallee Giants to form Southern Mallee Thunder in the Wimmera FL in 2024
Jung			Jung Recreation Reserve, Jung	–	c.1890s	1946–1973	2	1954, 1968	Folded in 1974
Longerenong College		The College	Longerenong College, Longerenong	HJFA	c.1900s	1945–1986	4	1951, 1967, 1970, 1971	Folded in 1987
Murtoa Seconds		Magpies	Murtoa Recreation Reserve, Murtoa	DFL	1880s	1938, 1948	1	1938	Moved to Central Wimmera FL in 1939, returned to South Wimmera FL in 1949
Natimuk		Rams	Natimuk Showgrounds, Natimuk	WWFL	c.1900s	1973–2014	1	1975	Merged with Horsham United in 2014 to form Natimuk United
Netherby-Lorquon		Saints	Netherby Memorial Park, Netherby	WWFL	1962	1982	0	-	Folded in 1983
Noradjuha		Grass Parrots	Noradjuha Recreation Reserve, Noradjuha	WWFL	c.1900s	1982–1996	1	1984	Merged with Quantong in 1997 to form Noradjuha-Quantong
Quantong		Bombers	Quantong Recreation Reserve, Quantong	CWFL	c.1910s	1950–1996	10	1955, 1956, 1960, 1961, 1972, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1993, 1994	Merged with Noradjuha in 1997 to form Noradjuha-Quantong
Southern Mallee Giants		Giants	Beulah Memorial Park, Beulah and Hopetoun Recreation Reserve, Hopetoun	–	2016	2016–2017	2	2016, 2017	Moved to Wimmera FL in 2018
St Michael's		Saints	Coughlin Park, Horsham	–	1945	1945–1954, 1957–1962, 1967–1992	5	1950, 1969, 1981, 1988, 1991	Known as YCW in 1945–1946. Moved to Wimmera FL in 1993, now known as Horsham Saints
Wail				DDFA	c.1920s	1945–1948	1	1945	Folded in 1949
Wonwondah		Magpies	Wonwondah Recreation Reserve, Wonwondah	CWFL	c.1920s	1946–1975	3	1949, 1953, 1957	Merged with Horsham Imperials in 1976 to form Imperials-Wonwondah

Senior Football Premiership Winners

• 1936 Green Park
• 1937 Dimboola Seconds
• 1938 Laharum
• 1939 Haven
• 1945 Wail
• 1946 Kalkee
• 1947 Kalkee
• 1948 Kalkee
• 1949 Wonwondah
• 1950 St Michaels
• 1951 Longerenong
• 1952 Taylors Lake
• 1953 Wonwondah
• 1954 Jung
• 1955 Quantong
• 1956 Quantong
• 1957 Wonwondah
• 1958 Laharum
• 1959 Laharum
• 1960 Quantong
• 1961 Quantong
• 1962 Laharum
• 1963 Laharum
• 1964 Laharum
• 1965 Homers
• 1966 Imperials
• 1967 Longerenong
• 1968 Jung
• 1969 St Michaels
• 1970 Longerenong
• 1971 Longerenong
• 1972 Quantong
• 1973 Quantong
• 1974 Kalkee
• 1975 Natimuk
• 1976 Quantong
• 1977 Quantong
• 1978 Kalkee
• 1979 Kalkee
• 1980 Imperials-Wonwondah
• 1981 St Michaels
• 1982 Kalkee
• 1983 Kalkee
• 1984 Noradjuha
• 1985 Rupanyup
• 1986 Rupanyup
• 1987 Laharum
• 1988 St Michaels
• 1989 Kalkee
• 1990 Rupanyup
• 1991 St Michaels
• 1992 Homers
• 1993 Quantong
• 1994 Quantong
• 1995 Laharum
• 1996 Rupanyup
• 1997 Rupanyup
• 1998 Rupanyup
• 1999 Harrow Balmoral
• 2000 Kalkee
• 2001 Rupanyup
• 2002 Harrow Balmoral
• 2003 Swifts
• 2004 Harrow Balmoral
• 2005 Pimpinio
• 2006 Pimpinio
• 2007 Harrow Balmoral
• 2008 Kalkee
• 2009 Kalkee
• 2010 Kalkee
• 2011 Kalkee
• 2012 Kalkee
• 2013 Laharum
• 2014 Swifts
• 2015 Laharum
• 2016 Southern Mallee Giants
• 2017 Southern Mallee Giants
• 2018 Harrow Balmoral
• 2019 Harrow Balmoral
• 2020 League in recess due to COVID-19 pandemic
• 2021 Finals cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
• 2022 Rupanyup
• 2023 Harrow Balmoral
• 2024 Harrow Balmoral

League Awards

Year	League Best & Fairest	Club
1950	David Lear	Longerenong College
1951	Tich Thompson	Horsham RSL
	Bill Smith	Homers
1952	Tich Thompson	Horsham RSL
1953	Perc  Eagles	Haven
1954	Ken Overall	Quantong
1955	Don Matthews	Wonwondah
1956	Jim Bearham	Longerenong College
1957	Jim Bearham	Longerenong College
1958	Ross Minchen	Longerenong College
1959	Royce Dickson	Wonwondah
	Brian Dunn	Laharum
1960	Richard Reid	Longerenong College
1961	Gary Epstein	Kalkee
1962	Pat Irwin	Quantong
1963	Mal Florence	Longerenong College
1964	Bruce Martin	Homers
1965	Stewart Bennett	Longerenong College
1966	Bruce Martin	Homers
1967	Rod Morrish	Longerenong College
1968	Bruce Martin	Homers
1969	Bob Dowdell	Laharum
1970	Laurie Bodey	Imperials
1971	Kevin Smith	Natimuk
1972	Phil Morley	Longerenong College
1973	Franz Tursi	Longerenong College
1974	Graeme Wood	Quantong
1975	Steve Arnott	Quantong
1976	Larry Lawless	St Michaels
1977	Ron Ward	Laharum
1978	Bruce Carr	Kalkee
1979	Bruce Carr	Kalkee
1980	Bruce Carr	Kalkee
1981	Jack Schmidt	Natimuk
1982	Ian Kyte	Pimpinio
1983	Craig Kimberley	Taylors Lake
1984	Stephen Hobbs	Noradjuha
1985	Chris Buwalda	St Michaels
1986	Paul Block	Goroke
1987	Les Wills	DHML
1988	Chris Buwalda	St Michaels
1989	Tony Lloyd	Goroke
1990	Craig Evans	Rupanyup
1991	Stephen Hobbs	Noradjuha
1992	Trevor Whitworth	Goroke
	Mark O'Beirne	St Michaels
1993	Stephen Hobbs	Noradjuha
1994	Craig Evans	Rupanyup
1995	John Kelly	Taylors Lake
1996	Wayne Schmidt	Natimuk
	Paul Brooks	Rupanyup
1997	Troy O'Callaghan	Harrow Balmoral
1998	Paul Brooks	Rupanyup
1999	Stewart Dalziel	Laharum
	Scott Batchelor	Kalkee
2000	Scott Batchelor	Kalkee
2001	Scott Batchelor	Kalkee
	Wayne Schmidt	Natimuk
2002	Marcus Anson	Noradjuha/Quantong
	Scott Bachelor	Kalkee
	Jarrod Wood	Rupanyup
2003	Chris White	Harrow Balmoral
2004	Tim Webb	Rupanyup
2005	Tim Webb	Rupanyup
2006	Dale Hurley	Great Western
2007	Matthew Ward	Harrow Balmoral
2008	Steve Schultz	Kalkee
2009	Steve Schultz	Kalkee
2010	Steve Schultz	Kalkee
2011	Tim Wade	Kalkee
2012	Ricky Whitehead	Swifts
2013	Brent Christie	Edenhope Apsley
	Brent Forsyth	Harrow Balmoral
2014	Deek Roberts	Taylors Lake
	Brent Christie	Edenhope Apsley
2015	Deek Roberts	Taylors Lake
2016	Shannon Argall	Laharum
2017	Scott Carey	Swifts
2018	Nick Pekin	Harrow Balmoral
2019	Nick Pekin	Harrow Balmoral
	Lachlan Middleton	Edenhope Apsley
	Jak Ryan	Edenhope Apsley
2021	Scott Carey	Swifts
2022	Scott Carey	Swifts
2023	Mitchell Gleeson	Rupanyup
2024	Jai Thompson	Harrow Balmoral

Records

Records

Record	Holder
Highest Score	356 – Homers 56.20.356 (v Gerang-Kiata 1.0.6) – 17 August 1991
Most goals in a game	25 goals Kevin Smith Homers v College – 1965
Most goals in a season	170 – Geoff Parish – Homers – 1992, Paul Morgan – Rupanyup – 1998
Most flags in a row	5 – Kalkee – 2008–2012
Most wins in a row	45 – Kalkee – 2008–2010
Most losses in a row	46 – Natimuk – 1999–2002

Notable players

Edenhope-Apsley

• Tom McDonald
• Oscar McDonald

Harrow Balmoral

• Tim Houlihan
• Michael Close

Jung

• Mike Delahunty

Kalkee

• Shayne Breuer
• Tanner Smith

Longerenong College

• John Gill

Homers

• Shane Heard

Horsham Imperials

• Bryan Pirouet

2014 Ladder

Horsham DFL	Wins	Byes	Losses	Draws	For	Against	%	Pts		Final	Team	G	B	Pts	Team	G	B	Pts
Laharum	18	0	0	0	2641	716	368.85%	72		Elimination	Edenhope-Apsley	10	6	66	Harrow Balmoral	7	20	62
Kalkee	14	0	4	0	2129	1057	201.42%	56		Qualifying	Kalkee	11	15	81	Stawell Swifts	8	8	56
Stawell Swifts	14	0	4	0	1943	1035	187.73%	56		Semi	Stawell Swifts	12	14	86	Edenhope-Apsley	12	7	79
Harrow Balmoral	13	0	5	0	1796	1207	148.80%	52		Semi	Laharum	19	14	128	Kalkee	9	9	63
Edenhope-Apsley	11	0	7	0	1713	1154	148.44%	44		Preliminary	Stawell Swifts	20	8	128	Kalkee	10	13	73
Noradjuha-Quantong	6	0	12	0	1437	1898	75.71%	24		Grand	Stawell Swifts	15	5	95	Laharum	10	6	66
Natimuk United	6	0	12	0	1304	1738	75.03%	24
Taylors Lake	5	0	13	0	1411	2145	65.78%	20
Rupanyup	3	0	15	0	994	2208	45.02%	12
Pimpinio	0	0	18	0	644	2854	22.56%	0

2015 Ladder

Horsham DFL	Wins	Byes	Losses	Draws	For	Against	%	Pts		Final	Team	G	B	Pts	Team	G	B	Pts
Laharum	16	2	0	0	2517	588	428.06%	72		Elimination	Taylors Lake	8	7	55	Jeparit-Rainbow	5	12	42
Kalkee	14	2	2	0	2086	878	237.59%	64		Qualifying	Harrow Balmoral	12	20	92	Kalkee	11	5	71
Harrow Balmoral	11	2	5	0	1614	932	173.18%	52		Semi	Kalkee	16	16	112	Taylors Lake	14	11	95
Taylors Lake	10	2	6	0	1780	1245	142.97%	48		Semi	Laharum	17	16	118	Harrow Balmoral	4	8	32
Jeparit-Rainbow	10	2	6	0	1483	1235	120.08%	48		Preliminary	Kalkee	18	10	118	Harrow Balmoral	6	9	45
Stawell Swifts	7	2	9	0	1227	1840	66.68%	36		Grand	Laharum	14	14	98	Kalkee	7	8	50
Edenhope-Apsley	6	2	10	0	1023	1632	62.68%	32
Noradjuha-Quantong	5	2	11	0	1018	1787	56.97%	28
Rupanyup	4	2	12	0	766	1732	44.23%	24
Pimpinio	3	2	13	0	839	1747	48.03%	20
Natimuk United	2	2	14	0	891	1628	54.73%	16

2016 Ladder

Horsham DFL	Wins	Byes	Losses	Draws	For	Against	%	Pts		Final	Team	G	B	Pts	Team	G	B	Pts
Southern Mallee Giants	16	0	0	0	2317	809	286.40%	64		Elimination	Harrow Balmoral	11	11	77	Laharum	11	8	74
Jeparit-Rainbow	14	0	2	0	1987	988	201.11%	56		Elimination	Kalkee	9	5	59	Edenhope-Apsley	5	12	42
Laharum	12	0	4	0	1677	902	185.92%	48		Semi	Harrow Balmoral	12	14	86	Kalkee	10	8	68
Kalkee	11	0	5	0	2016	1031	195.54%	44		Semi	Southern Mallee Giants	22	15	147	Jeparit-Rainbow	8	7	55
Edenhope-Apsley	11	0	5	0	1815	1069	169.78%	44		Preliminary	Harrow Balmoral	11	13	79	Jeparit-Rainbow	4	10	34
Harrow Balmoral	10	0	6	0	1799	845	212.90%	40		Grand	Southern Mallee Giants	11	14	80	Harrow Balmoral	9	1	55
Taylors Lake	7	0	9	0	1687	1622	104.01%	28
Stawell Swifts	5	0	11	0	1174	2022	58.06%	20
Pimpinio	4	0	12	0	1045	2052	50.93%	16
Noradjuha-Quantong	2	0	14	0	899	2105	42.71%	8
Rupanyup	14	0	2	0	717	1917	37.40%	48
Natimuk United	2	0	14	0	794	2565	30.96%	8

2017 Ladder

Horsham DFL	Wins	Byes	Losses	Draws	For	Against	%	Pts		Final	Team	G	B	Pts	Team	G	B	Pts
Southern Mallee Giants	16	0	0	0	2556	529	483.18%	64		Elimination	Stawell Swifts	7	14	56	Natimuk United	8	4	52
Harrow Balmoral	14	0	2	0	2653	478	555.02%	56		Elimination	Jeparit-Rainbow	12	15	87	Lahuarum	5	5	35
Stawell Swifts	13	0	3	0	1799	992	181.35%	52		Semi	Jeparit-Rainbow	10	11	71	Stawell Swifts	7	8	50
Jeparit-Rainbow	10	0	4	2	1514	955	158.53%	44		Semi	Southern Mallee Giants	13	8	86	Harrow Balmoral	7	15	57
Laharum	9	0	7	0	1470	1133	129.74%	36		Preliminary	Harrow Balmoral	29	13	187	Jeparit-Rainbow	5	8	38
Natimuk United	9	0	7	0	1450	1221	118.76%	36		Grand	Southern Mallee Giants	11	7	73	Harrow Balmoral	8	13	61
Edenhope-Apsley	7	0	8	1	1476	1212	121.78%	30
Kalkee	6	0	10	0	1289	1580	81.58%	24
Noradjuha-Quantong	5	0	11	0	993	1830	54.26%	20
Rupanyup	4	0	12	0	1071	1613	66.40%	16
Taylors Lake	1	0	15	0	554	3221	17.20%	4
Pimpinio	0	0	15	1	451	2512	17.95%	2