Victorian Women's Football League

The Victorian Women's Football League (VWFL) was the oldest and largest Australian rules football league for women in the world, consisting of 47 clubs from Victoria, Australia across seven divisions with a total of over 1,000 players.^[1]

Victorian Women's Football League

Most recent season or competition: 2016 VWFL season
Sport	Australian rules football
First season	1981
Ceased	2016
Replaced by	VFL Women's South Eastern Women's Football
No. of teams	31 (final season)
Country	Australia
Headquarters	Melbourne, Australia
Last champion(s)	Deer Park (2016)
Most titles	Scorpions (11)
Broadcaster(s)	C31
Official website	Victorian Women's Football League

The rucks reach for the ball after the umpire (in orange) has balled it up.

A Melbourne University player jostles for best position in a marking contest.

A Darebin Falcons player is wrapped up in a gang tackle by two Melbourne University opponents in the 2006 WVFL senior women's Grand Final.

History

Early years

The Victorian Women's Football League was formed in 1981 with four teams competing at open level.

In 1995, Sal Rees caused controversy when she nominated for the 1995 AFL draft: the nomination was subsequently voided, with the AFL amending its draft rules to prevent any repeat of this incident.

The VWFL grew quickly, increasing dramatically the number of players and participating teams with a Division 3 added in 2001.

In 2002, VWFL player Debbie Lee made headlines for pushing to play against men in the made-for-television team the Hammerheads. She has commented, "My whole idea with the Hammerheads was to promote women's football. At no point in time did I really think I was going to play against the men, and frankly it wouldn't really have been smart for me to do that. My whole idea was to cause a bit of activity."

An U17 Youth Girls Competition was established by Football Victoria in 2004, primarily to provide a pathway to the VWFL. This was following legal action having been taken against them in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (following a complaint to the Equal Opportunity Commission) by junior players Penny Cula-Reid, Emily Stayner, and Helen Taylor.

In May 2004, the first VWFL game was played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), with the Melbourne Uni Mugars defeating St Albans Spurs on Mother's Day. A second game was played at the MCG later in the same year, featuring the Mugars and St Kilda Sharks reserves teams.

A quarter-century of competition

In 2005, the VWFL celebrated its 25th season, and created a reserves competition for Division 1.

In 2006, the league posted a $6000 loss, however this was turned around in 2007 with a $19000 profit being posted at the end of 2007. 2007 saw five divisions (Premier seniors & reserves, North West, South East & Country) and 27 teams (from 20 clubs), and culminated in an Australian crowd record for women's Australian rules football at the 2007 Grand Final held on 19 August at the Preston City Oval in Melbourne. Two finals matches were also held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground for the first time.

The work done by the VWFL Media Manager Leesa Catto was instrumental in increasing media coverage across the competition. A significant partnership was negotiated with the Leader News group and weekly coverage was captured across the Melbourne Metropolitan area. Events like the participation of two VWFL players Shannon McFerran and Daisy Pearce in the E. J. Whitten Legends Game also helped lift the profile of the league.^[2]

The VWFL integrated into AFL Victoria in 2013.^[1]

Dissolution

At the end of the 2016 season, it was announced that the VWFL would be dissolved, with the forty-seven clubs and sixty teams of the VWFL joining ten Victorian community leagues in 2017, along with additional clubs and teams from a further eighty clubs that had expressed interest in joining women's Australian football competitions.^[3][4] AFL Victoria would retain management of the ten-team VFL Women's league, with the remainder of the expected 150 teams to play in regional leagues.^[5][1]

Final clubs

Premier Division

Club	Colours	Nickname	Home Ground	Est.	Years in VWFL	VWFL Premierships		Fate
						Total	Most Recent
Bendigo		Thunder	Kangaroo Flat Oval, Kangaroo Flat	2011	2011-2016	2	2013	Moved to Northern FNL in 2017
Deer Park		Lions	John McLeod Reserve, Deer Park	1926	1981-2016	1	2016	Moved to WREDWFL in 2017
Eastern Devils (East Burwood)		Devils	Mulgrave Reserve, Mulgrave	1999	1990–2016	2	2013	Moved to South East Women's Football in 2017
Melbourne University		Mugars	Main Oval, University of Melbourne, Parkville	1996	1997–2016	5	2005	Moved to Northern FNL in 2017
Port Melbourne Colts		Colts	J.L. Murphy Reserve, Port Melbourne	1957	2014-2016	1	2015	Moved to South East Women's Football in 2017
St Kilda Sharks		Sharks	Peanut Farm Reserve, St Kilda	1992	1992–2016	4	2014	Moved to South East Women's Football in 2017

Division 1

Club	Colours	Nickname	Home Ground	Est.	Years in VWFL	VWFL Premierships		Fate
						Total	Most Recent
Darebin		Falcons	A.H. Capp Reserve, Preston	1990	1990–2016	12	2015	Moved to Northern FNL in 2017
Diamond Creek		Creekers	C.T. Barling Reserve, Reservoir	2002	2002–2015	3	2012	Moved to Northern FNL in 2017
Endeavour Hills		Eagles	Barry Simon Reserve, Endeavour Hills	2011	2015-2016	0	-	Moved to South East Women's Football in 2017
Kew		Bears	Victoria Park, Kew	2006	2014–2016	2	2016	Moved to Northern FNL in 2017
La Trobe University		Trobers	Tony Sheehan Oval, La Trobe University, Bundoora	1967	2009–2016	1	2011	Moved to Northern FNL in 2017
Pascoe Vale		Panthers	Raeburn Reserve, Pascoe Vale	1909	2013–2016	1	2013	Moved to Northern FNL in 2017
Redan		Lions	Western Oval, Ballarat Central	1871	2014–2016	0	-	Moved to AFLGW in 2017
Whitehorse Pioneers		Pioneers (formerly Suns)	Springfield Park, Box Hill North	1954	2014–2016	0	-	Moved to Northern FNL in 2017

Division 2

Club	Colours	Nickname	Home Ground	Est.	Years in VWFL	VWFL Premierships		Fate
						Total	Most Recent
Chirnside Park		Panthers	Kimberley Reserve, Chirnside Park	1978	2011-2016	0	-	Moved to South East Women's Football in 2017
Cranbourne		Eagles	Frenken Homes Oval, Clyde North	1889	2009–2016	1	2015	Moved to South East Women's Football in 2017
Mordialloc		Bloodhounds	Ben Kavanagh Reserve, Mordialloc	1891	2014–2016	1	2002	Moved to Southern FNL in 2017
Seaford		Tigerettes	RF Miles Recreation Reserve, Seaford	1921	2013–2016	1	2014	Moved to South East Women's Football in 2017
South Morang		Lions	Mill Park Lakes Recreation Reserve, South Morang	1954	2014–2016	1	2015	Moved to Northern FNL in 2017
St Kilda Sharks		Sharks	Peanut Farm Reserve, St Kilda	1992	1992–2016	4	2014	Moved to South East Women's Football in 2017
Sunbury		Lions	Clarke Oval, Sunbury	1879	1981–2016	3	2015	Moved to WREDWFL in 2017
Western Spurs		Spurs	Henry Turner Memorial Reserve, Footscray	1993	1993–2016	3	2016	Moved to Northern FNL in 2017

Division 3

Club	Colours	Nickname	Home Ground	Est.	Years in VWFL	VWFL Premierships		Fate
						Total	Most Recent
AJAX		Jackas	Gary Smorgon Oval, St Kilda	1957	2015–2016	0	-	Moved to VAFA in 2017
Bayswater		Waters	Marie Wallace Bayswater Park, Bayswater	1895	2012–2016	0	-	Moved to ERWFC in 2017
Brunswick		Renegades	A.G. Gillon Oval, Brunswick	1963	2014–2016	0	-	Moved to VAFA in 2017
Fitzroy		Roy Girls	WT Peterson Oval, Fitzroy North	1883	2015–2016	0	-	Moved to VAFA in 2017
Gippsland		Galaxy	Traralgon Recreation Reserve, Traralgon	2015	2015–2016	2	2016	Moved to South East Women's Football in 2017
Melbourne University		Mugars	Main Oval, University of Melbourne, Parkville	1996	1997–2015	5	2005	Moved to Northern FNL in 2017
SKOB		Saints	Basil Reserve, Malvern East	1947	2016	0	-	Moved to VAFA in 2017

Goldfields

Club	Colours	Nickname	Home Ground	Est.	Years in VWFL	VWFL Premierships		Fate
						Total	Most Recent
Bacchus Marsh		Cobras	Maddingley Park, Maddingley	1979	2015-2016	0	-	Moved to AFLGW in 2017
East Point		Dragons	White Flat Recreation Reserve, Ballarat Central	2001	2016	0	-	Moved to AFLGW in 2017
Kyneton		Tigers	Kyneton Showgrounds, Kyneton	1861	2015–2016	0	-	Moved to NCWL in 2017
Lake Wendouree		Lakers	C E Brown Reserve, Wendouree	1994	2016	0	-	Moved to AFLGW in 2017
MCDFNL Lions		Lions	Carisbrook Recreation Reserve, Carisbrook	2016	2016	1	2016	Disbanded

North West

Club	Colours	Nickname	Home Ground	Est.	Years in VWFL	VWFL Premierships		Fate
						Total	Most Recent
Fitzroy		Roy Girls	WT Peterson Oval, Fitzroy North	1883	2015-2016	0	-	Moved to VAFA in 2017
Glen Orden		Hawks	Heathdale Reserve, Werribee	1979	2016	0	-	In recess
Jacana		Jaguars	Jacana Reserve, Jacana	1961	2013–2016	0	-	Folded
Manor Lakes		Storm	Howqua Way Reserve, Manor Lakes	2012	2014–2016	0	-	Moved to WREDWFL in 2017
Melton Central		Blues	Arnolds Creek Reserve, Melton West	1996	2007, 2014–2016	1	2007	Moved to AFLGW in 2017
Roxburgh Park		Magpies	Lakeside Reserve, Roxburgh Park	2002	2016	0	-	Moved to WREDWFL in 2017
Shepparton		Bears	Notre Dame College, Emmaus Campus, Shepparton North and John Gray Oval, Mooroopna	1880s	2016	0	-	Moved to NCWL in 2017

South East

Club	Colours	Nickname	Home Ground	Est.	Years in VWFL	VWFL Premierships		Fate
						Total	Most Recent
Beaconsfield		Eagles	Holm Park, Beaconsfield	1890	2016	0	-	Moved to South East Women's Football in 2017
Edithvale Aspendale		Eagles	Regents Park, Aspendale	1921	2016	0	-	Moved to South East Women's Football in 2017
Endeavour Hills		Eagles	Barry Simon Reserve, Endeavour Hills	2011	2015–2016	0	-	Moved to South East Women's Football in 2017
Hallam		Hawks	Hallam Recreation Reserve, Hallam	2012	2011–2016	2	2012	Moved to Southern FNL in 2017
Knox		Falcons	Knox Gardens Reserve, Wantirna South	1980	2013–2016	0	-	Moved to VFLW in 2017
Mornington		Bulldogs	Alexandra Park, Mornington	1888	2014–2016	1	2016	Moved to South East Women's Football in 2017
Mount Eliza		Redlegs	Emil Madsden Reserve, Mount Eliza	1964	2016	0	-	Moved to South East Women's Football in 2017
Rosebud		Buds	Olympic Park, Rosebud	1929	2015–2016	0	-	In recess
Seaford		Tigerettes	RF Miles Recreation Reserve, Seaford	1921	2013–2016	1	2014	Moved to South East Women's Football in 2017
Warragul Colts		Colts	Eastern Park, Warragul	1948	2016	0	-	Moved to South East Women's Football in 2017 as Warragul Industrials

Former

Club	Colours	Nickname	Home Ground	Est.	Years in VWFL	VWFL Premierships		Fate
						Total	Most Recent
Albion		Cats	JR Parsons Reserve, Sunshine	1961		1	1997	In recess
Altona		Vikings	JK Grant Reserve, Altona	1918	2012-2013	0	-	In recess
Ballarat Lions		Lions				2	1995	Folded
Ballarat Eagles		Eagles				1	1990	Folded
Bell Post Hill		Panthers	Myers Reserve, Bell Post Hill	1976	2010-2011	0	-	In recess
Berwick		Wickers	Edwin Flack Reserve, Berwick	1903	2004-2016	2	2006	Re-formed in Eastern FNL
Braybrook		Brookers	Pennell Reserve, Braybrook	1874	2010-2013	0	-	In recess
Corio		Devils	Shell Reserve, Corio	1974		0	-	In recess
Dingley Cobras		Cobras				1	1983	Folded
East Geelong		Eagles	Richmond Oval, East Geelong	1879		1	2002	In recess
Eastern Lions		Lions	Fairpark Reserve, Ferntree Gully	1969		1	2007	Re-formed in Eastern FNL
Fairfield						1	1996	Folded
Ferntree Gully		Kangaroos	Wally Tew Reserve, Ferntree Gully	1892		1	2001	Re-formed in Eastern FNL
Geelong		Cheetahz	West Oval, Geelong West	1926		1	2006	Folded
Gembrook Cockatoo		Brookers	Gembrook Recreation Reserve, Gembrook	1906	2010-	0	-	In recess
Gladstone Park						1	1986	Folded
Golden Point		Dragons	White Flat Recreation Reserve, Ballarat Central		2014	0	-	Folded
Hadfield		Hawks	Martin Reserve, Hadfield	1961		1	2007	In recess
Heidelberg		Tigers	Warringal Park, Heidelberg	1876	?-2008	1	2008	Re-formed in Northern FNL
Keysborough		Burras	Rowley Allan Reserve, Keysborough	1947	2010-	0	-	In recess
Lalor		Bloods	Lalor Reserve, Lalor	1955	?-2007	1	2005	In recess
Lalor Park		Stars	JC Donath Reserve, Reservoir		?-2012	0	-	Folded
Melton		Bloods	MacPherson Park, Toolern Vale	1879	?-2009	0	-	Re-formed in Riddell District FNL
Montmorency		Magpies	Montmorency Park, North Oval, Montmorency	1924	2014-2015	1	2014	Re-formed in Northern FNL
North Ballarat		Roosters	Eureka Stadium, Wendouree	1882	?-2013	0	-	In recess
North Heidelberg		Bulldogs	Shelley Street Reserve. Heidelberg Heights	1958		1	2001	In recess
Northcote Park Scorpions		Scorpions				10	1994	Folded. Formerly known as Aberfeldie, Parkville, and East Brunswick Scorpions
North Geelong		Magpies	Osborne Park, North Geelong	1876	2012-2015	1	2014	Re-formed in AFL Barwon Female Football
Parkdale Vultures		Vultures	Gerry Green Reserve, Parkdale	1991	?-2010	0	-	Re-formed in VAFA
Parkmore		Pirates	Frederick Wachter Reserve, Keysborough			0	-	Folded
Parkside		Magpies	Henry Turner Reserve, Footscray	1897		2	2001	In recess
Port Melbourne		Borough	North Port Oval, Port Melbourne	1874		0		Re-formed in VFLW
Scoresby		Magpies	Scoresby Recreation Reserve, Scoresby	1925	1981-2012	3	2013	In recess
Seville Ranges		Rangers	Wandin East Recreation Reserve, Wandin East		2015	0	-	Folded
South Mornington		Tigers	Citation Oval, Mount Martha	2006	2006-2012	1	2010	In recess
St John's Old Collegians		JOCS	Thomas Carroll Reserve, Doveton	1991	2010-2013	0	-	In recess
Surrey Park		Panthers	Surrey Park Reserve, Box Hill	1994		1	2003	Re-formed in Eastern FNL
Wyndhamvale		Falcons	Wyndham Vale South Oval, Wyndham Vale	1979	2013-2014	0	-	Re-formed in Western Region FL
Yarra Valley Cougars		Cougars				3	2007	Folded

Records

Division One/Premier Division

Year	Premiers	Helen Lambert Medal (Best & Fairest)	Rohenna Young Medal (Leading Goal Kicker)	Lisa Hardeman Medal (Best on Ground in Grand Final)
2016	Deer Park	Emma Grant (Bendigo)	Bella Ayre 34 (Bendigo)	Brooke McKinley (Deer Park)
2015	Darebin	Daisy Pearce (Darebin)	Moana Hope 68 (St Kilda Sharks)[6]	Darcy Vescio (Darebin)[7]
2014	Darebin	Daisy Pearce (Darebin)	Moana Hope 87 (St Kilda Sharks)[6]	Daisy Pearce (Darebin)[8]
2013	Darebin	Daisy Pearce (Darebin)	Stephanie Brown 25 (Berwick)[9][10]	Melissa Hickey (Darebin)[11]
2012	Diamond Creek	Lou Wotton (East Burwood)	Amy Catterall 39 (St Albans)[12]	Kirsty Lamb (Diamond Creek)[13]
2011	St Albans	Daisy Pearce (Darebin)	Sarah D'Arcy 51 (East Burwood)	Karen Paxman (St Albans)[14]
2010	Darebin	Daisy Pearce (Darebin) & Lou Wotton (East Burwood)	Jane Lange 52 (Darebin)	Aasta O'Connor (Darebin)[15]
2009	Darebin	Daisy Pearce (Darebin)	Brittany Grech 58 (Diamond Creek)	Sarah Hammond (Darebin)[16]
2008	Darebin	Cecilia McIntosh (Melbourne Uni)	Moana Hope 63 (Darebin)	Moana Hope (Darebin)[17]
2007	Darebin	Shannon McFerran (St Albans)	Moana Hope 67 (Darebin)	Roi Boutsikakis (Darebin)[18]
2006	Darebin	Shannon McFerran (St Albans)	Moana Hope 74 (Darebin)	Kathy Zacharopolous (Darebin)[19]
2005	Melbourne University	Shannon McFerran (St Albans)	Rebecca Jennings 45 (Melbourne Uni)	Daisy Pearce (Darebin)[20]
2004	St Albans	Meg Hutchins (Deakin Uni)	Rohenna Young 65 (St Albans)	Debbie Lee (St Albans)
2003	Melbourne University	Shannon McFerran (St Albans)	Nic Lalor 33 (Deakin Uni)
2002	Melbourne University	Shannon McFerran (St Albans)	Anita Rhook (Parkside)
2001	Parkside Magpies	Debbie Lee (St Albans)	Dee Dundov (St Albans)	Rohenna Young (Parkside)
2000	Parkside Magpies	Sharon Bonnici (St Kilda City Sharks)	Nic Lalor (St Kilda City Sharks)
1999	St Kilda	Sharon Bonnici (St Kilda City Sharks)	Nic Lalor (St Kilda City Sharks)
1998	St Kilda	Sharon Bonnici (St Kilda City Sharks)	Nic Lalor (St Kilda City Sharks)
1997	Albion Cats	Bronwyn Hutchinson (Fairfield)	Nic Lalor (St Kilda Sharks)
1996	Fairfield	Debbie Lee (St Albans)	Debbie Lee (St Albans)
1995	Ballarat Lions	Debbie Lee (St Albans)	Yasmin Horsham (Ballarat Lions)
1994	Northcote Park Scorpions	Debbie Lee (St Albans) & Doreen de Pasquale (St Kilda City)	Bronwyn Hutchinson (Ballarat Lions)
1993	East Brunswick Scorpions	Debbie Lee (St Albans)
1992	Ballarat Lions	Kris Gardiner (Fairfield)
1991	East Brunswick Scorpions	Bronwyn Hutchinson (Ballarat)		Debbie Lee (East Brunswick)
1990	Ballarat Eagles	Rhonda Rumler (Ballarat)
1989	Parkville Scorpions	Lisa Hardeman (Parkville)
1988	Parkville Scorpions	Doreen de Pasquale (Ballarat) & Bernie Marantelli (Parkville)
1987	Parkville Scorpions	Bernie Marantelli (Parkville)
1986	Gladstone Park	Tracey Winch (Ferntree Gully)
1985	Aberfeldie Scorpions	Siobhan Taylor (Gladstone Park)
1984	Aberfeldie Scorpions	Maree Cave (Broadmeadows)
1983	Dingley Cobras	Maree Cave (Broadmeadows)
1982	Broadmeadows Scorpions
1981	Broadmeadows Scorpions

Source:^[21][22]

Premier Reserves

Year	Premiers	Fraser Griffiths Medal	Leading Goal Kicker	Best on Ground in Grand Final
2013	Eastern Devils		Georgia Hammond 37 (Darebin)
2012	St Albans	Rachael Gullo (St Albans)	Lauren Chalkey 19 (Berwick)	Rachael Gullo (St Albans)
2011	Darebin	Natasha Hardy (Sunbury)	Melissa Beadles 24 (East Burwood)	Gemma Anderson (Darebin)
2010	Darebin	Belinda Bowey (St Kilda Sharks)	Rebecca Hickmont 31 (Darebin)	Laura Cartledge (East Burwood)
2009	Darebin	Rebecca Hickmont (Darebin)
2008	East Burwood	Kristy Baeffel (St Kilda Sharks)
2007	Darebin	Luisa Callegari (Darebin)
2006	St Kilda Sharks	Jessica Williams (Melbourne Uni)	Ivanna Hern (St Kilda Sharks)
2005	Melbourne University	Jessica Williams (Melbourne Uni)

Premiers: North West Conference

Year	Premiers	Runners-Up
2016	Manor Lakes	Melton Centrals
2013 (Division 1)	Bendigo	North Geelong
2013 (Division 2)	Pascoe Vale	Deer Park
2012	Bendigo	La Trobe University
2011	La Trobe University	North Ballarat
2010	Sunbury	Lalor Park
2009	Sunbury	Lalor Park
2008	Heidelberg	Sunbury
2007	Hadfield
2006	Diamond Creek

Premiers: South East Conference

Year	Premiers	Runners-Up
2016	Mornington	Beaconsfield
2013 (Division 2)	Scoresby	Keysborough
2012	Hallam	St John's Old Collegians
2011	Hallam	Cranbourne
2010	South Mornington	Parkdale
2009	Scoresby
2008	Scoresby	Berwick
2007 (Division 1)	Yarra Valley
2007 (Division 2)	Eastern Lions
2006	Berwick

Premiers: Country Conference

2007 Melton Centrals
2006 Geelong Cheetahz

Premiers: Division One

Year	Premiers	Runners-Up
2016	Kew	Darebin
2015	Cranbourne	Knox
2014	St Kilda Sharks	Melbourne University

Premiers: Division Two

Year	Premiers	Runners-Up
2016	VU Western Spurs	Seaford
2015	Port Melbourne Colts	Montmorency
2014	North Geelong	Seaford
2005	Lalor
2004	St Kilda Sharks
2003	Melbourne University
2002	East Geelong
2001	Hadfield
2000	North Heidelberg
1997	St Kilda Sharks

Premiers: Division Three

Year	Premiers	Runners-Up
2016	Gippsland	Fitzroy
2015	Kew	Deer Park
2014	Wyndhamvale	Whitehorse
2006	Yarra Valley
2005 (Division 1)	Yarra Valley
2005 (Division 2)	Diamond Creek
2004	Berwick
2003	Surrey Park
2002	Mordialloc
2001	Ferntree Gully	Oak Park

Premiers: Division Four

Year	Premiers	Runners-Up
2015	South Morang	Brunswick
2014	Montmorency	Golden Point

Premiers: Division 5

Year	Premiers	Runners-Up
2014	Seaford	Kew

Premiers: East Division

Year	Premiers	Runners-Up
2015	Gippsland	AJAX

Premiers: West Division

Year	Premiers	Runners-Up
2015	Sunbury	Melton Centrals

Premiers: Goldfields Division

Year	Premiers	Runners-Up
2016	MCDFNL Lions	Lake Wendouree

VWFL Life Members

2009 Leesa Catto
2009 Bron McGorlick
2008 Kerryn Stephen
2006 Chyloe Kurdas
2005 Di Smith
2004 Belinda Bowey
2003 Sal Rees, Rohenna Young
2002 Debbie Lee, Kerry Saunders
2001 Nicole Graves
2000 Lisa Hardeman
1999 Ann Rulton
1998 Julie Allen
1997 Dianne Vaux
1996 Bernadette Marantelli
1995 Coral White
1990 Jan Wilson, Janet Graham
1983 Helen Lambert

250 Games (as at end of 2011)

Debbie Lee (East Brunswick Scorpions/Sunshine YCW/St Albans Spurs)
Kerry Saunders (Darebin Falcons/St Kilda City)
Belinda Bowey (St Kilda Sharks/Keysborough)

See also

• Sports portal
• Australia portal

• List of women's Australian rules football leagues