Horsham & District Football League
| Sport | Australian rules football |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1935 |
| No. of teams | 12 |
| Country | Australia |
| Most recent champion(s) |
|
| Official website | www |
| Records | |
|---|---|
| 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
24 goals Rob Maynard Homers v Gerang Kiata – 17 August 1991 |
| 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 |
The Horsham District Football League is an amateur Australian rules football league based in the Wimmera area of Western Victoria.
History[edit]
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 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.[1][2]
Swifts were premiers in 2014 after defeating the previously undefeated Laharum in the grand final.[3]
Laharum defeated Kalkee in the 2015 grand final.[3]
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[edit]
Current[edit]
| Jumper | Club | Nickname | Years in comp | HDFL Premierships | Premiership Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Edenhope-Apsley | Saints | 2007– | - | - |
 |
Harrow Balmoral | Kangaroos | 1997– | 7 | 1999, 2002, 2004, 2007, 2018, 2019, 2023 |
 |
Kalkee | Kee's | 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 | 2020– | - | - |
 |
Laharum | Demons | 1936– | 10 | 1938, 1958, 1959, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1987, 1995, 2013, 2015 |
 |
Natimuk United | Rams | 1971–2013: 2014– (Merged with Horsham United to become Natimuk United) | 1 | 1975 |
 |
Noradjuha-Quantong | Bombers | 1997– (merger) | - | - |
 |
Pimpinio | Tigers | 1968– | 2 | 2005, 2006 |
 |
Rupanyup | Panthers | 1981– | 8 | 1985, 1986, 1990, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2022 |
 |
Swifts | Baggies | 2000– | 2 | 2003, 2014 |
 |
Taylors Lake | Lakers | 1946– | 1 | 1952 |
Past Clubs[edit]
| Jumper | Club | Nickname | Years in comp | HDFL Premierships | Premiership Years | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Ararat Eagles | Eagles | 2000 | - | - | Moved to Lexton Plains Football League in 2001 |
| Armoured Car | 1939 | - | - | Folded when HDFL went into WW2 recess | ||
| Cannum | 1969–1970 | - | - | Folded in 1971 | ||
 |
Douglas-Harrow-Miga Lake | Cats | 1982–1996 | - | - | Merged with Balmoral in 1997 |
 |
Gerang - Kiata | Highway Men | 1982–1999 | - | - | Folded in 2000 |
 |
Goroke | Magpies | 1982–1998 | - | - | Folded in 1999 and absorbed by Border Districts in Kowree-Naracoorte-Tatiara Football League |
 |
Great Western | Lions | 2000–2010 | - | - | Folded in 2011 then moved to Mininera & District Football League in 2012 |
| Haven | 1939, 1948–1955 | 1 | 1939 | Folded in 1956 | ||
 |
Homers
(North Horsham in 1998) |
Pigeons | 1945–1998 | 2 | 1965, 1992 | Folded in 1999 |
| Horsham RSL | Diggers | 1946–1961 | - | - | Folded in 1962 | |
| Horsham Imperials | 1962–1975 | 1 | 1966 | Merged with Wonwondah in 1976 | ||
 |
Imperials – Wonwondah | Diggers | 1976–1982 | 1 | 1980 | Moved to Wimmera Football League in 1983 |
 |
Jeparit Rainbow | Storm | 2015–2023 | - | - | Merged with Southern Mallee Giants to form Southern Mallee Thunder in the Wimmera Football League in 2024 |
 |
Jung | 1946–1973 | 2 | 1954, 1968 | Folded in 1974 | |
 |
Longerenong College | The College | 1945–1986 | 4 | 1951, 1967, 1970, 1971 | Folded in 1987 |
|
Murtoa Seconds | 1938, 1948 | 1 | 1938 | Moved to Central Wimmera FL in 1939, returned to South Wimmera FL in 1949 | |
 |
Netherby-Lorquon | Saints | 1982 | - | - | Folded in 1983 |
 |
Noradjuha | Grass Parrots | 1982–1996 | 1 | 1984 | Merged with Quantong in 1997 |
 |
Quantong | Bombers | 1950–1996 | 10 | 1955, 1956, 1960, 1961, 1972, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1993, 1994 | Merged with Noradjuha in 1997 |
 |
Southern Mallee Giants | Giants | 2016–2017 | 2 | 2016, 2017 | Moved to Wimmera Football League in 2018 |
 |
St Michael's
(YCW 1945–1946) |
Saints | 1945–1954, 1957–1962, 1967–1992 | 5 | 1950, 1969, 1981, 1988, 1991 | Moved to Wimmera Football League in 1993 |
| Wail | 1945–1948 | 1 | 1945 | Folded in 1949 | ||
|
Wonwondah | 1946–1975 | 3 | 1949, 1953, 1957 | Merged with Horsham Imperials in 1976 |
Senior Football Premiership Winners[edit]
|
|
|
League Awards[edit]
| 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 |
Notable Players[edit]
Edenhope-Apsley
Jung
Kalkee
Longerenong College
Homers
Horsham Imperials
2014 Ladder[edit]
| 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[edit]
| 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[edit]
| 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[edit]
| 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 |
References[edit]
- ^ "Horsham, Natimuk football clubs may merge". Dimboola Courier. 29 January 2014. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
- ^ "Natimuk and Horsham Diggers Merge". AFL Victoria. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
- ^ a b Venosta, Jeremy (12 September 2015). "Laharum v Kalkee: 2015 HDFNL grand final". Dimboola Courier. Retrieved 10 November 2015.