Gippsland Football League

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Gippsland Football League
Gippsland Football League Logo.png
FormerlyWest Gippsland Latrobe Football League
SportAustralian rules football
Inaugural season1954
No. of teams10
CountryAustralia
Most recent
champion(s)
Mafwglfl.PNG Maffra (9)
Most titlesTraralgondesign.png Traralgon (20)
Official websiteGippsland Football League Official Website

The Gippsland League (formerly known as the "West Gippsland Latrobe Football League"), is an Australian rules football and netball league in the Gippsland region of Victoria, Australia. It is considered the only AFL Victoria major league in Gippsland.[1]

History[]

Scene of the Traralgon v Moe match, 2010

The original Gippsland Football Association was formed in 1889,[2] at a meeting of club delegates from the following clubs - Hazelwood, Morwell, Rosedale, Thorpedale, Traralgon and Yarrum.[3]

The Gippsland Football Netball League (GFNL) has roots dating back to the Central Gippsland Football League (CGFL) which was founded in 1909[4][5] with many former CGFL club's now part of the GFNL.

The CGFL morphed into the Latrobe Valley Football League in 1954. The promoters of the LVFL wanted to have a league that consisted of towns along the Orbost railway line, from Warragul to Sale. "The background of the move, as reported on several occasions in this journal, is (1) to remove unbalances in the present population strengths of the towns at present fielding teams in the Central Gippsland Football League; (2) to link up with towns with the same community of interest; (3) to uplift the standard of football, by bringing the strongest clubs into competition; (4) to strengthen clubs financially through expected enhanced gates."[6]

Three clubs from south Gippsland towns, Leongatha, Korumburra and Mirboo North, were therefore barred from joining the new league and went on to form the South Gippsland FL. The Central Gippsland Football League actually folded, when seven clubs joined the new La Trobe Valley Football League[7] and due to their geographical location these three remaining clubs chose not to join the La Trobe Valley Football League.[8] These three club's then joined the South Gippsland Football League in 1954, with Leongatha entering two senior teams - Green & Gold!

The LVFL changed its name, in 1995, to the Gippsland Latrobe FL.

At the end of 2001, The West Gippsland FL and the Gippsland Latrobe FL had an administrative merger. This created a two-division competition and a name change to "West Gippsland Latrobe FL".

From 2002 until 2004, the league comprised a premier division, consisting mainly of the former Gippsland-Latrobe clubs, and a western division, comprising most of the former WGFL clubs.

After the 2004 season, the western division was dissolved, with Warragul, Drouin and Garfield joining the premier league. The remaining clubs from the western division moved to other competitions, such as the Alberton Football League, Ellinbank & District Football League and the Mornington Peninsula Nepean Football League.

In 2009 Garfield left the GFL for the Ellinbank & District Football League, whilst Wonthaggi[9] and Bairnsdale[10] joined the GFL in 2010 and 2011 respectively.

The Latrobe Valley area does not have a team participating in the Victorian Football League. Traralgon competed in the VFL during 1996-97, winning just four matches across those two years, before returning to the regional competition.[11] The region does have a representative team in the TAC Cup Under-18 competition, Gippsland Power.

The Central & Southern Gippsland Competition league was founded in 2019.

Clubs[]

As of 2019, the Gippsland League consists of the following teams:[12]

Club Colours Moniker Formed First Year Home venue Premierships Premiership Years
Total Most recent
Bairnsdale
Yallourn Yallourn North FC.png
Redlegs c.1900 2011 Bairnsdale City Oval 24 2010 1902, 1903, 1908, 1912, 1913, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1947, 1951, 1952, 1954, 1956, 1958, 1959 (BDFL), 1981, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2007 2009, 2010 (EGFL)
Drouin
Drwglfl.PNG
Hawks 1903 1960 Drouin Recreation Reserve 8 1992 1941, 1946, 1949, 1958, 1967, 1978, 1991, 1992 (WGFL)
Leongatha
Leowglfl.PNG
Parrots 1894 1969 Leongatha Recreation Reserve 26 2018 1894 (KDFA), 1905 (WFA), 1923, 1924, 1931, 1932, (SGFA), 1934, 1935, 1950, 1951 (CGFA), 1954, 1955, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1964 (SGFL), 1970, 1977, 1979, 1982, 1989 (LVFL), 1995, 1997 (GLFL), 2001 (WGFL), 2017, 2018 (GFL)
Maffra
Mafwglfl.PNG
Eagles 1901 1960 Maffra Recreation Reserve 22 2019 1904, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1910, 1914, 1920, 1921, 1926, 1935, 1938, 1946, 1948 (GFL), 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2016, 2019
Moe
Moe Football Club.png
Lions 1909 1954 Ted Summerton Reserve 5 1967 1927 (EDFA), 1944, 1945 (GWFL) 1956, 1967 (LVFL)
Morwell
Mirboo North FC.png
Tigers 1905 1954 Morwell Recreation Reserve 14 2014 1907, 1922 (MMFA),1950, 1952, 1953 (CGFL), 1961, 1966, 1983, 1985, 1988, 1993 (LVFL), 1996 (GLFL), 2013, 2014 (GFL)
Sale
Toora and District FC.png
Magpies 1901 1954 Sale Recreation Reserve 20 2012 1901, 1905, 1911, 1924, 1927, 1931, 1934, 1937, 1949, 1950, 1953 (GFL), 1954, 1955, 1957, 1959, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1986 (LVFL) 2008, 2012 (GFL)
Traralgon
Traralgondesign.png
Maroons 1883 1954 Traralgon Recreation Reserve 25 2015 1919, 1923, 1925 (GFL), 1945, 1946, 1949 (CGFL), 1960, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1968, 1969, 1972, 1978, 1980, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994 (LVFL), 1998, 1999, 2000 (GLFL), 2005, 2011, 2015
Warragul
Boolarra fc club colors.png
Gulls 1900 1954 Western Park Reserve 13 2003 1900, 1902, 1903, 1904, 1907, 1922, 1927, 1932, 1938 (CGFL),1974, 1976, 1984 (LVFL), 2003 (WGFL)
Wonthaggi
AFL Port Adelaide Icon.jpg
Power 2005
(merger)
2010 Wonthaggi Recreation Reserve 3 2008 2005, 2006, 2008 (AFL)
Note: AFL (Alberton FL), BVWDFL (Bass Valley Wonthaggi & District Football League), CGFL (Central Gippsland FL), EDFA (Erica DFA), EGFL (East Gippsland FL), GWFL (Gippsland Wartime FL), KDFA (Korumburra & District FA), LVFL (Latrobe Valley FL), MMFA (Morwell Mirboo FA), SGFL (South Gippsland FL), WFA (Woorayl Football Association), WGFL (West Gippsland FL), GLFL (Gippsland Latrobe FL)

Former clubs[]

Jumper Club Nickname Years competed Home Ground Premierships Website
Churchill Kangaroos 1984-1994 Gaskin Park, Churchill (0) [1]
Garfield Football Club Stars 2002-2009 Garfield Recreation Reserve
Beswick St
(7)1963-64, 1966, 1983, 1993, 1994, 2004 (WGFL) [2]
Heyfield Kangaroos 1960-1974 Gordon St Rec Reserve (0) [3]
Newborough Bulldogs 1979-1985 Newborough Rec Reserve
Soutwell St
(0) [4]
Stratford Swans 1961-1964 Stratford Rec Reserve
Wellsford St
(0) [5]
Trafalgar Bloods 1954-1968 Trafalgar Rec Reserve (6) 1906[13] (WGFA), 1911, 1913, 1923 (CGFL), 1958, 1962 [6]
Traralgon Tyers United The Two Blues 1983-1988 Tyers Rec Reserve
Main Road
(0) [7]
Yallourn The Blues 1954-1976 Yallourn Rec Reserve (11) 1925, 1926, 1928, 1931, 1936, 1939, 1948 (CGFL), 1932, 1933 (GFL) 1944 (CGWFA), 1950 (WGFL)
Yallourn Yallourn North Bombers 1977-1985 Yallourn Rec Reserve (0) [8]
Yarragon Panthers 1954-1960 Yarragon Football Ground
Market St
(2) 1908, 1921(CGFL) [9]

Players[]

VFL/AFL Players[]

A number of players from the Gippsland league have gone on to play and have success at the AFL level.

Player Original Gippsland Football League club VFL/AFL club(s) VFL/AFL games played First season Most recent season
Luke Ablett Drouin Sydney Swans 133 2002 2009
Ben Ainsworth Morwell Gold Coast Suns 56* 2017 2020
Craig Biddiscombe Traralgon Geelong / Richmond 78 1995 2003
Shane Birss Sale Western Bulldogs / St Kilda 71 2002 2008
John Butcher Maffra Port Adelaide 31 2010 2016
Jordan Cunico Traralgon Geelong 15 2015 2019
Josh Dunkley Sale Western Bulldogs 75* 2016 2020
Kyle Dunkley Sale Melbourne 5* 2019 2020
Jeff Gieschen Maffra Footscray 24 1974 1978
Brendan Goddard Traralgon St Kilda / Essendon 334 2003 2018
Jason Gram Traralgon Brisbane Lions / St Kilda 156 2002 2012
Will Hams Sale Essendon 13 2013 2016
Dyson Heppell Leongatha Essendon 172* 2011 2020
Changkuoth Jiath Morwell Hawthorn 7* 2018 2020
Declan Keilty Moe Melbourne 2 2018 2019
Jack Leslie Sale Gold Coast Suns 28 2014 2019
Jarryd Roughead Leongatha Hawthorn 283 2005 2019
Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti Drouin Essendon 105* 2016 2020
Ben McKay Warragul North Melbourne 14* 2016 2020
Harry McKay Warragul Carlton 46* 2016 2020
Dylan McLaren Sale Brisbane Lions / Carlton 59 2001 2006
Robert McMahon Moe Fitzroy 2 1996 1996
Andrew McQualter Traralgon St Kilda / Gold Coast Suns 94 2005 2012
Tim Membrey Traralgon Sydney Swans / St Kilda 106* 2013 2020
Irving Mosquito Maffra Essendon 4* 2020 2020
Robert Murphy Warragul Western Bulldogs 312 2000 2017
Ryan Murphy Traralgon Fremantle 48 2004 2010
Jay Neagle Traralgon Essendon 28 2007 2010
Scott Pendlebury Sale Collingwood 313* 2006 2020
Ben Robbins Maffra Brisbane Bears / Brisbane Lions / North Melbourne 92 1996 2003
Michael Ross Warragul Essendon 2 2011 2011
Jacob Schuback Sale Adelaide 7 2003 2004
Caleb Serong Warragul Fremantle 12* 2020 2020
Sam Skinner Moe Brisbane Lions 3* 2016 2020
Dale Thomas Drouin Collingwood / Carlton 258 2006 2019
Matthew Watson Warragul Essendon 1 1939 1940
Leo "Gus" Young Maffra Hawthorn 10 1939 1940
Current AFL listed player
*Games played correct as at 17 September 2020
† List may not be complete

Premiers and Best & Fairest Winners[]

Year Senior Premier Senior B&F Winner Season Summary (Ladder & Finals)
2019 Maffra Jack Lipman (Sale)
2018 Leongatha Tom Marriott (Leongatha)
2017 Leongatha James Blaser (Moe), Kane Martin (Sale) & Jack Blair (Wonthaggi Power)
2016 Maffra Brad Scalzo (Warragul)
2015 Traralgon Bob McCallum (Drouin)
2014 Morwell Adam Bailey (Morwell) 2014 Season
2013 Morwell Kelvin Porter (Maffra) 2013 Season
2012 Sale Luke Collins (Sale) 2012 Season
2011 Traralgon Andrew Soumilas (Drouin) 2011 Season
2010 Maffra[14] Gary Jones (Maffra) 2010 Season
2009 Maffra[15] Adrian Cox (Sale) & Michael Geary ( Traralgon) 2009 Season
2008 Sale Nick Hider (Maffra) 2008 Season
2007 Maffra Nick Hider (Maffra)
2006 Maffra Desi Barr (Warragul) 2006 Season
2005 Traralgon Andrew Soumilas (Garfield)

Records and Statistics[]

[16] Club Finishing Positions

Club Premierships Runners Up 3rd 4th 5th
Traralgon 20 17 8 6 2
Sale 10 5 8 9 2
Morwell 9 8 10 4 6
Leongatha 8 6 7 6 3
Maffra 8 3 6 5 2
Warragul 3 3 5 14 2
Moe 2 8 9 6 1
Bairnsdale 1 2 3 2 0
Wonthaggi 0 4 2 3 1
Drouin 0 2 0 0 1

[16] Recent Finishing Positions

Club 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011
Bairnsdale 8th 7th 9th 10th 8th 5th 6th 8th 8th
Drouin 5th 8th 10th 4th 7th 10th 9th 7th 2nd
Leongatha 2nd 1st 1st 2nd 2nd 7th 7th 3rd 8th
Maffra 1st 2nd 2nd 1st 3rd 4th 3rd 2nd 3rd
Moe 3rd 5th 4th 8th 9th 8th 10th 10th 7th
Morwell 9th 9th 5th 9th 6th 1st 1st 5th 9th
Sale 4th 4th 6th 6th 5th 3rd 2nd 1st 4th
Traralgon 7th 3rd 3rd 3rd 1st 6th 5th 4th 1st
Warragul 10th 6th 7th 5th 10th 9th 8th 9th 10th
Wonthaggi 6th 10th 8th 7th 4th 2nd 4th 6th 6th

Significant Records

Record Detail
Highest Score: 45.22 (292) Traralgon vs. Churchill
Lowest Score: 0.0 (2) Stratford vs. Traralgon; Bairnsdale vs. Traralgon
Most Goals in a Match: (19) Adrian Campbell (Leongatha vs. Moe)
Most Goals in a Season: 136 Shane Loveless (Sale)
Record Quarter Score
1st Quarter 13.4 (82) Maffra vs. Newborough
Warragul vs. Newborough
Maffra vs. Churchill
2nd Quarter 14.3 (87) Leongatha vs. Heyfield
3rd Quarter 15.5 (95) Traralgon vs. Newborough
4th Quarter 16.7 (103) Leongatha vs. Moe

References[]

  1. ^ Australian rules football: West Gippsland Latrobe Football League becomes Gippsland League as Wonthaggi concedes move, Wikinews, 10 December 2009
  2. ^ "1889 -". trove Newspapers. The Age. 7 May 1889. p. 6. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  3. ^ "1889 - Proposed Gippsland FA". Trove Newspapers. The Gippsland Farmers' Journal and Traralgon, Heyfield and Rosedale News (Vic). 7 May 1889. p. 2. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  4. ^ "1909 - Football: Central Gippsland FA formation". Trove Newspapers. Traralgon Record (Traralgon, Vic). 20 April 1909. p. 2. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  5. ^ "1909 - Football". Trove Newspapers. West Gippsland Gazette. 3 August 1909. p. 2. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  6. ^ "1954 - Football League Formed". Trove Newspapers. Morwell Advertiser (Morwell, Vic). 28 January 1954. p. 1. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  7. ^ "1954 - Major Gippsland League now Disbanded". Trove Newspapers. Morwell Advertiser. 11 March 1954. p. 12. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  8. ^ "1954 - Central Gippsland League Seeks Conference". Trove Newspapers. Gippsland Times (Vic). 11 January 1954. p. 3. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  9. ^ Wikinews contributors (10 December 2009). "Australian rules football: West Gippsland Latrobe Football League becomes Gippsland Football League as Wonthaggi concedes move". Retrieved 12 August 2012.
  10. ^ Wikinews:Australian rules football: Bairnsdale join Gippsland League, will play first game in Warragul
  11. ^ "The Sunday Age, 8 August 2004". Archived from the original on 17 May 2011. Retrieved 14 May 2011.
  12. ^ GL 2019 Fixture
  13. ^ "1906 - West Gippsland FA". Trove Newspapers. West Gippsland Gazzette. 25 September 1906. p. 2. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
  14. ^ Gillett, Patrick (20 September 2010). "Australian rules football: Maffra win 2010 Gippsland Football League grand final". Retrieved 2 December 2010.
  15. ^ Australian rules football: West Gippsland Latrobe Football League Grand Final, Wikinews, 20 September 2009
  16. ^ Jump up to: a b "GL Senior Finals Positions - Gippsland League - SportsTG". SportsTG.

External links[]

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