Hills Football League

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Hills Football League
General Information
Founded 1967 in the Adelaide Hills
Current clubs Birdwood
Blackwood
Bridgewater Callington Raiders
Echunga
Gumeracha
Hahndorf
Ironbank
Kangarilla
Kersbrook
Macclesfield
Meadows
Mount Barker
Mount Lofty
Nairne Bremer
Onkaparinga Valley
Torrens Valley
Uraidla Districts
Milang Panthers

The Hills Football League (HFL) is an Australian rules football league, situated in the Adelaide Hills region of South Australia, to the south east of the state capital Adelaide.

The League has over 3000 players belonging to 20 member Clubs.[1] The League's Clubs are divided into two playing Divisions
- Division 1 (Formerly Central Division - mostly the larger towns in the Hills region);
- Division 2 (Formerly Country Division - the remaining clubs in the region).

Both divisions have their own programs for the season. There is a promotion and relegation system that received criticism in 2014 following the ultimately unsuccessful decision to relegate Echunga in the same season that they won the Central Division premiership.[2] It is the second biggest leagues in South Australia after the South Australian Amateur Football League.

In 2009 the Uraidla Districts Football Club became the first team in HFL history to secure all senior premierships (A,B&C) in a single season a feat that was followed by Hahndorf in 2016.

History[3][]

The Hills FL was formed in 1967 as a result of the merger of the original Hills Central FL and the Torrens Valley FL. For a number of years, the competition consisted of three divisions, firstly known as the Central Zone, the Northern Zone and the Southern Zone. This later changed to Zone 1, 2 and 3 with two years also providing a Zone 4. Eventually in 1979 the two divisions that exist today was established. The one year that was an exception was 1983 when competition was played in one division.

Heathfield-Aldgate United hold the record for the most premierships won in succession from 1971 to 1977.

Grades[]

The HFL consists of:

  • Junior Grades
    • Under 14's (mini colts)
    • Under 16's (junior colts)
    • Under 18's (senior colts)
  • Senior Grades
    • A Grade(A1)
    • B Grade(A2)
    • C Grade(A3)

Division 1[]

Jumper Club Nickname Years in comp HFL Premierships
   Blackwood[4] Woods 1987- Div 1: 1988, 1991, 2017
    Bridgewater-Callington Raiders[5] Raiders 2013- * Div 2: 1981, 2016
   Echunga Demons 1967- Div 1: 2014
Div 2: 1995-96, 2000, 2011, 2013
Div 3: 1972
Southern B: 1968
   Hahndorf[6] Magpies 1967- Div 1: 1984-85, 1992–93, 1995, 1997, 2001, 2015-16, 2018-19-20-21
   Lobethal[7] Tigers 1967- Div 1: 1981, 1998–99, 2002
   Mount Barker[8] Barkeroos 1967- Div 1: 1969-70, 1982–83, 2000, 2003–04, 2012
   Mount Lofty District[9] Mountain Devils 1986- Div 1: 1986, 1990, 2006-07-08
Div 2: 2014
   Nairne Bremer United[10] Rams 1978–1991, 1998- Div 2: 1985, 1989, 2017
    Onkaparinga Valley[11] Bulldogs 1967- Div 1: 1978, 1994
   Uraidla Districts Demons 1997- Div 1: 2005, 2009-10-11, 2013

Premierships[]

[12]

Division 2[]

Colours Club Nickname Years in comp HFL Premierships
   Birdwood Roosters 1967- Div 2: 1973, 1975-76-77, 1992, 1994
   Gumeracha Magpies 1967- Div 2: 1970, 1982, 1984, 2019
   Ironbank-Cherry Gardens Thunderers 1986- Div 2: 1998-99, 2018, 2020
   Kangarilla Double Blues 1967–1978, 2006- Div 2: 2006
Div 3: 1970, 1973–74, 1978
   Kersbrook Blues/Brookers 1971- Div 2: 1972, 1974, 1986, 1993, 1997, 2008–09, 2012, 2015, 2021
   Macclesfield Bloods 1967–1983, 1987- Div 2: 1980
Div 3: 1969
Div 4: 1972-1973
   Meadows Bulldogs 1967-1982, 2001- Div 2: 2001-2004
Div 3: 1967
     Torrens Valley Mountain Lions 1997- * Div 2: 2005, 2007, 2010

Premierships[]

[12]

Former Clubs[]

Colours Club Nickname Years in comp HFL Premierships
   Ashton 1972-81 (merged with Lenswood Rangers) -
    Barossa District Bulldogs 1987-90 (moved to Barossa, Light & Gawler FA) Div 2: 1987-88, 1990
   Bremer 1967-78 (merged with Nairne) Div 3B: 1974, 1978
   Bridgewater Raiders 1967-2012 (merged with Callington United Eagles) Div 2: 1981
   Callington United Eagles[15] Eagles 1995-2012 (merged with Bridgewater) -
    Eastern Rangers Saints 1983-96 (merged with Uraidla) Div 1: 1987
   Heathfield-Aldgate United 1967-78 (merged with Stirling) Div 1: 1967-68, 1971-72-73-74-75-76-77
   Langhorne Creek 1967-77 (moved to Great Southern Football League) Div 3: 1975-76-77
   Lenswood Rangers 1967-82 (merged with Ashton) Div 2: 1978-79
   Littlehampton 1967-72 Southern: 1968
   Milang Panthers 1986-2005, 2010-2017 -
   Mount Torrens Bombers 1967-75 (merged with Sedan Cambrai)
1986-1996 (merged with Pleasant Valley) 		Div 2: 1991
   Mount Torrens-Cambrai 1976-85 -
   Mylor 1967-72 Southern B: 1967, 1970
   Nairne 1967-78 (merged with Bremer) -
   Palmer 1967-70, 1972–73 Div 4B: 1972
   Pleasant Valley Roos 1967-88 (merged with Mount Torrens) Northern: 1967-68-69, 1971
   Sedan Cambrai Magpies 1967-75 (merged with Mount Torrens)
2010-15 (moved to Riverland Independent FL)[16] 		-
   Stirling Eagles 1967-78 (merged with Heathfield-Aldgate United) -
   Uraidla Redlegs 1967-96 (merged with Eastern Rangers) Div 1: 1979-80, 1989, 1996
   Williamstown Rovers 1967-73 -

AFL Players[]

The following were drafted to AFL club lists having previously participated in the Hills Football League.[17]

Name HFL Club Year Drafted SANFL Club (or equiv.) AFL Club(s)
Brenton Sanderson Blackwood 1992 Sturt Adelaide, Collingwood, Geelong
Scott Burns Birdwood[18] 1992 Norwood Collingwood
Brett James Kersbrook[19] 1992 Norwood Collingwood, Adelaide
Steven Sziller Lobethal 1994 Woodville-West Torrens St Kilda, Richmond
Roger James Kersbrook 1996 Norwood Port Adelaide
Ben Nelson Bridgewater 1996 Sturt Carlton, Adelaide
Barnaby French Ironbank-Cherry Gardens[20] 1997 Sturt Port Adelaide, Carlton
Sudjai Cook Kersbrook 1998 Norwood Adelaide
Courtney Johns Onkaparinga Valley 2002 East Fremantle Essendon
Darren Pfeiffer Birdwood[21] 2005 Norwood Adelaide, Carlton, Port Adelaide
Cleve Hughes Lobethal[22] 2005 Norwood Richmond
Benet Copping Mt Barker 2006 Sturt Fremantle
Blackwood 2008 Sturt St Kilda
Matthew Jaensch Hahndorf 2009 Sturt Adelaide
Sam Colquhoun Birdwood 2013 Central Districts Port Adelaide
Alex Georgiou Lobethal 2013 Norwood Melbourne
Matthew Fuller Lobethal 2013 Norwood Western Bulldogs
Hahndorf 2014 Sturt Geelong, Adelaide
Mitch Crowden Meadows 2017 Sturt Fremantle
Callum Coleman-Jones Blackwood 2017 Sturt Richmond
Tom Sparrow Bridgewater 2018 South Adelaide Melbourne

References[]

[23]

  1. ^ http://www.sportingpulse.com/assoc_page.cgi?assoc=6621&pID=1 About the League
  2. ^ Turner, Matt (26 September 2014). "Echunga Football Club exploring ways to avoid relegation despite winning Hills Football League flag". News Limited. Messenger Community News. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
  3. ^ http://footypedia.isgreat.org/00002257.htm Footypedia
  4. ^ "Blackwood Football Club". Retrieved 7 July 2009.
  5. ^ "Bridgewater Raiders". Archived from the original on 21 June 2009. Retrieved 7 July 2009.
  6. ^ "Hahndorf Football Club". Retrieved 8 May 2010.
  7. ^ "Lobethal Football Club". Retrieved 7 July 2009.
  8. ^ "Mt Barker Football Club". Retrieved 7 July 2009.
  9. ^ "Mt Lofty Football Club". Archived from the original on 9 July 2009. Retrieved 7 July 2009.
  10. ^ "Nairne Bremer Football Club". Archived from the original on 21 June 2009. Retrieved 7 July 2009.
  11. ^ "Onkaparinga Valley Football Club". Retrieved 11 August 2009.
  12. ^ a b "Past Premiers". Hills Football League. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
  13. ^ "Central Div A Grade Grand FiInal". Hills Football League. Fox Sports Pulse. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
  14. ^ "Country Div A Grade Grand Final". Hills Football League. Fox Sports Pulse. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
  15. ^ "Callington United Eagles Football Club". Retrieved 7 July 2009.
  16. ^ Dillon, Nick (5 February 2016). "Sedan-Cambrai makes eight for Independents". Murray Pioneer. Retrieved 13 February 2016.
  17. ^ "AFL Drafted Players". Retrieved 24 December 2013.
  18. ^ Rielly, Stephen (9 August 2003). "Scott Burns: Humble Pie". The Age. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
  19. ^ Devaney, John. "SA Football Companion - Brett James". Full Points Footy. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
  20. ^ Connolly, Rohan (23 November 2003). "French Plans to Stand Tall". The Age. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
  21. ^ Fjeldstad, Jesper (2 November 2013). "Darren Pfeiffer: It's lonely on the fringe of the AFL". Sunday Mail (SA). Retrieved 20 January 2014.
  22. ^ Porter, Ashley (21 June 2008). "Cubs on song as Tigers stun Port". Illawarra Mercury. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
  23. ^ Lines, Peter (2012). South Australian Country Football Digest. Cowell: Peter Lines. pp. 227–237. ISBN 978-0-9871591-9-9.

External links[]

Books[]

  • Encyclopedia of South Australian country football clubs / compiled by Peter Lines. ISBN 9780980447293
  • South Australian country football digest / by Peter Lines ISBN 9780987159199
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