The Victorian Women's Football League (VWFL) was an amateur Australian rules football league based in Victoria, Australia. At the time of its dissolution, it was the oldest and largest Australian rules football league for women in the world, consisting of 47 clubs from across seven divisions housing a total of more than 1,000 players.
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.
From 1997, when the VWFL introduce a reserves division, the league 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.
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.
The VWFL integrated into AFL Victoria in 2013.
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. 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.
Clubs
Final clubs
Premier Division ClubColoursNicknameHome GroundEst.Years in VWFLVWFL PremiershipsFateTotalMost Recent BendigoThunderKangaroo Flat Oval, Kangaroo Flat20112011-201622013Moved to Northern FNL in 2017 Deer ParkLionsJohn McLeod Reserve, Deer Park19261981-201612016Moved to in 2017 Eastern Devils reserves Devils Mulgrave Reserve, Mulgrave 1999 1990–201622013Moved to South East Women's Football in 2017 Melbourne University reserves Mugars University Oval, Parkville 1996 1997–201652005Moved to Northern FNL in 2017 Port Melbourne ColtsColtsJ.L. Murphy Reserve, Port Melbourne19572014-201612015Moved to South East Women's Football in 2017 St Kilda Sharks reserves Sharks Peanut Farm Reserve, St Kilda 1992 1992–201642014Moved to South East Women's Football in 2017
Division 1 ClubColoursNicknameHome GroundEst.Years in VWFLVWFL PremiershipsFateTotalMost Recent Darebin reserves Falcons Preston 1987 1987–2016132015Moved to Northern FNL in 2017 Diamond Creek reserves Creekers C.T. Barling Reserve, Reservoir 2002 2002–201532012Moved to Northern FNL in 2017 Endeavour HillsEaglesBarry Simon Reserve, Endeavour Hills20112015-20160 -Moved to South East Women's Football in 2017 Kew Bears Victoria Park, Kew 2006 2014–201622016Moved to Northern FNL in 2017 La Trobe University Trobers Tony Sheehan Oval, La Trobe University, Bundoora 1967 2009–201612011Moved to Northern FNL in 2017 Pascoe Vale Panthers Raeburn Reserve, Pascoe Vale 1909 2013–201612013Moved to Northern FNL in 2017 Redan Lions Western Oval, Ballarat Central 1871 2014–20160 -Moved to in 2017 Whitehorse Pioneers Pioneers (formerly Suns) Springfield Park, Box Hill North 1954 2014–20160 -Moved to Northern FNL in 2017
Division 2 ClubColoursNicknameHome GroundEst.Years in VWFLVWFL PremiershipsFateTotalMost Recent Chirnside ParkPanthersKimberley Reserve, Chirnside Park19782011-20160 -Moved to South East Women's Football in 2017 Cranbourne reserves Eagles Frenken Homes Oval, Clyde North 1889 2009–201612015Moved to South East Women's Football in 2017 Mordialloc Bloodhounds Ben Kavanagh Reserve, Mordialloc 1891 2014–201612002Moved to Southern FNL in 2017 Seaford reserves Tigerettes RF Miles Recreation Reserve, Seaford 1921 2013–201612014Moved to South East Women's Football in 2017 South Morang Lions Mill Park Lakes Recreation Reserve, South Morang 1954 2014–201612015Moved to Northern FNL in 2017 St Kilda Sharks thirds Sharks Peanut Farm Reserve, St Kilda 1992 1992–201642014Moved to South East Women's Football in 2017 Sunbury Lions Clarke Oval, Sunbury 1879 1981–201632015Moved to in 2017 Western Spurs reserves Spurs Henry Turner Memorial Reserve, Footscray 1993 1993–201632016Moved to Northern FNL in 2017
Division 3 ClubColoursNicknameHome GroundEst.Years in VWFLVWFL PremiershipsFateTotalMost Recent AJAX Jackas Gary Smorgon Oval, St Kilda 1957 2015–20160 -Moved to VAFA in 2017 Bayswater Waters Marie Wallace Bayswater Park, Bayswater 1895 2012–20160 -Moved to in 2017 Brunswick Renegades A.G. Gillon Oval, Brunswick 1963 2014–20160 -Moved to VAFA in 2017 Fitzroy–ACU Roy Girls WT Peterson Oval, Fitzroy North 1883 2015–20160 -Moved to VAFA in 2017 Gippsland Galaxy Traralgon Recreation Reserve, Traralgon 2015 2015–201622016Moved to South East Women's Football in 2017 Melbourne University thirds Mugars Main Oval, University of Melbourne, Parkville 1996 1997–201552005Moved to Northern FNL in 2017 SKOB Saints Basil Reserve, Malvern East 1947 20160 -Moved to VAFA in 2017
Goldfields ClubColoursNicknameHome GroundEst.Years in VWFLVWFL PremiershipsFateTotalMost RecentBacchus MarshCobrasMaddingley Park, Maddingley19792015-20160 -Moved to in 2017 East Point Dragons White Flat Recreation Reserve, Ballarat Central 2001 20160 -Moved to in 2017 Kyneton Tigers Kyneton Showgrounds, Kyneton 1861 2015–20160 -Moved to in 2017 Lake Wendouree Lakers C E Brown Reserve, Wendouree 1994 20160 -Moved to in 2017 MCDFNL Lions Lions Carisbrook Recreation Reserve, Carisbrook 2016 201612016Disbanded
North West ClubColoursNicknameHome GroundEst.Years in VWFLVWFL PremiershipsFateTotalMost RecentFitzroy–ACU reservesRoy GirlsWT Peterson Oval, Fitzroy North18832015-20160 -Moved to VAFA in 2017 Glen Orden Hawks Heathdale Reserve, Werribee 1979 20160 -In recess Jacana Jaguars Jacana Reserve, Jacana 1961 2013–20160 -Folded Manor Lakes Storm Howqua Way Reserve, Manor Lakes 2012 2014–20160 -Moved to in 2017 Melton Central Blues Arnolds Creek Reserve, Melton West 1996 2007, 2014–201612007Moved to in 2017 Roxburgh Park Magpies Lakeside Reserve, Roxburgh Park 2002 20160 -Moved to in 2017 Shepparton Bears Notre Dame College, Emmaus Campus, Shepparton North and John Gray Oval, Mooroopna 1880s 20160 -Moved to in 2017
South East ClubColoursNicknameHome GroundEst.Years in VWFLVWFL PremiershipsFateTotalMost Recent Beaconsfield Eagles Holm Park, Beaconsfield 1890 20160 -Moved to South East Women's Football in 2017 Edithvale Aspendale Eagles Regents Park, Aspendale 1921 20160 -Moved to South East Women's Football in 2017 Endeavour Hills reserves Eagles Barry Simon Reserve, Endeavour Hills 2011 2015–20160 -Moved to South East Women's Football in 2017 Hallam Hawks Hallam Recreation Reserve, Hallam 2012 2011–201622012Moved to Southern FNL in 2017 Knox reserves Falcons Knox Gardens Reserve, Wantirna South 1980 2013–20160 -Moved to VFLW in 2017 Mornington Bulldogs Alexandra Park, Mornington 1888 2014–201612016Moved to South East Women's Football in 2017 Mount Eliza Redlegs Emil Madsden Reserve, Mount Eliza 1964 20160 -Moved to South East Women's Football in 2017 Rosebud Buds Olympic Park, Rosebud 1929 2015–20160 -In recess Seaford thirds Tigerettes RF Miles Recreation Reserve, Seaford 1921 2013–201612014Moved to South East Women's Football in 2017 Warragul Colts Colts Eastern Park, Warragul 1948 20160 -Moved to South East Women's Football in 2017 as Warragul Industrials
Former clubs ClubColoursNicknameHome GroundEst.Years in VWFLVWFL PremiershipsFateTotalMost RecentAltonaVikingsJK Grant Reserve, Altona19182012-20130 -In recess Ballarat1990–199531995FoldedBell Post HillPanthersMyers Reserve, Bell Post Hill19762010-20110 -In recessBerwick WickersEdwin Flack Reserve, Berwick19032004-201622006Re-formed in Eastern FNLBraybrookBrookersPennell Reserve, Braybrook18742010-20130 -In recessCorioDevilsShell Reserve, Corio19740 -In recess DingleyCobras11983FoldedEast GeelongEaglesRichmond Oval, East Geelong187912002In recessEastern LionsLionsFairpark Reserve, Ferntree Gully196912007Re-formed in Eastern FNLFerntree GullyKangaroosWally Tew Reserve, Ferntree Gully189212001Re-formed in Eastern FNLGeelongCheetahzWest Oval, Geelong West192612006FoldedGembrook CockatooBrookersGembrook Recreation Reserve, Gembrook19062010-0 -In recessGladstone ParkBurrasTullamarine Reserve, Tullamarine11986FoldedGolden PointDragonsWhite Flat Recreation Reserve, Ballarat Central20140 -FoldedHadfieldHawksMartin Reserve, Hadfield196112007In recessHeidelbergTigersWarringal Park, Heidelberg1876?-200812008Re-formed in Northern FNLKeysboroughBurrasRowley Allan Reserve, Keysborough19472010-?0 -In recessLalor Park Reservoir2003-20121 2005Folded after 2012 seasonMeltonBloodsMacPherson Park, Toolern Vale1879?-20090 -Re-formed in Riddell District FNLMontmorencyMagpiesMontmorency Park, North Oval, Montmorency19242014-201512014Re-formed in Northern FNLNorth BallaratRoostersEureka Stadium, Wendouree1882?-20130 -In recessNorth HeidelbergBulldogsShelley Street Reserve, Heidelberg Heights195812001In recessNorthcote ParkScorpions19811981–1994101994FoldedNorthern RoosRoosc. 19920 -FoldedNorth GeelongMagpiesOsborne Park, North Geelong18762012-201512014Re-formed in AFL Barwon Female FootballParkdaleGerry Green Reserve, Parkdalec. 1970s1995–20100 -Re-formed in VAFAParkmorePiratesFrederick Wachter Reserve, Keysborough0 -FoldedParksideHenry Turner Reserve, Footscray18971995–200232001Absorbed by DarebinPort MelbourneBoroughNorth Port Oval, Port Melbourne18740 -Re-formed in VFLWRowvilleCobras1992–19940 -FoldedScoresbyMagpiesScoresby Recreation Reserve, Scoresby19251981-201232013In recessSeville RangesRangersWandin East Recreation Reserve, Wandin East20150 -FoldedSouth MorningtonTigersCitation Oval, Mount Martha20062006-201212010In recessSt John's Old CollegiansJOCSThomas Carroll Reserve, Doveton19912010-20130 -In recessSurrey ParkPanthersSurrey Park Reserve, Box Hill199412003Re-formed in Eastern FNLWyndhamvaleFalconsWyndham Vale South Oval, Wyndham Vale19792013-20140 -Re-formed in Western Region FLYarra Valley CougarsCougars32007Folded
Premiers