# Millewa Football League

The Millewa Football League is an Australian rules football league with teams based in north-western Victoria and south-western New South Wales, Australia.
The clubs are mostly based within the same area as the clubs in the Sunraysia Football League, but generally represent smaller towns and communities. Clubs only field one senior football team and up to five netball teams.

## History

The Millewa Football Association was reformed in 1925. At this time it had teams representing Lock 9, Lake Cullulleraine and Werrimull, and a team called "the Kangaroos". Lake Cullulleraine were the premiers that year. A fortnight after the grand final, a combined association team played the Mildura Football Club in a charity match.
In 1932, the now Millewa Football League contained teams from Bambill, Karawinna, Meringur, Merinee, Pirlta and Werrimull.
Due to World War II, the league went into recess between 1942 and 1945. Media coverage of this league was non-existent between 1940 and 1960. Regular scores did not start appearing in the press until the mid-1970s. Meringur went into recess prior to the 2012 season due to lack of players attributed to the population decline in the district, however returned in 2013. Euston merged with Robinvale of the Sunraysia Football League before the beginning of the 2015 to play in that competition.

### League Best and Fairest - The McDonald Medal

The McDonald Medal is an annual award presented to the best and fairest player in the Millewa Football League. Established in memory of Donald McDonald, a prominent figure in the league's history, the medal is awarded by his family.
Donald McDonald served as president of the Millewa Football League from 1946, following its reformation after World War II, until 1962. His contributions to the league were recognized by the Victorian Country Football League, which awarded him the Recognition of Service Medal.
After his passing in 1962, his family initiated the presentation of the McDonald Medal in his honour. The inaugural medal was awarded in the same year and was shared by David Finn of Bambill and Bill Woods of Werrimull. Over the decades, many talented players have received this prestigious medal, highlighting their achievements within the Millewa League.

## Clubs
### Current

| Club | Jumper | Nickname | Home Ground | Former League | Est. | Years in MFL | MFL Senior Premierships | MFL Senior Premierships |
| Club | Jumper | Nickname | Home Ground | Former League | Est. | Years in MFL | Total | Years |
| Bambill | | Saints | Mildura Senior College, Mildura, Victoria | – | 1920s | 1927– | 30 | 1935, 1938, 1939, 1949, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1976, 1980, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024 |
| Cardross | | Lions | Cardross Recreational Reserve, Cardross, Victoria | SFNL | 1948 | 1962– | 3 | 1962, 1963, 1972 |
| Gol Gol (formerly Alcheringa) | | Hawks | Alcheringa Oval, Gol Gol, New South Wales | – | 1980 | 1980– | 11 | 1982, 1983, 1984, 1991, 1992, 1999, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2010 |
| Meringur | | Kangaroos | Johansen Memorial Reserve, Cullulleraine, Victoria | – | 1926 | 1926–36, 1949–2011, 2013– | 9 | 1950, 1952, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1964 |
| Nangiloc | | Demons | Nangiloc Recreational Reserve, Nangiloc, Victoria | – | 1975 | 1975– | 8 | 1978, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1994, 1995, 2017, 2018 |
| Werrimull | | Magpies | Johansen Memorial Reserve, Cullulleraine, Victoria | – | 1926 | 1926– | 19 | 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1947, 1948, 1951, 1954, 1955, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1979, 1981, 2003, 2012, 2013 |

### Past Clubs

| Club | Jumper | Nickname | Home Ground | Former League | Est. | Years in MFL | MFL Senior Premierships | MFL Senior Premierships | Fate |
| Club | Jumper | Nickname | Home Ground | Former League | Est. | Years in MFL | Total | Years | Fate |
| Benetook | | | | – | 1920s | 1931 | 0 | - | Folded |
| Coomealla | | All-Blacks | | SFNL | 1920s | 1981-1989 | 0 | - | Folded |
| Euston | | Bombers | Euston Recreation Reserve, Euston | MFL | 1920s | 1999-2014 | 1 | 2008 | Merged with Robinvale following 2014 season to form Robinvale-Euston in Sunraysia FL |
| Karawinna | | | | – | 1920s | 1926-1936 | 0 | - | Folded |
| Karween | | | | – | 1920s | 1932-1934 | 0 | - | Merged with Morkalla in 1935 to form Morkalla-Karween |
| Karween-Karawinna | | Tigers | | – | 1954 | 1954-1998 | 1 | 1997 | Folded after 1998 season |
| Merinee | | | | – | 1920s | 1928-1949 | 9 | 1931, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1936, 1937, 1940, 1941, 1946 | Folded |
| Meringur-South Merbein | | | | – | 1988 | 1988-1995 | 0 | - | Re-named Meringur following 1995 season |
| Morkalla-Karween | | | | – | 1935 | 1935-1953 | 1 | 1953 | Merged with Karawinna in 1954 to form Karween-Karawinna |
| Nichols Point | | | Nichols Point Reserve, Nichols Point | – | 1977 | 1977-1982 | 0 | - | Folded |
| Pirlta | | | | – | 1920s | 1929-1932 | 0 | - | Folded |
| South Merbein | | Swans | Merbein South Recreation Park, Merbein South | SFNL | 1919 | 1960-1987 | 0 | - | Merged with Meringur in 1988 to form Meringur-South Merbein |
| Yarrara | | | | – | 1920s | 1926-1937 | 0 | - | Folded |

## General statistics

General Information :
| Founded | 1926 |
| Records ||
| Highest Score | 305 — Bambill 48.17.305 (v Werrimull 5.0.30) – 1996 |
| Most premierships | 27 – Bambill |
| Most goals in a game |
| Most goals in a season | 149 – Rex Handy (Coomealla) – 1986 |
| Most flags in a row | 6 – Meringur – 1956–1961 |
| Most wins in a row | 50 – Nangiloc – 1993–96 |
| Most losses in a row | 26 – Cardross – 2001–2003 |

## McDonald Medallists

| Year | Player |
| 1962 | David Finn (Bambill) and Bill Woods (Werrimull) |
| 2007 | Ben Casey (Bambill) |
| 2008 | Anthony Albert (Gol Gol) |
| 2009 | Denny Fox (Bambill) and Tim Robinson (Gol Gol) |
| 2010 | Ben Ransome (Cardross) |
| 2011 | Joseph Denaro (Euston) |
| 2012 | Graeme Mentiplay (Werrimull) and Clinton Burdett (Gol Gol) |
| 2013 | |
| 2014 | Clinton Burdett (Gol Gol) |
| 2015 | Luke Stanbrook (Bambill) |
| 2016 | Sam Curran (Gol Gol) |
| 2017 | Mark Thomson (Werrimull) |
| 2018 | Luke Coates (Bambill) |
| 2019 | Jayden Kitt (Cardross) and Mark Thomson (Werrimull) |
| 2020 | |
| 2021 | |
| 2022 | |
| 2023 | Logan McKinnon |
| 2024 | Mark Thomson (Werrimull) |
| 2025 | |

## Leading Goal Kickers

| Year | Player | H&A goals | Finals goals | Total Goals |
| 1976 | Ian Hobbs (Bambill) / Denis Coburn (Nangiloc) | 60 / 60 | 5 / 5 | 65 / 65 |
| 1977 | Les Hazel (Nangiloc) | 75 | 10 | 85 |
| 1978 | John Sheahan(Werrimull) | 106 | 15 | 121 |
| 1979 | | | | |
| 1980 | | | | |
| 1981 | Owen Evans (Werrimull) | 73 | 5 | 78 |
| 1982 | Don Cooke (Meringur) | 100 | 11 | 111 |
| 1983 | Rex Handy (Coomealla) | 107 | 0 | 107 |
| 1984 | Geoff Lucas (Alcheringa) | 118 | 0 | 118 |
| 1985 | Ron Jackson (Bambill) | 139 | 9 | 148 |
| 1986 | Rex Handy (Coomealla) | 120 | 29 | 149 |
| 1987 | | | | |
| 1988 | Jerry Vuik (Bambill) | 79 | 2 | 81 |
| 1989 | Jerry Vuik (Bambill) | 89 | 3 | 92 |
| 1990 | Glenn Mitchell (Werrimull) | 41 | |
| 1991 | Frank Oldfield (Alcheringa) | 123 | 0 | 123 |
| 1992 | Frank Oldfield (Alcheringa) | 108 | 0 | 108 |
| 1993 | Grenville Dietrich (KK) | 118 | 7 | 125 |
| 1994 | Grenville Dietrich (KK) | 123 | 0 | 123 |
| 1995 | Grenville Dietrich (KK) | 105 | 0 | 105 |
| 1996 | Grenville Dietrich (KK) | 112 | 3 | 115 |
| 1997 | Brett Robertson (Bambill) | 55 | 0 | 55 |
| 1998 | Daryl Fisher (Cardross) | 73 | 0 | 73 |
| 1999 | David McDonnell (Gol Gol) | 51 | 0 | 51 |
| 2000 | Brett Haase (Euston) | 103 | 5 | 108 |
| 2001 | Matt Leeder (Werrimull) | 105 | 1 | 106 |
| 2002 | Mark Fitzgerald (Mer) | 81 | 0 | 81 |
| 2003 | Shane Ruyg (Werrimul) | 83 | 11 | 94 |
| 2004 | Bradley Brooks (GG) | 90 | 16 | 106 |
| 2005 | Bradley Brooks (GG) | 85 | 2 | 87 |
| 2006 | Mark Duscher (Werrimull) | 76 | 0 | 76 |
| 2007 | David Hall (Bambill) | 71 | 7 | 78 |
| 2008 | Mahino Paola(Euston) | 71 | 0 | 71 |
| 2009 | Kaleb Sherwell (Gol Gol) | 81 | 7 | 88 |
| 2010 | Brett Haase (Bambill) | 92 | 0 | 92 |
| 2011 | Jason Bell (Gol Gol) | 83 | 19 | 102 |
| 2012 | Robert Lindsey (Gol Gol) | 117 | 16 | 133 |
| 2013 | Luke Stanbrook (Bambill) | 69 | 9 | 78 |
| 2014 | Isaiah Johnson (Werrimull) | 79 | 5 | 84 |
| 2015 | Luke Stanbrook (Bambill) | 67 | 6 | 73 |
| 2016 | Luke Hubble (Bambill) | 68 | 0 | 68 |
| 2017 | David Keens (Nangiloc) | 67 | 4 | 71 |
| 2018 | David Hall (Bambill) | 57 | 2 | 59 |

## Recent Grand Finals

* 1960 Meringur 11 13 79 Defeated Werrimull 4 6 30
* 1961 Meringur 8 15 63 Defeated Werrimull 8 4 52
* 1962 Cardross 11 12 78 Defeated Meringur 11 9 75
* 1963 Cardross 10 10 70 Defeated Meringur 10 9 69
* 1964 Meringur 13 21 99 Defeated Bambill 13 3 81
* 1965 Bambill 8 10 58 Defeated Meringur 5 10 40
* 1966 Bambill 14 13 97 Defeated Cardross 14 4 88
* 1967 Bambill 9 13 67 Defeated Meringur 5 15 45
* 1968 Bambill 12 10 82 Defeated Werrimull 7 10 52
* 1969 South Merbein 11 11 77 Defeated Karween-Karawinna 6 11 47
* 1970 Bambill 13 8 86 Defeated Cardross 8 12 60
* 1971 Bambill 14 15 99 Defeated Karween-Karawinna 11 12 78
* 1972 Cardross 17 14 116 Defeated Werrimull 12 18 90
* 1973 Werrimull 9 11 65 Defeated Bambill 7 6 48
* 1974 Werrimull 17 18 120 Defeated South Merbein 17 11 113
* 1975 Werrimull 15 18 108 Defeated Bambill 14 10 94
* 1976 Bambill 14 12 96 Defeated Nangiloc 4 17 41
* 1977 Werrimull 15 15 105 Defeated Nangiloc 13 13 91
* 1978 Nangiloc 19 10 124 Defeated Meringur 18 9 117
* 1979 Werrimull 16 22 118 Defeated Bambill 16 18 114
* 1980 Bambill 15 12 102 Defeated Werrimull 11 11 77
* 1981 Werrimull 19 12 126 Defeated Alcheringa 12 11 83
* 1982 Alcheringa 31 21 207 Defeated Cardross 14 8 92
* 1983 Alcheringa 27 10 172 Defeated Bambill 14 10 94
* 1984 Alcheringa 18 17 125 Defeated Bambill 15 10 100
* 1985 Bambill 15 11 101 Defeated Alcheringa 11 9 75
* 1986 Bambill 15 8 98 Defeated Alcheringa 13 10 88
* 1987 Bambill 26 14 170 Defeated Alcheringa 15 8 98
* 1988 Bambill 7 18 60 Defeated Meringur South Merbein 3 9 27
* 1989 Nangiloc 17 18 120 Defeated Alcheringa 13 12 90
* 1990 Nangiloc 15 15 105 Defeated Alcheringa 10 13 73
* 1991 Alcheringa 16 11 107 Defeated Bambill 9 8 62
* 1992 Alcheringa 12 7 79 Defeated Bambill 7 13 55
* 1993 Nangiloc 13 8 86 Defeated Bambill 8 17 65
* 1994 Nangiloc 14 16 100 Defeated Bambill 12 8 80
* 1995 Nangiloc 15 16 106 Defeated Bambill 10 10 70
* 1996 Bambill 15 19 109 Defeated Nangiloc 11 11 77
* 1997 Karween-Karawinna 16 10 106 Defeated Bambill 14 12 96
* 1998 Bambill 20 12 132 Defeated Werrimull 6 9 45
* 1999 Gol Gol 17 15 117 Defeated Nangiloc 13 14 92
* 2000 Bambill 18 19 127 Defeated Gol Gol 11 10 76
* 2001 Gol Gol 19 16 130 Defeated Werrimull 5 8 38
* 2002 Bambill 24 11 155 Defeated Euston 5 10 40
* 2003 Werrimull 19 12 126 Defeated Gol Gol 18 17 125
* 2004 Gol Gol 12 12 84 Defeated Bambill 6 10 46
* 2005 Gol Gol 20 15 135 Defeated Meringur 4 8 32
* 2006 Gol Gol 22 18 150 Defeated Cardross 1 12 18
* 2007 Bambill 19 13 127 Defeated Cardross 4 9 33
* 2008 Euston 13 10 88 Defeated Gol Gol 6 12 48
* 2009 Bambill 13 14 92 Defeated Gol Gol 11 5 71
* 2010 Gol Gol 14 15 89 Defeated Bambill 5 18 48
* 2011 Bambill 24 14 158 Defeated Werrimull 14 5 89
* 2012 Werrimull 20 23 143 Defeated Gol Gol 4 5 29
* 2013 Werrimull 18 16 124 Defeated Bambill 13 8 86
* 2014 Bambill 19 21 135 Defeated 9 8 62
* 2015 Bambill 16 14 110 Defeated Werrimull 8 13 61
* 2016 Bambill 11 9 75 Defeated Gol Gol 6 9 45
* 2017 Nangiloc 9 10 64 Defeated Gol Gol 7 13 55
* 2018 Nangiloc 11 6 72 Defeated Werrimull 8 9 57
* 2019 Bambill 10 13 73 Defeated Nangiloc 10 10 70
* 2020 Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
* 2021 Finals cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
* 2022 Bambill 16 17 113 Defeated Cardross 7 8 50
* 2023 Bambill 12 12 84 Defeated Gol Gol 11 5 71
* 2024 Bambill 15.14 104 Defeated Cardross 7.7 49

## Premierships

* 1926 Werrimull
* 1927 Werrimull
* 1928 Werrimull
* 1929 Werrimull
* 1930 Werrimull
* 1931 Merinee
* 1932 Merinee
* 1933 Merinee
* 1934 Merinee
* 1935 Bambill
* 1936 Merinee
* 1937 Merinee
* 1938 Bambill
* 1939 Bambill
* 1940 Merinee
* 1941 Merinee
* 1942 No competition due to WWII
* 1943 No competition due to WWII
* 1944 No competition due to WWII
* 1945 No competition due to WWII
* 1946 Merinee
* 1947 Werrimull
* 1948 Werrimull
* 1949 Bambill
* 1950 Meringur
* 1951 Werrimull
* 1952 Meringur
* 1953 Karween
* 1954 Werrimull
* 1955 Werrimull
* 1956 Meringur
* 1957 Meringur
* 1958 Meringur
* 1959 Meringur
* 1960 Meringur
* 1961 Meringur
* 1962 Cardross
* 1963 Cardross
* 1964 Meringur
* 1965 Bambill
* 1966 Bambill
* 1967 Bambill
* 1968 Bambill
* 1969 South Merbein
* 1970 Bambill
* 1971 Bambill
* 1972 Cardross
* 1973 Werrimull
* 1974 Werrimull
* 1975 Werrimull
* 1976 Bambill
* 1977 Werrimull
* 1978 Nangiloc
* 1979 Werrimull
* 1980 Bambill
* 1981 Werrimull
* 1982 Alcheringa
* 1983 Alcheringa
* 1984 Alcheringa
* 1985 Bambill
* 1986 Bambill
* 1987 Bambill
* 1988 Bambill
* 1989 Nangiloc
* 1990 Nangiloc
* 1991 Alcheringa
* 1992 Alcheringa
* 1993 Nangiloc
* 1994 Nangiloc
* 1995 Nangiloc
* 1996 Bambill
* 1997 Karween Karawinna
* 1998 Bambill
* 1999 Gol Gol
* 2000 Bambill
* 2001 Gol Gol
* 2002 Bambill
* 2003 Werrimull
* 2004 Gol Gol
* 2005 Gol Gol
* 2006 Gol Gol
* 2007 Bambill
* 2008 Euston
* 2009 Bambill
* 2010 Gol Gol
* 2011 Bambill
* 2012 Werrimull
* 2013 Werrimull
* 2014 Bambill
* 2015 Bambill
* 2016 Bambill
* 2017 Nangiloc
* 2018 Nangiloc
* 2019 Bambill
* 2020 No competition due to COVID 19 pandemic
* 2021 Season cancelled due to COVID 19 pandemic
* 2022 Bambill
* 2023 Bambill
* 2024 Bambill
Notes

## 2015 Ladder

| Millewa | Wins | Byes | Losses | Draws | For | Against | % | Pts | Final | Team | G | B | Pts | Team | G | B | Pts |
| Bambill | 14 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2174 | 1065 | 204.13% | 56 | 1st Semi | Werrimull | 15 | 8 | 98 | Gol Gol | 10 | 15 | 75 |
| Nangolic | 13 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1878 | 1232 | 152.44% | 52 | 2nd Semi | Bambill | 14 | 15 | 99 | Nangiloc | 14 | 10 | 94 |
| Gol Gol | 10 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 1402 | 1355 | 103.47% | 40 | Preliminary | Werrimull | 14 | 18 | 102 | Nangiloc | 11 | 6 | 72 |
| Werrimull | 7 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 1332 | 1199 | 111.09% | 28 | Grand | Bambill | 16 | 14 | 110 | Werrimull | 8 | 13 | 61 |
| Cardross | 6 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 1364 | 1628 | 83.78% | 24 |
| Meringur | 1 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 725 | 2396 | 30.26% | 4 |

## 2016 Ladder

| Millewa | Wins | Byes | Losses | Draws | For | Against | % | Pts | Final | Team | G | B | Pts | Team | G | B | Pts |
| Bambill | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2448 | 631 | 387.96% | 60 | 1st Semi | Nangiloc | 14 | 6 | 90 | Werrimull | 8 | 2 | 50 |
| Gol Gol | 12 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1738 | 879 | 197.72% | 48 | 2nd Semi | Gol Gol | 13 | 13 | 91 | Bambill | 13 | 12 | 90 |
| Nangolic | 7 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1284 | 1385 | 92.71% | 28 | Preliminary | Bambill | 12 | 14 | 86 | Nangiloc | 7 | 12 | 54 |
| Werrimull | 6 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 1065 | 1455 | 73.20% | 24 | Grand | Bambill | 11 | 9 | 75 | Gol Gol | 6 | 9 | 45 |
| Meringur | 4 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 1092 | 1515 | 72.08% | 16 |
| Cardross | 1 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 687 | 2449 | 28.05% | 4 |

## 2017 Ladder

| Millewa | Wins | Byes | Losses | Draws | For | Against | % | Pts | Final | Team | G | B | Pts | Team | G | B | Pts |
| Gol Gol | 13 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1834 | 828 | 221.50% | 52 | 1st Semi | Meringur | 15 | 11 | 101 | Werrimull | 7 | 8 | 50 |
| Nangolic | 12 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1718 | 918 | 187.15% | 48 | 2nd Semi | Gol Gol | 13 | 10 | 88 | Nangiloc | 5 | 6 | 36 |
| Meringur | 7 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1228 | 1162 | 105.68% | 28 | Preliminary | Nangiloc | 19 | 12 | 126 | Meringur | 12 | 5 | 77 |
| Werrimull | 6 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 1324 | 1190 | 111.26% | 26 | Grand | Nangiloc | 9 | 10 | 64 | Gol Gol | 7 | 13 | 55 |
| Cardross | 6 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 1323 | 1288 | 102.72% | 26 |
| Bambill | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 610 | 2651 | 23.01% | 0 |

## 2018 Ladder

| Millewa | Wins | Byes | Losses | Draws | For | Against | % | Pts | Final | Team | G | B | Pts | Team | G | B | Pts |
| Nangiloc | 12 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1479 | 880 | 168.07% | 48 | 1st Semi | Meringur | 6 | 6 | 42 | Bambill | 19 | 6 | 120 |
| Werrimull | 10 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1327 | 1183 | 112.17% | 40 | 2nd Semi | Nanigloc | 10 | 10 | 70 | Werrimull | 7 | 23 | 65 |
| Meringur | 9 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 1299 | 970 | 133.92% | 38 | Preliminary | Werrimull | 16 | 5 | 101 | Bambill | 8 | 13 | 61 |
| Bambill | 9 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1391 | 1207 | 115.24% | 36 | Grand | Nangiloc | 11 | 6 | 72 | Werrimull | 8 | 9 | 57 |
| Gol Gol | 3 | 0 | 11 | 1 | 1143 | 1314 | 86.99% | 14 |
| Cardross | 1 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 849 | 1934 | 43.90% | 4 |

## 2019 Ladder

| Millewa | Wins | Byes | Losses | Draws | For | Against | % | Pts | Final | Team | G | B | Pts | Team | G | B | Pts |
| Nangolic | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1686 | 715 | 235.80% | 60 | 1st Semi | Cardross | 6 | 11 | 47 | Meringur | 5 | 6 | 36 |
| Bambill | 12 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1452 | 974 | 149.08% | 48 | 2nd Semi | Bambill | 16 | 13 | 109 | Nangiloc | 9 | 8 | 62 |
| Cardross | 6 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 1092 | 1203 | 90.77% | 24 | Preliminary | Nangiloc | 20 | 14 | 134 | Cardross | 8 | 11 | 59 |
| Meringur | 6 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 1059 | 1211 | 87.45% | 24 | Grand | Bambill | 10 | 13 | 73 | Nangiloc | 10 | 10 | 70 |
| Werrimull | 5 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 969 | 1321 | 73.35% | 20 |
| Gol Gol | 2 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 744 | 1418 | 52.47% | 8 |