# Ararat & District Football Association

The Ararat & District Football Association was an Australian rules football League based around Ararat in Western Victoria.

## History

The ADFA was the minor league in Ararat with clubs named after churches, mills and mines. The competition was regarded as the minor league of the area, whilst the major club in town, the Ararat Football Club played in the Wimmera Football League.
This association was founded in 1922 and was re-figured and calibrated several times in its first ten years of existence.
* 1922 Ararat & District Junior Football Association
* 1927 Dobie Football Association
* 1928 Ararat Inter-church Football Association
* 1931 Ararat & District Football Association
Until the mid 1990s, the nine club league had six clubs drawing players out of Ararat and three clubs with predominantly Stawell based players. However during the 90s there was a population decline in Ararat. Aradale Mental Hospital was closed, alongside government bodies which supplied employment for the town, this forced clubs to merge due to low numbers.
The league finished in 1999 which saw teams splitting into the Horsham & District Football League and Mininera & District Football League.

## Final clubs

| Club | Colours | Nickname | Home Ground | Former League | Est. | Years in ADFA | ADFA Senior Premierships | ADFA Senior Premierships | Fate |
| Club | Colours | Nickname | Home Ground | Former League | Est. | Years in ADFA | Total | Years | Fate |
| Caledonians-Miners | | Saints | Ararat City Band Centre, Ararat | – | 1996 | 1996-1999 | 1 | 1999 | Became Ararat United and moved to Mininera & District FL in 2000 |
| Great Western | | Demons | Great Western Public Park Reserve, Great Western | SWFL | 1880s | 1922-1925, 1933–1949, 1953–1999 | 3 | 1963, 1972, 1983 | Moved to Horsham & District FL in 2000 |
| Moyston | | Tigers | Moyston Recreation Reserve, Moyston | – | 1890s | 1922-1999 | 5 | 1967, 1968, 1969, 1990, 1991 | Merged with Willaura to form Moyston-Willaura in Mininera & District FL |
| Prestige-Trinity | | Dragons | Gordon Street Oval, Ararat | – | 1996 | 1996-1999 | 0 | - | Merged with St Marys to form Ararat Eagles in Horsham & District FL in 2000 |
| St Marys | | Kangaroos | Alexandra Oval, Ararat | – | 1920s | 1928-1935, 1938-1999 | 8 | 1928, 1946, 1952, 1953, 1970, 1971, 1997, 1998 | Merged with Prestige-Trinity to form Ararat Eagles in Horsham & District FL in 2000 |
| Swifts | | Baggies | North Park, Stawell | SWFL | 1913 | 1970-1999 | 5 | 1977, 1989, 1992, 1993, 1994 | Moved to Horsham & District FL in 2000 |

## Previous clubs

| Club | Colours | Nickname | Home Ground | Former League | Est. | Years in ADFA | ADFA Senior Premierships | ADFA Senior Premierships | Fate |
| Club | Colours | Nickname | Home Ground | Former League | Est. | Years in ADFA | Total | Years | Fate |
| Ararat Ex Students | | | | – | 1945 | 1945-1946 | 0 | - | Folded in 1947 |
| Ararat Juniors | | | | | | 1922 | 1 | 1922 | Folded in 1922 |
| Ararat Imperials | | | | | | 1923-1927 | 2 | 1923, 1924 | Folded in 1927 |
| Buangor | | Ramblers | Des Brennan Park, Buangor | RFA | 1900s | 1931, 1937, 1946–1965 | 0 | - | Folded in 1966 |
| Caledonians | | Demons | Ararat City Band Centre, Ararat | – | | 1928-1995 | 10 | 1931, 1933, 1950, 1954, 1955, 1957, 1975, 1985, 1986, 1987 | Merged with Miners to form Miners-Caledonians in 1996 |
| Cathcart | | | | | | 1922-1927 | 0 | - | |
| Dobie | | | Dobie Recreation Reserve, Dobie | | | 1927 | 1 | 1927 | Folded in 1928 |
| Elmhurst | | | Elmhurst Recreation Reserve, Elmhurst | LFL | 1900s | 1949-1950 | 0 | - | Folded in 1951 |
| Glenorchy | | | Glenorchy Recreation Reserve, Glenorchy | | | 1970-1972, 1976 | 0 | - | Folded |
| Halls Gap | | | Halls Gap Recreation Reserve, Halls Gap | | | 1970-1975 | 0 | - | Folded in 1976 |
| Joel Joel | | Rovers | | SWFL | 1890s | 1939-1940 | 1 | 1939 | Folded in 1941 |
| Lake Bolac | | Bombers | Lake Bolac Recreation Reserve, Lake Bolac | WFA | 1880s | 1926 | 0 | - | Moved to Willaura & District FA in 1927 |
| Landsborough | | Burras | Landsborough Recreation Reserve, Landsborough | LFL | | 1937-1939, 1950-1952, 1957–1964 | 2 | 1960, 1961 | Returned to Lexton FL in 1965 |
| Miners (Methodists 1928-1972) | | Miners | Kokoda Park, Ararat | – | | 1973-1995 | 10 | 1934, 1935, 1937, 1938, 1949, 1958, 1959, 1973, 1974, 1976 | Merged with Caledonians to form Caledonians-Miners in 1996 |
| Prestige | | | Maroona Recreation Reserve, Maroona | – | 1945 | 1946-1995 | 4 | 1951, 1956, 1966, 1988 | Merged with Trinity to form Prestige-Trinity in 1996 |
| Trinity | | Bulldogs | Gordon Street Oval, Ararat | – | 1925 | 1925-1995 | 10 | 1929, 1930, 1932, 1936, 1947, 1948, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1979 | Merged with Prestige to form Prestige-Trinity in 1996 |
| Warrak | | | Warrak Recreation Reserve, Warrak | | | 1931-1937 | 0 | - | Folded in 1937 |
| Warriors | | Warriors | North Park, Stawell | SWFL | 1890s | 1970-1997 | 8 | 1940, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1995, 1996 | Absorbed by Stawell in the Wimmera FL in 1998 |
| Willaura | | Saints | Willaura Recreation Reserve, Willaura | WFA | 1900s | 1925-1926 | 2 | 1926, 1927 | Moved to Mininera & District FL in 1927 |

## Association Football Records

Notable Records :
| Record | Record | Details | Year |
| Highest Score | 414 Points | St Marys.65.24.414 (v Moyston 3.0.18) | 1998 |
| Most Goals in a Match | 27 Goals | Geoff LePoidevin - St Marys (v Moyston) | 1998 |
| Most Goals in a Season | 155 Goals | Danny Aldersea – Caledonians FC | 1975 |
| Most Consecutive Premierships | 3 | Moyston FC | 1967–1969 |
| Most Consecutive Premierships | 3 | Warriors FC | 1980–1982 |
| Most Consecutive Premierships | 3 | Caledonians | 1985–1987 |
| Most Consecutive Wins | 38 Wins | Swifts FC | 1993–1995 |
| Most Consecutive Losses | 56 Losses | Moyston | 1996–1999 |

## Premiers
### League Best & Fairest

| Year | Player | Club |
| 1950 | Eric James | Trinity |
| 1951 | Reg Bates | Methodists |
| 1952 | Leon Gibson | Landsborough |
| 1953 | Alan Grant | Methodists |
| 1954 | Max Curran | Great Western |
| 1955 | Les Lugg | St Marys |
| 1956 | Bruce Dickerson | Moyston |
| 1957 | Henry Gunstone | Great Western |
| 1958 | Leo Kranz | Buangor |
| 1959 | Bruce Graham | Prestige |
| 1960 | Neil Fenton | Trinity |
| 1961 | Peter Stainsby | Prestige |
| | Stuart Robertson | Landsborough |
| 1962 | Barry Smart | Trinity |
| 1963 | Barry Smart | Trinity |
| 1964 | Ivan Dunne | St Marys |
| 1965 | Doug Bullen | Prestige |
| 1966 | Les Peoples | St Marys |
| 1967 | Alan Smith | Methodists |
| 1968 | George Dunn | Methodists |
| 1969 | Terry Davis | St Marys |
| 1970 | Victor Barwick | Prestige |
| 1971 | Peter Kaczynski | Moyston |
| 1972 | Graeme Trickey | Halls Gap |
| 1973 | Kevin Westrup | St Marys |
| 1974 | Robert Wilson | Moyston |
| 1975 | Lex Pritchard | Caledonians |
| 1976 | Ross Jackson | Warriors |
| 1977 | Terry Brady | Great Western |
| 1978 | Wilf Dickeson | Great Western |
| 1979 | Leo Mooney | Great Western |
| 1980 | Ian Brilliant | Warriors |
| 1981 | Peter Cordy | Great Western |
| 1982 | Ralph Tulloch | Swifts |
| 1983 | Gary Todd | Moyston |
| 1984 | Peter Cody | Great Western |
| 1985 | Des Beaton | Warriors |
| 1986 | Brian Jenkins | Prestige |
| 1987 | Brian Jenkins | Prestige |
| 1988 | John Coole | Prestige |
| 1989 | Glen Joiner | Swifts |
| 1990 | Darren Austin | Warriors |
| 1991 | Tim Purbrick | St Marys |
| | Anthony Redford | Swifts |
| 1992 | Anthony Harrington | Caledonians |
| 1993 | Andrew Taylor | Swifts |
| 1994 | Peter Scott | Miners |
| 1995 | Shane Allgood | Caledonians |
| | Noel Jacobs | Warriors |
| 1996 | Rohan May | St Marys |
| | Casper Cossan | Warriors |
| 1997 | Noel Jacobs | St Marys |
| 1998 | Matt Jackson | Caledonians-Miners |
| 1999 | Dale Bligh | Great Western |

### Leading Goal Kickers

| Year | Player | H&A goals | Finals goals | Total Goals |
| 1940 | Gerald Lillis (St Marys) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1953 | B Carroll (St Marys) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1954 | - | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1955 | - | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1956 | Alan Fiscalini (Prestige) | 58 | 3 | 61 |
| 1957 | - | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1958 | - | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1959 | R Hellyer (Caledonians) | 44 | 5 | 49 |
| 1960 | J Sandlant (Landsborough) | 47 | 4 | 51 |
| 1961 | Stewart Robertson (Landsborough) | 60 | 3 | 63 |
| 1962 | K McKinnis (Moyston) | 35 | 0 | 35 |
| 1963 | Fred Locke (Trinity) | 58 | 7 | 65 |
| 1964 | - | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1965 | - | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1966 | Gary Studd (Prestege) | 52 | 2 | 54 |
| 1967 | Gerard Brennan (St Marys) | 66 | 2 | 68 |
| 1968 | John Pola (Moyston) | 38 | 7 | 45 |
| 1969 | John Pola (Moyston) | 31 | 10 | 41 |
| 1970 | Don Sladdin (St Marys) | 67 | 5 | 72 |
| 1971 | Don Sladdin (St Marys) | 67 | 8 | 75 |
| 1972 | Russell Smyth (Methodists) | 84 | 7 | 91 |
| 1973 | David Watson (Caledonians) | 68 | 4 | 72 |
| 1974 | Warren Grant (Miners) | 85 | 14 | 99 |
| 1975 | Donny Aldersea (Caledonians) | 139 | 16 | 155 |
| 1976 | Warren Grant (Miners) | 75 | 10 | 85 |
| 1977 | Howard Dunn (Swifts) | 58 | 12 | 70 |
| 1978 | Bill Van Der Waal (Warriors) | 76 | 13 | 89 |
| 1979 | Leo Mooney (Prestige) | 49 | 0 | 49 |
| 1980 | Bill Van Der Waal (Warriors) | 68 | 19 | 87 |
| 1981 | Bill Van Der Waal (Warriors) | 76 | 0 | 76 |
| 1982 | Graeme Sladdin (St Marys) | 126 | 8 | 134 |
| 1983 | Wanye Ford (PrestIge) | 109 | 0 | 109 |
| 1984 | Les Brennan (Miners) | 96 | 11 | 107 |
| 1985 | Terry Croton (Great Western) | 90 | 18 | 108 |
| 1986 | Graeme Sladdin (St Marys) | 79 | 14 | 93 |
| 1987 | Darren Borelli (Trinity) | 73 | 5 | 78 |
| 1988 | Les Brennan (Caledonians) | 0 | 102 | 102 |
| 1989 | Craig Marrow (Warriors) | 64 | 3 | 67 |
| 1990 | Mimi Michael (Moyston) | 96 | 19 | 115 |
| 1991 | Mimi Michael (Moyston) | 102 | 6 | 108 |
| 1992 | Mimi Michael (Moyston) | 73 | 11 | 84 |
| 1993 | Dan Grainger (Swifts) | 86 | 7 | 93 |
| 1994 | Tim Williams (Warriors) | 94 | 13 | 107 |
| 1995 | David Fratin (St Marys) | 104 | 6 | 110 |
| 1996 | Graeme Nuske (Swifts) | 62 | 0 | 62 |
| 1997 | Tim Williams (Warriors) | 63 | 5 | 68 |
| 1998 | Paul Kinna (Great Western) | 139 | 10 | 149 |
| 1999 | Leigh Jenkins (Prestige-Trinity) | 88 | 5 | 93 |

## VFL/AFL Players From ADFA

Caledonians
* Lex Pritchard - Collingwood
Great Western
* Roy West - Geelong
Miners
* Doug Tassell - Essendon
St Marys
* Daryl Peoples - Fitzroy
* Terry Gleeson - Melbourne