# Horsham & District Football League

The Horsham District Football League is an amateur Australian rules football league based in the Wimmera area of Western Victoria.

## History

The league in its present form was created in 1946. Prior to World War 2 a number of local leagues existed around Horsham, shrinking to one in 1934. The clubs that played in the previous incarnation in 1934 were Green Park (which won the premiership), CYMS, Quantong, Adelphians, Church of England, Longerenong and Pimpinio Seconds. The clubs that played in 1946 were Kalkee (which won the premiership), Horsham Homers, Wonwondah, Jung, Wail, Laharum, RSL, Longerenong College, Taylors Lake and YCW.
In 1982 the league expanded after the West Wimmera Football League disbanded and five clubs joined: Goroke, Noradjuha, Douglas-Harrow-Miga Lake, Gerang - Kiata, and Netherby-Lorquon. This brought the total to sixteen clubs. Since then all of these West Wimmera clubs have gone into recess, and Imperials-Wonwondah moved to the Wimmera Football League in 1983.
In 2000, after the folding of the Ararat & District Football Association, Stawell Swifts and Great Western joined the competition.
Edenhope-Apsley joined from the Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara Football League in 2007. Natimuk and Horsham Diggers (Wimmera Football League) voted on a merger for 2014 season and beyond under the banner of Natimuk United Football Netball Club. The club wore the Natimuk jumper for home games and Horsham Diggers jumper for away games. They kept scheduling a match on Anzac Day.
Swifts were premiers in 2014 after defeating the previously undefeated Laharum in the grand final.
Laharum defeated Kalkee in the 2015 grand final.
Jeparit-Rainbow transferred from the Mallee Football League for the 2015 season. This caused the Mallee League to fold at the end of the 2015 season.
Consequently, Hopetoun and Beulah merged to form the Southern Mallee Giants and transferred to the Horsham & District League in 2016. They dominated the competition for two seasons without losing a game before transferring to the Wimmera Football League.
The league did not play any games in 2020 due to Victorian restrictions for the COVID-19 pandemic. Kaniva-Leeor United joined the Horsham & District League in 2020 from the Kowree-Naracoorte-Tatiara League, as state border restrictions made it difficult for Kaniva, a Victorian club, to play in the South Australian league. Some of the season was played in 2021; however, there were no finals due to lockdowns in August.
Jeparit Rainbow left the league at the end of 2023 after merging with the Southern Mallee Giants in the Wimmera Football Netball League, leaving the Horsham & District League with 11 clubs.

## Clubs
### Current

| Club | Colours | Nickname | Home Ground | Former League | Est. | Years in comp | HDFNL Senior Premierships | HDFNL Senior Premierships |
| Club | Colours | Nickname | Home Ground | Former League | Est. | Years in comp | Total | Years |
| Edenhope-Apsley | | Saints | Edenhope Showgrounds, Edenhope | KNTFL | 1999 | 2007– | 0 | - |
| Harrow Balmoral | | Kangaroos | Harrow & District Recreation Reserve, Harrow and Balmoral Recreation Reserve, Balmoral | – | 1997 | 1997– | 8 | 1999, 2002, 2004, 2007, 2018, 2019, 2023, 2024 |
| Kalkee | | Kees | Kalkee Recreation Reserve, Kalkee | CWFL | 1890 | 1945–1948, 1954–1958, 1960– | 15 | 1946, 1947, 1948, 1974, 1978, 1979, 1982, 1983, 1989, 2000, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 |
| Kaniva Leeor United | | Cougars | Kaniva Recreation Reserve, Kaniva | KNTFL | 1996 | 2020– | 0 | - |
| Laharum | | Demons, Mountain Men | Cameron Oval, Laharum | CWFL | 1923 | 1936– | 10 | 1938, 1958, 1959, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1987, 1995, 2013, 2015 |
| Natimuk United | | Rams | Natimuk Showgrounds, Natimuk | – | 2014 | 2014– | 0 | - |
| Noradjuha-Quantong | | Bombers | Quantong Recreation Reserve, Quantong | – | 1997 | 1997– | 0 | - |
| Pimpinio | | Tigers | Pimpinio Sporting Complex, Pimpinio | CWFL | 1909 | 1968– | 2 | 2005, 2006 |
| Rupanyup | | Panthers | Rupanyup Recreation Reserve, Rupanyup | WFNL | 1870s | 1981– | 8 | 1985, 1986, 1990, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2022 |
| Swifts | | Baggies | North Park, Stawell | ADFA | 1913 | 2000– | 2 | 2003, 2014 |
| Taylors Lake | | Lakers | Dock Lake Recreation Reserve, Drung | – | 1946 | 1946– | 1 | 1952 |

### Past Clubs

| Club | Colours | Nickname | Home Ground | Former League | Est. | Years in comp | HDFNL Senior Premierships | HDFNL Senior Premierships | Fate |
| Club | Colours | Nickname | Home Ground | Former League | Est. | Years in comp | Total | Years | Fate |
| Adelphians | | | | HJFA | c.1930s | 1936 | 0 | - | Folded |
| Ararat Eagles | | Eagles | Alexandra Oval, Ararat | – | 2000 | 2000 | 0 | - | Moved to Lexton Plains FL in 2001 |
| Armoured Car | | | | – | 1939 | 1939 | 0 | - | Folded when HDFL went into recess during WWII |
| Cannum | | | Cannum Recreation Ground, Cannum | LSFA | c.1880s | 1969–1970 | 0 | - | Folded in 1971 |
| Dimboola Seconds | | Roos | Dimboola Recreation Reserve, Dimboola | DDFA | 1880s | 1936-1937 | 1 | 1937 | Moved to Wimmera FL in 1938 |
| Douglas-Harrow-Miga Lake | | Cats | Harrow Recreation Reserve, Harrow and Wombelano Recreation Reserve Wombelano | WWFL | 1970 | 1982–1996 | 0 | - | Merged with Balmoral in 1997 to form Harrow Balmoral |
| Gerang-Kiata | (1982-90s)(Late 90s) | Highway Men | Kiata Recreation Reserve, Kiata | WWFL | 1962 | 1982–1999 | 0 | - | Folded in 2000 |
| Goroke | | Magpies | Goroke Recreation Reserve, Goroke | WWFL | c.1890s | 1982–1998 | 0 | - | Folded in 1999 and absorbed by Border Districts in Kowree-Naracoorte-Tatiara FL |
| Great Western | | Lions | Great Western Recreation Reserve, Great Western | ADFA | 1880s | 2000–2010 | 0 | - | Recess in 2011, re-formed in Mininera & District FL in 2012 |
| Green Park | | | | HJFA | c.1890s | 1936-1938 | 1 | 1936 | Folded |
| Haven | | | Haven Recreation Reserve, Haven | HJFA | c.1920s | 1939, 1948–1955 | 1 | 1939 | Folded in 1956 |
| Homers (North Horsham in 1998) | | Pigeons | Oatlands Park, Horsham | – | 1945 | 1945–1998 | 2 | 1965, 1992 | Folded in 1999 |
| Horsham RSL | | Diggers | | – | 1945 | 1946–1961 | 0 | - | Folded in 1962 |
| Horsham Imperials | | Tigers | Horsham City Oval, Horsham | – | c.1890s | 1962–1975 | 1 | 1966 | Merged with Wonwondah in 1976 to form Imperials-Wonwondah |
| Horsham YCW | | | | – | 1945 | 1945-1946 | 0 | - | Folded |
| Imperials–Wonwondah | | Diggers | Horsham City Oval, Horsham | – | 1976 | 1976–1982 | 1 | 1980 | Moved to Wimmera FL in 1983 as Horsham United |
| Jeparit Rainbow | | Storm | Sir Robert Menzies Park, Jeparit and Rainbow Recreation Reserve, Rainbow | MFL | 1996 | 2015–2023 | 0 | - | Merged with Southern Mallee Giants to form Southern Mallee Thunder in the Wimmera FL in 2024 |
| Jung | | | Jung Recreation Reserve, Jung | – | c.1890s | 1946–1973 | 2 | 1954, 1968 | Folded in 1974 |
| Longerenong College | | The College | Longerenong College, Longerenong | HJFA | c.1900s | 1945–1986 | 4 | 1951, 1967, 1970, 1971 | Folded in 1987 |
| Murtoa Seconds | | Magpies | Murtoa Recreation Reserve, Murtoa | DFL | 1880s | 1938, 1948 | 1 | 1938 | Moved to Central Wimmera FL in 1939, returned to South Wimmera FL in 1949 |
| Natimuk | | Rams | Natimuk Showgrounds, Natimuk | WWFL | c.1900s | 1973–2014 | 1 | 1975 | Merged with Horsham United in 2014 to form Natimuk United |
| Netherby-Lorquon | | Saints | Netherby Memorial Park, Netherby | WWFL | 1962 | 1982 | 0 | - | Folded in 1983 |
| Noradjuha | | Grass Parrots | Noradjuha Recreation Reserve, Noradjuha | WWFL | c.1900s | 1982–1996 | 1 | 1984 | Merged with Quantong in 1997 to form Noradjuha-Quantong |
| Quantong | | Bombers | Quantong Recreation Reserve, Quantong | CWFL | c.1910s | 1950–1996 | 10 | 1955, 1956, 1960, 1961, 1972, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1993, 1994 | Merged with Noradjuha in 1997 to form Noradjuha-Quantong |
| Southern Mallee Giants | | Giants | Beulah Memorial Park, Beulah and Hopetoun Recreation Reserve, Hopetoun | – | 2016 | 2016–2017 | 2 | 2016, 2017 | Moved to Wimmera FL in 2018 |
| St Michael's | | Saints | Coughlin Park, Horsham | – | 1945 | 1945–1954, 1957–1962, 1967–1992 | 5 | 1950, 1969, 1981, 1988, 1991 | Known as YCW in 1945–1946. Moved to Wimmera FL in 1993, now known as Horsham Saints |
| Wail | | | | DDFA | c.1920s | 1945–1948 | 1 | 1945 | Folded in 1949 |
| Wonwondah | | Magpies | Wonwondah Recreation Reserve, Wonwondah | CWFL | c.1920s | 1946–1975 | 3 | 1949, 1953, 1957 | Merged with Horsham Imperials in 1976 to form Imperials-Wonwondah |

### Senior Football Premiership Winners
## League Awards

| Year | League Best & Fairest | Club |
| 1950 | David Lear | Longerenong College |
| 1951 | Tich Thompson | Horsham RSL |
| 1951 | Bill Smith | Homers |
| 1952 | Tich Thompson | Horsham RSL |
| 1953 | Perc Eagles | Haven |
| 1954 | Ken Overall | Quantong |
| 1955 | Don Matthews | Wonwondah |
| 1956 | Jim Bearham | Longerenong College |
| 1957 | Jim Bearham | Longerenong College |
| 1958 | Ross Minchen | Longerenong College |
| 1959 | Royce Dickson | Wonwondah |
| 1959 | Brian Dunn | Laharum |
| 1960 | Richard Reid | Longerenong College |
| 1961 | Gary Epstein | Kalkee |
| 1962 | Pat Irwin | Quantong |
| 1963 | Mal Florence | Longerenong College |
| 1964 | Bruce Martin | Homers |
| 1965 | Stewart Bennett | Longerenong College |
| 1966 | Bruce Martin | Homers |
| 1967 | Rod Morrish | Longerenong College |
| 1968 | Bruce Martin | Homers |
| 1969 | Bob Dowdell | Laharum |
| 1970 | Laurie Bodey | Imperials |
| 1971 | Kevin Smith | Natimuk |
| 1972 | Phil Morley | Longerenong College |
| 1973 | Franz Tursi | Longerenong College |
| 1974 | Graeme Wood | Quantong |
| 1975 | Steve Arnott | Quantong |
| 1976 | Larry Lawless | St Michaels |
| 1977 | Ron Ward | Laharum |
| 1978 | Bruce Carr | Kalkee |
| 1979 | Bruce Carr | Kalkee |
| 1980 | Bruce Carr | Kalkee |
| 1981 | Jack Schmidt | Natimuk |
| 1982 | Ian Kyte | Pimpinio |
| 1983 | Craig Kimberley | Taylors Lake |
| 1984 | Stephen Hobbs | Noradjuha |
| 1985 | Chris Buwalda | St Michaels |
| 1986 | Paul Block | Goroke |
| 1987 | Les Wills | DHML |
| 1988 | Chris Buwalda | St Michaels |
| 1989 | Tony Lloyd | Goroke |
| 1990 | Craig Evans | Rupanyup |
| 1991 | Stephen Hobbs | Noradjuha |
| 1992 | Trevor Whitworth | Goroke |
| 1992 | Mark O'Beirne | St Michaels |
| 1993 | Stephen Hobbs | Noradjuha |
| 1994 | Craig Evans | Rupanyup |
| 1995 | John Kelly | Taylors Lake |
| 1996 | Wayne Schmidt | Natimuk |
| 1996 | Paul Brooks | Rupanyup |
| 1997 | Troy O'Callaghan | Harrow Balmoral |
| 1998 | Paul Brooks | Rupanyup |
| 1999 | Stewart Dalziel | Laharum |
| 1999 | Scott Batchelor | Kalkee |
| 2000 | Scott Batchelor | Kalkee |
| 2001 | Scott Batchelor | Kalkee |
| 2001 | Wayne Schmidt | Natimuk |
| 2002 | Marcus Anson | Noradjuha/Quantong |
| 2002 | Scott Bachelor | Kalkee |
| 2002 | Jarrod Wood | Rupanyup |
| 2003 | Chris White | Harrow Balmoral |
| 2004 | Tim Webb | Rupanyup |
| 2005 | Tim Webb | Rupanyup |
| 2006 | Dale Hurley | Great Western |
| 2007 | Matthew Ward | Harrow Balmoral |
| 2008 | Steve Schultz | Kalkee |
| 2009 | Steve Schultz | Kalkee |
| 2010 | Steve Schultz | Kalkee |
| 2011 | Tim Wade | Kalkee |
| 2012 | Ricky Whitehead | Swifts |
| 2013 | Brent Christie | Edenhope Apsley |
| 2013 | Brent Forsyth | Harrow Balmoral |
| 2014 | Deek Roberts | Taylors Lake |
| 2014 | Brent Christie | Edenhope Apsley |
| 2015 | Deek Roberts | Taylors Lake |
| 2016 | Shannon Argall | Laharum |
| 2017 | Scott Carey | Swifts |
| 2018 | Nick Pekin | Harrow Balmoral |
| 2019 | Nick Pekin | Harrow Balmoral |
| 2019 | Lachlan Middleton | Edenhope Apsley |
| 2019 | Jak Ryan | Edenhope Apsley |
| 2021 | Scott Carey | Swifts |
| 2022 | Scott Carey | Swifts |
| 2023 | Mitchell Gleeson | Rupanyup |
| 2024 | Jai Thompson | Harrow Balmoral |

## Notable players

Edenhope-Apsley
* Tom McDonald
* Oscar McDonald
Harrow Balmoral
* Tim Houlihan
* Michael Close
Jung
* Mike Delahunty
Kalkee
* Shayne Breuer
* Tanner Smith
Longerenong College
* John Gill
Homers
* Shane Heard
Horsham Imperials
* Bryan Pirouet

## 2014 Ladder

| Horsham DFL | Wins | Byes | Losses | Draws | For | Against | % | Pts | Final | Team | G | B | Pts | Team | G | B | Pts |
| Laharum | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2641 | 716 | 368.85% | 72 | Elimination | Edenhope-Apsley | 10 | 6 | 66 | Harrow Balmoral | 7 | 20 | 62 |
| Kalkee | 14 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2129 | 1057 | 201.42% | 56 | Qualifying | Kalkee | 11 | 15 | 81 | Stawell Swifts | 8 | 8 | 56 |
| Stawell Swifts | 14 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1943 | 1035 | 187.73% | 56 | Semi | Stawell Swifts | 12 | 14 | 86 | Edenhope-Apsley | 12 | 7 | 79 |
| Harrow Balmoral | 13 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1796 | 1207 | 148.80% | 52 | Semi | Laharum | 19 | 14 | 128 | Kalkee | 9 | 9 | 63 |
| Edenhope-Apsley | 11 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 1713 | 1154 | 148.44% | 44 | Preliminary | Stawell Swifts | 20 | 8 | 128 | Kalkee | 10 | 13 | 73 |
| Noradjuha-Quantong | 6 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 1437 | 1898 | 75.71% | 24 | Grand | Stawell Swifts | 15 | 5 | 95 | Laharum | 10 | 6 | 66 |
| Natimuk United | 6 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 1304 | 1738 | 75.03% | 24 |
| Taylors Lake | 5 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 1411 | 2145 | 65.78% | 20 |
| Rupanyup | 3 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 994 | 2208 | 45.02% | 12 |
| Pimpinio | 0 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 644 | 2854 | 22.56% | 0 |

## 2015 Ladder

| Horsham DFL | Wins | Byes | Losses | Draws | For | Against | % | Pts | Final | Team | G | B | Pts | Team | G | B | Pts |
| Laharum | 16 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2517 | 588 | 428.06% | 72 | Elimination | Taylors Lake | 8 | 7 | 55 | Jeparit-Rainbow | 5 | 12 | 42 |
| Kalkee | 14 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2086 | 878 | 237.59% | 64 | Qualifying | Harrow Balmoral | 12 | 20 | 92 | Kalkee | 11 | 5 | 71 |
| Harrow Balmoral | 11 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 1614 | 932 | 173.18% | 52 | Semi | Kalkee | 16 | 16 | 112 | Taylors Lake | 14 | 11 | 95 |
| Taylors Lake | 10 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 1780 | 1245 | 142.97% | 48 | Semi | Laharum | 17 | 16 | 118 | Harrow Balmoral | 4 | 8 | 32 |
| Jeparit-Rainbow | 10 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 1483 | 1235 | 120.08% | 48 | Preliminary | Kalkee | 18 | 10 | 118 | Harrow Balmoral | 6 | 9 | 45 |
| Stawell Swifts | 7 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 1227 | 1840 | 66.68% | 36 | Grand | Laharum | 14 | 14 | 98 | Kalkee | 7 | 8 | 50 |
| Edenhope-Apsley | 6 | 2 | 10 | 0 | 1023 | 1632 | 62.68% | 32 |
| Noradjuha-Quantong | 5 | 2 | 11 | 0 | 1018 | 1787 | 56.97% | 28 |
| Rupanyup | 4 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 766 | 1732 | 44.23% | 24 |
| Pimpinio | 3 | 2 | 13 | 0 | 839 | 1747 | 48.03% | 20 |
| Natimuk United | 2 | 2 | 14 | 0 | 891 | 1628 | 54.73% | 16 |

## 2016 Ladder

| Horsham DFL | Wins | Byes | Losses | Draws | For | Against | % | Pts | Final | Team | G | B | Pts | Team | G | B | Pts |
| Southern Mallee Giants | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2317 | 809 | 286.40% | 64 | Elimination | Harrow Balmoral | 11 | 11 | 77 | Laharum | 11 | 8 | 74 |
| Jeparit-Rainbow | 14 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1987 | 988 | 201.11% | 56 | Elimination | Kalkee | 9 | 5 | 59 | Edenhope-Apsley | 5 | 12 | 42 |
| Laharum | 12 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1677 | 902 | 185.92% | 48 | Semi | Harrow Balmoral | 12 | 14 | 86 | Kalkee | 10 | 8 | 68 |
| Kalkee | 11 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2016 | 1031 | 195.54% | 44 | Semi | Southern Mallee Giants | 22 | 15 | 147 | Jeparit-Rainbow | 8 | 7 | 55 |
| Edenhope-Apsley | 11 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1815 | 1069 | 169.78% | 44 | Preliminary | Harrow Balmoral | 11 | 13 | 79 | Jeparit-Rainbow | 4 | 10 | 34 |
| Harrow Balmoral | 10 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1799 | 845 | 212.90% | 40 | Grand | Southern Mallee Giants | 11 | 14 | 80 | Harrow Balmoral | 9 | 1 | 55 |
| Taylors Lake | 7 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 1687 | 1622 | 104.01% | 28 |
| Stawell Swifts | 5 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 1174 | 2022 | 58.06% | 20 |
| Pimpinio | 4 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 1045 | 2052 | 50.93% | 16 |
| Noradjuha-Quantong | 2 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 899 | 2105 | 42.71% | 8 |
| Rupanyup | 14 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 717 | 1917 | 37.40% | 48 |
| Natimuk United | 2 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 794 | 2565 | 30.96% | 8 |

## 2017 Ladder

| Horsham DFL | Wins | Byes | Losses | Draws | For | Against | % | Pts | Final | Team | G | B | Pts | Team | G | B | Pts |
| Southern Mallee Giants | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2556 | 529 | 483.18% | 64 | Elimination | Stawell Swifts | 7 | 14 | 56 | Natimuk United | 8 | 4 | 52 |
| Harrow Balmoral | 14 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2653 | 478 | 555.02% | 56 | Elimination | Jeparit-Rainbow | 12 | 15 | 87 | Lahuarum | 5 | 5 | 35 |
| Stawell Swifts | 13 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1799 | 992 | 181.35% | 52 | Semi | Jeparit-Rainbow | 10 | 11 | 71 | Stawell Swifts | 7 | 8 | 50 |
| Jeparit-Rainbow | 10 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 1514 | 955 | 158.53% | 44 | Semi | Southern Mallee Giants | 13 | 8 | 86 | Harrow Balmoral | 7 | 15 | 57 |
| Laharum | 9 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 1470 | 1133 | 129.74% | 36 | Preliminary | Harrow Balmoral | 29 | 13 | 187 | Jeparit-Rainbow | 5 | 8 | 38 |
| Natimuk United | 9 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 1450 | 1221 | 118.76% | 36 | Grand | Southern Mallee Giants | 11 | 7 | 73 | Harrow Balmoral | 8 | 13 | 61 |
| Edenhope-Apsley | 7 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 1476 | 1212 | 121.78% | 30 |
| Kalkee | 6 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 1289 | 1580 | 81.58% | 24 |
| Noradjuha-Quantong | 5 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 993 | 1830 | 54.26% | 20 |
| Rupanyup | 4 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 1071 | 1613 | 66.40% | 16 |
| Taylors Lake | 1 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 554 | 3221 | 17.20% | 4 |
| Pimpinio | 0 | 0 | 15 | 1 | 451 | 2512 | 17.95% | 2 |