The Goldfields Football League is an Australian rules football league based in the Goldfields region of Western Australia. Founded in 1896 as Hannans District Football Association, the league enjoyed a seat and full voting rights on the Australian National Football Council until 1919. The first clubs to play Australian football were formed within the region, and the league helped popularise the sport in the region, helping to establish the sport and supplant Rugby in popularity.[1] The GFL was known as the Goldfields Football Association (GFA) from 1901–07 and 1920–25, and as the Goldfields National Football League (GNFL) from 1926–87.

Goldfields Football League
FormerlyHannans District Football Association (1896–1901)
Goldfields Football Association (1901–1907 and 1920–1925)Goldfields National Football League (1926–1987)
SportAustralian rules football
Founded1896
First season1896
Owner(s)West Australian Football Commission
No. of teams5
CountryAustralia
Venue(s)Digger Daws Oval

Sir Richard Moore Oval

Kambalda Oval
Most recent
champion(s)
Kalgoorlie Railways
Most titlesMines Rovers (43)
Official website[1]

The league currently has two teams based in Kalgoorlie, two teams based in Boulder, and one in Kambalda.

History

edit
 
Bonnie Vale Football Club in 1896, one of dozens of clubs which sprang up during the West Australian gold rushes

The league was formed during a meeting held in the Great Boulder Hotel, Kalgoorlie, on 29 July 1896 as the Hannans District Football Association. The association at this point comprised four teams; Boulder City, based in Boulder; Hannans, now known as Kalgoorlie City and based in Kalgoorlie; Victorians, also based in Kalgoorlie; and White Feather, based in Kanowna. Up until the end of the First World War the GFL was considered equal on ability with the WAFL, and a State Championship was contested 12 times between 1903 and 1924, with Goldfields sides winning twice, in 1903 and 1912.[2] The league also had a seat and full voting rights on the Australian National Football Council until 1919, but participated together with the WAFL as Western Australia in inter-state and inter-colonial matches. The 1904 Western Australian inter-state touring team included seven GFL players, and half of the 1908 Melbourne Carnival team were GFL players, including the captain Billy Trewhella.[3]

Clubs

edit

Current clubs

edit
Colours Club Nickname Location Home ground (capacity) First season Premierships Premiership years
 
Boulder City Football Club
Tigers
Boulder, Western Australia
Digger Daws Oval
(4500)
1896 28 1896, 1898, 1899, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1910, 1913, 1924, 1925, 1928, 1932, 1933, 1935, 1948, 1950, 1959, 1977, 1982, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1994, 1997, 1998, 2005, 2016, 2023
 
Kalgoorlie City Football Club
known as Hannans from 1896–99
Kangaroos
formerly the Magpies
Kalgoorlie, Western Australia
Sir Richard Moore Oval
(6000)
1896 15 1897, 1927, 1930, 1941, 1953, 1954, 1962, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1999, 2013, 2019, 2021
 
Kalgoorlie Railways Football Club
Panthers
Kalgoorlie, Western Australia
Sir Richard Moore Oval
(6000)
1900 33 1903, 1904, 1905, 1911, 1912, 1919, 1920, 1929, 1931, 1939, 1945, 1952, 1958, 1960, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1983, 1987, 2000, 2002, 2006, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2017, 2022
 
Kambalda Football Club
Eagles
Kambalda, Western Australia
Kambalda Oval
(2000)
1969 3 1976, 1981, 1985
 
Mines Rovers Football Club
Diorites
Boulder, Western Australia
Digger Daws Oval
(4500)
1898 43 1900, 1901, 1902, 1906, 1914, 1915, 1918, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1926, 1934, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1940, 1946, 1947, 1949, 1951, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1961, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2018

Former clubs

edit

Former clubs include Victorians (1896–97), White Feather (1896–98; 1903–06), Bulong (1897), Rovers (1897), Britannia (1897), Cementers (1898), Kanowna (1899–1901), Paddington (1899), Coolgardie (1901–03; 1905–06), Trafalgar (1902–05), Horseshoe Warriors (1903–08), City (1903), Boulder Stars (1905–06) and Norseman (1971–72; 1974–82).

Premierships

edit

List of premiers

edit

The complete list of premiers teams is detailed below.[4]

Year Premiers Runners-up
1896 Boulder City
1897 Hannans
1898 Boulder City
1899 Boulder City
1900 Mines Rovers
1901 Mines Rovers
1902 Mines Rovers
1903 Kalgoorlie Railways
1904 Kalgoorlie Railways
1905 Kalgoorlie Railways
1906 Mines Rovers
1907 Boulder City
1908 Boulder City
1909 Boulder City
1910 Boulder City
1911 Kalgoorlie Railways
1912 Kalgoorlie Railways
1913 Boulder City
1914 Mines Rovers
1915 Mines Rovers
1916–17
(No competition due to World War I)
1918 Mines Rovers
1919 Kalgoorlie Railways
1920 Kalgoorlie Railways
1921 Mines Rovers
1922 Mines Rovers
1923 Mines Rovers
1924 Boulder City Kalgoorlie Railways
1925 Boulder City Kalgoorlie City
1926 Mines Rovers Kalgoorlie Railways
1927 Kalgoorlie City Kalgoorlie Railways
1928 Boulder City Mines Rovers
1929 Kalgoorlie Railways Boulder City
1930 Kalgoorlie City Kalgoorlie Railways
1931 Kalgoorlie Railways Kalgoorlie City
1932 Boulder City Mines Rovers
1933 Boulder City Kalgoorlie City
1934 Mines Rovers Kalgoorlie City
1935 Boulder City Mines Rovers
1936 Mines Rovers Kalgoorlie City
1937 Mines Rovers Kalgoorlie City
1938 Mines Rovers Boulder City
1939 Kalgoorlie Railways Mines Rovers
1940 Mines Rovers Boulder City
1941 Kalgoorlie City Kalgoorlie Railways
1942–44
(No competition due to World War II)
1945 Kalgoorlie Railways Mines Rovers
1946 Mines Rovers Kalgoorlie Railways
1947 Mines Rovers Boulder City
1948 Boulder City Kalgoorlie City
1949 Mines Rovers Boulder City
1950 Boulder City Mines Rovers
1951 Mines Rovers Kalgoorlie Railways
1952 Kalgoorlie Railways Kalgoorlie City
1953 Kalgoorlie City Mines Rovers
1954 Kalgoorlie City Mines Rovers
1955 Mines Rovers Kalgoorlie City
1956 Mines Rovers Kalgoorlie Railways
1957 Mines Rovers Kalgoorlie City
1958 Kalgoorlie Railways Boulder City
1959 Boulder City Kalgoorlie City
1960 Kalgoorlie Railways Mines Rovers
1961 Mines Rovers Boulder City
1962 Kalgoorlie City Kalgoorlie Railways
1963 Kalgoorlie Railways Boulder City
1964 Kalgoorlie Railways Mines Rovers
1965 Mines Rovers Kalgoorlie Railways
1966 Kalgoorlie Railways Boulder City
1967 Mines Rovers Kalgoorlie Railways
1968 Mines Rovers Boulder City
1969 Mines Rovers Boulder City
1970 Mines Rovers Kalgoorlie Railways
1971 Kalgoorlie Railways Mines Rovers
1972 Mines Rovers Kalgoorlie Railways
1973 Kalgoorlie Railways Mines Rovers
1974 Kalgoorlie Railways Kambalda
1975 Kalgoorlie Railways Mines Rovers
1976 Kambalda Kalgoorlie Railways
1977 Boulder City Kambalda
1978 Kalgoorlie Railways Kambalda
1979 Kalgoorlie Railways Mines Rovers
1980 Kalgoorlie City Kambalda
1981 Kambalda Kalgoorlie City
1982 Boulder City Kalgoorlie Railways
1983 Kalgoorlie Railways Kambalda
1984 Kalgoorlie City Kambalda
1985 Kambalda Mines Rovers
1986 Boulder City Kalgoorlie City
1987 Kalgoorlie Railways Mines Rovers
1988 Kalgoorlie City Mines Rovers
1989 Boulder City Kalgoorlie Railways
1990 Boulder City Kalgoorlie Railways
1991 Mines Rovers Boulder City
1992 Kalgoorlie City Mines Rovers
1993 Mines Rovers Kambalda
1994 Boulder City Mines Rovers
1995 Mines Rovers Boulder City
1996 Mines Rovers Boulder City
1997 Boulder City Kalgoorlie City
1998 Boulder City Kalgoorlie Railways
1999 Kalgoorlie City Mines Rovers
2000 Kalgoorlie Railways Mines Rovers
2001 Mines Rovers Kalgoorlie Railways
2002 Kalgoorlie Railways Mines Rovers
2003 Mines Rovers Boulder City
2004 Mines Rovers Boulder City
2005 Boulder City Kalgoorlie City
2006 Kalgoorlie Railways Boulder City
2007 Mines Rovers Kalgoorlie Railways
2008 Mines Rovers Kambalda
2009 Mines Rovers Kalgoorlie Railways
2010 Mines Rovers Kalgoorlie Railways
2011 Kalgoorlie Railways Boulder City
2012 Kalgoorlie Railways Kalgoorlie City
2013 Kalgoorlie City Kalgoorlie Railways
2014 Kalgoorlie Railways Kalgoorlie City
2015 Mines Rovers Kalgoorlie Railways
2016 Boulder City Mines Rovers
2017 Kalgoorlie Railways Mines Rovers
2018 Mines Rovers Boulder City
2019 Kalgoorlie City Boulder City
2020
(No competition due to the COVID-19 pandemic)
2021 Kalgoorlie City Boulder City
2022 Kalgoorlie Railways Boulder City
2023 Boulder City Kalgoorlie Railways

2012 ladder

edit
Goldfields Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts
Railways 16 0 0 0 1781 837 212.78% 64 1st semi Mines 19 15 129 Boulder 18 7 115
Kalgoorlie 8 0 7 1 1413 1360 103.90% 34 2nd semi Railways 19 9 123 Kalgoorlie 10 11 71
Mines 8 0 8 0 1582 1427 110.86% 32 Preliminary Kalgoorlie 14 8 92 Mines 11 12 78
Boulder 6 0 9 1 1375 1389 98.99% 26 Grand Railways 14 11 95 Kalgoorlie 7 8 50
Kambalda 1 0 15 0 866 2004 43.21% 4

2013 ladder

edit
Goldfields Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts
Railways 13 0 3 0 1654 821 201.46% 52 1st semi Mines 18 10 118 Kambalda 5 9 39
Kalgoorlie 12 0 4 0 1817 898 202.34% 48 2nd semi Railways 12 10 82 Kalgoorlie 8 12 60
Mines 10 0 6 0 1600 1082 147.87% 40 Preliminary Kalgoorlie 11 12 78 Mines 8 4 52
Kambalda 5 0 11 0 1068 1489 71.73% 20 Grand Kalgoorlie 10 5 65 Railways 7 2 44
Boulder 0 0 16 0 669 2518 26.57% 0

2014 ladder

edit
Goldfields Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts
Railways 14 0 2 0 1420 753 188.58% 56 1st semi Mines 10 15 75 boulder 6 6 42
Kalgoorlie 10 0 6 0 1200 977 122.82% 40 2nd semi Railways 7 6 48 Kalgoorlie 6 2 38
Mines 6 0 10 0 1284 1144 112.24% 24 Preliminary Kalgoorlie 16 7 103 Mines 12 10 82
Boulder 5 0 11 0 983 1307 75.21% 20 Grand Railways 17 9 111 Kalgoorlie 9 9 63
Kambalda 5 0 11 0 828 1534 53.98% 20

2015 ladder

edit
Goldfields Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts
Mines 14 0 2 0 1787 764 233.90% 56 1st semi Railways 13 6 84 Kalgoorlie 10 8 68
Boulder 11 0 4 1 1442 1065 135.40% 46 2nd semi Mines 14 14 98 Boulder 6 8 44
Railways 8 0 7 1 1201 1126 106.66% 34 Preliminary Railways 10 17 77 Boulder 5 4 34
Kalgoorlie 3 0 13 0 1091 1606 67.93% 12 Grand Mines 19 9 123 Railways 9 5 59
Kambalda 3 0 13 0 879 1839 47.80% 12

2016 ladder

edit
Goldfields Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts
Boulder 13 0 1 2 1945 685 283.94% 56 1st semi Railways 10 8 68 Kalgoorlie 9 9 63
Mines 9 0 5 2 1592 787 202.29% 40 2nd semi Mines 18 5 113 Boulder 12 9 81
Kalgoorlie 9 0 6 1 1216 996 122.09% 38 Preliminary Boulder 15 13 103 Railways 7 10 52
Railways 6 0 9 1 1360 1015 133.99% 26 Grand Boulder 12 6 78 Mines 8 7 55
Kambalda 0 0 16 0 262 2966 8.83% 0

2017 ladder

edit
Goldfields Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts
Boulder 12 0 4 0 1618 842 192.16% 48 1st semi Railways 13 10 88 Kalgoorlie 6 3 39
Mines 11 0 5 0 1615 773 208.93% 44 2nd semi Mines 10 18 78 Boulder 8 7 55
Kalgoorlie 7 0 9 0 1189 1117 106.45% 28 Preliminary Railways 11 13 79 Boulder 9 13 67
Railways 10 0 6 0 1262 858 147.09% 40 Grand Railways 10 9 69 Mines 9 10 64
Kambalda 0 0 16 0 392 2486 15.77% 0

2018 ladder

edit
Goldfields Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts
Mines 12 0 4 0 1562 874 178.72% 48 2nd semi Mines 13 9 87 Boulder 12 7 79
Boulder 11 0 5 0 1491 890 192.16% 44 1st semi Kalgoorlie 12 11 83 Railways 9 4 58
Kalgoorlie 10 0 6 0 1082 996 106.45% 40 Preliminary Boulder 8 15 63 Kalgoorlie 5 8 38
Railways 6 0 10 0 1137 1308 147.09% 24 Grand Mines 21 5 131 Boulder 7 5 47
Kambalda 1 0 15 0 634 1838 34.49% 4

2019 ladder

edit
Goldfields Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts
Kalgoorlie 11 0 4 1 1258 964 130.50% 46 1st semi Kambalda 9 10 64 Mines 10 6 66
Boulder 10 0 6 0 1245 1046 119.02% 40 2nd semi Kalgoorlie 9 7 61 Boulder 2 5 17
Kambalda 8 0 7 1 1277 1025 124.59% 34 Preliminary Boulder 13 12 90 Mines 8 9 57
Mines 8 0 8 0 1232 1149 107.32% 32 Grand Kalgoorlie 17 6 108 Boulder 10 7 67
Railways 2 0 14 0 837 1665 50.27% 0

2020 (no season due to COVID-19 restrictions)

edit

Notable players

edit

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ Brett Northey (2006). "Timeline – the Growth of Australian Rules Football around the World". History of World Footy. Retrieved 17 October 2006.
  2. ^ "Western Australian State Premiership – Full Points Footy". Archived from the original on 6 August 2011. Retrieved 3 April 2011.
  3. ^ Mines Rovers History – Full Points Footy
  4. ^ "Premiership results - Seniors - Goldfields Football League".