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Geelong & District
Football Netball League

Formerly	Multiple names Geelong & District Football Association (1879–1918; 1939–1944) Geelong Junior Football Association (1922–1932) Geelong & District Football League (1919–1921; 1933–1938; 1945–2016)
Sport	Australian rules football Netball
Founded	1879; 145 years ago (1879)
President	Neville Whitley
No. of teams	12
Country	Australia
Headquarters	Breakwater, Victoria, Australia
Confederation	AFL Barwon
Most recent champion(s)	Thomson Football Club (2024)
Most titles	Geelong West (26 premierships)
Sponsor(s)	Morris
Related competitions	Geelong FNL Bellarine FNL
Official website	gdfnl.com.au

The Geelong & District Football Netball League (GDFNL) is an Australian rules football and netball league in Victoria, being the oldest surviving competition in the region. It is one of three leagues in the Geelong area, the others being the Geelong FNL and the Bellarine FNL.

There are 12 teams competing in the GDFL, which has also produced over 600 VFL/AFL players.

History

The league was formed in 1879 as the Geelong and District Football Association (GDFA). In 1919 it changed name to the GDFL, before changing to the Geelong Junior Football Association in 1922. It reverted to the GDFL name in 1933, then back to the GDFA in 1939, and back to the GDFL in 1945. From 1922 until 1927, the league operated and administrated the Geelong Association Football Club, which competed in the Victorian Football Association.

From 1946 onwards, the GDFL maintained a divisional system, with clubs in the First Division competing for the Evelyn Hurst Trophy, the Second Division for the Woolworth Cup, and the Third Division for the Jarman Cup.

In 1973 the GDFL had a restructure that insisted in having the senior club also provide a reserve grade side. This meant that senior clubs had to align with a junior club to survive. The Evelyn Hurst Trophy, the Woolworth Cup and the Jarman Cup titles were dropped for the more standard 1st and 2nd divisions. 1st division would have twelve clubs while 2nd division started with 8 and eventually grew to 11 clubs.

The league took the form it is today when 12 clubs broke away in 1979 to form the Geelong Football League. The city and country clubs of the old GDFL were divided into the major league competition of the GFL and the minor league GDFL. Many of the teams in the lower league wanted a system of promotion and relegation, which saw the movement of a couple of clubs.

The GDFL were left with 11 clubs but over the next couple of years it grew to fourteen. It was enough for the league add another division of competition. From 1984 until 1995 the league had two divisions that operated on a promotion/demotion system. From 1996 onwards, the league has reverted to a single division competition.

Today the GDFL is opposed to the promotion-relegation system, with the Geelong Football League, Geelong & District Football League and Bellarine Football League forming a three-league, three-division football structure in the Geelong area. From 2002, the GDFL included netball teams, introducing A Grade, B Grade & C Grade senior teams, as well as U/17's, U/15's & U/13's netball.

In 2009, the GDFL introduced a fourth senior netball section, D Grade, in which East Geelong and Werribee Centrals have each won three of the last six premierships.

Clubs

Current clubs

Club	Colours	Moniker	Home venue	Former league	Est.	Years in GDFNL	GDFNL premierships
							Total	Most recent
Anakie		Roos	Anakie Reserve, Anakie	EC	c. 1897	1949-	4	1994
Bannockburn		Tigers	Victoria Park, Bannockburn	EC	1878	1953-1958, 1970-	6	2022
Bell Post Hill		Panthers	Myers Reserve, Bell Post Hill	—	1976	1977-	7	2017
Belmont Lions		Lions	Winter Reserve, Belmont	—	1965	1965-	1	2007
Corio		Devils	Shell Reserve, Corio	—	1974	1974-	1	1995
East Geelong		Eagles	Richmond Oval, East Geelong	—	1879	1879-1978, 1981-	24	2009
Geelong West		Giants	West Oval, Geelong West	—	2017	2017-	0	—
Inverleigh		Hawks	Inverleigh Recreation Reserve, Inverleigh	—	1970	1954-1995, 2003	2	2023
North Geelong		Magpies	Osborne Park, North Geelong	—	1876	1890-1978, 1983-	21	2013
Thomson		Tigers	Thomson Recreation Reserve, Thomson	—	1953	1957-1978, 1982-1983, 1985-	11	2024
Werribee Centrals		Centurions	Galvin Park Reserve, Werribee	WSFL	1969	1984-	7	2004
Winchelsea		Blues	Eastern Reserve, Winchelsea	BFL	1876	1921-1922, 2002-	0	—

Former clubs

Club	Colours	Moniker	Home venue	Former League	Est.	Years in competition	GDFNL premierships		Fate
							Total	Most recent
Anglesea		Roos	Ellimatta Reserve, Anglesea	–	1963	1963-1972	0	-	Moved to Bellarine FNL after 1972 season
Bacchus Marsh		Tigers	Maddingley Park, Maddingley	BFL	1881	1931-1932	0	-	Moved to Bacchus Marsh & Melton FA in 1933
Barrabool				–		1919	0	-	Moved to Leigh District FA in 1920
Barwon		Bulldogs	Highton Recreation Reserve, Highton	–	c. 1900	1913-1978	3	1967	Moved to Geelong FNL following 1978 season
Barwon Heads		Seagulls	Howard Harmer Reserve, Barwon Heads	FCDFA	1922	1947-1970	0	-	Moved to Bellarine FNL after 1970 season
Barwon Rowing Club				GASFL		1923-1925	0	-	Folded
Bell Park		Dragons	Hamlyn Park, Bell Park	–	1958	1959-1978	2	1970	Moved to Geelong FNL following 1978 season
Belmont		Two Blues	McDonald Reserve, Belmont	GFA	1874	1928-1929, 1945-1989	0	-	Merged with Barwon in 1990 to form South Barwon
Belmont Amateurs				GFA		1939	0	-	Folded partway through 1939 season
Chilwell				–	1874	1879-1933	0	-	Merged with Newtown in 1934 to form Newtown & Chilwell
Colac Rovers				CFL		1936-1938	0	-	Moved to Colac & District FL in 1939
CYMS				–		1946-1950	0	-	Merged with YCW to form CYMS-YCW in 1951
CYMS-YCW				–	1951	1951	0	-	De-merged into CYMS and YCW in 1952
Drysdale		Hawks	Drysdale Recreational Reserve, Drysdale	GSDFL	1879	1940-1970	4	1970	Moved to Bellarine FNL after 1970 season
Ford					1926	1926, 1936-1938	0	-	Folded
Freshwater Creek				GFA		1939-1940, 1947-1961	2	1951	Folded
Geelong Amateur		Ammos, Pegasus	Queens Park, Highton	VAFA	1926	1983-1994	2	1983	Moved to Bellarine FNL after 1994 season
Geelong Guild Scouts						1933-1934	0	-	Moved to Geelong FA in 1935
Geelong High School Ex-Students				GFA		1939	0	-	Folded due to WWII
Geelong West		Roosters	West Oval, Geelong West	–	1878	1879-1945	25	1945	Moved to Ballarat FL following 1945 season
Geelong West SC		Cheetahs	West Oval, Geelong West	GFNL	1926	1939-1978, 1986-2016	5	1987	Merged with Geelong West-St Peter's in 2017 to form Geelong West
Geelong West YCW				–		1955-1958	0	-	Folded
Grovedale		Tigers	Burdoo Reserve, Grovedale	–	1947	1946-1978	2	1977	Moved to Geelong FNL following 1978 season
Herne Hill				–		1947-1951	0	-	Folded
International Harvester Club				–		1945	0	-	Folded
Lara		Cats	Lara Recreation Reserve, Lara	WDFL	1880	1907-1914, 1947-1988	4	1988	Moved to Geelong FNL following 1988 season
Leopold		Lions	Leopold Memorial Park, Leopold	–	1955	1955-1964	0	-	Moved to Polwarth FL after 1964 season
Lethbridge			Lethbridge Recreation Reserve, Lethbridge	EC	c.1890s	1953-1962	0	-	Folded
Little River			Little River Recreation Reserve, Little River	W&DFA		1953-1966	0	-	Folded
Marnock Vale				GFA		1939	0	-	Folded due to WWII
Meredith			Meredith Cricket & Recreation Reserve, Meredith	BBMFL	c.1890s	1976-1980	0	-	Folded
Military				Q&BDFA		1923-1924, 1926-1927	0	-	Returned to Queenscliff & Bellarine District FL in 1925, folded at an unknown date
Modewarre		Warriors	Mt Moriac Recreation Reserve, Mount Moriac	EC	1879	1951-1995	8	1994	Moved to Bellarine FNL after 1995 season
Newtown			Elderslie Reserve, Newtown	–	1875	1879-1933	0	-	Merged with Chilwell in 1934 to form Newtown & Chilwell
Newtown & Chilwell		Eagles	Elderslie Reserve, Newtown	–	1933	1934-1978	6	1978	Moved to Geelong FNL following 1978 season
Norlane				–		1957-1963	0	-	Folded
North Shore		Seagulls	Windsor Park, North Shore	GSDFL	1927	1940-1978	3	1977	Moved to Geelong FNL following 1978 season
Ocean Grove		Grubbers	Shell Road Reserve, Ocean Grove	–	1964	1964-1968	0	-	Moved to Polwarth FL after 1968 season
Portarlington		Demons	Portarlington Recreation Reserve, Portarlington	GFA	1874	1945-1963	4	1959	Moved to Polwarth FL after 1963 season
Queenscliff		Barracoutas	Queenscliff Recreation Reserve, Queenscliff	GSDFL	1884	1945-1956	0	-	Moved to Polwarth FL after 1956 season
Sea Scouts				GFA		1946-1947	1	1946	Folded
St Albans		Supersaints	St Albans Reserve, Thomson	–	1880	1897-1978	6	1972	Moved to Geelong FNL following 1978 season
St. Augustines				GFA	c.1920s	1939-1940	0	-	Folded
St Joseph's		Joeys	Herne Hill Reserve, Herne Hill	–	1973	1973-1984	2	1984	Moved to Geelong FNL following 1978 season
St Leonards		Saints	St Leonards Lake Reserve, St Leonards	BFNL	1985	1991-1995	0	-	Folded
St Mary's		Saints	Kardinia Park West, South Geelong	–	1953	1953-1978	8	1975	Moved to Geelong FNL following 1978 season
St Peter's		Saints	Walker Oval, Herne Hill	–	c. 1950	1959-1978, 1980-1981	2	1981	Moved to Geelong FNL following 1981 season
Stonehaven			Stonehaven Recreation Reserve, Fyansford	EC		1953–1969	0	-	Merged with Inverleigh in 1970 to form Leigh Districts
Torquay		Tigers	Spring Creek Reserve, Torquay	–	1952	1952-1963	3	1962	Moved to Polwarth FL after 1963 season
Werribee				WBMDFA		1930, 1932-1936	0	-	Moved to Werribee District FA after WWII
Wyndhamvale		Falcons	Wyndham Vale South Reserve, Wyndham Vale	–	1979	1987-1988	0	-	Moved to Western Region FL following 1988 season
YCW				–		1946-1950	1	1948	Merged with CYMS to form CYMS-YCW in 1951. Merged with St Mary's in 1952 when CYMS split from previous merger.

Recent premierships

References

1. ^ Fanning, Noel (9 April 2008). "Geelong and District Football League boasts a long list of superstars". Geelong Advertiser. www.geelongadvertiser.com.au. Retrieved 10 November 2008.
2. J.W. (3 December 1921). "Football – turning the tables". The Australasian. Vol. CXI, no. 2905. Melbourne, VIC.
3. Geelong & District Football League at Footypedia
4. McLure, Daryl (24 May 2008). "Kick to kick". Geelong Advertiser. Archived from the original on 26 February 2012. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
5. "1929 - Football". Werribee Shire Banner (Vic. : 1911 - 1952). 31 January 1929. p. 5. Retrieved 6 June 2024.

External links

• Official Twitter
• SportsTG website
• GDFL on AFL Barwon
• GDFL Netball

• Geelong & District Football Netball League
• Australian rules football competitions in Victoria (state)
• Netball leagues in Victoria (state)