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Gippsland Football League

Formerly	West Gippsland Latrobe Football League
Sport	Australian rules football
First season	1954
No. of teams	10
Country	Australia
Most recent champion(s)	Traralgon (27)
Most titles	Traralgon (27)
Official website	Gippsland Football League Official Website

The Gippsland League (formerly known as the West Gippsland Latrobe Football League) is an Australian rules football and netball league in the Gippsland region of Victoria, Australia. It is considered the only AFL Victoria major league in Gippsland.

History

The original Gippsland Football Association was formed in 1889, after a meeting of club delegates from the towns of Hazelwood, Morwell, Rosedale, Thorpdale, Traralgon, and Yarram. The Association was open to any clubs from the Gippsland area and would be responsible for arranging matches between clubs and dealing with club disputes.

The Gippsland Football Netball League (GFNL) has roots dating back to the Central Gippsland Football League (CGFL) which was founded in 1909 with many former CGFL clubs now part of the GFNL.

The CGFL morphed into the Latrobe Valley Football League in 1954. The promoters of the LVFL wanted to have a league that consisted of towns along the Orbost railway line, from Warragul to Sale. "The background of the move, as reported on several occasions in this journal, is (1) to remove unbalances in the present population strengths of the towns at present fielding teams in the Central Gippsland Football League; (2) to link up with towns with the same community of interest; (3) to uplift the standard of football, by bringing the strongest clubs into competition; (4) to strengthen clubs financially through expected enhanced gates."

Three clubs from south Gippsland towns, Leongatha, Korumburra and Mirboo North, were therefore barred from joining the new league and went on to form the South Gippsland FL. The Central Gippsland Football League actually folded, when seven clubs joined the new La Trobe Valley Football League and due to their geographical location these three remaining clubs chose not to join the La Trobe Valley Football League. These three clubs then joined the South Gippsland Football League in 1954, with Leongatha entering two senior teams – Green & Gold.

The LVFL changed its name, in 1995, to the Gippsland Latrobe FL.

At the end of 2001, the West Gippsland FL and the Gippsland Latrobe FL had an administrative merger. This created a two-division competition and a name change to the West Gippsland Latrobe FL.

From 2002 until 2004, the league comprised a premier division, consisting mainly of the former Gippsland-Latrobe clubs, and a western division, comprising most of the former WGFL clubs.

After the 2004 season, the western division was dissolved, with Warragul, Drouin and Garfield joining the premier league. The remaining clubs from the western division moved to other competitions, such as the Alberton Football League, Ellinbank & District Football League and the Mornington Peninsula Nepean Football League.

In 2009, Garfield left the GFL for the Ellinbank & District Football League, whilst Wonthaggi and Bairnsdale joined the GFL in 2010 and 2011 respectively.

The Latrobe Valley area does not have a team participating in the Victorian Football League. Traralgon competed in the VFL during 1996–97, winning just four matches across those two years, before returning to the regional competition. The region does have a representative team in the TAC Cup Under-18 competition, Gippsland Power.

Clubs

Club	Colours	Moniker	Home venue	Former League	Est.	First Year	Premierships		Premiership Years
							Total	Most recent
Bairnsdale		Redlegs	Bairnsdale City Oval, Bairnsdale	EGFNL	c. 1900	2011	24	2010	1902, 1903, 1908, 1912, 1913, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1947, 1951, 1952, 1954, 1956, 1958, 1959 (WGFL), 1981, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010 (EGFL)
Drouin		Hawks	Drouin Recreation Reserve, Drouin	WGFL	1890	1960	8	1992	1941, 1946, 1949, 1958, 1967, 1978, 1991, 1992 (WGFL)
Leongatha		Parrots	Leongatha Recreation Reserve, Leongatha	SGFL	1894	1969	28	2023	1894 (KDFA), 1905 (WFA), 1923, 1924, 1931, 1932, (SGFA), 1934, 1935, 1950, 1951 (CGFA), 1954, 1955, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1964 (SGFL), 1970, 1977, 1979, 1982, 1989 (LVFL), 1995, 1997 (GLFL), 2001 (WGFL), 2017, 2018, 2022, 2023 (GL)
Maffra		Eagles	Maffra Recreation Reserve, Maffra	GFL	1901	1960	22	2019	1904, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1910, 1914, 1920, 1921, 1926, 1935, 1938, 1946, 1948 (GFL), 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2016, 2019
Moe		Lions	Ted Summerton Reserve, Moe	CGFL	1909	1954	5	1967	1927 (EDFA), 1944, 1945 (GWFL), 1956, 1967 (LVFL)
Morwell		Tigers	Morwell Recreation Reserve, Morwell	CGFL	1905	1954	14	2014	1907, 1922 (MMFA), 1950, 1952, 1953 (CGFL), 1961, 1966, 1983, 1985, 1988, 1993 (LVFL), 1996 (GLFL), 2013, 2014 (GL)
Sale		Magpies	Sale Oval, Sale	GFL	1901	1954	20	2012	1901, 1905, 1911, 1924, 1927, 1931, 1934, 1937, 1949, 1950, 1953 (GFL), 1954, 1955, 1957, 1959, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1986 (LVFL), 2008, 2012 (GL)
Traralgon		Maroons	Traralgon Recreation Reserve, Traralgon	VFL	1883	1954	27	2024	1919, 1923, 1925 (GFL), 1945, 1946, 1949 (CGFL), 1960, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1968, 1969, 1972, 1978, 1980, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994 (LVFL), 1998, 1999, 2000 (GLFL), 2005, 2011, 2015, 2024(GL)
Warragul		Gulls	Western Park Reserve, Warragul	WGFL	1879	1954	13	2003	1900, 1902, 1903, 1904, 1907, 1922, 1927, 1932, 1938 (CGFL), 1974, 1976, 1984 (LVFL), 2003 (WGFL)
Wonthaggi		Power	Wonthaggi Recreation Reserve, Wonthaggi	AFNL	2005	2010	3	2008	2005, 2006, 2008 (AFNL)

Former clubs

Club	Jumper	Nickname	Home Ground	Former League	Years competed	GL Premierships		Fate
						Total	Years
Cerberus		Dogs	HMAS Cerberus	–	2003	0	-	Moved to Southern FNL following 2003 season
Churchill		Kangaroos	Gaskin Park, Churchill	MGFNL	1984–1994	0	-	Moved to North Gippsland FNL following 1994 season
Cora Lynn		Cobras	Cora Lynn Recreation Reserve, Cora Lynn	WGFL	2002–2004	0	-	Moved to Ellinbank & District FNL following 2004 season
Garfield		Stars	Garfield Recreation Reserve, Garfield	WGFL	2002–2009	0	-	Moved to Ellinbank & District FNL following 2009 season
Heyfield		Kangaroos	Gordon St Recreation Reserve, Heyfield	GFL	1960–1974	0	-	Moved to North Gippsland FNL following 1974 season
Kilcunda-Bass		Panthers	Bass Recreation Reserve, Bass	WGFL	2002–2004	0	-	Moved to Alberton FNL following 2004 season
Nar Nar Goon		Goons	Nar Nar Goon Recreation Reserve, Nar Nar Goon	WGFL	2002–2004	0	-	Moved to Ellinbank & District FNL following 2004 season
Newborough		Bulldogs	Northern Reserve, Newborough	MGFNL	1979–1985	0	-	Moved to Mid Gippsland FNL following 1985 season
Phillip Island		Bulldogs	Cowes Recreation Reserve, Cowes	WGFL	2002–2004	0	-	Moved to Alberton FNL following 2004 season
Stratford		Swans	Stratford Recreation Reserve, Stratford	GFL	1923–1933, 1949–1973	0	-	Moved to North Gippsland FNL following 1974 season
Tooradin-Dalmore		Seagulls	Tooradin Recreation Reserve, Tooradin	WGFL	2002–2004	0	-	Moved to Mornington Peninsula Nepean FL following 2004 season
Trafalgar		Bloods	Trafalgar Recreation Reserve, Trafalgar	CGFL	1954–1968	2	1958, 1962	Moved to Mid Gippsland FNL following 1968 season
Traralgon Tyers United		Two Blues	Tyers Recreation Reserve, Tyers	NGFNL	1983–1988	0	-	Moved to North Gippsland FNL following 1988 season
Wonthaggi		Blues	Wonthaggi Recreation Reserve, Wonthaggi	BVWDFL	1995–2004	0	-	Merged with Wonthaggi Rovers to form Wonthaggi Power in Alberton FL following 2005 season
Yallourn		Blues	Yallourn Recreation Reserve, Yallourn	CGFL	1954–1976	2	1932, 1933	Merged with Yallourn North to form Yallourn-Yallourn North following 1976 season
Yallourn Yallourn North		Bombers	Yallourn Recreation Reserve, Yallourn	–	1977–1983	0	-	Moved to Mid Gippsland FNL following 1983 season
Yarragon		Magpies	Dowton Park Reserve, Yarragon	CGFL	1954–1960	0	-	Moved to West Gippsland FL following 1960 season

Football Premierships

The following is a list of all the Gippsland FL premiership winning teams from 1921 to 1953 and of the La Trobe FL from 1954 to present day.

The Reserves competition commenced in 1954, the Thirds competition in 1957 and the Fourths in 2000.

Players

VFL/AFL Players

A number of players from the Gippsland league have gone on to play and have success at the AFL level.

Premiers and Best & Fairest Winners

Records and statistics

Finishing positions of current clubs since 1954

Recent finishing positions

Significant records

2023 Ladder

Finals

	Qualifying Final at Wonthaggi					Second Semi-Final at Morwell					Preliminary Final at Sale					Grand Final at Morwell
						1	Wonthaggi	9.10 (64)								Wonthaggi		7.7 (49)
							Leongatha	6.6 (42)								Leongatha		14.5 (89)
	2	Moe	11.7 (73)								Leongatha		10.13 (73)
	3	Leongatha	16.5 (101)			First Semi-Final at Maffra					Moe		5.10 (40)
						Moe		12.7 (79)
	4	Traralgon	9.11 (65)			Traralgon		8.8 (56)
	5	Sale	5.6 (36)

References

1. Australian rules football: West Gippsland Latrobe Football League becomes Gippsland League as Wonthaggi concedes move, Wikinews, 10 December 2009
2. "Gippsland Football Association". The Age. 7 May 1889.
3. "Football". Melbourne Punch. 16 May 1889.
4. "1909 - Football: Central Gippsland FA formation". Trove Newspapers. Traralgon Record (Traralgon, Vic). 20 April 1909. p. 2. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
5. "1909 - Football". Trove Newspapers. West Gippsland Gazette. 3 August 1909. p. 2. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
6. "1954 - Football League Formed". Trove Newspapers. Morwell Advertiser (Morwell, Vic). 28 January 1954. p. 1. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
7. "1954 - Major Gippsland League now Disbanded". Trove Newspapers. Morwell Advertiser. 11 March 1954. p. 12. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
8. "1954 - Central Gippsland League Seeks Conference". Trove Newspapers. Gippsland Times (Vic). 11 January 1954. p. 3. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
9. "Australian rules football: West Gippsland Latrobe Football League becomes Gippsland Football League as Wonthaggi concedes move". 10 December 2009. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
10. Wikinews:Australian rules football: Bairnsdale join Gippsland League, will play first game in Warragul
11. "The Sunday Age, 8 August 2004". Archived from the original on 17 May 2011. Retrieved 14 May 2011.
12. "Gippsland FNL - Football Premiership Lists". Gippsland FNL. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
13. "1921 - Maffra wins premiership & "Times" Cup". Trove Newspapers. Gippsland Times (Vic). 22 August 1921. p. 3. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
14. "1922 - Hats off to Rosedale". Trove Newspapers. Gippsland Times. 9 October 1922. p. 4. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
15. "1923 - Gippsland League". Trove Newspapers. The Argus. 15 October 1923. p. 6. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
16. "1923 - Football: Traralgon outclass Rosedale". Trove Newspapers. Traralgon Record. 16 October 1923. p. 4. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
17. "1924 - Sale Premiers". Trove Newspapers. Weekly Times. 18 October 1924. p. 80. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
18. "1925 - Gippsland League". Trove Newspapers. The Argus. 19 October 1925. p. 6. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
19. "1926 - Football Jottings: Maffra wins Pennant". Trove Newspapers. Traralgon Record (Traralgon, Vic). 5 October 1926. p. 3. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
20. "1927 - Football". Trove Newspapers. Gippsland Times. 29 September 1927. p. 4. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
21. "1928 - Bairnsdale win after 15 years". Trove Newspapers. Gippsland Times. 24 September 1928. p. 5. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
22. "1929 - GIPPSLAND FOOTBALL LEAGUE, Annual Dinner". Trove Newspapers. Gippsland Times (Vic). 18 November 1929. p. 5. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
23. "1930 - BAIRNSDALE PREMIERS". Trove Newspapers. GIPPSLAND TIMES. 29 September 1930. p. 5. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
24. "1931 - SALE PREMIERS". Trove Newspapers. Gippsland Times (Vic). 7 September 1931. p. 2. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
25. "1932 - Yallourn win Gippsland Premiership". Trove Newspapers. Morwell Advertiser. 22 September 1932. p. 5. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
26. "1933 - Yallourn again Premiers". Trove Newspapers. Morwell Advertiser. 8 September 1933. p. 9. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
27. "1934 - Matches in the Country". Trove Newspapers. The Argus. 24 September 1934. p. 14. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
28. "1935 - Football premiership to Maffra". Trove Newspapers. Gippsland Times. 23 September 1935. p. 8. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
29. "1936 - Yarram Premiers". Trove Newspapers. Gippsland Times. 21 September 1936. p. 7. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
30. "1937 - Sale defeat Yarram". Trove Newspapers. Gippsland Times. 20 September 1937. p. 7. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
31. "1938 - Maffra's Pennant". Trove Newspapers. Weekly Times. 3 September 1938. p. 59. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
32. "1939 - Premiership to Yarram". Trove Newspapers. Gippsland Times (Vic). 18 September 1939. p. 5. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
33. "1939 - Yallourn Celebrate". Trove Newspapers. Gippsland Times (Vic). 29 September 1928. p. 2. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
34. "1946 - Maffra Blacks win Premiership". Trove Newspapers. Gippsland Times (Vic). 23 September 1946. p. 6. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
35. "1947 - GIPPSLAND FL: Bairnsdale win Premiership". Trove Newspapers. Gippsland Times. 8 September 1947. p. 6. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
36. "1948 - Maffra wins Premiership". Trove Newspapers. Gippsland Times (Vic). 20 September 1948. p. 4. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
37. "1949 - Sale Football Club Wins 1949 Premiership". Trove Newspapers. Gippsland Times. 12 September 1949. p. 6. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
38. "1950 - Brilliant Third Quarter Wins". Trove Newspapers. Gippsland Times. 25 September 1950. p. 6. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
39. "1951 - Brilliant Last Quarter Burst Gains Premiership". Trove Newspapers. Gippsland Times (Vic). 24 September 1951. p. 7. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
40. "1952 - LAST TERM DASH WINS PREMIERSHIP FOR BAIRNSDALE". Trove Newspapers. Gippsland Times (Vic). 29 September 1952. p. 6. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
41. "1953 - Brilliant Exhibition Gives Sale Premiership". Trove Newspapers. Gippsland Times. 28 September 1958. p. 5. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
42. Gillett, Patrick (20 September 2010). "Australian rules football: Maffra win 2010 Gippsland Football League grand final". Retrieved 2 December 2010.
43. Australian rules football: West Gippsland Latrobe Football League Grand Final, Wikinews, 20 September 2009
44. ^ "GL Senior Finals Positions - Gippsland League - SportsTG". SportsTG.

External links

• SportsTG site
• Gippsland FNL - Football Best & Fairest Lists
• West Gippsland Latrobe Football League (Archived, 30 Aug 2003)
• Gippsland League on Country Footy Scores

• Gippsland League
• Australian rules football competitions in Victoria (state)
• Netball leagues in Victoria (state)