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The South West Football League is an Australian rules football league based in the south-west of Western Australia. The league is affiliated to Country Football WA, formerly known as the West Australian Country Football League.

History

The idea of creating a larger league was discussed early in 1951. The idea that three clubs from the Collie Football Association and the three clubs from the Bunbury Football association would invigorate public interest in the South West region on the state. Talks continued into 1952 and it was finally agreed to trial a competition with all the two associations clubs for a two-year period. The associations administrations would remain separate. Sensing opportunity, Donnybrook left their local competition to become the seventh club.

In 1953 the Bunbury-Collie League was founded with seven teams. South Bunbury, Bunbury Railways, Bunbury Pastimes, Mines Rovers, Collie Railways, Centrals and Donnybrook. The public response was evident, interest was up, attendances to games were up and the general standard of play improved greatly.

The trial was deemed so successful that it kicked off a series of consolidations of smaller leagues within the state of Western Australia.

• 1954 Eastern and Western Districts Busselton commenced from Busselton FA.
• 1955 Eastern and Western Districts Busselton amalgamated to become Busselton
• 1956 Harvey Brunswick admitted, Bunbury Pastimes becomes Carey Park
• 1957, the league changed names to the South West National Football League.
• 1959 Boyanup-Capel-Dardanup joins
• 1961 Collie Railways and centrals amalgamate to become Collie
• 1966 Augusta-Margaret River joins
• 1990 Harvey Brunswick become Harvey Brunswick Leschenault
• 1991 the name changed again, to the current South West Football League
• 2000 Boyanup-Capel-Dardanup relocates to Eaton and changes name to Eaton Boomers.
• 2001 Collie and Mines Rovers amalgamated to become Collie Eagles
• 2009 Harvey Bulls commence, transferred from Peel Football League.
• 2022 Dunsborough Sharks women's, colts and reserves team commence playing
• 2023 Dunsborough Sharks league team commence playing

Expansion

In 1993 a proposed submission from the new Harvey Football Club was rejected because the SWFL believed10 teams was a sufficient number. Harvey then put in a successful submission into the Peel Football League where they played their first season in 1994.

The start of the 2009 season saw the introduction of the Harvey Bulls, who made the move over from the expanding Peel Football League. This was different from their bid in 1993, as they had nowhere else to go. The SWFL were also looking for a tenth team (after the merger of Collie and Mines) to get rid of the dreaded bye and extended season. Harvey left the PFL because of the rumour of Perth teams entering the PFL for 2009 so therefore increasing travel commitments. This idea fell through but Harvey still joined the SWFL after an 8–1 vote by the SWFL clubs, with HBL the only club opposing the idea.

During January 2021, the Dunsborough Sharks, who field juniors teams in the South West put in an application to field a colts side ahead of the 2021 season. This was rejected. Post the 2021 season the Dunsborough Sharks put in an application for a Reserves, Colts and Women's team for the 2022 season. These applications were accepted with a 7–3 vote, allowing the Sharks to field a league team for the 2023 season.

Clubs

Current clubs

Colours	Club	Nickname	Location	Home ground	First season in league	Premierships
	Augusta Margaret River Football Club	Hawks	Margaret River, Western Australia	Gloucester Park	1966	5
	Bunbury Football Club formerly known as Bunbury Railways	Bulldogs	Bunbury, Western Australia	PC Payne Park	1953	9
	Busselton Football Club Formed from a merger of East Busselton and West Busselton	Magpies	Busselton, Western Australia	Sir Stuart Bovell Park	1955	6
	Carey Park Football Club Formed in 1914; formerly known as Pastimes	Panthers	Bunbury, Western Australia	Kelly Park	1953	7
	Collie Eagles Football Club formed in 2002 from a merger of the Collie Saints and Mines Rovers	Eagles	Collie, Western Australia	Collie Recreation Ground	2002	2
	Dunsborough Football Club	Sharks	Dunsborough, Western Australia	Dunsborough Playing Fields	2022	0
	Donnybrook Football Club	Dons	Donnybrook, Western Australia	VC Mitchell Park	1953	5
	Eaton Football Club formerly known as Boyanup Capel and as Boyanup Capel Dardanup	Boomers formerly known as the Cardinals	Eaton, Western Australia formerly played in Boyanup, Western Australia	Glen Huon Oval formerly Boyanup Oval	1959	2
	Harvey Bulls Football Club	Bulls	Harvey, Western Australia	Harvey Recreation Ground	2009	0
	Harvey Brunswick Leschenault Football Club formerly known as Harvey Brunswick	Lions	Brunswick Junction, Western Australia	Brunswick Oval	1956	9
	South Bunbury Football Club	Tigers	South Bunbury, Western Australia	Hands Oval	1953	16

Previous

Colours	Club	Joined league	Left league	Fate
	Collie Railways	1953	1961	Merged with Collie Centrals to become Collie Saints, no premierships
	Collie Centrals	1953	1961	Merged with Collie Railways to become Collie Saints, no premierships
	Mines Rovers	1953	2002	Merged with Collie Saints to become the Collie Eagles, 4 league premierships
	Collie Saints	1962	2002	Merged with Mines Rovers to become Collie Eagles, 2 premierships

Premierships

League

Grand Finals 2009–24

Notable players

• Syd Jackson
• Adam Hunter
• Phil Matson
• Leon Baker
• Michael Warren
• David Hollins
• Phil Kelly
• Michael Christian
• Ben Stratton
• Peter Miller
• Lewis Jetta
• Neville Jetta
• Kyle Reimers
• Anthony Morabito
• Paul Barnard
• Aaron Black
• Kristin Thornton
• Connor Blakely
• Troy Ugle
• Ethan Hughes
• Ben Howlett
• Sydney Stack
• Harley Bennell
• Jye Amiss

References

1. "Country Football Affiliated Leagues". West Australian Football Commission. Archived from the original on 8 June 2009. Retrieved 12 May 2009.
2. "Football". Blackwood Times. 10 August 1951.
3. "Bunbury Discussion". Blackwood Times. 1952 – via Trove.
4. "About the league". South West Football League. Retrieved 12 May 2009.

• Australian rules football competitions in Western Australia
• 1957 establishments in Australia
• South West Football League