Heathcote District Football League Explained

Heathcote District Football League

General Information
Founded
Sports	Football (1905–present)
Affiliation	AFL Victoria Country (2012–present)
No. of teams	9
Level on pyramid	2
Headquarters	Bendigo, Victoria, Australia
Most recent champion(s)	Mount Pleasant (2023) (20th Premiership)
Most titles	Mount Pleasant (20 Premierships)
Related competitions	MCDFL, LVFL, BFL
Formerly
1905–1954	Heathcote District Football Association
1955–present	Heathcote District Football League
Official website
Football	Heathcote District Football League
Records
Highest Score	337 – Heathcote 52.25 (337) 1986; (v Tooborac 12.5 77) – 1986
Most goals in a game
Most goals in a season	130 – Aaron James – North Bendigo – 2009
Most wins in a row	31 – Heathcote 2009–2011
Most losses in a row	34 – Redesdale 1930–1932
Most flags in a row	5 – Heathcote North 1955–1959
AFL Victoria league rank	21 (2018)^[1]

History

The Heathcote District Football League became a league in 1955. Previous names for the competitions in the area were the Heathcote District Football Association (1905), McIvor District Football Association (1906) and again the Heathcote District Football Association (1907–1954).

In recent years the Heathcote & District Football League has become one of, if not the strongest of the minor leagues in Victoria. During the Victoria Country Championships (Interleague) the HDFL has accounted for major league side Central Murray Football League as well as established a higher ranking than the North Central Football League. The strength & depth of the league is all the more remarkable considering the size of the league, 9 teams

Over the past few years the HDFL has beaten the Geelong & District & Horsham & District Leagues but fell short to AFL Barwon league, Bellarine in 2016.

The HDFL has had many representatives playing for Victoria Country, including recent players Grant Weeks, Andy Grant, Hadleigh Sirett & Jye Keath.

Clubs

Location

Current clubs

Club	class=unsortable	Colours	Moniker	Home Ground	Former		First season	HDNFL Premierships	Premiership Years
Colbinabbin		Grasshoppers	MJ Morgan Reserve, Colbinabbin		1915	1935**	12	1939, 1949, 1950, 1975, 1978, 1991, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2008
Elmore		Bloods	Elmore Recreation Reserve, Elmore		1882	1949	5	1954, 1960, 1963, 1985, 2007
Heathcote		Saints	Barrack Reserve, Heathcote	–	1967	1967*	7	1970, 1972, 1982, 1989, 1992, 2009, 2010
Huntly		Hawks	Strauch Reserve, Huntly	–	1986	1986	0	–
Leitchville Gunbower		Bombers	Leitchville Recreation Reserve, LeitchvilleGunbower Recreation Reserve, Gunbower	CMFNL	1995	2010	2	2017, 2018
Lockington Bamawm United		Cats	Lockington Recreation Reserve, Lockington	BFNL	1990	2001	5	2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2022
Mount Pleasant		Blues	Toolleen Recreation Reserve, Toolleen		1889	1935**	20	1962, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1971, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1990, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2023
North Bendigo		Bulldogs	North Bendigo Recreation Reserve, North Bendigo	BFNL	1945	1996	3	2015, 2016, 2019
White Hills		Demons	White Hills Recreation Reserve, White Hills	BFNL	1924	1984	1	1988
denotes that the club was a founding member of the HDFL * denotes that the club was a founding member of its former league. |} Former clubs Club class=unsortable Colours Moniker Home Ground Former League Years in HDFNL data-sort-type="number" HDFNL Premierships Premiership Years Fate Aloysians – c.1900s 1912 0 - Folded Axedale – 1921 1928-1932 0 - Moved to Golden City Football League Broadford Kangaroos Harley Hammond Reserve, Broadford RDFNL 1890 1985-2008 1 1996 Returned to Riddell District Football Netball League in 2009 Costerfield – 1900 1905-1947 8 1912, 1913, 1914, 1919, 1920, 1923, 1924, 1926 Folded Emu Flat – c.1900s 1906 0 - Folded Eppalock Weir – c.1920s 1928 0 - Folded Goornong c.1910s 1947-1951 0 - Folded Heathcote – c.1900s 1905-1921 2 1918, 1921 Split to form Heathcote North and Heathcote South in 1922 Heathcote Blues Blues – 1924 1924-1926 0 - Merged with Heathcote Reds to form Heathcote North and Heathcote Rovers Heathcote Centrals – c.1900s 1907 0 - Folded Heathcote Dons Dons – 1934 1934 1 1934 Merged with Heathcote Ramblers and Heathcote McIvors to form Heathcote North and Heathcote Rovers in 1935 Heathcote McIvors – 1934 1934 0 align="center" - Merged with Heathcote Dons and Heathcote Ramblers to form Heathcote North and Heathcote Rovers in 1935 Heathcote North – 1922 1922-1966 8 1922, 1952, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1964 Merged with Heathcote Rovers to form Heathcote in 1967 Heathcote Ramblers Red and white – 1924 1924, 1934 0 - Merged with Heathcote Dons and Heathcote McIvors to form Heathcote North and Heathcote Rovers in 1935 Heathcote Reds – 1924 1924-1927 0 - Merged with Heathcote Blues to form Heathcote North and Heathcote Rovers Heathcote Rovers Magpies – 1927 1927-1966 9 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1940, 1945, 1947, 1948, 1951 Merged with Heathcote North to form Heathcote in 1967 Heathcote South – 1922 0 align="center" - Folded Knowsley Red and blue – c.1900s 1924-1927, 1946 1 1946 Folded Moormbool – c.1910s 1918-1925 0 - Folded Provincial BFNL 1945 1983-1985 0 - Merged with Huntly to form Huntly-Provincial in 1986 Pyalong – c.1900s 1914 0 - Folded Redesdale c.1900s 1930-1932 0 0 Folded Rushworth Tigers Rushworth Recreation Reserve, Rushworth GVFL 1882 1965-1998 3 1965, 1969, 1977 Moved to Kyabram District Football Netball League in 1999 Stanhope Lions Stanhope Recreation Reserve, Stanhope GVFL 1920 1976-1998 3 1976, 1986, 1987 Moved to Kyabram District Football Netball League in 1999 Tooborac Cats Tooborac Recreation Reserve, Tooborac – c.1900s 1905-1986 11 1931, 1932, 1933, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1953, 1961, 1973, 1974 Folded in 1987 Toolleen Toolleen Recreation Reserve, Toolleen c.1900s 1919–1920, 1933–1934 0 - Folded List of Premierships Season Premiers Runners-up Score 1912 Costerfield (1) Heathcote 9.9 (63) – 2.2 (14) 1913 Costerfield (2) Heathcote 6.11 (47) – 3.7 (25) 1914 Costerfield (3) Heathcote 2.10 (22) – 2.7 (19) 1915 Suspended during World War I 1916 1917 1918 Heathcote (1) Costerfield 6.7 (43) – 3.7 (25) 1919 Costerfield (4) 8.5 (53 – 4.5 (29) 1920 Costerfield (5) 3.9 (27) – 3.5 (23) 1921 Heathcote (2) Tooborac 7.9 (51) – 5.9 (39) 1922 Heathcote North (1) Heathcote South 6.10 (46) – 3.13 (31) 1923 Costerfield (6) 6.10 (46) – 4.3 (27) 1924 Costerfield (7) Heathcote Ramblers 6.5 (41) – 2.6 (18) 1925 Heathcote Reds (1) Costerfield 9.6 (60) – 6.4 (40) 1926 Costerfield (8) Knowsley 7.15 (57) – 5.7 (37) 1927 Heathcote Rovers (1) Costerfield 7.9 (51) – 5.8 (38) 1928 Heathcote Rovers (2) Heathcote North 17.19 (121) – 10.11 (71) 1929 Heathcote Rovers (3) Tooborac 12.11 (83) – 12.5 (77) 1930 Heathcote Rovers (4) Heathcote North 10.10 (70) – 6.7 (43) 1931 Tooborac (1) Heathcote North 13.17 (95) – 10.14 (74) 1932 Tooborac (2) Heathcote Rovers 16.20 (116) – 12.14 (86) 1933 Tooborac (3) Heathcote North 6.5 (41) – 6.4 (40) 1934 Heathcote Dons (1) Costerfield 15.13 (103) – 6.10 (46) 1935 Tooborac (4) Heathcote North 6.17 (53) – 6.12 (48) 1936 Tooborac (5) Colbinabbin 17.14 (116) – 6.14 (50) 1937 Tooborac (6) Heathcote Rovers 12.12 (84) – 5.11 (41) 1938 Tooborac (7) Mount Pleasant 13.12 (90) – 10.11 (71) 1939 Colbinabbin (1) Mount Pleasant 13.16 (94) – 13.4 (82) 1940 Heathcote Rovers (5) Mount Pleasant 11.11 (77) – 9.10 (64) 1941 Suspended during World War II 1942 1943 1944 1945 Heathcote Rovers (6) Heathcote North 1946 Knowsley (1) Heathcote North 1947 Heathcote Rovers (7) Heathcote North 1948 Heathcote Rovers (8) Heathcote North 10.16 (76) – 5.8 (38) 1949 Colbinabbin (2) Heathcote North 11.11 (77) – 10.10 (70) 1950 Colbinabbin (3) Tooborac 10.16 (76) – 6.12 (48) 1951 Heathcote Rovers (9) Tooborac 9.9 (63) – 9.8 (62) 1952 Heathcote North (2) Tooborac 12.10 (82) – 10.9 (69) 1953 Tooborac (8) Heathcote North 9.10 (64) – 4.18 (42) 1954 Elmore (1) Tooborac 15.9 (99) – 7.19 (61) 1955 Heathcote North (3) Elmore 12.11 (83) – 9.8 (62) 1956 Heathcote North (4) Mount Pleasant 16.7 (103) – 7.7 (49) 1957 Heathcote North (5) Heathcote Rovers 6.16 (52) – 3.4 (22) 1958 Heathcote North (6) Tooborac 15.9 (99) – 10.5 (65) 1959 Heathcote North (7) Tooborac 13.5 (83) – 9.13 (67) 1960 Elmore (2) Mount Pleasant 12.17 (89) – 9.12 (66) 1961 Tooborac (9) Heathcote North 14.12 (96) – 11.16 (82) 1962 Mount Pleasant (1) Heathcote Rovers 9.11 (65) – 6.7 (43) 1963 Elmore (3) Tooborac 9.16 (70) – 7.11 (53) 1964 Heathcote North (8) Elmore 9.11 (65) – 6.12 (48) 1965 Rushworth (1) 13.14 (92) – 8.4 (52) 1966 Mount Pleasant (2) Heathcote North 10.14 (74) – 9.8 (62) 1967 Mount Pleasant (3) Heathcote 14.10 (94) – 10.11 (71) 1968 Mount Pleasant (4) Rushworth 14.17 (101) – 12.17 (89) 1969 Rushworth (2) Elmore 12.9 (81) – 10.14 (74) 1970 Heathcote (1) Elmore 8.13 (61) – 9.6 (60) 1971 Mount Pleasant (5) Heathcote 18.14 (122) – 9.14 (68) 1972 Heathcote (2) Colbinabbin 17.15 (117) – 12.14 (86) 1973 Tooborac (10) Rushworth 21.21 (147) – 8.7 (55) 1974 Tooborac (11) Colbinabbin 19.26 (140) – 14.15 (99) 1975 Colbinabbin (4) Rushworth 12.15 (87) – 10.13 (73) 1976 Stanhope (1) Colbinabbin 14.13 (97) – 12.13 (85) 1977 Rushworth (3) Colbinabbin 18.2 (110) – 14.17 (101) 1978 Colbinabbin (5) Stanhope 20.12 (132) – 17.15 (117) 1979 Mount Pleasant (6) Colbinabbin 17.10 (112) – 15.17 (107) 1980 Mount Pleasant (7) Elmore 17.13 (115) – 11.18 (84) 1981 Mount Pleasant (8) Colbinabbin 15.18 (108) – 15.10 (100) 1982 Heathcote (3) Mount Pleasant 20.15 (135) – 10.16 (76) 1983 Mount Pleasant (9) Stanhope 8.14 (62) – 6.8 (44) 1984 Mount Pleasant (10) Elmore 21.23 (149) – 12.9 (81) 1985 Elmore (4) Heathcote 14.17 (101) – 10.10 (70) 1986 Stanhope (2) Broadford 22.8 (140) – 6.8 (44) 1987 Stanhope (3) White Hills 23.20 (158) – 13.7 (85) 1988 White Hills (1) Stanhope 12.14 (86) – 9.10 (64) 1989 Heathcote (4) Stanhope 24.15 (159) – 9.7 (61) 1990 Mount Pleasant (11) Heathcote 15.18 (108) – 12.12 (84) 1991 Colbinabbin (6) Heathcote 15.11 (101) – 11.9 (75) 1992 Heathcote (5) Mount Pleasant 16.8 (104) – 9.12 (64) 1993 Mount Pleasant (12) Heathcote 15.10 (100) – 11.14 (80) 1994 Mount Pleasant (13) Heathcote 13.13 (91) – 12.11 (83) 1995 Mount Pleasant (14) Heathcote 11.16 (82) – 10.17 (77) 1996 Broadford (1) Mount Pleasant 7.8 (50) – 6.9 (45) 1997 Mount Pleasant (15) Elmore 13.8 (86) – 11.12 (78) 1998 Colbinabbin (7) North Bendigo 11.19 (85) – 4.3 (27) 1999 Colbinabbin (8) 7.8 (50) – 4.6 (30) 2000 Mount Pleasant (16) Colbinabbin 18.10 (118) – 7.12 (54) 2001 Mount Pleasant (17) Broadford 10.8 (68) – 6.8 (44) 2002 Colbinabbin (9) Lockington Bawawm United 15.10 (100) – 11.9 (75) 2003 Colbinabbin (10) Broadford 20.13 (133) – 16.16 (102) 2004 Colbinabbin (11) White Hills 6.14 (50) – 2.9 (21) 2005 Mount Pleasant (18) White Hills 16.14 (110) – 12.15 (87) 2006 Mount Pleasant (19) Elmore 19.13 (127) – 13.12 (90) 2007 Elmore (5) Colbinabbin 26.29 (185) – 12.14 (86) 2008 Colbinabbin (12) Heathcote 16.9 (105) – 12.11 (83) 2009 Heathcote (6) Colbinabbin 15.17 (107) – 15.13 (103) 2010 Heathcote (7) Lockington Bamawm United 8.8 (56) – 5.9 (39) 2011 Lockington Bamawm United (1) Heathcote 15.9 (99) – 14.9 (93) 2012 Lockington Bamawm United (2) North Bendigo 21.14 (140) – 7.4 (46) 2013 Lockington Bamawm United (3) Huntly 15.13 (103) – 6.9 (45) 2014 Lockington Bamawm United (4) North Bendigo 13.9 (87) – 11.10 (76) 2015 North Bendigo (1) Leitchville Gunbower 10.13 (73) – 8.15 (63) 2016 North Bendigo (2) Leitchville Gunbower 14.18 (102) – 13.4 (82) 2017 Leitchville Gunbower (1) North Bendigo 15.18 (108) – 12.10 (82) 2018 Leitchville Gunbower (2) North Bendigo 14.10 (94) – 12.13 (85) 2019 North Bendigo (3) Colbinabbin 10.10 (70) – 4.10 (34) 2020 Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in Victoria^[2] 2021 Season abandoned due to COVID-19 pandemic in Victoria^[3] 2022 Lockington Bamawm United (5) Mount Pleasant 13.11 (89) – 10.9 (69) 2023 Mount Pleasant (20) Heathcote 12.7 (79) – 9.6 (60) Recent seasons The 2021 season ladder prior to abandonment of season:^[4] 2021 season Ladder ! style="width:4%;" Team Pts 16 12 0 4 1569 463 338.88 56 16 9 3 4 1204 652 184.66 44 16 9 3 4 1113 807 137.92 44 16 9 4 3 1245 975 127.69 42 16 7 5 4 1169 983 118.92 36 16 5 8 3 916 945 96.93 26 16 3 9 4 747 1399 53.40 20 16 2 11 3 799 1411 56.63 14 16 0 13 3 543 1670 32.51 6 Books History of Football in the Bendigo District – John Stoward – References NotesCitations External links League Official Website ]

Notes and References

1. Web site: AFL Victoria Community Championships Rankings . AFL Victoria. 16 May 2017.
2. News: D'Anello . Luke . 22 May 2020 . Local footy: Heathcote District Football Netball League cancels season . .
3. News: Huntly . Josh . 9 September 2021 . Final siren sounds on HDFNL season . The Riverine Herald .
4. Web site: Ladder for 2021 Seniors HDFNL.