Western Eyre Football League

The Western Eyre Football League (WEFL), formerly Far West Football League (FWFL), is an Australian rules football competition based in the Ceduna area of the Eyre Peninsula region of South Australia, Australia. As of March 2021, the league includes clubs in Ceduna, Thevenard, Koonibba Aboriginal community, Penong (Western United FC), Streaky Bay (West Coast Hawks) and Wirrulla.

Western Eyre Football League
Most recent season or competition:
2023
FormerlyCounty of Way Football Association
(1909–1948)
Murat Bay Football League
(1949–1961)
Far West Football League
(1962–2020)
SportAustralian rules football
Founded1909
First season1909
No. of teams6
Most recent
champion(s)
Western United
(12th Premiership)
(2024)
Most titlesKoonibba
(37 Premierships)
Related
competitions
Mortlock Shield, SANFL
Official websitehttps://www.wefl.web.afl/

It is an affiliated member of the South Australian National Football League.

Brief history

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The County Of Way Football Association was formed in 1909, with founding clubs including Charra, Denial Bay, Goode, Koonibba, Murat and Penong. Fowlers Bay also wished to join the league but was denied entry due to excessive travel distance.

In 1948 the league changed its name to Murat Bay Football League changed and then Far West Football League in 1962.

The Koonibba Roosters are the oldest continuing Aboriginal football club in Australia, having named their Team of the Century in 2009.[1]

The West Coast Hawks of Streaky Bay and Wirrulla club joined the league in March 2021, after the Mid West Football League was wound up permanently. Around the same time, the Far West Football League changed its name to the Western Eyre Football League.[2]

Clubs

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Current

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Club Jumper Nickname Home Ground Former League Est. Years in comp WEFL Senior Premierships
Total Years[3]
Ceduna Blues [note 1]
 
Blues Ceduna Sports Club, Ceduna 1989 1989– 5 1997, 1999, 2009, 2016, 2022
Koonibba
 
Roosters Far West Aboriginal Sporting Complex, Thevenard 1906 1909–1940, 1946– 37 1910, 1922, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1951, 1954, 1956, 1957, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1975, 1977, 1979, 1982, 1988, 1990, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2017
Thevenard
 
Magpies Thevenard Oval,Thevenard 1927 1927– 23 1959, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1978, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 2013, 2015
Western United
 
Tigers Penong Sports Ground, Penong 1974 1974– 12 1980, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2018, 2019, 2023, 2024
West Coast
 
Hawks Streaky Bay Community Complex Oval, Streaky Bay MWFL 1999 2021– 1 2021
Wirrulla
 
Bombers Wirrulla Football Ground, Wirrulla MWFL 1919 2021– 0 -

Former

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Club Jumper Nickname Home Ground Former League Est. Years in comp WEFL Senior Premierships Fate
Total Years[3]
Athenna 1922 1922-1925 1 1923 Folded in 1925
Bonython 1910 1910-1914 0 - Folded in 1914
Bookabie 1 1937 Folded
Ceduna [note 2]
 
Eagles Ceduna Sports Club, Ceduna 1907 1909-1988 16 1909, 1910, 1911, 1912, 1913, 1914, 1924, 1929, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1938, 1946, 1950, 1965 Merged with Smoky Bay in 1989 to form Ceduna Blues
Charra Green and gold 1907 1909-1929, 1960-1973 1 1964 Merged with Charra to form Charra-Denial Bay in 1931. Folded in 1948. Merged with Penong in 1974 to form Western United
Charra-Denial Bay 1931 1931-1933 0 - De-merged into Charra and Denial Bay in 1934
Denial Bay Blue and brown 1907 1909-1930, 1934-1936, 1940-1948 0 - Merged with Charra to form Charra-Denial Bay in 1931. Folded in 1948
Goode Blue and gold 1906 1909-1914, 1927-1930, 1934-1948 0 - Merged with Maltee to form Maltee Goode United in 1931. Folded in 1949
Maltee Sky blue and white 1925 1925-1930, 1934-1939 0 - Merged with Goode to form Maltee Goode United in 1931. Folded in 1939
Maltee Goode United Blue and gold 1931 1931-1933 0 - De-merged into Maltee and Goode in 1934
Merghiny Blue and red Stars 1910 1911-1914 0 - Folded in 1914
Penong
 
Penong Sports Ground, Penong 1908 1909-1914, 1961-1970, 1972-1973 2 1962, 1966 Merged with Charra in 1974 to form Western United
Rovers Green and white 1955 1955-1958 1 1958 Folded in 1959
Smoky Bay
 
Smoky Bay Oval, Smoky Bay 1954 1971-1988 0 - Merged with Ceduna in 1989 to form Ceduna Blues
United 1940 1940-1952 1 1940 Folded in 1952
Wandana Gold and black 1922 1922-1924 0 - Folded in 1924
Yalata Blue and white 1960s 1964 0 - Folded in 1964

Notes

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  1. ^ Known as Ceduna-Smoky Bay until 1999 and Blues until 2022
  2. ^ Known as Murat Bay until 1933

Premiers

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List of Premiership teams of the Western Eyre Football League.[4]

Ladders

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2011 Ladder

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Far West Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts
Koonibba 11 0 1 0 1470 520 73.87% 22 1st Semi Thevenard 11 13 79 Ceduna-Smoky Bay Blues 5 14 44
Western United 9 0 3 0 1401 729 65.77% 18 2nd Semi Koonibba 19 11 125 Western United 10 2 62
Ceduna-Smoky Bay Blues 3 0 9 0 545 1539 26.15% 6 Preliminary Western United 19 25 139 Thevenard 7 7 49
Thevenard 1 0 11 0 684 1312 34.27% 2 Grand Koonibba 17 11 113 Western United 11 2 68

2012 Ladder

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Far West Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts
Koonibba 10 0 2 0 1438 840 63.13% 20 1st Semi Ceduna-Smoky Bay Blues 14 12 96 Thevenard 10 11 71
Western United 8 0 4 0 1239 871 58.72% 16 2nd Semi Koonibba 20 14 134 Western United 13 6 84
Ceduna-Smoky Bay Blues 6 0 6 0 992 1154 46.23% 12 Preliminary Ceduna-Smoky Bay Blues 13 8 86 Western United 11 5 71
Thevenard 0 0 12 0 723 1527 32.13% 0 Grand Koonibba 24 17 161 Ceduna-Smoky Bay Blues 12 9 81

2013 Ladder

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Far West Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts
Western United 8 0 4 0 1278 820 60.92% 16 1st Semi Koonibba 36 17 233 Ceduna-Smoky Bay Blues 11 9 75
Thevenard 7 0 5 0 1227 989 55.37% 14 2nd Semi Thevenard 12 9 81 Western United 10 7 67
Koonibba 7 0 5 0 1347 1089 55.30% 14 Preliminary Koonibba 19 17 131 Western United 6 11 47
Ceduna-Smoky Bay Blues 2 0 10 0 790 1744 31.18% 4 Grand Thevenard 12 17 89 Koonibba 10 22 82

References

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  1. ^ "Koonibba unveils 100-year team - Aboriginal Football". Aboriginal Football : The Indigenous Game. 30 October 2015. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  2. ^ "Mid West Football League has folded". BigFooty. 11 March 2021. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  3. ^ a b Country Footy 2010 Archived 2012-07-22 at archive.today
  4. ^ "A Grade Premiers - Western Eyre Football League".

Further reading

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