The Goldfields Football League is an Australian rules football league based in the Goldfields region of Western Australia. Founded in 1896 as Hannans District Football Association, the league enjoyed a seat and full voting rights on the Australian National Football Council until 1919. The first clubs to play Australian football were formed within the region, and the league helped popularise the sport in the region, helping to establish the sport and supplant Rugby in popularity. The GFL was known as the Goldfields Football Association (GFA) from 1901–07 and 1920–25, and as the Goldfields National Football League (GNFL) from 1926–87.
The league currently has two teams based in Kalgoorlie, two teams based in Boulder, and one in Kambalda.
History
The league was formed during a meeting held in the Great Boulder Hotel, Kalgoorlie, on 29 July 1896 as the Hannans District Football Association. The association at this point comprised four teams; Boulder City, based in Boulder; Hannans, now known as Kalgoorlie City and based in Kalgoorlie; Victorians, also based in Kalgoorlie; and White Feather, based in Kanowna. Up until the end of the First World War the GFL was considered equal on ability with the WAFL, and a State Championship was contested 12 times between 1903 and 1924, with Goldfields sides winning twice, in 1903 and 1912. The league also had a seat and full voting rights on the Australian National Football Council until 1919, but participated together with the WAFL as Western Australia in inter-state and inter-colonial matches. The 1904 Western Australian inter-state touring team included seven GFL players, and half of the 1908 Melbourne Carnival team were GFL players, including the captain Billy Trewhella.
Clubs Locations
Current ClubColoursNicknameHome Ground Est.Years in GFLPremierships Total Years Boulder City Tigers Digger Daws Oval, Boulder 1896 1896- 28 1896, 1898, 1899, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1910, 1913, 1924, 1925, 1928, 1932, 1933, 1935, 1948, 1950, 1959, 1977, 1982, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1994, 1997, 1998, 2005, 2016, 2023 Kalgoorlie City Sir Richard Moore Oval, Piccadilly 1895 1896- 15 1897, 1927, 1930, 1941, 1953, 1954, 1962, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1999, 2013, 2019, 2021 Kalgoorlie Railways Panthers Sir Richard Moore Oval, Piccadilly 1899 1900- 34 1903, 1904, 1905, 1911, 1912, 1919, 1920, 1929, 1931, 1939, 1945, 1952, 1958, 1960, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1983, 1987, 2000, 2002, 2006, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2017, 2022, 2024 Kambalda Eagles Kambalda Oval, Kambalda East 1968 1969- 3 1976, 1981, 1985 Mines Rovers Diorites Digger Daws Oval, Boulder 1898 1898- 44 1900, 1901, 1902, 1906, 1914, 1915, 1918, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1926, 1934, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1940, 1946, 1947, 1949, 1951, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1961, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2018, 2025
Former Former clubs include Victorians (1896–97), White Feather (1896–98; 1903–06), Bulong (1897), Rovers (1897), Britannia (1897), Cementers (1898), Kanowna (1899–1901), Paddington (1899), Coolgardie (1901–03; 1905–06), Trafalgar (1902–05), Horseshoe Warriors (1903–08), City (1903), Boulder Stars (1905–06) and Norseman (1971–72; 1974–82).
Premierships List of premiers The complete list of premiers teams is detailed below.
Year Premiers Runners-up 1896 Boulder City 1897 Hannans 1898 Boulder City 1899 Boulder City 1900 Mines Rovers 1901 Mines Rovers 1902 Mines Rovers 1903 Kalgoorlie Railways 1904 Kalgoorlie Railways 1905 Kalgoorlie Railways 1906 Mines Rovers 1907 Boulder City 1908 Boulder City 1909 Boulder City 1910 Boulder City 1911 Kalgoorlie Railways 1912 Kalgoorlie Railways 1913 Boulder City 1914 Mines Rovers 1915 Mines Rovers 1916–17 1918 Mines Rovers 1919 Kalgoorlie Railways 1920 Kalgoorlie Railways 1921 Mines Rovers 1922 Mines Rovers 1923 Mines Rovers 1924 Boulder City Kalgoorlie Railways 1925 Boulder City Kalgoorlie City 1926 Mines Rovers Kalgoorlie Railways 1927 Kalgoorlie City Kalgoorlie Railways 1928 Boulder City Mines Rovers 1929 Kalgoorlie Railways Boulder City 1930 Kalgoorlie City Kalgoorlie Railways 1931 Kalgoorlie Railways Kalgoorlie City 1932 Boulder City Mines Rovers 1933 Boulder City Kalgoorlie City 1934 Mines Rovers Kalgoorlie City 1935 Boulder City Mines Rovers 1936 Mines Rovers Kalgoorlie City 1937 Mines Rovers Kalgoorlie City 1938 Mines Rovers Boulder City 1939 Kalgoorlie Railways Mines Rovers 1940 Mines Rovers Boulder City 1941 Kalgoorlie City Kalgoorlie Railways 1942–44 1945 Kalgoorlie Railways Mines Rovers 1946 Mines Rovers Kalgoorlie Railways 1947 Mines Rovers Boulder City 1948 Boulder City Kalgoorlie City 1949 Mines Rovers Boulder City 1950 Boulder City Mines Rovers 1951 Mines Rovers Kalgoorlie Railways 1952 Kalgoorlie Railways Kalgoorlie City 1953 Kalgoorlie City Mines Rovers 1954 Kalgoorlie City Mines Rovers 1955 Mines Rovers Kalgoorlie City 1956 Mines Rovers Kalgoorlie Railways 1957 Mines Rovers Kalgoorlie City 1958 Kalgoorlie Railways Boulder City 1959 Boulder City Kalgoorlie City 1960 Kalgoorlie Railways Mines Rovers 1961 Mines Rovers Boulder City 1962 Kalgoorlie City Kalgoorlie Railways 1963 Kalgoorlie Railways Boulder City 1964 Kalgoorlie Railways Mines Rovers 1965 Mines Rovers Kalgoorlie Railways 1966 Kalgoorlie Railways Boulder City 1967 Mines Rovers Kalgoorlie Railways 1968 Mines Rovers Boulder City 1969 Mines Rovers Boulder City 1970 Mines Rovers Kalgoorlie Railways 1971 Kalgoorlie Railways Mines Rovers 1972 Mines Rovers Kalgoorlie Railways 1973 Kalgoorlie Railways Mines Rovers 1974 Kalgoorlie Railways Kambalda 1975 Kalgoorlie Railways Mines Rovers 1976 Kambalda Kalgoorlie Railways 1977 Boulder City Kambalda 1978 Kalgoorlie Railways Kambalda 1979 Kalgoorlie Railways Mines Rovers 1980 Kalgoorlie City Kambalda 1981 Kambalda Kalgoorlie City 1982 Boulder City Kalgoorlie Railways 1983 Kalgoorlie Railways Kambalda 1984 Kalgoorlie City Kambalda 1985 Kambalda Mines Rovers 1986 Boulder City Kalgoorlie City 1987 Kalgoorlie Railways Mines Rovers 1988 Kalgoorlie City Mines Rovers 1989 Boulder City Kalgoorlie Railways 1990 Boulder City Kalgoorlie Railways 1991 Mines Rovers Boulder City 1992 Kalgoorlie City Mines Rovers 1993 Mines Rovers Kambalda 1994 Boulder City Mines Rovers 1995 Mines Rovers Boulder City 1996 Mines Rovers Boulder City 1997 Boulder City Kalgoorlie City 1998 Boulder City Kalgoorlie Railways 1999 Kalgoorlie City Mines Rovers 2000 Kalgoorlie Railways Mines Rovers 2001 Mines Rovers Kalgoorlie Railways 2002 Kalgoorlie Railways Mines Rovers 2003 Mines Rovers Boulder City 2004 Mines Rovers Boulder City 2005 Boulder City Kalgoorlie City 2006 Kalgoorlie Railways Boulder City 2007 Mines Rovers Kalgoorlie Railways 2008 Mines Rovers Kambalda 2009 Mines Rovers Kalgoorlie Railways 2010 Mines Rovers Kalgoorlie Railways 2011 Kalgoorlie Railways Boulder City 2012 Kalgoorlie Railways Kalgoorlie City 2013 Kalgoorlie City Kalgoorlie Railways 2014 Kalgoorlie Railways Kalgoorlie City 2015 Mines Rovers Kalgoorlie Railways 2016 Boulder City Mines Rovers 2017 Kalgoorlie Railways Mines Rovers 2018 Mines Rovers Boulder City 2019 Kalgoorlie City Boulder City 2020 2021 Kalgoorlie City Boulder City 2022 Kalgoorlie Railways Boulder City2023Boulder CityKalgoorlie Railways2024Kalgoorlie RailwaysKalgoorlie City2025Mines RoversBoulder City 2012 ladder Goldfields Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts Railways 16 0 0 0 1781 837 212.78% 64 1st semi Mines 19 15 129 Boulder 18 7 115 Kalgoorlie 8 0 7 1 1413 1360 103.90% 34 2nd semi Railways 19 9 123 Kalgoorlie 10 11 71 Mines 8 0 8 0 1582 1427 110.86% 32 Preliminary Kalgoorlie 14 8 92 Mines 11 12 78 Boulder 6 0 9 1 1375 1389 98.99% 26 Grand Railways 14 11 95 Kalgoorlie 7 8 50 Kambalda 1 0 15 0 866 2004 43.21% 4
2013 ladder Goldfields Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts Railways 13 0 3 0 1654 821 201.46% 52 1st semi Mines 18 10 118 Kambalda 5 9 39 Kalgoorlie 12 0 4 0 1817 898 202.34% 48 2nd semi Railways 12 10 82 Kalgoorlie 8 12 60 Mines 10 0 6 0 1600 1082 147.87% 40 Preliminary Kalgoorlie 11 12 78 Mines 8 4 52 Kambalda 5 0 11 0 1068 1489 71.73% 20 Grand Kalgoorlie 10 5 65 Railways 7 2 44 Boulder 0 0 16 0 669 2518 26.57% 0
2014 ladder Goldfields Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts Railways 14 0 2 0 1420 753 188.58% 56 1st semi Mines 10 15 75 boulder 6 6 42 Kalgoorlie 10 0 6 0 1200 977 122.82% 40 2nd semi Railways 7 6 48 Kalgoorlie 6 2 38 Mines 6 0 10 0 1284 1144 112.24% 24 Preliminary Kalgoorlie 16 7 103 Mines 12 10 82 Boulder 5 0 11 0 983 1307 75.21% 20 Grand Railways 17 9 111 Kalgoorlie 9 9 63 Kambalda 5 0 11 0 828 1534 53.98% 20
2015 ladder Goldfields Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts Mines 14 0 2 0 1787 764 233.90% 56 1st semi Railways 13 6 84 Kalgoorlie 10 8 68 Boulder 11 0 4 1 1442 1065 135.40% 46 2nd semi Mines 14 14 98 Boulder 6 8 44 Railways 8 0 7 1 1201 1126 106.66% 34 Preliminary Railways 10 17 77 Boulder 5 4 34 Kalgoorlie 3 0 13 0 1091 1606 67.93% 12 Grand Mines 19 9 123 Railways 9 5 59 Kambalda 3 0 13 0 879 1839 47.80% 12
2016 ladder Goldfields Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts Boulder 13 0 1 2 1945 685 283.94% 56 1st semi Railways 10 8 68 Kalgoorlie 9 9 63 Mines 9 0 5 2 1592 787 202.29% 40 2nd semi Mines 18 5 113 Boulder 12 9 81 Kalgoorlie 9 0 6 1 1216 996 122.09% 38 Preliminary Boulder 15 13 103 Railways 7 10 52 Railways 6 0 9 1 1360 1015 133.99% 26 Grand Boulder 12 6 78 Mines 8 7 55 Kambalda 0 0 16 0 262 2966 8.83% 0
2017 ladder Goldfields Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts Boulder 12 0 4 0 1618 842 192.16% 48 1st semi Railways 13 10 88 Kalgoorlie 6 3 39 Mines 11 0 5 0 1615 773 208.93% 44 2nd semi Mines 10 18 78 Boulder 8 7 55 Kalgoorlie 7 0 9 0 1189 1117 106.45% 28 Preliminary Railways 11 13 79 Boulder 9 13 67 Railways 10 0 6 0 1262 858 147.09% 40 Grand Railways 10 9 69 Mines 9 10 64 Kambalda 0 0 16 0 392 2486 15.77% 0
2018 ladder Goldfields Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts Mines 12 0 4 0 1562 874 178.72% 48 2nd semi Mines 13 9 87 Boulder 12 7 79 Boulder 11 0 5 0 1491 890 192.16% 44 1st semi Kalgoorlie 12 11 83 Railways 9 4 58 Kalgoorlie 10 0 6 0 1082 996 106.45% 40 Preliminary Boulder 8 15 63 Kalgoorlie 5 8 38 Railways 6 0 10 0 1137 1308 147.09% 24 Grand Mines 21 5 131 Boulder 7 5 47 Kambalda 1 0 15 0 634 1838 34.49% 4
2019 ladder Goldfields Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts Kalgoorlie 11 0 4 1 1258 964 130.50% 46 1st semi Kambalda 9 10 64 Mines 10 6 66 Boulder 10 0 6 0 1245 1046 119.02% 40 2nd semi Kalgoorlie 9 7 61 Boulder 2 5 17 Kambalda 8 0 7 1 1277 1025 124.59% 34 Preliminary Boulder 13 12 90 Mines 8 9 57 Mines 8 0 8 0 1232 1149 107.32% 32 Grand Kalgoorlie 17 6 108 Boulder 10 7 67 Railways 2 0 14 0 837 1665 50.27% 0
2020 (no season due to COVID-19 restrictions)
Notable players Hugh Gavin (Boulder City/Boulder Stars/Mines Rovers) – captained in 1904. George Krepp (Boulder City) – won a Sandover Medal for Swan Districts in 1936. Gordon Maffina (Boulder City) – won a Sandover Medal for Claremont in 1949 and a Simpson Medal in 1951. Phil Matson (Boulder City) – captained WA at the 1914 Sydney Carnival. Stephen Michael (Boulder City) – won the 1980 and 1981 Sandover Medals, and the 1983 Simpson Medal. Inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame. Bert Renfrey (Boulder City) – Captain of the undefeated 1911 South Australian state team. Alec Robinson (Boulder City) Frank Hailwood (Boulder City) – 150 games for Collingwood (1894–1904) Jack Rocchi (Boulder City) – won the 1928 Sandover Medal for South Fremantle. Dave Cuzens (Kalgoorlie City) – won 's best & fairest in 1958 and 1959. Jerry Dolan (Kalgoorlie City)