Adelaide Plains Football League

The Adelaide Plains Football League (APFL) is an Australian rules football competition based in the Adelaide Plains region which is immediately north of Adelaide, South Australia. It is an affiliated member of the South Australian National Football League.

History Grace Plains was possibly the first club formed in the District in 1904. Football was certainly played in the other towns of Mallala, Dublin and Two Wells at that time with those clubs all officially forming in 1908. When Virginia was formed in 1909, moves were being made to form an association from a group of clubs that had played an unofficial competition in 1908.

A meeting held in Dublin on 4 May 1909, resulted in the formation of the Adelaide Plains Football Association. Delegates were present from Mallala, Virginia, Two Wells, Windsor, Lower Light and Dublin. Officers elected were, patron Mr Coombe, president Mr George Cheney and secretary Mr Andrew Driscoll. At a second meeting the colours were chosen as double blue.

Dublin had a comfortable victory over Two Wells in the first match of the new association 9.14 (68) to 0.2 (2). Dublin had gone to a lot of trouble to ensure their facilities were adequate for their opening match of the season. In the preceding months they had built dressing rooms, a pavilion and had even erected new goal posts.

Mr Ron Murrell of Two Wells presented the Murrell Medal to the best and fairest footballer in Adelaide Plains football. This medal was the forerunner to the presenting of a Mail Medal. Jack Wallace of Long Plains was a dominant player in the early 1920s, winning two Murrell Medals and being runner up for a further two. Mallala provided the winner in 1921 with Walter Dunstan.

Wasleys Football Club created a record in 1927 when they became the first Adelaide Plains club to complete a season without losing a match. Hamley Bridge applied to join the association in 1930 but their application was rejected because of the poor condition of the roads over which visiting teams would have to travel to arrive at Hamley Bridge.

When the program of matches was drawn up for the 1935 season it was decided to begin on May 25th to allow farmers the chance to finish their seeding. It was also planned to take a week off when the South Australia vs Victoria state match was set down to be played at Adelaide Oval.

During the 1947 season, Balaklava and Long Plains played each other on four occasions. Their first meeting was early in the minor round at Balaklava, the scores were Balaklava 4.9 (33) drawing with Long Plains 5.3 (33). Their return match in June resulted in a narrow six point win to Balaklava 8.3 (51) to 5.15 (45). The next encounter was in the first semi final with the scores tied again Balaklava 5.2 (32) Long Plains 4.8 (32) and then the replayed semi final resulted in another draw 7.7 (49) each. Long Plains possessed more powerful staying qualities and eventually won the first semi final 10.11 (71) to 4.5 (29). Long Plains made it to the grand final but obviously ran out of steam losing to Wasleys by 8 points.

From the early 1960s, a Central Districts football carnival was held and sponsored by Caltex Oil, The leagues taking part were Adelaide Plains, North Eastern, North Western and Gawler and Districts. Mid North replaced North Western when that association closed after the 1963 season. The carnival was renamed the Mid North carnival in 1975, Adelaide Plains dropped out of the format in 1998.

Adelaide Plains introduced a new import rule in 1998 where a boundary was placed around the competition with only those living within the limits able to play as locals. Depending on the size of their population base and where the finished the previous season, each club was assigned a designated allowance of 'outside' players.

During a history of just over 100 years, the Adelaide Plains association has stood tall, outlasting many nearby associations. The Wooroora, Wakefield, North Western, Lower North and Gilbert associations have all fallen by the wayside with their member clubs or their incarnations filtering through to become the Adelaide Plains of today.

(From South Australian Country Football Digest - Peter Lines)

Clubs Locations

Current ClubColoursNicknameHome GroundFormer LeagueEst.Years in APFLAPFL Senior Premierships Total Years Angle Vale OwlsAngle Vale Oval, Angle ValeAdFL1998 2016– 0 - Balaklava PeckersBalaklava Oval, BalaklavaWFA1903 1940–2019; 2021– 13 1951, 1957, 1958, 1977, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1991, 1994, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2011 Hamley Bridge BombersHamley Bridge Sports and Community Centre, Hamley BridgeG&DFL1899 1936–63, 1984– 9 1938, 1939, 1952, 1956, 1960, 1988, 1989, 2004, 2014 Hummocks Watchman Eagles EaglesPort Wakefield Oval, Port Wakefield and Lochiel Oval, Lochiel–1995 1995–2019; 2021– 6 2001, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2019 Mallala MagpiesMallala Oval, Mallala–1908 1904– 28 1912, 1913, 1914, 1915, 1919, 1920, 1921, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1953, 1955, 1959, 1962, 1963, 1970, 1974, 1978, 1979, 1990, 1997, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2020, 2025 Two Wells RoostersTwo Wells Oval, Two WellsG&DFLc.1911 1909–27, 1932–38, 1987– 9 1987, 2012, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2026 United TigersLong Plains Recreation Ground, Long Plains–1964 1964– 31982, 1995, 2002 Virginia RamsVirginia Sports Oval, VirginiaNMFL1907 1909–13, 1919, 1995– 4 1909, 1910, 1998, 2015

Former clubs ClubColoursNicknameHome GroundFormer LeagueEst.Years in APFLAPFL Senior PremiershipsFate Total Years AvonWFA1900s 1946-1947 0 -Folded after 1947 seasonButeRoostersBute Oval, ButeYPFL189220200 -Returned to Yorke Peninsula FL in 2021Dublin (1)Dublin Oval, Dublin–19091909-192011911Merged with Windsor and Wild Horse Plains to form United (Dublin 2) following 1920 season Dublin (2) (1921-27)(1928-49)(1954-63)Dublin Oval, Dublin–1921 1921-1949, 1954-1963 5 1922, 1928, 1931, 1932, 1933 Recess between 1950-53. Merged with Long Plains to form United in 1964 Grace Plains–1904 1915-1935 2 1926, 1930Folded after 1935 season Hummocks UnitedBulldogsLochiel Oval, Lochiel and Nantawarra Oval, Nantawarra–1964 1964-1984 11 1964, 1965, 1966, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1980, 1981Merged with Watchman Auburn to form Hummocks Watchman in 1985 Hummocks WatchmanBulldogs Lochiel–1985 1985-1994 0 -Merged with Port Wakefield to form Hummocks Watchman Eagles in 1995Korunye Lower Light Oval, Lower LightLNFA19081909-1915, 1919-1920, 1933-1934 0 -Entered recess after 1920, re-formed in Lower North FA in 1925. Folded after 1934 seasonLong PlainsLong Plains Recreation Ground, Long Plains–1910s1920-196371940, 1945, 1946, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1954Merged with Dublin to form United in 1964Mundoora WokurnaHawksMundoora Oval, MundooraBFL19661981-1983 0 -Merged with Broughton to form Broughton-Mundoora in 1984OwenRoostersOwen Oval, OwenWFA19051946-1973 0 -Merged with Port Wakefield to form Port-Owen Hawks in 1974Port-Owen HawksHawksPort Wakefield Oval, Port Wakefield–19741974-1976 0 -De-merged into Port Wakefield and Owen in 1977Port WakefieldEaglesPort Wakefield Oval, Port WakefieldNWFA18931964-1973, 1978-199521984, 1992Merged with Owen to form Port-Owen Hawks in 1974. Merged with Hummocks Watchman to form Hummocks Watchman Eagles in 1995RAAF EdinburghMallala Oval, Mallala–19471947-19500 -Folded after 1950 seasonRoseworthyRoostersOval opposite Leitch's Roseworthy Hotel, RoseworthyG&DFL1920s19610 -Returned to Gawler & District FL in 1962Roseworthy College(1980s)(?-1996)PanthersRoseworthy College Oval, Agricultural College, RoseworthyG&DFL18971961-1963, 1985-1996 0 -Returned to Gawler & District FL in 1964. Absorbed by Adelaide University in 1997South GawlerLionsSouth Gawler Oval, EvanstonG&DFL18891961-196211961Returned to Gawler & District FL after 1962 seasonTwo Wells VirginiaNMFL19591970-1973 0 -Moved to Gawler & District FL in 1974WasleysWasleys Oval, WasleysG&DFL19011924-196371927, 1929, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1947Returned to Gawler & District FL after 1963 seasonWatchman Hoyleton NWFA19211964-197421967, 1968Merged with Auburn to form Watchman Auburn in 1975Watchman Auburn WolvesAuburn Oval, Auburn–19751975-1984 0 -Merged with Hummocks United form Hummocks Watchman in 1985Wild Horse PlainsWild Horse Plains Oval, Wild Horse Plains–19191919-1920 0 -Merged with Dublin to form United (original) in 1921Windsor–19081909-1915 0 -Folded

Premierships Year A Grade Reserves Senior Colts Junior Colts1909Virginia1910Virginia1911Dublin1912Mallala1913Mallala1914Mallala1915Mallala1916-1918 - competition in recess due to WWI1919Mallala1920Mallala1921Mallala1922United (original)1923Mallala1924Mallala1925Mallala1926Grace Plains1927Wasleys1928Dublin1929Wasleys1930Grace Plains1931Dublin1932Dublin1933Dublin1934Wasleys1935Wasleys1936Wasleys1937Wasleys1938Hamley Bridge1939Hamley Bridge1940Long Plains1941-1944 - competition in recess due to WWII1945Long Plains1946Long Plains1947Wasleys1948Long Plains1949Long Plains1950Long Plains1951Balaklava1952Hamley Bridge1953Mallala1954Long Plains1955Mallala1956Hamley Bridge1957Balaklava 1958 Balaklava Owen 1959 Mallala Balaklava 1960 Hamley Bridge Hamley Bridge 1961 Gawler South Gawler South 1962 Mallala Gawler South 1963 Mallala Balaklava 1964 Hummocks United Balaklava 1965 Hummocks United Mallala 1966 Hummocks United Mallala United 1967 Watchman Mallala Owen 1968 Watchman Balaklava Mallala 1969 Hummocks United Mallala United 1970 Mallala Two Wells-Virginia Two Wells-Virginia Two Wells-Virginia 1971 Hummocks United Mallala Balaklava Mallala 1972 Hummocks United Balaklava Two Wells-Virginia Balaklava 1973 Hummocks United Mallala Mallala Two Wells-Virginia 1974 Mallala Hummocks United Mallala Balaklava 1975 Hummocks United Balaklava Watchman-Auburn Mallala 1976 Hummocks United Pt Owen Hawks Watchman-Auburn Balaklava 1977 Balaklava Hummocks Balaklava Balaklava 1978 Mallala Watchman-Auburn Balaklava Balaklava 1979 Mallala Balaklava Mallala Balaklava 1980 Hummocks United Balaklava Balaklava United 1981 Hummocks United Balaklava Balaklava Balaklava 1982 United Balaklava Balaklava Balaklava 1983 Balaklava Balaklava Mallala Balaklava 1984 Port Wakefield Balaklava Balaklava United 1985 Balaklava Hamley Bridge United United 1986 Balaklava Balaklava United Balaklava 1987 Two Wells Hamley Bridge Two Wells United 1988 Hamley Bridge United Two Wells Hummocks-Watchman 1989 Hamley Bridge Mallala Two Wells Hummocks-Watchman 1990 Mallala Two Wells Two Wells Hummocks-Watchman 1991 Balaklava Mallala Balaklava Mallala 1992 Port Wakefield Two Wells Hummocks-Watchman United 1993 Mallala Mallala Hamley Bridge Balaklava 1994 Balaklava Two Wells Mallala Two Wells 1995 United Mallala HW Eagles HW Eagles 1996 Balaklava Virginia HW Eagles Mallala 1997 Mallala Mallala Balaklava Virginia 1998 Virginia Balaklava Virginia Virginia 1999 Balaklava United HW Eagles Two Wells 2000 Balaklava Hamley Bridge Virginia Mallala 2001 HW Eagles HW Eagles Two Wells Hamley Bridge 2002 United Two Wells Two Wells Two Wells 2003 HW Eagles Virginia Mallala Two Wells 2004 Hamley Bridge Virginia Two Wells Two Wells 2005 HW Eagles United Two Wells United 2006 HW Eagles Virginia Mallala Balaklava 2007 Mallala United United Balaklava 2008 HW Eagles Hamley Bridge Two Wells Balaklava 2009 Mallala Two Wells Balaklava Two Wells 2010 Mallala Mallala Balaklava Two Wells 2011 Balaklava Balaklava Two Wells Mallala 2012 Two Wells Virginia Two Wells Balaklava 2013 Mallala United Two Wells Mallala 2014 Hamley Bridge Two Wells Mallala Balaklava 2015 Virginia Virginia Mallala Balaklava 2016 Mallala Virginia Mallala Two Wells 2017 Two Wells Virginia Angle Vale Two Wells 2018 Two Wells Mallala Two Wells Virginia2019HW Eagles Two WellsTwo WellsAngle Vale2020Mallala Two WellsMallalatwo wells 2021Two Wells MallalaVirginiaAngle Vale2022Two Wells BalaklavaAngle ValeAngle Vale2023Two Wells BalaklavaAngle ValeAngle Vale2024Two WellsMallalaTwo WellsAngle Vale2025MallalaTwo WellsAngle ValeVirginia 2026Two WellsTwo WellsMallalaAngle Vale

Mail Medallists 2009 Ladder