The Gippsland League (GL), formerly known as the West Gippsland Latrobe Football League (WGLFL), is an Australian rules football and netball league in the Gippsland region of Victoria. It is considered the only AFL Victoria major league in Gippsland.
History
The original Gippsland Football Association was formed in 1889, after a meeting of club delegates from the towns of Hazelwood, Morwell, Rosedale, Thorpdale, Traralgon, and Yarram. The association was open to any clubs from the Gippsland area and would be responsible for arranging matches between clubs and dealing with club disputes.
The Gippsland Football Netball League (GFNL) has roots dating back to the Central Gippsland Football League (CGFL) which was founded in 1909 with many former CGFL clubs now part of the GFNL.
The CGFL morphed into the Latrobe Valley Football League in 1954. The promoters of the LVFL wanted to have a league that consisted of towns along the Orbost railway line, from Warragul to Sale. "The background of the move, as reported on several occasions in this journal, is (1) to remove unbalances in the present population strengths of the towns at present fielding teams in the Central Gippsland Football League; (2) to link up with towns with the same community of interest; (3) to uplift the standard of football, by bringing the strongest clubs into competition; (4) to strengthen clubs financially through expected enhanced gates."
Three clubs from south Gippsland towns, Leongatha, Korumburra and Mirboo North, were therefore barred from joining the new league and went on to form the South Gippsland FL. The Central Gippsland Football League actually folded, when seven clubs joined the new La Trobe Valley Football League and due to their geographical location these three remaining clubs chose not to join the La Trobe Valley Football League. These three clubs then joined the South Gippsland Football League in 1954, with Leongatha entering two senior teams – Green & Gold.
The LVFL changed its name, in 1995, to the Gippsland Latrobe FL.
At the end of 2001, the West Gippsland FL and the Gippsland Latrobe FL had an administrative merger. This created a two-division competition and a name change to the West Gippsland Latrobe FL.
From 2002 until 2004, the league comprised a premier division, consisting mainly of the former Gippsland-Latrobe clubs, and a western division, comprising most of the former WGFL clubs.
After the 2004 season, the western division was dissolved, with Warragul, Drouin and Garfield joining the premier league. The remaining clubs from the western division moved to other competitions, such as the Alberton Football League, Ellinbank & District Football League and the Mornington Peninsula Nepean Football League.
In 2009, Garfield left the GFL for the Ellinbank & District Football League, whilst Wonthaggi and BairnsdaleWikinews:Australian rules football: Bairnsdale join Gippsland League, will play first game in Warragul joined the GFL in 2010 and 2011 respectively.
The Latrobe Valley area does not have a team participating in the Victorian Football League. Traralgon competed in the VFL during 1996–97, winning just four matches across those two years, before returning to the regional competition. The region does have a representative team in the TAC Cup Under-18 competition, Gippsland Power.
Clubs Locations
Club Colours Moniker Former League Est. Years in GL GL Premierships TotalYears Bairnsdale Redlegs Bairnsdale City Oval, BairnsdaleGFL, EGFNL 1877 1960-1998, 2011- 1 1981 Drouin Hawks Drouin Recreation Reserve, DrouinWGFL 1903 1960-1965, 2005- 0 - Leongatha Parrots Leongatha Recreation Reserve, LeongathaSGFL 1894 1969- 13 1970, 1977, 1979, 1982, 1989, 1995, 1997, 2001, 2017, 2018, 2022, 2023, 2025 Maffra Eagles Maffra Recreation Reserve, MaffraGFL 1877 1960- 9 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2016, 2019 Moe Lions Ted Summerton Reserve, MoeCGFL 1888 1954- 3 1956, 1967, 2026 Morwell Tigers Morwell Recreation Reserve, MorwellCGFL 1883 1954- 9 1961, 1966, 1983, 1985, 1988, 1993, 1996, 2013, 2014 Sale Magpies Sale Oval, SaleGFL 1877 1954- 10 1954, 1955, 1957, 1959, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1986, 2008, 2012 Traralgon Maroons Traralgon Recreation Reserve, TraralgonCGFL 1883 1954- 21 1960, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1968, 1969, 1972, 1978, 1980, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2005, 2011, 2015, 2024 Warragul Gulls Western Park Reserve, WarragulWGFL 1879 1954-1999, 2002- 3 1974, 1976, 1984 Wonthaggi Power Wonthaggi Recreation Reserve, WonthaggiAFNL 2004 2010- 0-
Former clubs ClubJumperNicknameHome GroundFormer LeagueEst.Years in GLGL PremiershipsFateTotalYearsChurchill Kangaroos Gaskin Park, ChurchillMGFNL1888 1984–1994 0 -Moved to North Gippsland FNL following 1994 season Garfield Stars Garfield Recreation Reserve, GarfieldWGFL1935 2005–2009 0 -Moved to Ellinbank & District FNL following 2009 season Heyfield Kangaroos Gordon St Recreation Reserve, HeyfieldGFL1882 1960–1974 0 -Moved to North Gippsland FNL following 1974 season Newborough Bulldogs Northern Reserve, NewboroughMGFNL1970 1979–1985 0 -Moved to Mid Gippsland FNL following 1985 season Stratford Swans Stratford Recreation Reserve, StratfordAFA, GFLc.1900 1923–1933, 1949–1973 0 -Moved to North Gippsland FNL following 1933 and 1974 seasons Trafalgar Bloods Trafalgar Recreation Reserve, TrafalgarCGFL1888 1954–1968 2 1958, 1962Moved to Mid Gippsland FNL following 1968 season Traralgon Tyers United Two Blues Tyers Recreation Reserve, TyersNGFNL1981 1983–1988 0 -Moved to North Gippsland FNL following 1988 seasonWonthaggiBluesWonthaggi Recreation Reserve, WonthaggiBVWDFL19501995–20040 -Merged with Wonthaggi Rovers to form Wonthaggi Power in Alberton FL following 2005 season Yallourn Blues Yallourn Recreation Reserve, YallournCGFL1921 1954–1976 2 1932, 1933Merged with Yallourn North to form Yallourn-Yallourn North following 1976 season Yallourn Yallourn North Bombers Yallourn Recreation Reserve, Yallourn–1977 1977–1983 0 -Moved to Mid Gippsland FNL following 1983 season Yarragon Magpies Dowton Park Reserve, YarragonCGFL1895 1954–1960 0 -Moved to West Gippsland FL following 1960 season
Western Division The Western Division began when the West Gippsland Football League merged with the Gippsland-La Trobe Football League following the 2001 season. It ran separately from the Premier Division, with no promotion or relegation between the two competitions. The division was wound up following the 2004 season, with Garfield, Drouin and Warragul joining the Premier Division and the other clubs moving to various local leagues.
Final clubs ClubJumperNicknameHome GroundFormer LeagueEst.Years in GLGL PremiershipsFateTotalYearsCora LynnCobrasCora Lynn Recreation Reserve, Cora LynnWGFL19132002–20040 -Moved to Ellinbank & District FNL following 2004 seasonDrouin Hawks Drouin Recreation Reserve, DrouinWGFL1890 2002–2004 0 -Moved to Gippsland League following 2004 season Garfield Stars Garfield Recreation Reserve, GarfieldWGFL1935 2002–2004 1 2004Moved to Gippsland League following 2004 seasonKilcunda-BassPanthersBass Recreation Reserve, BassWGFL19572002–20040 -Moved to Alberton FNL following 2004 seasonNar Nar GoonGoonsNar Nar Goon Recreation Reserve, Nar Nar GoonWGFLc.19002002–20040 -Moved to Ellinbank & District FNL following 2004 seasonPhillip IslandBulldogsCowes Recreation Reserve, CowesWGFL19322002–20040 -Moved to Alberton FNL following 2004 season Rythdale-Officer-Cardinia (ROC) Kangaroos Officer Recreation Reserve, OfficerWGFL1977 2002–2004 1 2002Moved to Mornington Peninsula Nepean FL following 2004 season Warragul Gulls Western Park Reserve, WarragulWGFL1879 2002–2004 1 2003Moved to Gippsland League following 2004 seasonTooradin-DalmoreSeagullsTooradin Recreation Reserve, TooradinWGFL19222002–20040 -Moved to Mornington Peninsula Nepean FL following 2004 season
Former clubs ClubJumperNicknameHome GroundFormer LeagueEst.Years in GLGL PremiershipsFateTotalYearsCerberusDogsMcAuliffe Oval, HMAS Cerberus–200320030 -Moved to Southern FNL following 2003 season Football Premierships
The following is a list of all the Gippsland FL premiership winning teams from 1921 to 1953 and of the La Trobe FL from 1954 to present day.
The Reserves competition commenced in 1954, the Thirds competition in 1957 and the Fourths in 2000.
Year Seniors Reserves Under 18's Under 16's Gippsland FL - 1921Maffra* - 1922 Rosedale - 1923 Traralgon - 1924 Sale - 1925 Traralgon - 1926Maffra - 1927Sale - 1928Bairnsdale - 1929Bairnsdale - 1930Bairnsdale - 1931 Sale - 1932 Yallourn - 1933 Yallourn - 1934Sale - 1935Maffra - 1936 Yarram - 1937 Sale - 1938Maffra - 1939Yarram - 1940 GFL in recess. WWII 1941 GFL in recess. WWII - 1942 GFL in recess. WWII - 1943 GFL in recess. WWII - 1944 GFL in recess. WWII - 1945 GFL in recess. WWII - 1946Maffra Blacks - 1947Bairnsdale - 1948 Maffra - 1949 Sale - 1950Sale - 1951Bairnsdale - 1952Bairnsdale - 1953Sale - La Trobe Valley FL - 1954 Sale Traralgon - 1955 Sale Warragul - 1956 Moe Sale - 1957 Sale Sale Traralgon & Sale (Co-Premiers) 1958 Trafalgar Sale Morwell 1959 Sale Moe Moe 1960 Traralgon Morwell St Pat's 1961 Morwell Morwell St Pat's A 1962 Trafalgar Traralgon St Pat's A 1963 Traralgon Traralgon St Pat's A 1964 Traralgon Traralgon St Pat's A 1965 Traralgon Traralgon St Pat's A 1966 Morwell Bairnsdale Sale 1967 Moe Moe St Pat's A 1968 Traralgon Moe Sale 1969 Traralgon Sale St Pat's A 1970 Leongatha Sale St Pat's A 1971 Sale Sale St Pat's A 1972 Traralgon Sale St Pat's A 1973 Sale Morwell Traralgon 1974 Warragul Warragul St Pat's A 1975 Sale Traralgon St Pat's A 1976 Warragul Traralgon Sale 1977 Leongatha Traralgon Sale 1978 Traralgon Traralgon Leongatha 1979 Leongatha Leongatha Warragul 1980 Traralgon Traralgon Traralgon 1981 Bairnsdale Traralgon Warragul 1982 Leongatha Traralgon Warragul 1983 Morwell Bairnsdale Maffra 1984 Warragul Warragul Sale 1985 Morwell Traralgon Warragul 1986 Sale Traralgon Bairnsdale 1987 Traralgon Traralgon Bairnsdale 1988 Morwell Traralgon Traralgon 1989 Leongatha Traralgon Traralgon 1990 Traralgon Maffra Sale 1991 Traralgon Maffra Moe 1992 Traralgon Traralgon Traralgon 1993 Morwell Traralgon Sale 1994 Traralgon Morwell Sale 1995 Leongatha Traralgon Bairnsdale 1996 Morwell Warragul Traralgon 1997 Leongatha Leongatha Sale 1998 Traralgon Sale Sale 1999 Traralgon Traralgon Sale 2000 Traralgon Leongatha Traralgon Leongatha2001 Leongatha Maffra Sale Traralgon2002 Maffra Maffra Leongatha Traralgon2003 Maffra Maffra Traralgon Sale2004 Maffra Maffra Maffra Sale2005 Traralgon Traralgon Sale Sale2006 Maffra Sale Traralgon Warragul2007 Maffra Traralgon Traralgon Maffra2008 Sale Traralgon Traralgon Traralgon2009 Maffra Moe Maffra Traralgon2010 Maffra Traralgon Leongatha Traralgon2011 Traralgon Maffra Traralgon Sale2012 Sale Leongatha Bairnsdale Traralgon2013 Morwell Wonthaggi Bairnsdale Sale2014 Morwell Traralgon Traralgon Moe2015 Traralgon Maffra Traralgon Traralgon2016 Maffra Traralgon Bairnsdale Moe2017 Leongatha Morwell Traralgon Moe2018 Leongatha Leongatha Traralgon Bairnsdale2019MaffraMaffraLeongathaTraralgon2022LeongathaLeongathaWarragulMaffra2023LeongathaLeongathaMaffraMaffra2024TraralgonLeongathaWarragulTraralgon2025LeongathaLeongathaMaffraMaffra2026MoeTraralgonTraralgonTraralgon
Players VFL/AFL Players A number of players from the Gippsland league have gone on to play and have success at the AFL level.