The Bellarine Football Netball League (BFNL) is an Australian rules football and netball competition based in the Bellarine Peninsula region of Victoria, Australia. Established in 1971 as the Bellarine & District Football League, the competition was formed out of the ashes of the Polwarth Football League, which had six of its former teams join.
The competition was renamed the Bellarine Football League in 1986, and finally the Bellarine Football Netball League in 2011 when the local netball competition was administratively aligned with the football competition for the first time. Prior to 2011, netball clubs competed in a competition overseen by the Bellarine District Netball Association.
The BFNL forms part of the second tier of football in the Geelong area, along with the Geelong Football Netball League (GFNL) and the Geelong & District Football League.
In March 2024, following extensive consultation, AFL Barwon detailed a plan for expanding the BFNL to 12 teams from 2025 with a path for a team to accept an invitation for promotion to the GFNL, replacing a club that would then be relegated from the GFNL. However, both Torquay and Geelong Amateur declined the invitation to join the GFNL for the 2026 season, resulting in an 11-team BFNL competition for 2026 due to the inclusion of Surf Coast.
Clubs
Locations
Current clubs ClubColoursMonikerFormerleagueYears in BFNLBFNL premiershipsTotalMost recentTotalMost recentAngleseaRoosEllimatta Reserve, AngleseaGDFL19631973–42025 12012Barwon Heads SeagullsHoward Harmer Reserve, Barwon HeadsGDFL19221971–62022 0 —DrysdaleHawksDrysdale Recreational Reserve, DrysdaleGDFL18791971–52010 0 —Geelong AmateurAmmos, PegasusQueens Park, HightonGDFL19261995–52016 3 2022ModewarreWarriorsMt Moriac Recreation Reserve, Mount MoriacGDFL18791996–12018 32018NewcombPowerGrinter Reserve, Moolap—19751976–62007 0 —Ocean Grove GrubbersShell Road Reserve, Ocean GrovePFL19641971–82003 4 2026PortarlingtonDemonsPortarlington Recreation Reserve, PortarlingtonPFL18741971–21992 0 —QueenscliffCoutasQueenscliff Recreation Reserve, QueenscliffPFL18841971–52026 0 —Surf CoastSunsBanyul-Warri Fields Sporting Precinct, Torquay—20162026–0—0—TorquayTigersSpring Creek Reserve,TorquayPFL19521971–102024 32019
Former clubs ClubColoursMonikerFormerleagueYears in BFNLFateTotalMost recentLeopoldLionsLeopold Memorial Park, LeopoldPFL19551971–199121990Moved to Geelong FNL in 1992St LeonardsSaintsSt Leonards Lake Reserve, St Leonards—19851985–19910—Moved to Geelong & District FNL in 1992WinchelseaBluesEastern Reserve, WinchelseaPFL18761971–19820—Moved to Colac & District FL in 1983
Premiers
Senior football The winner of the best on ground award is presented with the Josh Finch Medal, named in honour of the Modewarre games record holder who retired at the conclusion of the 2025 season with a record four Les Ash Medals to his name. The award's renaming was announced during the 2025 Ash Medal presentation night. +Team also won the minor premiership for finishing on top of the ladder^Player also won the Les Ash Medal as the best and fairest in the league Season Premiers Runners-up Score Venue Best on ground 1971 Torquay Queenscliff 18.5 (113) d. 6.15 (51) Ocean Grove Memorial Reserve Graham Muncey (Torquay) 1972 Barwon Heads+ Ocean Grove 18.20 (128) d. 15.9 (99) Leopold Memorial Park Garry Hamer (Barwon Heads) 1973 Barwon Heads+ (2) Winchelsea 19.11 (125) d. 11.9 (75) Spring Creek Reserve Brian Marshman (Barwon Heads) 1974 Barwon Heads+ (3) Ocean Grove 13.14 (92) d. 11.13 (79) Spring Creek ReserveGeoff Fry^ (Barwon Heads) 1975 Queenscliff+ Drysdale 14.16 (100) d. 11.10 (76) Leopold Memorial Park Peter Growney (Queenscliff) 1976 Drysdale Torquay 23.10 (148) d. 19.13 (127) Leopold Memorial Park Greg Scott (Drysdale) 1977 Drysdale (2) Queenscliff 12.10 (82) d. 11.12 (78) Portarlington Recreation Reserve David Hall (Drysdale) 1978 Portarlington Drysdale 12.19 (91) d. 5.14 (44) Howard Harmer Reserve Vincent Guiffe (Portarlington) 1979 Leopold Newcomb 18.12 (120) d. 17.9 (111) Spring Creek Reserve Peter Lewis (Leopold) 1980 Newcomb Portarlington 13.17 (95) d. 9.12 (66) Leopold Memorial Park Greg Herbet (Newcomb) 1981 Newcomb+ (2) Torquay 17.10 (112) d. 12.9 (81) Howard Harmer ReserveJohn Fagan^ (Newcomb) 1982 Newcomb (3) Torquay 19.15 (129) d. 8.9 (57) Leopold Memorial Park John Fagan (2) (Newcomb) 1983 Anglesea Torquay 14.14 (98) d. 13.6 (84) Portarlington Recreation Reserve Brian O’Keefe (Anglesea) 1984 Torquay (2) Drysdale 19.11 (125) d. 19.10 (124) Leopold Memorial Park Alan Lynch (Drysdale) 1985 Drysdale (3) Leopold 20.26 (146) d. 11.6 (72) Portarlington Recreation Reserve Darren Wilson (Drysdale)Bellarine Football League name adopted 1986 Torquay+ (3) Newcomb 21.21 (147) d. 4.12 (36) Howard Harmer Reserve Shane Jacobsen (Torquay) 1987 Torquay+ (4) Leopold 13.16 (94) d. 10.14 (74) Leopold Memorial Park Dale Lewis (Torquay) 1988 Newcomb (4) Drysdale 14.7 (91) d. 11.12 (78) Leopold Memorial Park Ross Gibson (Newcomb) 1989 Torquay+ (5) Drysdale 11.15 (81) d. 9.18 (72) Portarlington Recreation Reserve John McMahon (Torquay) 1990 Leopold+ (2) Anglesea 17.5 (107) d. 11.13 (79) Drysdale Recreation Reserve Peter Lange (Leopold) 1991 Anglesea+ (2) Leopold 10.15 (75) d. 5.7 (37) Portarlington Recreation Reserve Darren Fraser (Anglesea) 1992 Portarlington+ (2) Drysdale 10.6 (66) d. 4.11 (35) Drysdale Recreation Reserve Brian Canny (Portarlington) 1993 Barwon Heads+ (4) Ocean Grove 19.17 (131) d. 10.16 (76) Drysdale Recreation Reserve Antony Callan (Barwon Heads) 1994 Ocean Grove+ Portarlington 16.6 (102) d. 5.12 (42) Drysdale Recreation Reserve Dean Gills (Ocean Grove) 1995 Ocean Grove+ (2) Anglesea 17.12 (114) d. 11.11 (77) Drysdale Recreation Reserve Matthew McTaggart (Ocean Grove) 1996 Ocean Grove+ (3) Anglesea 12.12 (84) d. 7.12 (54) Drysdale Recreation Reserve Steven Sherwell (Ocean Grove) 1997 Ocean Grove+ (4) Anglesea 11.10 (76) d. 4.2 (26) Drysdale Recreation Reserve Will McTaggart (Ocean Grove) 1998 Torquay+ (6) Ocean Grove 9.8 (62) d. 6.7 (43) Drysdale Recreation ReserveGeorge Arnold^ (Torquay) 1999 Anglesea+ (3) Ocean Grove 13.16 (94) d. 12.12 (84) Drysdale Recreation Reserve Ian Benny (Anglesea) 2000 Ocean Grove+ (5) Anglesea 16.13 (109) d. 7.12 (54) Drysdale Recreation ReserveMathew Payne^ (Ocean Grove) 2001 Ocean Grove+ (6) Drysdale 23.16 (154) d. 12.8 (80) Drysdale Recreation Reserve Kane Montgomery (Ocean Grove) 2002 Ocean Grove (7) Drysdale 12.23 (95) d. 6.7 (43) Spring Creek Reserve James Dalton (Ocean Grove) 2003 Ocean Grove (8) Geelong Amateur 12.9 (81) d. 10.12 (72) Drysdale Recreation Reserve Liam Rock (Ocean Grove) 2004 Geelong Amateur+ Ocean Grove 18.9 (117) d. 11.5 (71) Drysdale Recreation Reserve Haami Williams (Geelong Amateur) 2005 Newcomb+ (5) Torquay 15.18 (108) d. 11.9 (75) Drysdale Recreation Reserve Luke McLean (Newcomb) 2006 Torquay (7) Newcomb 15.9 (99) d. 13.11 (89) Drysdale Recreation Reserve Andrew Wesley (Torquay) 2007 Newcomb (6) Ocean Grove 25.15 (165) d. 17.9 (111) Spring Creek Reserve Mark Stewart (Newcomb) 2008 Geelong Amateur+ (2) Torquay 28.11 (179) d. 14.19 (103) Spring Creek Reserve Nathan Reid (Geelong Amateur) 2009 Drysdale (4) Geelong Amateur 15.18 (108) d. 13.12 (90) Spring Creek Reserve Brett Dowie (Drysdale) 2010 Drysdale+ (5) Geelong Amateur 13.13 (91) d. 11.17 (83) Spring Creek Reserve Mitch Scott (Drysdale)Bellarine Football Netball League name adopted 2011 Queenscliff (2) Geelong Amateur 17.22 (124) d. 13.7 (85) Spring Creek Reserve Daniel Gibbs (Queenscliff) 2012 Queenscliff+ (3) Torquay 16.14 (110) d. 12.8 (80) Drysdale Recreation Reserve Daniel Gibbs (2) (Queenscliff) 2013 Queenscliff+ (4) Drysdale 14.16 (100) d. 6.11 (47) Spring Creek Reserve Brad Ridings (Queenscliff) 2014 Geelong Amateur+ (3) Ocean Grove 22.16 (148) d. 8.9 (57) Spring Creek Reserve Kane Smith (Geelong Amateur) 2015 Geelong Amateur (4) Torquay 16.16 (112) d. 11.14 (80) Spring Creek Reserve Peter Street (Geelong Amateur) 2016 Geelong Amateur+ (5) Modewarre 18.16 (124) d. 11.11 (77) Drysdale Recreation Reserve Brad King (Geelong Amateur) 2017 Torquay+ (8) Geelong Amateur 17.9 (111) d. 7.18 (60) Drysdale Recreation Reserve Billy Henderson (Torquay) 2018 Modewarre Barwon Heads 14.9 (93) d. 5.16 (46) Drysdale Recreation Reserve John Meesen (Modewarre) 2019 Barwon Heads (5) Torquay 13.7 (85) d. 10.11 (71) Spring Creek Reserve Zach Walter (Barwon Heads) 2020 Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic 2021 Season curtailed due to COVID-19 pandemic in Victoria 2022 Barwon Heads (6) Torquay 12.12 (84) d. 3.11 (29) Grinter Reserve Sammy Baker (Barwon Heads) 2023Torquay (9)Drysdale16.14 (110) d. 12.6 (78)Grinter ReserveNathan Mifsud (Torquay) 2024Torquay (10)Anglesea16.17 (113) d. 7.9 (51)Leopold Memorial ParkChase Loftus (Torquay) 2025Anglesea (4)Geelong Amateur14.10 (94) d. 12.9 (81)Grinter ReserveHarrison Ling (Anglesea) 2026Queenscliff+ (5)Torquay14.14 (98) d. 6.11 (47)Grinter ReserveCaleb Whitley (Queenscliff) Lower-grade football Season Reserves Under-16s Under-13s 1971 Torquay Queenscliff Ocean Grove 1972 Winchelsea Queenscliff (2) Ocean Grove (2) 1973 Ocean Grove Queenscliff (3) Portarlington 1974 Ocean Grove (2) Ocean Grove Winchelsea 1975 Drysdale Leopold TorquayReservesUnder-17sUnder-14s 1976 Queenscliff Torquay Torquay (2) 1977 Portarlington Torquay (2) Torquay (3) 1978 Ocean Grove (3) Newcomb Newcomb 1979 Ocean Grove (4) Torquay (3) Newcomb (2)ReservesUnder-17sUnder-15s 1980 Newcomb Torquay (4) Newcomb (3) 1981 Torquay (2) Newcomb (2) LeopoldReservesUnder-18sUnder-15s 1982 Leopold Newcomb (3) Newcomb (4) 1983 Torquay (3) Newcomb (4) Queenscliff 1984 Ocean Grove (5) Newcomb (5) Newcomb (5) 1985 Drysdale (2) Queenscliff (4) Leopold (2) 1986 Drysdale (3) Newcomb (6) Drysdale 1987 Barwon Heads Drysdale Leopold (3) 1988 Leopold (2) Drysdale (2) Leopold (4) 1989 Ocean Grove (6) Drysdale (3) Drysdale (2) 1990 Queenscliff (2) Newcomb (7) Drysdale (3) 1991 Ocean Grove (7) Newcomb (8) Torquay (4) 1992 Portarlington (2) Torquay (5) Ocean Grove (3) 1993 Barwon Heads (2) Drysdale (4) Ocean Grove (4) 1994 Ocean Grove (8) Torquay (6) Ocean Grove (5) 1995 Ocean Grove (9) Ocean Grove (2) Geelong Amateur 1996 Ocean Grove (10) Ocean Grove (3) Geelong Amateur (2) 1997 Anglesea Ocean Grove (4) Geelong Amateur (3) 1998 Torquay (4) Ocean Grove (5) Drysdale (4) 1999 Anglesea (2) Ocean Grove (6) Geelong Amateur (4) 2000 Anglesea (3) Torquay (7) Geelong Amateur (5) 2001 Drysdale (4) Torquay (8) Junior competitionrun by GeelongJunior Football 2002 Drysdale (5) Ocean Grove (7) 2003 Ocean Grove (11) Ocean Grove (8) 2004 Geelong Amateur Torquay (9) 2005 Torquay (5) Barwon Heads 2006 Ocean Grove (12) Ocean Grove (9) 2007 Ocean Grove (13) Geelong Amateur 2008 Geelong Amateur (2) Ocean Grove (10) 2009 Ocean Grove (14) Ocean Grove (11) 2010 Geelong Amateur (3) Ocean Grove (12) 2011 Modewarre Geelong AmateurJunior competitionrun by AFL Barwon 2012 Ocean Grove (15) Colts competitionrun by AFL Barwon 2013 Geelong Amateur (4) 2014 Torquay (6) 2015 Torquay (7) 2016 Torquay (8) 2017 Geelong Amateur (5) 2018 Torquay (9)Under-19s competitionrun by AFL Barwon 2019 Modewarre (2) 2020 Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic 2021 Season curtailed due to COVID-19 pandemic in Victoria 2022 Torquay (10) Under-18s competitionrun by AFL Barwon Junior competitionrun by AFL Barwon 2023Geelong Amateur (6) 2024Torquay (11) 2025Geelong Amateur (7) 2026Queenscliff (3)
A Grade netball +Team also won the minor premiership for finishing on top of the ladder^Player also won the league best and fairest award