The Southern Football Netball League (SFNL) is an Australian rules football league, based in the south and south eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, for senior clubs.
History The South East Suburban Football League was formed in 1963 as a merger of the Caulfield Oakleigh District Football League with the Eastern Suburban Football League after a number of its clubs moved to the Croydon Ferntree Gully FL (now Eastern Football League).
When the Federal Football League folded at the end of 1981, the SESFL had twenty clubs. After the addition of all but one of the Federal clubs for 1982, the league had a 16 team A grade, and a 12 team B grade competition. The league twice tried 3 divisions but the idea was later dropped as clubs left or folded.
In a major project in 1991, the league underwent a major revamp of its administration and opted to employ a full-time administrator and staff to manage the league's affairs. The League's administration along with its member clubs undertook a far-reaching corporate planning programme to map out future directions and objectives. The extra manpower allowed the elevation of League and club standards and the improved marketability of attracting the corporate sponsorship that modern football now required to keep the organisation afloat. Much of this work was completed by early 1992 and it was decided that a new name would be required to flow on from the work already achieved. The Southern Football League was adopted to show that a new professionalism was running football in the southern suburbs.
The league had another major change in 1993, when it absorbed the Eastern Suburban Churches Football Association (ESCFA). The newly merged league began in 1993 with around 50 clubs playing 5 divisions, though this had dropped to 28 clubs in 3 divisions by 2002 due to clubs folding, merging, or moving to other competitions.
In April 1997, the Southern Football Show began on Optus Vision's Localvision channel, covering the weekly news of the league. It moved to Channel 31 Melbourne the following year. This program soon became known as the Southern Footy Show. It later expanded its scope to become the Local Footy Show, covering many Melbourne leagues until 2011.
In the new millennium, the league grew slightly with the addition of the Southern Dragons in 2009, Endeavour Hills in 2011 and Hallam in 2012. The Dragons returned to the VAFA after the 2012 season, but the revival of Carrum Patterson Lakes FC in 2013 after almost 20 years in recess kept the league at 31 clubs.
The 2014 SFL third division seniors grand final was called off after a brawl broke out between players and supporters. The game in which Mount Waverley was taking on Carrum Patterson Lakes. A police spokeswoman said supporters started heckling one of the teams as it left the ground at half-time. A fight broke out and one person was treated in hospital. The game was called off when one of the teams refused to return to the field."
On 11 April 2015, acknowledging the netball part of the competition, the SFL changed its name to the Southern Football Netball League (SFNL). The 2015 season was also a time when the Southern Dragons went into recess.
In 2016 Port Melbourne Colts transferred in from Western Region Football League, and Lyndhurst FC fielded a senior side for the first time.
2017 saw the introduction of women's football.
The inclusion of 3 new clubs - Hampton Park, Frankston Dolphins and Cerberus - enabled the league to have 4 men's divisions for 2018.
In 2022 Cranbourne and Doveton joined the league from the Outer East Football Netball League.
Narre Warren and Berwick Springs entered the SFNL from the Outer East Football Netball League in 2025, while Clyde fielded an Open Grade side for the first time.
St John's moved into Division 4 from the VAFA for the 2026 season.
Current Clubs (2026 season) Locations
Men
Division 1 ClubColoursNicknameHome GroundFormer LeagueEst.Years in CompSFNL/SESFL Senior PremiershipsTotal Most recent Bentleigh Bentleigh Reserve, BentleighESCFL, VAFA 1965 1993-1999, 2010-1 2013 Cheltenham Rosellas Cheltenham Reserve, CheltenhamFFL 1891 1982-7 2025CranbourneEaglesLivingston Reserve, Cranbourne EastOEFNL18892022-12022 Dingley Dingoes Souter Oval, Dingley VillageCODFL, MPNFL 1958 1963-1976, 2007-6 2026Hampton ParkRedbacksRobert Booth Reserve, Hampton ParkSEFNL19582018-22025 Murrumbeena Lions Murrumbeena Park, MurrumbeenaCODFL 1918 1963-6 2024 Narre Warren Magpies Kalora Park, Narre Warren NorthOEFNL19532025- 0 - Port Melbourne Colts Colts JL Murphy Reserve, Port MelbourneWRFL 1957 1975-1980, 2016-2 2016 Springvale Districts Demons Springvale Reserve, SpringvaleESCFA 1959 1993-2 2018 St Paul's McKinnon Bulldogs McKinnon Reserve, BentleighESCFA 1948 4 2018
Division 2 ClubColoursNicknameHome GroundFormer LeagueEst.Years in CompSFNL/SESFL Senior PremiershipsTotal Most recent Caulfield Bears Bears Koornang Park, Carnegie– 1993 1993-1 1994 Chelsea Heights Demons Beazley Reserve, Chelsea HeightsSWGFL 1969 1993- 4 2022 Doveton Doves Robinson Oval, DovetonOEFNL 1959 2022-0 -East BrightonVampiresHurlingham Park, Brighton EastCODFL19481963-112023East MalvernPanthersD.W. Lucas Oval, Malvern EastVAFA19641973-62026 Frankston Dolphins Dolphins Overport Park, Frankston South– 2017 2018-1 2024 Hampton Hammers Peterson Street Reserve, HighettESCFA 1947 2 2025 Highett Bulldogs Turner Road Reserve, Highett– 1929 1989-4 2018 Keysborough Burras Rowley Allan Reserve, KeysboroughMPNFL 1947 2015-0 - Mordialloc Bloodhounds Ben Kavanagh Reserve, MordiallocVFA 1891 1988–2 2014
Division 3 ClubColoursNicknameHome GroundFormer LeagueEst.Years in CompSFNL/SESFL Senior PremiershipsTotal Most recentBerwick SpringsTitansMick Morland Reserve, Clyde NorthOEFNL20192025-0 -Black RockJetsDonald MacDonald Reserve, Black RockESCFA19081986-1991, 1993-42022 Carrum Patterson Lakes Lionshttp://www.cplfc.com.au Roy Dore Reserve, Carrum– 2013- 0 -Endeavour HillsFalconsBarry Simon Reserve, Endeavour Hills–20112011-12023 Hallam Hawks Hallam Recreation Reserve, HallamOEFNL 2011 2012-2022, 2024-1 2025HeathertonTunnersHeatherton Recreation Reserve, HeathertonESCFA19131993-42026 Lyndhurst Lightning Marriott Waters Reserve, Lyndhurst– 2009 2016-1 2022 Skye Bombers Carrum Downs Recreation Reserve, Carrum Downs– 2005 2006-1 2009South MorningtonTigersCitation Oval, Mount MarthaVAFA20062006, 2020-12023St Kilda CitySaintsPeanut Farm Reserve, St KildaNMFL19461965-92010
Division 4 ClubColoursNicknameHome GroundFormer LeagueEst.Years in CompSFNL/SESFL Senior PremiershipsTotal Most recentAshwoodMagpiesEssex Heights Reserve, Ashwood–19851985-22001ClaytonClaysMeade Reserve, ClaytonFFL, EFNL19081982-1985, 1999-52010 Dandenong West Greaves Reserve, DandenongESCFA 1963 1984-1986, 1993-1 2026 Doveton Eagles Eagles Power Reserve, DovetonVAFA 1980 1995-4 2017 Lyndale Pumas Barry Powell Reserve, Noble Park NorthESCFA 1961 1987-1989, 1993-3 2000 Moorabbin Kangaroos A.W Oliver Reserve, Hampton EastESCFA 1978 1982, 1993-3 2012Narre South Saints Saints Strathaird Reserve, Narre Warren SouthVAFA20052020-0 -St John's Old CollegiansJOCSThomas Carroll Reserve, DovetonVAFA19912026-0 -
Open Grade Only ClubColoursNicknameHome GroundFormer LeagueEst.Years in CompSFNL/SESFL Senior PremiershipsTotalMost recentClydeCougarsClyde Recreation Reserve, Clyde–20242025-0 -HeatherhillHawksBruce Park, Frankston–20232023-0 -Pakenham thirdsLionsToomuc Reserve, Pakenham–18922026-0 -South YarraLionsLeigh Park, Balwyn NorthESCFA19671993-32019
Women
Division 1 ClubColoursNicknameHome GroundFormer LeagueEst.Years in CompSFNL PremiershipsTotalMost recentBentleighDemonsBentleigh Reserve, Bentleigh–19652018-0 -Black RockJetsMcDonald Reserve, Black Rock–19082022-12022Casey ThunderThunderThe Hunt Club Reserve, Cranbourne East–20192021-12023Endeavour HillsFalconsBarry Simon Reserve, Endeavour HillsVWFL20112018-2022, 2024-52026Frankston DolphinsDolphinsOverport Park, Frankston South–20172018-1 2024MurrumbeenaLionsMurrumbeena Park, Murrumbeena–19182018-12017Narre South SaintsSaintsStrathaird Reserve, Narre Warren South–20072022-0 -South MorningtonTigersCitation Oval, Mount Martha–20062026-0 -
Division 2 ClubColoursNicknameHome GroundFormer LeagueEst.Years in CompSFNL PremiershipsTotalMost recentChelsea HeightsDemonsBeazley Reserve, Chelsea Heights–19692023-0 -ClaytonClaysMeade Reserve, Clayton–19082018-1 2018Endeavour Hills 2FalconsBarry Simon Reserve, Endeavour HillsVWFL20112018-2022, 2024-5 2026*HallamHawksHallam Recreation Reserve, HallamOEFNL20112018-2022, 2024-0 -KeysboroughBurrasRowley Allan Reserve, KeysboroughMPNFL19472026-0 -MordiallocBloodhoundsBen Kavanagh Reserve, Mordialloc–18912025-0 -Murrumbeena 2LionsMurrumbeena Park, Murrumbeena–19182018-12017Narre WarrenMagpiesKalora Park, Narre Warren NorthOEFNL19532026-1 2026 *won by Endeavour Hills 1
Division 3 ClubColoursNicknameHome GroundFormer LeagueEst.Years in CompSFNL PremiershipsTotalMost recentCasey Thunder 2ThunderThe Hunt Club Reserve, Cranbourne East–20192021-12023ClydeCougarsClyde Recreation Reserve, Clyde–20242025-0 -Dandenong WestWesternersGreaves Reserve, Dandenong–20252025-0 -Mordialloc 2BloodhoundsBen Kavanagh Reserve, Mordialloc–18912025-0 -Officer KangaroosOfficer Recreation Reserve, OfficerOEFNL19772026-0 - St Kilda City Saints Peanut Farm Reserve, St Kilda– 1946 2025-1 2026
In recess ClubColoursNicknameHome GroundFormer LeagueEst.Years in CompSFNL PremiershipsFateTotalMost recentBerwick SpringsTitansMick Morland Reserve, Clyde NorthOEFNL2020202512025In recess since 2025 seasonEast BrightonVampiresHurlingham Park, Brighton East–19492018-202412023In recess since 2024 seasonLyndalePumasBarry Powell Reserve, Noble Park North–19612018-202512019In recess since 2025 seasonSkyeBombersCarrum Downs Recreation Reserve, Carrum Downs–20062021-20250 -In recess since 2025 season
Former Clubs