Wimmera Football League

The Wimmera Football League is a major Australian rules country league based in Western Victoria, with clubs located in towns in the Wimmera region: the regional centres along the Western Highway from Ararat to Nhill as well as Minyip-Murtoa and Warracknabeal.

Wimmera Football League
SportAustralian rules football
Founded1937; 87 years ago (1937)
No. of teams9
CountryAustralia
Most recent
champion(s)
Ararat
(2024)
Official websiteWimmera FL
WFL Records and Stats
Records
Highest Score 304 – Ararat 46.28.304 (v Jeparit 2.2.14) – 1989
Most goals in a game 22 – Brad Miller – Horsham United (v Nhill) – 2004
Most goals in a season 156 – David Johns – 2006
Most flags in a row 10 – Horsham – 2003–2012
Most wins in a row 41 – Horsham – 2004–2007
Most losses in a row 33 – Nhill – 1990–1992

History

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A Wimmera Football Association was first formed in 1902, with teams from Ararat, Horsham and Stawell as the founding clubs. In 1921 the Wimmera District Football League was formed. The seven original clubs were Ararat, Horsham, Minyip, Murtoa, Rupanyup, Stawell and Warracknabael. Dimboola joined in 1923 and Nhill in 1925; Ararat spent six years in the Ballarat Football League from 1924 to 1929.

In 1932, during the height of the Great Depression, the small town clubs were suffering from financial pressures, and tried to get the league to change the way the gate taking were distributed to the clubs. The larger town clubs, knowing that they would be disadvantaged, blocked the motion. Subsequently, Nhill and Dimboola both went into recess while Minyip and Murtoa replaced their junior sides in the Dunmunkle FL.

The WDFL approached the Ballarat Football League to merge hoping that greater interest and better football would cause larger gate takings, so in 1934 the Wimmera FL and the Ballarat FL merged to form the Ballarat Wimmera FL. After three years, in which the Wimmera clubs faced with greater costs and were constantly losing on the field, feelers were put out to the smaller clubs, now playing in the Mid Wimmera FL. A peace deal was settled in September 1936 and the Wimmera Football League was reformed in 1937 as a nine team competition.[1]

After WWII Rupanyup decided to join and that made it a ten team competition. As a ten team competition the league remain stable until Rupanyip decided the level of football was too hard for them and they opted to drop to the local district competition in 1981. The numbers returned to ten when local district club Imperials-Wonwondah joined in 1983. After fifty fruitless years Jeparit decided to try their luck in the South Mallee FL from 1990. St Michaels from the district competition joined in 1993. Founding clubs Minyip and Murtoa decided to merge in 1995.

2000 saw local Horsham clubs change their names, St Michaels became Horsham Saints and Imperials-Wonwondah became the Horsham Diggers.

Horsham Diggers later merged with Natimuk FNC under the banner Natimuk United at the start of 2014; following an exodus of players in the 2008 pre-season, the Diggers had struggled on and off-field, and had won three matches in the previous four seasons. The merged club plays home games at Natimuk and City Oval.

Southern Mallee transferred from the Hosham District League in 2018 after dominating the competition.

Following the 2023 season Southern Mallee merged with Jeparit Rainbow from the Horsham District Football Netball League to form the Southern Mallee Thunder.

Clubs

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Current

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Club Colours Nickname Home ground Former League Est. Years in WFNL WFNL Senior Premierships
Total Years
Ararat
 
Rats Alexandra Oval, Ararat BFL 1871 1937– 13 1949, 1951, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1971, 1975, 1986, 1999, 2001, 2023, 2024
Dimboola
 
Roos Dimboola Recreation Reserve, Dimboola MWFL 1880s 1937– 5 1937, 1946, 1959, 1985, 2013
Horsham
 
Demons Horsham City Oval, Horsham BFL 1892 1937– 26 1938, 1960, 1962, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1979, 1982, 1983, 1989, 1990, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2017, 2018
Horsham Saints
 
Saints Coughlin Park, Horsham HDFNL 1945 1993– 2 2015, 2016
Minyip-Murtoa
 
Burras Minyip Recreation Reserve, Minyip and Murtoa Recreation Reserve, Murtoa 1994 1995– 5 1996, 1997, 1998, 2019, 2022
Nhill
 
Tigers Davis Park, Nhill MWFL 1880s 1937– 4 1964, 1965, 1969, 1981
Southern Mallee
 
Thunder Beulah Memorial Park, Beulah; Hopetoun Recreation Reserve, Hopetoun; Sir Robert Menzies Park; Jeparit, Rainbow Recreation Reserve, Rainbow 2023 2024– 0 -
Stawell
 
Warriors (formerly Redlegs) Central Reserve, Stawell BFL 1874 1937– 8 1939, 1940, 1948, 1950, 1978, 1987, 1995, 2000
Warrack Eagles
 
Eagles Anzac Park, Warracknabeal and Brim Recreation Reserve, Brim 2000 2001– 1 2002

Former clubs

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Club Colours Nickname Home ground Former League Est. Years in WFNL WFNL Senior Premierships Fate
Total Years
Horsham United
 
Diggers Horsham City Oval, Horsham HDFNL 1976 1983–2013 1 1988 Merged with Natimuk to form Natimuk United in Horsham & District FL in 2014
Jeparit
 
Redbacks Sir Robert Menzies Park, Jeparit MWFL 1900s 1937–1989 0 - Moved to Southern Mallee FL in 1990
Minyip
 
Blues Minyip Recreation Reserve, Minyip MWFL 1880s 1937-1994 6 1952, 1954, 1984, 1991, 1992, 1993 Merged with Murtoa to form Minyip-Murtoa in 1995
Murtoa
 
Magpies Murtoa Recreation Reserve, Murtoa MWFL 1880s 1937-1994 1 1980 Merged with Minyip to form Minyip-Murtoa in 1995
Rupanyup
 
Panthers Rupanyup Recreation Reserve, Rupanyup CWFL 1880s 1945–1980 3 1961, 1963, 1973 Moved to Horsham & District FL in 1981
Southern Mallee Giants
 
Giants Beulah Memorial Park, Beulah and Hopetoun Recreation Reserve, Hopetoun HDFNL 2015 2018-2023 0 - Merged with Jeparit-Rainbow from the Horsham & District FL at the end of 2023
Warracknabeal
 
Lions Anzac Park, Warracknabeal BFL 1870s 1937-2000 5 1947, 1953, 1966, 1977, 1994 Merged with Brim to form Warrack Eagles following 2000 season

List of premiers

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Wimmera District FL

VFL/AFL players

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Ararat

Dimboola

Horsham

Horsham Saints

Horsham United

Minyip

Murtoa

Minyip-Murtoa

Nhill

Rupanyap

Stawell

Warracknabeal/Warrack Eagles

2005 Ladder

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Wimmera FL Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts
Horsham 15 2 1 0 2401 977 245.75% 68 Elimination Horsham Saints 16 18 114 Stawell 11 9 75
Horsham Diggers 12 2 3 1 1884 1294 145.60% 58 Qualifying Dimboola 15 10 100 Horsham Diggers 14 12 96
Dimboola 12 2 4 0 2123 1126 188.54% 56 1st Semi Horsham Diggers 18 11 119 Horsham Saints 12 15 87
Horsham Saints 11 2 5 0 1835 1307 140.40% 52 2nd Semi Horsham 20 10 130 Dimboola 13 11 89
Stawell 6 2 9 1 1373 1648 83.31% 34 Preliminary Dimboola 13 13 91 Horsham Diggers 8 15 63
Minyip Murtoa 6 2 10 0 1250 1684 74.23% 32 Grand Horsham 18 10 118 Dimboola 12 15 87
Warrack Eagles 4 2 12 0 1254 1895 66.17% 24
Nhill 3 2 13 0 1238 2192 56.48% 20
Ararat 2 2 14 0 1004 2239 44.84% 16

2006 Ladder

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Wimmera FL Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts
Horsham 16 2 0 0 2784 984 282.93% 72 Elimination Minyip Murtoa 9 13 67 Horsham Diggers 9 21 75
Dimboola 14 2 2 0 2409 1181 203.98% 64 Qualifying Dimboola 20 20 140 Ararat 14 8 92
Ararat 10 2 6 0 1424 1579 90.18% 48 1st Semi Horsham Diggers 16 14 110 Ararat 15 14 104
Minyip Murtoa 9 2 7 0 1528 1446 105.67% 44 2nd Semi Horsham 20 16 136 Dimboola 8 11 59
Horsham Diggers 7 2 9 0 1555 1575 98.73% 36 Preliminary Dimboola 14 13 97 Horsham Diggers 12 8 80
Stawell 5 2 11 0 1469 1920 76.51% 28 Grand Horsham 27 9 171 Dimboola 20 6 126
Nhill 5 2 11 0 1294 2044 63.31% 28
Warrack Eagles 3 2 13 0 1314 1962 66.97% 20
Horsham Saints 3 2 13 0 1162 2248 51.69% 20

2007 Ladder

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Wimmera FL Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts
Horsham 15 2 1 0 2268 1022 221.92% 68 Elimination Dimboola 19 10 124 Minyip Murtoa 9 13 67
Stawell 13 2 3 0 1712 1199 142.79% 60 Qualifying Horsham Diggers 8 15 63 Stawell 13 11 89
Horsham Diggers 12 2 4 0 1821 1125 161.87% 56 1st Semi Horsham Diggers 13 15 93 Dimboola 9 7 61
Dimboola 9 2 7 0 1451 1287 112.74% 44 2nd Semi Horsham 15 12 102 Stawell 15 6 96
Minyip Murtoa 8 2 8 0 1389 1469 94.55% 40 Preliminary Stawell 8 12 60 Horsham Diggers 4 8 32
Nhill 6 2 10 0 1174 1707 68.78% 32 Grand Horsham 20 13 133 Stawell 13 12 90
Warrack Eagles 5 2 11 0 1372 1564 87.72% 28
Ararat 4 2 12 0 1206 1898 63.54% 24
Horsham Saints 0 2 16 0 955 2077 45.98% 8

2008 Ladder

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Wimmera FL Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts
Horsham 14 2 2 0 2370 1166 203.26% 64 Elimination Ararat 15 4 94 Horsham Saints 20 12 132
Stawell 13 2 3 0 2038 1067 191.00% 60 Qualifying Stawell 22 10 142 Warrack Eagles 6 13 49
Warrack Eagles 11 2 5 0 1487 1322 112.48% 52 1st Semi Horsham Saints 12 16 88 Warrack Eagles 6 6 42
Ararat 10 2 6 0 1755 1365 128.57% 48 2nd Semi Horsham Demons 9 13 67 Stawell 8 9 57
Horsham Saints 8 2 8 0 1467 1457 100.69% 40 Preliminary Horsham Saints 17 11 113 Stawell 12 11 83
Dimboola 6 2 10 0 1400 1650 84.85% 32 Grand Horsham Demons 19 14 128 Horsham Saints 9 8 62
Nhill 6 2 10 0 1258 1594 78.92% 32
Horsham Diggers 2 2 14 0 1277 2139 59.70% 16
Minyip Murtoa 2 2 14 0 908 2200 41.27% 16

2009 Ladder

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Wimmera FL Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts
Horsham 16 2 0 0 2248 928 242.24% 72 Elimination Nhill 22 16 148 Stawell 10 5 65
Horsham Saints 13 2 3 0 1639 980 167.24% 60 Qualifying Nhill 11 11 77 Horsham Saints 9 21 75
Warrack Eagles 9 2 7 0 1385 1472 94.09% 44 1st Semi Horsham Saints 11 7 73 Nhill 10 11 71
Nhill 8 2 8 0 1613 1417 113.83% 40 2nd Semi Horsham 19 13 127 Warrack Eagles 7 7 49
Stawell 7 2 9 0 1332 1450 91.86% 36 Preliminary Warrack Eagles 13 13 91 Horsham Saints 11 15 81
Minyip Murtoa 6 2 10 0 1149 1417 81.09% 32 Grand Horsham 16 14 110 Warrack Eagles 13 8 86
Horsham Diggers 6 2 10 0 1153 1660 69.46% 32
Ararat 5 2 11 0 1154 1670 69.10% 28
Dimboola 2 2 14 0 866 1545 56.05% 16

2010 Ladder

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Wimmera FL Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts
Horsham 15 2 1 0 2067 919 224.92% 68 Elimination Warrack Eagles 15 6 96 Ararat 9 14 68
Horsham Saints 13 2 3 0 1526 1111 137.35% 60 Qualifying Nhill 11 16 82 Horsham Saints 12 7 79
Nhill 10 2 6 0 1508 1360 110.88% 48 1st Semi Warrack Eagles 16 11 107 Horsham Saints 9 12 66
Warrack Eagles 9 2 7 0 1261 1211 104.13% 44 2nd Semi Horsham 19 18 132 Nhill 11 8 74
Ararat 8 2 8 0 1398 1458 95.88% 40 Preliminary Nhill 9 10 64 Warrack Eagles 4 11 35
Stawell 6 2 10 0 1275 1348 94.58% 32 Grand Horsham 17 16 118 Nhill 8 12 60
Minyip Murtoa 5 2 11 0 1103 1259 87.61% 28
Dimboola 5 2 11 0 977 1349 72.42% 28
Horsham Diggers 1 2 15 0 930 2030 45.81% 12

2011 Ladder

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Wimmera FL Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts
Horsham 16 2 0 0 2445 973 251.28% 72 Elimination Horsham Saints 9 16 70 Stawell 10 7 67
Warrack Eagles 14 2 2 0 1815 1234 147.08% 64 Qualifying Warrack Eagles 17 27 129 Dimboola 6 8 44
Dimboola 9 2 6 1 1328 1276 104.08% 46 1st Semi Horsham Saints 12 4 76 Dimboola 10 7 67
Stawell 7 2 8 1 1393 1526 91.28% 38 2nd Semi Horsham 26 11 167 Warrack Eagles 12 10 82
Horsham Saints 7 2 9 0 1405 1470 95.58% 36 Preliminary Warrack Eagles 15 23 113 Horsham Saints 9 9 63
Minyip Murtoa 6 2 10 0 1185 1394 85.01% 32 Grand Horsham 15 7 97 Warrack Eagles 12 13 85
Ararat 6 2 10 0 1202 1565 76.81% 32
Nhill 5 2 11 0 1573 1885 83.45% 28
Horsham Diggers 1 2 15 0 1155 2178 53.03% 12

2012 Ladder

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Wimmera FL Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts
Horsham 15 2 1 0 2568 877 292.82% 68 Elimination Dimboola 22 7 139 Minyip Murtoa 10 11 71
Warrack Eagles 14 2 2 0 2077 922 225.27% 64 Qualifying Warrack Eagles 15 17 107 Horsham Saints 12 10 82
Horsham Saints 11 2 5 0 1577 1102 143.10% 52 1st Semi Dimboola 12 16 88 Horsham Saints 8 7 55
Dimboola 10 2 6 0 1717 1133 151.54% 48 2nd Semi Warrack Eagles 15 3 93 Horsham 11 7 73
Minyip Murtoa 10 2 6 0 1373 1018 134.87% 48 Preliminary Horsham 12 17 89 Dimboola 10 9 69
Stawell 5 2 11 0 1261 1730 72.89% 28 Grand Horsham 21 11 137 Warrack Eagles 13 12 90
Ararat 5 2 11 0 1090 1739 62.68% 28
Nhill 1 2 15 0 939 2355 39.87% 12
Horsham Diggers 1 2 15 0 780 2506 31.13% 12

2013 Ladder

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Wimmera FL Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts
Dimboola 15 2 1 0 2042 802 254.61% 68 Elimination Horsham Saints 14 24 108 Minyip Murtoa 9 9 63
Horsham 14 2 2 0 1944 770 252.47% 64 Qualifying Horsham Saints 22 18 150 Warrack Eagles 5 8 38
Warrack Eagles 10 2 5 1 1428 1212 117.82% 50 1st Semi Horsham Saints 13 17 95 Warrack Eagles 9 6 60
Horsham Saints 10 2 6 0 1452 1025 141.66% 48 2nd Semi Dimboola 17 12 114 Horsham 15 19 109
Minyip Murtoa 9 2 7 0 1206 1035 116.52% 44 Preliminary Horsham Saints 10 11 71 Horsham 9 8 62
Nhill 6 2 9 1 1090 1601 68.08% 34 Grand Dimboola 16 15 111 Horsham Saints 7 13 55
Ararat 4 2 12 0 887 1488 59.61% 24
Stawell 3 2 13 0 1030 1813 56.81% 20
Horsham Diggers 0 2 16 0 664 1997 33.25% 8

2014 Ladder

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Wimmera FL Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts
Horsham 13 0 3 0 1774 1096 161.86% 52 Elimination Ararat 15 8 98 Minyip Murtoa 12 10 82
Horsham Saints 12 0 4 0 1596 1180 135.25% 48 Qualifying Horsham Saints 12 10 82 Warrack Eagles 10 5 65
Warrack Eagles 12 0 4 0 1524 1243 122.61% 48 1st Semi Warrack Eagles 9 14 68 Ararat 8 6 54
Minyip Murtoa 10 0 6 0 1606 1213 132.40% 40 2nd Semi Horsham Saints 12 15 87 Horsham 9 10 64
Ararat 8 0 8 0 1498 1394 107.46% 32 Preliminary Horsham 12 18 90 Warrack Eagles 12 16 88
Dimboola 7 0 9 0 1727 1386 124.60% 28 Grand Horsham 12 10 82 Horsham Saints 11 10 76
Stawell 2 0 14 0 1023 1904 53.73% 8
Nhill 0 0 16 0 853 2185 39.04% 0

2015 Ladder

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Wimmera FL Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts
Horsham Saints 15 0 1 0 1838 839 219.07% 60 Elimination Stawell 10 12 72 Ararat 7 15 57
Horsham 13 0 3 0 1787 1012 176.58% 52 Qualifying Horsham 18 9 117 Minyip Murtoa 12 8 80
Minyip Murtoa 11 0 5 0 1253 1020 122.84% 44 1st Semi Minyip Murtoa 10 6 66 Stawell 2 12 24
Ararat 8 0 8 0 1351 1255 107.65% 32 2nd Semi Horsham Saints 9 10 64 Horsham 8 10 58
Stawell 7 0 9 0 1387 1348 102.89% 28 Preliminary Horsham 11 16 82 Minyip Murtoa 8 15 63
Dimboola 6 0 10 0 1310 1434 91.35% 24 Grand Horsham Saints 16 6 102 Horsham 9 8 62
Nhill 4 0 12 0 1072 1726 62.11% 16
Warrack Eagles 0 0 16 0 845 2209 38.25% 0

2016 Ladder

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Wimmera FL Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts
Minyip Murtoa 14 0 2 0 1647 746 220.78% 56 Elimination Horsham Demons 18 14 122 Warrack Eagles 2 7 19
Horsham Saints 12 0 4 0 1510 998 151.30% 48 Qualifying Horsham Saints 15 13 103 Stawell 10 10 70
Stawell 11 0 5 0 1466 1181 124.13% 44 1st Semi Stawell 15 9 99 Horsham Demons 12 11 83
Horsham 11 0 5 0 1518 1307 116.14% 44 2nd Semi Horsham Saints 12 7 79 Minyip Murtoa 9 12 66
Warrack Eagles 5 0 10 1 1171 1434 81.66% 22 Preliminary Minyip Murtoa 8 9 57 Stawell 7 12 54
Ararat 5 0 11 0 1203 1562 77.02% 20 Grand Horsham Saints 6 9 45 Minyip Murtoa 6 7 43
Nhill 4 0 11 1 1250 1506 83.00% 18
Dimboola 1 0 15 0 843 1874 44.98% 4

2017 Ladder

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Wimmera FL Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts
Horsham 14 0 2 0 1764 798 221.05% 56 Elimination Horsham Saints 10 14 74 Stawell 5 9 39
Minyip Murtoa 14 0 2 0 1439 800 179.88% 56 Qualifying Minyip Murtoa 15 12 102 Warrack Eagles 10 5 65
Warrack Eagles 11 0 4 1 1477 1219 121.16% 46 1st Semi Warrack Eagles 16 6 102 Horsham Saints 10 12 72
Horsham Saints 9 0 7 0 1168 1138 102.64% 36 2nd Semi Horsham 12 11 83 Minyip Murtoa 12 6 78
Stawell 8 0 8 0 1226 1324 82.60% 32 Preliminary Minyip Murtoa 10 16 76 Warrack Eagles 11 3 69
Ararat 3 0 12 1 1050 1668 62.95% 14 Grand Horsham 7 19 61 Minyip Murtoa 5 7 37
Nhill 3 0 13 0 1237 1555 79.55% 12
Dimboola 1 0 15 0 913 1772 51.52% 4

2023 Ladder

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Wimmera FL Wins Byes Losses Draws For Against % Pts Final Team G B Pts Team G B Pts
Horsham 14 2 2 0 1709 870 196.44% 64 Elimination Horsham Saints 14 7 91 Warrack Eagles 12 13 85
Southern Mallee Giants 12 2 4 0 1651 878 188.04% 56 Qualifying Southern Mallee Giants 12 14 86 Ararat 6 6 42
Ararat 11 2 5 0 1364 1056 129.17% 52 1st Semi Ararat 12 11 83 Horsham Saints 12 4 76
Horsham Saints 10 2 6 0 1230 921 133.55% 48 2nd Semi Southern Mallee Giants 9 8 62 Horsham 6 14 50
Warrack Eagles 9 2 7 0 1406 1099 127.93% 44 Preliminary Horsham 20 7 127 Ararat 10 8 68
Minyip Murtoa 7 2 9 0 1289 1031 125.02% 36 Grand Horsham 11 10 76 Southern Mallee Giants 9 3 57
Stawell 7 2 9 0 1172 1352 86.69% 36
Nhill 2 2 14 0 991 1727 57.38% 16
Dimboola 0 2 16 0 454 2332 19.47% 8

Publication

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Wheatbelt Warriors. A Tribute To Wimmera Football League.

References

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