Essendon District Football League
The Essendon District Football League (EDFL) is a professional Australian rules football league competition based in Essendon, Victoria, and consisting of teams based in the north-west suburbs of Melbourne. Founded in 1930, the men's competition consists of three leagues: Premier Division, Division 1 and Division 2, with 10 clubs in the Premier Division and nine each in Division 1 and 2. The league is governed by AFL Victoria.
 | |
| Sport | Australian rules football |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1930 |
| Inaugural season | 1930 |
| CEO | Ian Kyte |
| President | Bernie Shinners |
| No. of teams | 28 |
| Country | Australia |
| Most recent champion(s) | Keilor (2019) |
| Most titles | Essendon Doutta Stars (20) |
| Sponsor(s) | Strathmore Community Bank |
| Official website | essendondfl.com.au |
Promotion and relegation between these divisions occurs, with the lowest-placed clubs in the Premier Division and Division 1 being relegated at the end of each season. Clubs which win the Division 1 and Division 2 premierships are automatically promoted.[1] Each men's team also fields a reserves side and an under-19 side that play a fixture mirroring that of the senior side.
Since 2017, the League has also run a competition for women's Australian rules football. In its inaugural year, this was a joint competition featuring teams from the EDFL as well as the Western Region Football League (WRFL).[2] In 2018, 13 teams competed in a single division season, expanding to 19 teams and two divisions in 2019.
Clubs
Current
| Club | Colours | Moniker | Home venue | Est. | Seasons | Premierships | Former league(s) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First | Total | Total | Most recent | ||||||
| Aberfeldie |  |
Blues | Clifton Park, Aberfeldie | 1948 | 1948 | 71 | 8 | 2018 | — |
| Avondale Heights |  |
Heights | Canning Street Reserve, Avondale Heights | 1965 | 1967 | 52 | 5 | 2004^ | — |
| Craigieburn |  |
Eagles | D.S. Aitken Reserve, Craigieburn | 1970 | 2001 | 18 | 3 | 2019^ | RDFNL |
| Essendon Doutta Stars |  |
Stars | Nipper Jordan Oval, Essendon | 1946 | 1946 | 73 | 20 | 2015^ | — |
| Glenroy |  |
Wallabies | Sewell Reserve, Glenroy | 1946 | 1946 | 73 | 14 | 2017^ | — |
| Greenvale |  |
Jets | Greenvale Reserve, Greenvale | 1990 | 1996 | 23 | 5 | 2013 | — |
| Keilor |  |
Blues | Keilor Recreation Reserve, Keilor | 1877 | 1932 | 83 | 12 | 2019 | KBFL |
| Maribyrnong Park |  |
Lions | Maribyrnong Park, Moonee Ponds | 1980 | 1980 | 40 | 4 | 2010 | — |
| Pascoe Vale |  |
Panthers | Raeburn Reserve, Pascoe Vale | 1918 | 1952 | 67 | 3 | 2011^ | VFL SD |
| Strathmore |  |
Mores | Lebanon Reserve, Strathmore | 1954 | 1957 | 62 | 8 | 2014 | — |
| Club | Colours | Moniker | Home venue | Est. | Seasons | Premierships | Former league(s) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First | Total | Total | Most recent | ||||||
| Airport West |  |
Eagles | Hansen Reserve, Airport West | 1961 | 1962 | 57 | 6 | 2018 | — |
| East Keilor |  |
Cougars | Overland Reserve, East Keilor | 1967 | 1971 | 48 | 6 | 2016 | — |
| Hillside |  |
Sharks | Hillside Reserve, Hillside | 1999 | 2005 | 14 | 1 | 2013+ | — |
| Roxburgh Park |  |
Magpies | Lakeside Reserve, Roxburgh Park | 2002 | 2005 | 14 | 1 | 2018+ | — |
| Rupertswood |  |
Sharks | Salesian College, Sunbury | 1999 | 2021 | 0 | 0 | — | VAFA, RDFNL |
| Sunbury Kangaroos |  |
Kangaroos | Eric Boardman Reserve, Sunbury | 1987 | 2019 | 1 | 1 | 2019+ | RDFNL |
| Taylors Lakes |  |
Lions | Lionheart Reserve, Taylors Lakes | 1989 | 1993 | 26 | 1 | 2010 | — |
| Tullamarine |  |
Demons | Leo Dineen Reserve, Tullamarine | 1974 | 1974 | 45 | 8 | 2003 | — |
| West Coburg |  |
Burgers | Coburg City Oval, Coburg | 1927 | 1954 | 65 | 15 | 2014 | VFA SD |
| Westmeadows |  |
Tigers | Willowbrook Reserve, Westmeadows | 1970 | 1977 | 42 | 1 | 1984 | — |
| Club | Colours | Moniker | Home venue | Est. | Seasons | Premierships | Former league(s) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First | Total | Total | Most recent | ||||||
| Burnside Heights |  |
Bears | Burnside Heights Recreation Reserve, Burnside Heights |
2012 | 2014 | 6 | 0 | — | — |
| Coburg Districts |  |
Lions | Cole Reserve, Pascoe Vale | 1951 | 1981 | 141 | 0 | — | NMFL, WRFL |
| East Sunbury |  |
Thunder | John McMahon Reserve, Sunbury | 1999 | 2013 | 5 | 0 | — | RDFNL |
| Hadfield |  |
Hawks | Martin Reserve, Hadfield | 1961 | 1971 | 48 | 4 | 2015 | — |
| Jacana |  |
Jaguars | Jacana Reserve, Jacana | 1961 | 2001 | 18 | 1 | 2017 | RDFNL |
| Keilor Park |  |
Devils | Keilor Park Recreational Reserve, Keilor Park | 1974 | 1986 | 322 | 2 | 2001^ | — |
| Moonee Valley |  |
Valley | Ormond Park, Moonee Ponds | 1933 | 1933 | 82 | 6 | 1999^ | — |
| Northern Saints |  |
Saints | Charles Mutton Reserve, Fawkner | 2007 | 2008 | 11 | 1 | 2013^ | — |
| Oak Park |  |
Kangaroos | J.P. Fawkner Reserve, Oak Park | 1957 | 1960 | 59 | 4 | 2009^ | — |
- Notes
- ^ denotes that the club's most recent senior premiership was in Division 1 or the B Grade.
- + denotes that the club's most recent senior premiership was in Division 2 or the C Grade.
- 1 Coburg Districts first entered the competition in 1981, before departing after the conclusion of the 1987 EDFL season. The club re-entered the competition from the 2013 EDFL season onwards.
- 2 Keilor Park did not field a side in the 2018 EDFL season.
| Locations of 2021 EDFL Men's senior clubs. Red pogs represent teams in the Premier Division, orange pogs represent teams in Division 1, and yellow pogs represent teams in Division 2. |
Former
| Club | Colours | Moniker | Est. | Former league |
EDFL senior seasons | Fate | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First | Last | Total | ||||||
| Ascot Vale Presbyterians | ? | — | 1973 | Merged with Essendon Baptist-St John's at conclusion of 1973 season to form Essendon-Tullamarine. | ||||
| Essendon Baptist-St John's | 1940s | — | 1973 | Merged with Ascot Vale Presbyterians at conclusion of 1973 season to form Essendon-Tullamarine. | ||||
| Moonee Imperials | Imperials | 1946 | — | 1946 | 1979 | 34 | Merged with Riverside Stars at conclusion of 1979 season to form Maribyrnong Park. | |
| Riverside Stars | Stars | 1946 | — | 1946 | 1979 | 34 | Merged with Moonee Imperials at conclusion of 1979 season to form Maribyrnong Park. | |
| Old Essendon Grammarians | Bombers | 1968 | — | 1968 | 1969 | 1 | Transferred to FDFL at conclusion of 1982 season. Currently competes in VAFA. | |
| VAFA | 1972 | 1982 | 11 | |||||
| Ascot Vale | 1930 | — | 1930 | 1987 | 54† | Transferred to FDFL at conclusion of 1987 season. Folded in 1997. | ||
| North Coburg1 | Saints | 1947 | — | 1978 | 2007 | 28 | Merged with Fawkner Park at conclusion of 2007 season to form Northern Saints. | |
| † denotes that the club did not participate between 1942 and 1945 due to World War 2. Notes: 1 North Coburg competed as St Olivers between 1978 and 1989. | ||||||||
Premiers
| Year | Premier Division | Division 1 | Division 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Cancelled | Cancelled | Cancelled |
| 2019 | Keilor | Craigieburn | Sunbury Kangaroos |
| 2018 | Aberfeldie | Airport West | Roxburgh Park |
| 2017 | Aberfeldie | Glenroy | Jacana |
| 2016 | Keilor | Craigieburn | East Keilor |
| 2015 | Aberfeldie | Essendon Doutta Stars | Hadfield |
| 2014 | Strathmore | West Coburg | East Keilor |
| 2013 | Greenvale | Northern Saints | Hillside |
| 2012 | Greenvale | Airport West | East Keilor |
| Year | A Grade | B Grade |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Strathmore | Pascoe Vale |
| 2010 | Maribyrnong Park | Taylors Lakes |
| 2009 | Maribyrnong Park | Oak Park |
| 2008 | Keilor | Glenroy |
| 2007 | Greenvale | Maribyrnong Park |
| 2006 | Strathmore | West Coburg |
| 2005 | Strathmore | Craigieburn |
| 2004 | Greenvale | Avondale Heights |
| 2003 | Oak Park | Tullamarine |
| 2002 | Oak Park | Greenvale |
| 2001 | Keilor | Keilor Park |
| 2000 | Keilor | West Coburg |
| 1999 | Doutta Stars | Moonee Valley |
| 1998 | Strathmore | Doutta Stars |
| 1997 | Keilor | Glenroy |
| 1996 | Keilor | West Coburg |
| 1995 | Keilor | Aberfeldie |
| 1994 | East Keilor | Moonee Valley |
| 1993 | Airport West | Tullamarine |
| 1992 | Airport West | East Keilor |
| 1991 | Doutta Stars | West Coburg |
| 1990 | Doutta Stars | Keilor Park |
| 1989 | Strathmore | Hadfield |
| 1988 | Keilor | Pascoe Vale |
| 1987 | Avondale Heights | West Coburg |
| 1986 | Glenroy | Moonee Valley |
| 1985 | Keilor | Airport West |
| 1984 | Strathmore | Westmeadows |
| 1983 | Glenroy | Oak Park |
| Year | A Grade | B Grade | C Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Glenroy | Aberfeldie | Gladstone Park |
| 1981 | Strathmore | Tullamarine | Essendon Youth Centre |
| 1980 | Doutta Stars | Glenroy | Brunswick City |
| 1979 | Essendon Tullamarine | Hadfield | Moonee Ponds |
| 1978 | Essendon Tullamarine | East Keilor | Brunswick City |
| 1977 | Essendon Tullamarine | Ascot Vale | West Coburg |
| 1976 | Essendon Tullamarine | Avondale Heights | Old Essendon Grammarians |
| 1975 | Essendon Tullamarine | Moonee Valley | Essendon Youth Centre |
| 1974 | Aberfeldie | Glenroy | Brunswick Presbyterians |
| 1973 | Keilor | Strathmore | Tullamarine Ascot Presbyterians |
| 1972 | Doutta Stars | Ascot Vale | Riverside Stars |
| 1971 | West Coburg | Strathmore | Hadfield |
| 1970 | West Coburg | Broadmeadows | Moonee Valley |
| 1969 | Doutta Stars | Ascot Vale | St. Davids |
| 1968 | West Coburg | Keilor | Batman |
| 1967 | West Coburg | Strathmore | Riverside Stars |
| 1966 | Glenroy | West Coburg | Ascot Youth Centre |
| 1965 | West Coburg | Essendon High School Ex-Students | Essendon Baptist St Johns |
| 1964 | Doutta Stars | Ascot Vale Presbyterians | Pascoe Vale |
| 1963 | Doutta Stars | West Coburg Seniors | Glenroy |
| 1962 | Doutta Stars | Broadmeadows | Moonee Imperials |
| 1961 | Doutta Stars | North Essendon Methodists | Doutta Stars |
| 1960 | Moonee Imperials | Essendon High School Ex-Students | |
| 1959 | Doutta Stars | Aberfeldie | |
| 1958 | Essendon Baptist St John's | West Coburg Juniors | |
| 1957 | Doutta Stars | North Essendon Methodists | |
| 1956 | Brunswick City | Essendon Baptist St John's | |
| 1955 | Moonee Imperials | Lincoln Stars | |
| 1954 | Doutta Stars | Brunswick | |
| 1953 | Doutta Stars | Aberfeldie | |
| 1952 | Moonee Valley | St Davids | |
| 1951 | Doutta Stars | Glenroy | |
| 1950 | Doutta Stars | Lincoln Tigers | |
| 1949 | Doutta Stars | Glenroy | |
| 1948 | Doutta Stars | ||
| 1947 | Ascot Vale United | ||
| 1946 | Ascot Vale United | ||
| 1945 | No Competition - WW2 | ||
| 1944 | No Competition - WW2 | ||
| 1943 | No Competition - WW2 | ||
| 1942 | No Competition - WW2 | ||
| 1941 | La Mascotte | ||
| 1940 | Ascot Vale | ||
| 1939 | La Mascotte | ||
| 1938 | Ascot Vale | ||
| 1937 | Ascot Vale | ||
| 1936 | Ascot Vale | ||
| 1935 | Ascot Vale | ||
| 1934 | Woodland | ||
| 1933 | Ascot Vale | ||
| 1932 | Woodland | ||
| 1931 | Woodland | ||
| 1930 | St John's | ||
EDFL Women's
History
| Sport | Women's Australian rules football |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2016 |
| Inaugural season | 2018 |
| No. of teams | 19 |
| Most recent champion(s) | Aberfeldie (2019) |
| Most titles | Aberfeldie, Keilor, Pascoe Vale (1) |
In partnership with the Western Region Football League (WRFL), in 2016 the two leagues established the Western Region & Essendon District Women's Football League, an eleven-team open-age competition for women. Five EDFL clubs fielded teams in the competition – Craigieburn, Glenroy, Keilor, Pascoe Vale and Roxburgh Park – with Keilor prevailing against WRFL side Manor Lakes in the grand final.[3]
In 2018, the EDFL established its own Women's competition, consisting of 13 teams. Of those 13 teams, two came from outside of the League – the Ballarat Football League-side Sunbury Lions; and Sunbury Kangaroos, at the time competing in the Riddell District Football League. Glenroy, despite competing in the 2017 joint competition, did not field a side, while Avondale Heights and Taylors Lakes fielded a joint team under the Avondale Heights–Taylors Lakes moniker.
In 2019, the competition expanded to 19 teams and was split into two divisions – a 10-club Premier Division and a nine-club Division 1. Aberfeldie became the first team to field two sides, one in each division.
Clubs
| Club | Colours | Moniker | Home venue | Est. | Former league |
EDFL senior seasons | EDFL senior premierships | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First | Total | Total | Most recent | ||||||
| Premiers Division | |||||||||
| Aberfeldie | |
Abers | Clifton Park, Aberfeldie | 2018 | — | 2018 | 2 | 1 | 2019 |
| Burnside Heights | |
Bears | Burnside Heights Recreation Reserve, Burnside Heights | 2018 | — | 2018 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Craigieburn | |
Eagles | D.S. Aitken Reserve, Craigieburn | 2017 | WREDWFL | 2018 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Hillside | |
Sharks | Hillside Reserve, Hillside | 2018 | — | 2018 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Keilor | |
Blues | Keilor Recreation Reserve, Keilor | 2017 | WREDWFL | 2018 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Pascoe Vale | |
Panthers | Raeburn Reserve, Pascoe Vale | 2017 | WREDWFL | 2018 | 2 | 1 | 2018 |
| Strathmore | |
Mores | Lebanon Reserve, Strathmore | 2018 | — | 2018 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Sunbury Kangaroos | |
Kangaroos | Eric Boardman Reserve, Sunbury | 2018 | — | 2018 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Sunbury Lions |  |
Lions | Clarke Oval, Sunbury | 2017 | WREDWFL | 2018 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Westmeadows | |
Tigers | Willowbrook Reserve, Westmeadows | 2018 | — | 2018 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Division 1 | |||||||||
| Aberfeldie Reserves | |
Abers | Clifton Park, Aberfeldie | 2019 | — | 2019 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Avondale Heights1 | |
Heights | Canning Street Reserve, Avondale Heights | 2018 | — | 2018 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Coburg Districts | |
Lions | Cole Reserve, Pascoe Vale | 2019 | — | 2019 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Essendon Doutta Stars | |
Douttas | Nipper Jordan Oval, Essendon | 2019 | — | 2019 | 1 | 1 | 2019^ |
| Greenvale | |
Jets | Greenvale Reserve, Greenvale | 2019 | — | 2019 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Keilor Park | |
Devils | Keilor Park Recreational Reserve, Keilor Park | 2018 | — | 2018 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Maribyrnong Park | |
Lions | Maribyrnong Park, Moonee Ponds | 2019 | — | 2019 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Moonee Valley | |
Valley | Ormond Park, Moonee Ponds | 2019 | — | 2019 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Roxburgh Park | |
Magpies | Lakeside Reserve, Roxburgh Park | 2017 | WREDWFL | 2018 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Tullamarine | |
Demons | Leo Dineen Reserve, Tullamarine | 2019 | — | 2019 | 1 | 0 | — |
| ^ denotes that the club's most recent senior premiership was in Division 1. Notes: 1 Avondale Heights competed as Avondale Heights-Taylors Lakes in 2018. | |||||||||
Juniors matches
The juniors consist of: Under 9s, Under 11s, Under 13s, Under 15s and Under 17s. There are also youth girls teams in the junior divisions. There are eight junior divisions at this level and each team listed in the senior section has at least one junior team in divisions 1, 2 or 3 for each age group, however many clubs have more in divisions 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8.
AFL players
EDFL players who have gone on to play in the VFL/AFL
The following is an incomplete list of EDFL players who later played in the VFL or AFL:
- Luke Ryan
- Touk Miller
- Paddy Giblin
- Rory Atkins
- Jeremy Laidler
- Ahmed Saad
- Jake Melksham
- Jake Carlisle
- Tom Allison
- Zac Dawson
- Michael Talia
- Brandon Ellis
- Matthew Watson
- Michael Rischitelli
- Peter Faulks
- Ryan O'Keefe
- Shaun McKernan
- Addam Maric
- Aaron Kite
- Brent Hartigan
- Lynden Dunn
- Jim Gutterson
- Paul Koulouriotis
- Ivan Maric
- Steven Alessio
- Paul Chapman
- David Dench
- Ron Evans
- Mark Harvey
- Matthew Lloyd
- Wes Lofts
- Glenn Manton
- Corey McKernan
- Brock McLean
- Mark Mercuri
- Joe Misiti
- Daryl O'Brien
- Dean Limbach
- Jesse W. Smith
- Jesse D. Smith
- David Calthorpe
- David Rodan
- Dane Swan
- Jake Howells
- Mark Thompson
- Andrew Welsh
- Damien Peverill
- Adam Pickering
- Dale Morris
- Dick Reynolds
- Adam Contessa
- Reilly O'Brien
- Peter Wright
VFL/AFL players who have played in the EDFL
The following is an incomplete list of VFL and AFL players who later played in the EDFL:
- John Barnes[4]
- Jason Cloke[5]
- Cameron Cloke[5]
- Jon Hassall
- Stephen Paxman
- Anthony Aloi
- Sedat Sir
- Paul Barnard
- Mark Mercuri
- Tony Liberatore
- Dean Laidley
- Justin Madden
- Simon Minton-Connell[6]
- Damien Peverill
- Winis Imbi
- Aaron James
- Scott Lucas
- Chris Johnson
- Brodie Holland
- Digby Morrell
- Hayden Skipworth
- Jason Akermanis
- Lance Whitnall
- Barry Brooks
- Steven Baker
- Patrick Veszpremi
- Andrew Browne
- Patrick Rose
- Ryan Gale
- Cameron Wright
References
- "Statement of By-Laws" (PDF). Essendon District Football League Incorporated. pp. 6–7. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
- Murphy, Tara (14 March 2016). "EDFL plays its part as women's footy takes off". Brimbank & North West Star Weekly. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
- "Keilor WFC vs Manor Lakes WFC". Australian Football. 20 August 2017. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
- "Footy fury as team quits at half-time - Geoff McClure - Opinion". theage.com.au. 4 July 2006. Retrieved 29 June 2012.
- Chris Cavanagh; Tim Michell (8 October 2014). "Brothers Jason Cloke and Cameron Cloke headed to Essendon District Football League club Craigieburn for 2015". Hume Leader. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
- "Sporting Life". theage.com.au. 29 July 2002. Retrieved 29 June 2012.