Derrinallum & Mortlake

Mobbs · Dec 22, 2000

Got a question :

I noticed that when the Western Plains League ended after the 1998 season (merging with Lexton FL to become the Lexton Plains FL), Derrinallum disappeared.

They had a team in the WPFL in 1998.

Of recent times, Mortlake's club changed to the 'Western Lions'.

I found a site on the Hampden Football League (http://www.geeweb.com.au/hfnl/) that includes a profile page, and their details for Western Lions includes an address for their 'Derrinallum Ground'.

It's starting to seem a little as though Mortlake and Derrinallum merged. Can anybody confirm this?

Woofer · Dec 24, 2000

Pretty sure they did but it didn't happen quick enough for them to play in 1999. I think they went into recess but hopefully they will resurface in 2000. Not sure what league, the Hampden or the merged Lexton/ Western Plains. Merged name was Western Lions.

Mobbs · Dec 29, 2000

Thanks for getting back to me Grant, I would have thanked you earlier but my PC's power supply died and it was a prick of a time to get it fixed.

What you've said seems very possible. Thanks again.

Mobbs · Jan 6, 2001

Another slant on the Derrinallum question. According to a map on their site, the VCFL seem to reckon that Derrinallum shared a club with Lismore in 1999.

The plot thickens.

Pickitt · Jul 27, 2022

Mobbs said:
Another slant on the Derrinallum question. According to a map on their site, the VCFL seem to reckon that Derrinallum shared a club with Lismore in 1999.

The plot thickens.

20 year bump, I've been trying to figure out the same thing, I believe Western lions and Derrinelum Lismore is separate to "Great Western" which the western lions became after the lack of success in the Hampden league.

What I'm trying to find is old record of the scores, it took one game for the club to pack up shop in the 2000 season, how bad was the belting?

MortlockWatcher · Jul 29, 2022

Pickitt said:
20 year bump, I've been trying to figure out the same thing, I believe Western lions and Derrinelum Lismore is separate to "Great Western" which the western lions became after the lack of success in the Hampden league.

What I'm trying to find is old record of the scores, it took one game for the club to pack up shop in the 2000 season, how bad was the belting?

1/4/2000
Hampden FL: Koroit 40.25 d Western Lions 2.1

Western Lions = Mortlake and Derrinallum

Football-wise, Mortlake was split into two soon after. In 2002, Terang-Mortlake played in the HFL and Woorndoo-Mortlake played in the Mininera DFL.

Great Western plays in the Mininera DFL - home of the champagne with the same name.

Pickitt · Jul 29, 2022

MortlockWatcher said:
1/4/2000
Hampden FL: Koroit 40.25 d Western Lions 2.1

Western Lions = Mortlake and Derrinallum

Football-wise, Mortlake was split into two soon after. In 2002, Terang-Mortlake played in the HFL and Woorndoo-Mortlake played in the Mininera DFL.

Great Western plays in the Mininera DFL - home of the champagne with the same name.

Do mortlake as a result have 3 teams?
I was under the belief the mortlake cats existed in the WDFL.

Where'd you find that info btw, very useful.

MortlockWatcher · Jul 29, 2022

Pickitt said:
Do mortlake as a result have 3 teams?
I was under the belief the mortlake cats existed in the WDFL.

Where'd you find that info btw, very useful.

Footy in Country Victoria

Allansford are the Cats in the WDFL.

Pickitt · Jul 29, 2022

MortlockWatcher said:
Footy in Country Victoria

Allansford are the Cats in the WDFL.

Ah ok cheers

Phipppppa · Aug 12, 2022

Have a few questions (would love if anyone could answer them)

1. Where did they play? Was it Mortlake or Derrinallum?

2. Did they win any senior games? (I know they folded after one big loss, assuming there were a few more big losses over the time)

brutus76 · Apr 2, 2023

Lismore merged with Derrinallum to play in the Mininera league as Lismore/Derrinallum as they didn't want to join the Lexton league or the Ararat and District league. They play half their home games at each club

Todman · Apr 6, 2023

The D.C Farren Oval at the Mortlake Recreation Reserve. was where they played. This oval has the reputation as the best playing surface in the Hampden League. The oval has hosted more than its fair share of finals there.

The Deakin University Sharks (Warrnambool DFNL) relocated there for a few years before going into recess.

Western Lions	Played	won	loss	drew	Highest Score	Lowest Score	G Winning Margin	G Losing Margin
Camperdown	2	0	2		6.9.45 (1999)	5.12.42 (1999)	-	87 pts 1999
Cobden	2	0	2		13.3.81 (1999)	11.8.74 (1999)	-	27 pts 1999
Colac	2	0	2		12.12.84 (1999)	13.5.83 (1999)	-	85 pts 1999
Koroit	2	0	2		7.12.54 (1999)	5.12.42 (1999)	-	98 pts 1999
North Warrnambool	2	1	1	0	20.9.129 (1999)	12.9.81 (1999)	53 pts 1999	8 pts 1999
Port Fairy	2	1	1		13.8.86 (1999)	12.8.80 (1999)	30 pts 1999	31 pts 1999
South Warrambool	2	0	2		12.13.85 (1999)	9.12.66 (1999)	-	80 pts 1999
Terang	2	0	2		13.11.89 (1999)	2.5.17 (1999)	-	110 pts 1999
Warrnambool	2	0	2		7.9.51 (1999)	6.5.41 (1999)	-	115 pts 1999

Their one game in 2000 was scrubbed, Koroit was given a bye. Koroit tried unsuccessfully to have the game reinstated because they wanted the % boost.

western royboy · Apr 16, 2023

Phipppppa said:
Have a few questions (would love if anyone could answer them)

1. Where did they play? Was it Mortlake or Derrinallum?

2. Did they win any senior games? (I know they folded after one big loss, assuming there were a few more big losses over the time)

Home Games were split between Mortlake and Derrinallum. It is approximately 50km between both towns, they have zero in common. It was ridiculous.

Kenny Hinkley was the last coach of Mortlake in 1998. Part way thru the season the club decided to merge with Derrinallum (who were in recess) at the end of the season and form the Western Lions. Jamie Lamb and Hinkley swapped jobs. Hinkley returned home to Camperdown taking 3-4 players with him and they won the flag. The Western Lions won 2 games in 1999.

At the end of the season Lamb resigned and the club appointed former Terang mentor Ray Anderson to guide the club but it only played one game in 2000 where it was destroyed by Koroit by about 50 goals ant the club folded immediately. Players went to four Clubs, Woorndoo in the Mininera League, Panmure (who played games at Mortlake due to their ground being out of action) in the Warrnambool & District League and Deakin Sharks who tried to establish Mortlake as their junior base. Terang eventually added Mortlake to its name and attempted to provide a bridge to the rusted on supporters who wanted to maintain involvement in the Hampden League. This was the MAIN reason that the club merged with Derrinallum which was in recess, the power brokers wanted to remain in a major league because they had always played in the Hampden League. It was an idiotic decision at the time, lacking in logic. Mortlake could have and should have survived as a stand alone entity in most probably the Warrnambool & District League. That it didn’t is a massive shame. At one stage kids at the local school were playing for 3-4 different clubs.

With country footy in this region under the pump a Mortlake based team in the WDFNL would have been really helpful in the inevitable rationalisation mergers that is coming.

Derrinallum merged with Lismore which are approximately 10km away and have been a very solid and successful club in the Mininera League for 20 years.

Gibbsy · Nov 28, 2023

I've actually been doing a fair bit of research myself on this strange situation and found this 2003 Age article most helpful. As a contributor to www.australianfootball.com I've created bios for these clubs. Appreciate that extra info western royboy. Let me know if there are any errors. Cheers.

western royboy · Nov 28, 2023

Gibbsy said:
I've actually been doing a fair bit of research myself on this strange situation and found this 2003 Age article most helpful. As a contributor to www.australianfootball.com I've created bios for these clubs. Appreciate that extra info western royboy. Let me know if there are any errors. Cheers.

Western Lions

Mortlake

Derrinallum

All good - the Age article is ok but ignored sone of the other factors. North Warrnambool were admitted to the HFNL in ‘97 with the former Northern Districts club from the WDFL moving up (Northern Districts was a merger of Grassmere & Bushfield clubs) Jimmy Bell was President of the HFNL when North got let in but in effect that had a pretty significant impact on Mortlake’s eventual demise. With only two major league clubs in Warrnambool (Warrnambool & South) there was more than the odd punter that would bypass those two clubs and catch the “Cat Bus” up the Hopkins Highway to the DC Farran. But with the Eagles entering the comp, they only needed to go 5km to Bushfield instead of 50km to Mortlake. Some of the trips on the Cat bus were legendary and featured a now semi famous comedian who uses to sit in the back and smoke cones and was nowhere near the funniest bloke on the

.

North Warrnambool and Mortlake should have just swapped leagues

TheGoatBaron · Mar 12, 2024

Mobbs said:
Got a question :

I noticed that when the Western Plains League ended after the 1998 season (merging with Lexton FL to become the Lexton Plains FL), Derrinallum disappeared.

They had a team in the WPFL in 1998.

Of recent times, Mortlake's club changed to the 'Western Lions'.

I found a site on the Hampden Football League (http://www.geeweb.com.au/hfnl/) that includes a profile page, and their details for Western Lions includes an address for their 'Derrinallum Ground'.

It's starting to seem a little as though Mortlake and Derrinallum merged. Can anybody confirm this?

It was a merger for a couple of years to become the Western Lions but now Mortlake is with Terang

TheGoatBaron · Mar 12, 2024

Todman said:
The D.C Farren Oval at the Mortlake Recreation Reserve. was where they played. This oval has the reputation as the best playing surface in the Hampden League. The oval has hosted more than its fair share of finals there.

The Deakin University Sharks (Warrnambool DFNL) relocated there for a few years before going into recess.

Western Lions Played won loss drew Highest Score Lowest Score G Winning Margin G Losing Margin
Camperdown
2
0
2
6.9.45 (1999) 5.12.42 (1999) - 87 pts 1999
Cobden
2
0
2
13.3.81 (1999) 11.8.74 (1999) - 27 pts 1999
Colac
2
0
2
12.12.84 (1999) 13.5.83 (1999) - 85 pts 1999
Koroit
2
0
2
7.12.54 (1999) 5.12.42 (1999) - 98 pts 1999
North Warrnambool
2
1
1
0
20.9.129 (1999) 12.9.81 (1999) 53 pts 1999 8 pts 1999
Port Fairy
2
1
1
13.8.86 (1999) 12.8.80 (1999) 30 pts 1999 31 pts 1999
South Warrambool
2
0
2
12.13.85 (1999) 9.12.66 (1999) - 80 pts 1999
Terang
2
0
2
13.11.89 (1999) 2.5.17 (1999) - 110 pts 1999
Warrnambool
2
0
2
7.9.51 (1999) 6.5.41 (1999) - 115 pts 1999

Their one game in 2000 was scrubbed, Koroit was given a bye. Koroit tried unsuccessfully to have the game reinstated because they wanted the % boost.

Still is the best ground in the area in my opinion. The rec reserve do a great job looking after it. Mortlake had an issue with corellas a couple of months ago but the ground staff did an amazing job to get it back up and running so Cricket can play there again. I live across the road from it

brutus76 · Mar 13, 2024

Are CLARKE'S PIES of Mortlake still the best?

TheGoatBaron · Mar 13, 2024

brutus76 said:
Are CLARKE'S PIES of Mortlake still the best?

Yes but on par with the bakery in Terang though

western royboy · Mar 28, 2024

TheGoatBaron said:
Yes but on par with the bakery in Terang though

Mortlake lost its footy team (stand alone) and for a time we almost lost Clarkes

, living in the town and suggesting that a neighbouring town has a

on par with a Clarkes

in the past could have seen you run out of town

TheGoatBaron · Mar 28, 2024

western royboy said:
Mortlake lost its footy team (stand alone) and for a time we almost lost Clarkes , living in the town and suggesting that a neighbouring town has a on par with a Clarkes in the past could have seen you run out of town

Yeah well, I’ve been in this town for 36 years, good luck

The Cricket club would miss me too much if they did this. My goat is the co-president

Todman · Jul 23, 2024

TheGoatBaron said:
Yeah well, I’ve been in this town for 36 years, good luck

The Cricket club would miss me too much if they did this. My goat is the co-president

You're still an outsider.

Munners · Nov 23, 2024

Thanks for the info in this thread! The most interesting merger in the Western District

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