WRFL Div 1 Discussion 2026

[BlueJet]

You could be right about this, but would they want to go to the EDFL ?

Unfortunately Footscray is no longer the centre of the western suburbs - it's now Werribee.

You would think that in 10 years time, the pillars of the area will be Werribee, Hoppers, Point Cook and probably Wyndhamvale as div 1 teams.

Division 1
Altona
Caroline Springs
Hoppers Crossing
North / West Footscray
Point Cook
Spotswood
Sunshine / Albion
Yarraville
Werribee
Wyndhamvale

Not sure about Newports long term future and Point Cook Centrals are uncompetitive right now.

WRFL need to be bold and perhaps try to attract one of the teams from Bacchus Marsh and Melton rather than continually losing teams to the EDFL and looking for growth through new clubs in brand new suburbs with no culture or history.
Both Melton and Bacchus Marsh are considered western suburbs and in 20 years time the urban sprawl will have joined all of these suburbs up.

"The EDFL keeps nicking our stuff (clubs), we struggle growing the game in our footprint despite being one of, if not the fastest growing areas in the country. **** it, let's raid Ballarat - for some reason".
It's a slightly different spin on suggestions put forward by Bendigo & RDFL to their issues in keeping member clubs happy but it's essentially the same rationale/band-aid solution, which largely overlooks the issues that have lead to clubs departing to begin with..

 

[Turbos mail]

You are probably right about the clubs wanting to remain identifiable as country teams.

Haven't watched a Ballarat League game for years and Darley were obviously very good this year, but they would want to be to beat Werribee Districts by 8 goals. The WRFL Division 1 finals were some high quality football - tough, skillful and quick. Werribee Districts regularly play GFL sides in practice games (I know - practice games) and they beat Lara by 25 goals (i know, Lara), Grovedale by 10 goals and were neck and neck with St Josephs last time they played them.

The top GFL sides are regarded by many as the best standard of footy in Victoria outside the VFL.

Top 4 WRFL Division 1 sides would go fine against most teams in the Ballarat League, noting that Darley were obviously a class above this year.

Werribee Districts appear to have a good list and are a good club but Ballarat would smash div1 top 4 clubs mate. Only WD would be competitive. A side like Caroline Springs would get smashed by Ballarat sides..

 

[pushtothecone]

Werribee Districts appear to have a good list and are a good club but Ballarat would smash div1 top 4 clubs mate. Only WD would be competitive. A side like Caroline Springs would get smashed by Ballarat sides..

Turbs out of interest how many WRFL div 1 games have you watched the last 2-3 years? Given the GF went into overtime and the top 4 was very close, not sure how you say other sides would get smashed.

 

[churner]

You could be right about this, but would they want to go to the EDFL ?

Unfortunately Footscray is no longer the centre of the western suburbs - it's now Werribee.

This is the bit that I don't get. On top of EDFL hardly covering themselves in glory from a governance perspective of late, leaving would simply be going from the fringe of one league to the fringe of another. At the moment, shorter trips on average in EDFL Prem by ~4.5km (which they wouldn't go straight into) and D1 marginally (but with a longer maximum trip in Rupertswood), but hardly a gamechanger. Would probably lose their strip too which I wouldn't have thought the club stalwarts would be keen on.

 

[Turbos mail]

This is the bit that I don't get. On top of EDFL hardly covering themselves in glory from a governance perspective of late, leaving would simply be going from the fringe of one league to the fringe of another. At the moment, shorter trips on average in EDFL Prem by ~4.5km (which they wouldn't go straight into) and D1 marginally (but with a longer maximum trip in Rupertswood), but hardly a gamechanger. Would probably lose their strip too which I wouldn't have thought the club stalwarts would be keen on.

The EDFL somehow allowed Sunbury Kangaroos to keep blue & white like 2 other clubs so they might just be silly enough to allow the same coloured jumpers as 2 other clubs. Who knows..

 

[Generation West]

"The EDFL keeps nicking our stuff (clubs), we struggle growing the game in our footprint despite being one of, if not the fastest growing areas in the country. **** it, let's raid Ballarat - for some reason".
It's a slightly different spin on suggestions put forward by Bendigo & RDFL to their issues in keeping member clubs happy but it's essentially the same rationale/band-aid solution, which largely overlooks the issues that have lead to clubs departing to begin with..

Not about raiding the Ballarat League mate.

Bacchus Marsh and Melton are identifiable western suburbs of Melbourne, not Ballarat.

The WRFL needs to be bold and they need to centralise the league in the western suburbs of Melbourne. I'm not saying this is the answer, but the growth corridor is slowly filling in and the league should try to capitalize on this.

I'm suggesting a 12 team division 1 league that includes teams from all geographical centres of the western suburbs, with division 2 teams made up of other clubs in similar areas that aren't as competitive.

Hoppers - Div 1
Tarneit - Div 2

Point Cook - Div 1
Point Cook Central - Div 2

Werribee - Div 1
Wyndham Suns - Div 2

Etc

Ballarat region has the Ballarat League and the Central Highlands League and also the Wimmera League - they have plenty of options to consolidate.

Just a though bubble anyway.

It's a difficult scenario. For example, the top 6 sides in the GFL are gun sides, the top 3 in the GDFL and BFL would be competitive in the GFL, but they want to maintain their independence because of financial reasons.

 

[Generation West]

Werribee Districts appear to have a good list and are a good club but Ballarat would smash div1 top 4 clubs mate. Only WD would be competitive. A side like Caroline Springs would get smashed by Ballarat sides..

I haven't watched a Ballarat League game in years. You may be right, but the top sides in the WRFL Div 1 play a high level of footy and I'd be staggered if they weren't competitive against the best sides in the BFL.

I know a couple of young guys who played for Bacchus Marsh this year and previously played u18 Div 1 in the WRFL in 2022. Good players. Bacchus are an okay team in 2025. These lads performed well and were regularly in the best (I just check the results and did not see a game). Neither of these young guys would of been getting regular games at Werribee Districts in 2025.

The reality is that the top 2 or 3 teams from every league would be competitive against each other, with the exception of the Geelong Football League, Ovens and Murray, VAFA D1 and Northern League. Top 2 or 3 teams in these leagues are well ahead.

 

[phantom13]

I haven't watched a Ballarat League game in years. You may be right, but the top sides in the WRFL Div 1 play a high level of footy and I'd be staggered if they weren't competitive against the best sides in the BFL.

I know a couple of young guys who played for Bacchus Marsh this year and previously played u18 Div 1 in the WRFL in 2022. Good players. Bacchus are an okay team in 2025. These lads performed well and were regularly in the best (I just check the results and did not see a game). Neither of these young guys would of been getting regular games at Werribee Districts in 2025.

The reality is that the top 2 or 3 teams from every league would be competitive against each other, with the exception of the Geelong Football League, Ovens and Murray, VAFA D1 and Northern League. Top 2 or 3 teams in these leagues are well ahead.

VAFA premier cause of their stupid naming convention but agreed.

I’d add EFNL into that list too.

An Instagram account did a poll of the best local club.

Heidelberg won it but weribee districts were included in the original poll, meaning they were picked as being worth inclusion for the intial bracket of 16.

 

[Dogs till i die]

Werribee Districts appear to have a good list and are a good club but Ballarat would smash div1 top 4 clubs mate. Only WD would be competitive. A side like Caroline Springs would get smashed by Ballarat sides..

Caroline Springs very good side in 2025, beat WD during H&A and led WD deep into each of their 2 finals this year. Not much in it in my view.

 

[Localsport]

No Keilor? Perhaps only the top 16 clubs that sign up to premier data !!

 

[Wild Thing]

No Keilor? Perhaps only the top 16 clubs that sign up to premier data !!

Had to be premiers for the year. Hence Keilor missed out and Strathmore were put in from Essendon league. Of course if it wasn’t just premiers alone it would be loaded with only a few leagues, but by looking at this it was only 1 club per league allowed.

 

[Dons81]

"The EDFL keeps nicking our stuff (clubs), we struggle growing the game in our footprint despite being one of, if not the fastest growing areas in the country. **** it, let's raid Ballarat - for some reason".
It's a slightly different spin on suggestions put forward by Bendigo & RDFL to their issues in keeping member clubs happy but it's essentially the same rationale/band-aid solution, which largely overlooks the issues that have lead to clubs departing to begin with..

I know you’re commenting on what others have said but from what I’m told multiple clubs are approaching the RDFL to come across so it does go in cycles.

 

[AFDogs]

CS post a video announcing Fullarton as their big signing but tease Johannison and Cox (two better players).

Strange marketing.

 

[Localsport]

CS post a video announcing Fullarton as their big signing but tease Johannison and Cox (two better players).

Strange marketing.

That is taking a half empty approach…
Quite good marketing considering Cox is at Freo and JJ has links with Coach Lake, so one would’ve thought it would’ve been JJ but he has taken a role at Hawks hasn’t he??

 

[ZingerAbed]

Fullerton announced at Willy today as well…

I don’t think CS will see much of him…

 

[ROOS77]

Go back to having a senior club for the juniors to progress through to.

Ascot Vale is a merger of 2 former WRFL/FDL clubs Ascot Vale and North Essendon (EHSOB) that were division 2 senior clubs. Ascot Vale has only been a junior club for 20 odd years, with an over 35's team so a merger with Parkside works for them as they get a senior team and for Parkside as they get a growing junior team

Missing my point.

Ascot Vale could start their own senior club in the near future with that many juniors , they dont need Parkside like Parkside need them.

 

[Hank Heavenly]

Ascot Vale Juniors dont appear to compete with the top clubs in the EDFL, happy to be corrected, but I wonder for them to prosper, would they be better served to come to the WFNL. Would compete with Yarraville, Willy Jnrs, Newport, Point Cook and Werribee Districts in D1 of most grades.

 

[Dogs till i die]

That is taking a half empty approach…
Quite good marketing considering Cox is at Freo and JJ has links with Coach Lake, so one would’ve thought it would’ve been JJ but he has taken a role at Hawks hasn’t he??

JJ has a development role with the Hawks which would probably allow him to play most weeks if he wanted. Would rip open the WFNL, his 2nd half of 2025 at the Dogs was pretty good, got a bit of his old dash back. Would be huge for CS, might get them over WD if he stayed fit and was available to play.

 

[Hank Heavenly]

JJ has a development role with the Hawks which would probably allow him to play most weeks if he wanted. Would rip open the WFNL, his 2nd half of 2025 at the Dogs was pretty good, got a bit of his old dash back. Would be huge for CS, might get them over WD if he stayed fit and was available to play.

most AFL development roles end up also having a role in the VFL system... so might not be as much free time on saturday's as you thing

 

[lachy]

Missing my point.

Ascot Vale could start their own senior club in the near future with that many juniors , they dont need Parkside like Parkside need them.

Disagree entirely. Having juniors does not translate into having seniors, Manor Lakes for example.

How on earth is a junior club going to have the players, infrastructure or Money to have 2 competitive senior teams (Seniors and Reserves each week). After their merger with North Essendon Ascot Vales seniors went into recession as they did not have the resources. Funding senior teams is much more expensive than junior teams both on the field and the off field support.

Parkside provide a competitive senior group of players (if the teams are not competitive the juniors will not stick around), they have good funding sources with robust off field support network.

IF Ascot Vale ever do want to have senior teams for their juniors to progress through to they absolutely need Parkside as much as Parkside need them for junior football. They are in the same catchment area, one on one side side of the river and the other on the other side

 

[Graeme Cook]

Hoppers 20 years ago would have had at least three sides in every age grade. At the time possibly the largest junior program in Australia.

I know it was 20 years ago but I would not have picked this much drop off with them when it comes to junior sides.

20 years ago there were no Indians in Hoppers now there everywhere there kids don't play footy.
But they take over cricket clubs Hoppers sub districts has only 1 Australian in the 1st and 2 in the 2nds sign of the times.

 

[SeaSide]

"The EDFL keeps nicking our stuff (clubs), we struggle growing the game in our footprint despite being one of, if not the fastest growing areas in the country. **** it, let's raid Ballarat - for some reason".
It's a slightly different spin on suggestions put forward by Bendigo & RDFL to their issues in keeping member clubs happy but it's essentially the same rationale/band-aid solution, which largely overlooks the issues that have lead to clubs departing to begin with..

Lets get a local primary school AFL competition going.

 

[SeaSide]

20 years ago there were no Indians in Hoppers now there everywhere there kids don't play footy.
But they take over cricket clubs Hoppers sub districts has only 1 Australian in the 1st and 2 in the 2nds sign of the times.

All the more reason to try and establish a primary school local afl competition.
Perhaps Werribee VFL could help???

 

[Dogs till i die]

20 years ago there were no Indians in Hoppers now there everywhere there kids don't play footy.
But they take over cricket clubs Hoppers sub districts has only 1 Australian in the 1st and 2 in the 2nds sign of the times.

Tarneit and Truganina have recently become the first two suburbs in Australia to be declared majority Indian born.

 

[BlueJet]

There would have been a time Italians, Greeks, Croats, Lebanese etc didn't gravitate toward the game either, for some reason though it seems Indian people are placed in the too hard basket.