Barossa Light & Gawler Football Association

Last updated

Barossa Light & Gawler Football Association
Barossa Light & Gawler Football Association logo.jpg
Sport Australian rules football
Founded1987
PresidentMick Brien
No. of teams9
CountryAustralia
Most recent
champion(s)
Nuriootpa
Most titlesTanunda
Nuriootpa
(8 premierships)
Sponsor(s)Grant Burge Wines
Related
competitions
SANFL
Official website blgfa.com.au

The Barossa Light & Gawler Football Association, more commonly referred to as the BL&GFA, is an Australian rules football competition based in the Barossa Valley, Gawler Region and Light Region of South Australia, Australia. [1] Just 42 kilometres north of the state capital of Adelaide, the BL&GFA is an affiliated member of the South Australian National Football League. In 2022, Nuriootpa secured the premiership cup for a record equalling eighth time. The current president of the League is Mick Brien and the major sponsor of the league is the Grant Burge Winery.

Contents

Current clubs

ColorsClubNicknameLocation
Angaston Football Club colours.jpg
Angaston Panthers Angaston
BULLDOGSDesign.svg
Barossa District Bulldogs Barossa Valley
Pooraka Football Club colours.jpg
FreelingRedlegs Freeling
Northgambier fc icon.png
Gawler CentralTigers Gawler
Kapunda Football Club colours.jpg
Kapunda Bombers Kapunda
RichmondDesign.svg
NuriootpaTigers Nuriootpa
AFL North Melbourne Icon.jpg
South Gawler Lions Gawler South
Clunes Football Club colours.jpg
Tanunda Magpies Tanunda
Melbourne Football Club colours.jpg
WillastonDonnybrooks Willaston

History

The Kapunda Football Club is one of the oldest football clubs in the world to enjoy an uninterrupted identity. It was first originated by copper miners in 1866, while nearby the Gawler Football Club soon formed in 1868. These two clubs sent delegates to a meeting of 13 clubs which formed the South Australia Football Association in 1877. Even though they didn't compete in the SAFA competition at first, they played invitational fixtures against visiting senior clubs from Adelaide.

The Barossa District 2017 Premiership Team Barossa District Football Club 2017 Premiership Team.jpg
The Barossa District 2017 Premiership Team

In 1880, Gawler separated into two distinct clubs, Athenian and Havelock, followed by the Albion Football Club in 1881. Seven years later, the clubs recombined to form another club bearing the name of Gawler Albion. This club was admitted with full senior status to the South Australian Football Association for the 1887 Season. In 1890, after four seasons in the SAFA, the Gawler Football Club left what is now the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) and folded – but a 'junior' club competition created in 1889 in the Gawler area to feed this main 'senior' club remained, to become the Gawler Football Association. In 1894, Kapunda formed an informal association with Angaston, Kapunda North, Greenock and Truro, most likely a precursor to the Barossa and Light Football Association which Kapunda later helped establish.

Gawler football

The Gawler Junior Football Association was formed in 1889 [2] by founding clubs Gawler Central, South Gawler and Willaston. Teams from Church Hill, Gawler South and Willaston had actually been playing each other in scratch matches around Gawler as early as 1885, 1886 and 1887 – long before the GJFA. Church Hill was most likely the genesis of Gawler Central. And at times Willaston and South would even combine to play the main Gawler side who participated in the city.

In 1890 the Gawler Junior Football Association changed its name to Gawler Football Association in which later early member clubs would include Roseworthy College, Salisbury and Hamley Bridge. Throughout the twentieth century a number of transient clubs from within the town - such as Shamrocks, Rivals, Imperials, North Gawler, Rovers and Gawler Colts, along with others outside of Gawler - including Greenock, Sandy Creek, Wasleys, Roseworthy, Rurals (a unification of Roseworthy and Wasleys), One Tree Hill, Kangaroo Flat and Angle Vale, would also spasmodically compete in the GFA first and second grades.

By 1957 the GFA reached its greatest extent, becoming the giant Gawler and Districts Football League, with clubs competing in three senior divisions - Elizabeth, Elizabeth North, Gawler Central, Hamley Bridge, Lyndoch, Roseworthy, Roseworthy College, Salisbury, Salisbury North, Smithfield, South Gawler, Two Wells, Virginia, Willaston and Williamstown. Although over the next few decades, several of the more rural clubs departed for the neighbouring Adelaide Plains Football League, and following the inception of the Central District Bulldogs into the SANFL, the formation of the (now defunct) Central District Football Association saw the metropolitan clubs also eventually leave the GDFL. [3]

Barossa & Light football

The Barossa & Light Football Association was inaugurated in 1908 with founding clubs comprising Angaston, Freeling, Kapunda, Nuriootpa and Tanunda, followed by Eudunda in 1910. Clubs such as Hamley Bridge, Greenock, Truro and Eden Valley would also later field sides intermittently at various times over the years in the first and second competitions. During the 1950s Eudunda returned, and by the 1980s the BLFA at its greatest extent also had annexed Robertstown and Riverton-Saddleworth Marrabel United (RSMU).

Merger

In 1987 the Barossa And Light Football Association merged with the Gawler & District Football League, to form a new "super-league", the Barossa Light And Gawler Football Association - the formation clubs being Angaston, Eudunda, Freeling, Gawler Central, Kapunda, Nuriootpa, RSMU, South Gawler, Tanunda and Willaston. After participating in the Hills Football League as an interim since the demise of the GDFL, Barossa District (a merger of the original Lyndoch and Williamstown clubs of the GDFL in 1980) finally entered the BLGFA in 1991, while in 1992 Eudunda, and later RSMU in 1998, left to the North Eastern Football League.

The current BLGFA comprises nine clubs from the Gawler Town, Light Plains and Barossa Valley region considered to be the heartland of the Central District Bulldogs.

Premierships

Year by year

  • 1987 – Tanunda
  • 1988 – Willaston
  • 1989 – Tanunda
  • 1990 – South Gawler
  • 1991 – Gawler Central
  • 1992 – South Gawler
  • 1993 – South Gawler
  • 1994 – Freeling
  • 1995 – Nuriootpa
  • 1996 – Nuriootpa
  • 1997 – Nuriootpa
  • 1998 – Nuriootpa
  • 1999 – Willaston
  • 2000 – Nuriootpa
  • 2001 – Gawler Central
  • 2002 – Tanunda
  • 2003 – Angaston
  • 2004 – Kapunda
  • 2005 – Kapunda
  • 2006 – Barossa District
  • 2007 – Barossa District
  • 2008 – Tanunda
  • 2009 – Tanunda
  • 2010 – Tanunda
  • 2011 – Tanunda
  • 2012 – Barossa District
  • 2013 – Barossa District
  • 2014 – Gawler Central
  • 2015 – Nuriootpa
  • 2016 – Barossa District
  • 2017 – Barossa District
  • 2018 – Nuriootpa
  • 2019 – Tanunda
  • 2020 – Gawler Central
  • 2021 – South Gawler
  • 2022 – Nuriootpa
  • 2023 – South Gawler

Premierships by club

ClubPremiers
Tanunda
8
Nuriootpa
8
Barossa District
6
South Gawler
5
Gawler Central
4
Kapunda
2
Willaston
2
Angaston
1
Freeling
1

Notable players

The Barossa, Light and Gawler Football Association has produced a number of AFL players since its inception. Some of these players include Shannon Hurn (West Coast Eagles) of Angaston Football Club, Sam Butler (West Coast Eagles) of South Gawler Football Club, Justin Westhoff (Port Adelaide Power) of the Tanunda Football Club, Jonathan Giles (West Coast Eagles) of Kapunda.

Umpires

The Barossa, Light and Gawler Umpires Association (official website), commonly abbreviated to the BL&GUA, formed in 1987 when the Barossa & Light and Gawler Football Associations amalgamated, and now provides umpires for all matches within the Barossa, Light and Gawler Football Association. The Barossa, Light and Gawler Umpires Panel is based at Goodger Reserve, Willaston. The Barossa, Light and Gawler Umpires were one of the last groups of umpires in South Australia to wear the traditional white shirts until changing in 2022. The current Senior Coach of the Panel is Mark Miels, the Junior Coach is Ryan Prentice and the current President is Jim Goode. [4]

Media

Publishing and print

The BL&G Football Association is covered each week by various local newspapers - The Herald, which circulates in all of the towns represented in the league; The Bunyip, from Gawler; and The Leader, from Angaston. An annual Football Book is produced by The Leader and is available free from various outlets in the region. It features the season's draw, officials, rules, constitutions and a history of the league's premiers and medal winners from all grades. The Barracker is the official match-day magazine and is sold at the entrance of all games.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barossa Valley</span> Region in South Australia

The Barossa Valley is a valley in South Australia located 60 kilometres (37 mi) northeast of Adelaide city centre. The valley is formed by the North Para River. It is notable as a major wine-producing region and tourist destination.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Light Regional Council</span> Local government area in South Australia

Light Regional Council is a local government area north of Adelaide in South Australia. It is based in the town of Kapunda, and includes the towns of Freeling, Greenock, Hansborough, Hewett, Roseworthy and Wasleys.

The Division of Angas was an Australian Electoral Division in South Australia. The division was created in 1903 and abolished in 1934. It was named for George Fife Angas, a South Australian pioneer, and was based in various rural areas to the east, south-east, north-east and north-west of Adelaide at different times including Angaston, Cadell, Eudunda, Gawler, Kapunda, Nuriootpa, Mallala, Murray Bridge, Tanunda and Walker Flat and from 1922 stretched further eastward as far as the South Australian border. It was a generally marginal seat which was won at various times by the Australian Labor Party and the Nationalist Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Freeling, South Australia</span> Town in South Australia

Freeling is a small town in South Australia, about 60 km north of Adelaide. It neighbours the Barossa Valley wine region. At the 2021 census, Freeling had a population of 2,688.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kapunda Football Club</span>

Kapunda Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club, based in Kapunda, South Australia, that competes in the Barossa Light & Gawler Football Association.

The Barossa Valley railway line is a railway line with several branches, running from Gawler into and through the Barossa Valley. The original terminus was at Angaston. A branch was built from Nuriootpa via Stockwell to Truro, and a further branch from that to Penrice. The Angaston and Truro branches are closed and removed; the line to Penrice remains but has not been used since 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barossa zone (wine)</span> Wine zone in South Australia

Barossa zone is a wine zone located in central South Australia west of the Murray River and which occupies the Barossa Valley, the Eden Valley and some adjoining land. The zone which is enclosed by the Mount Lofty Ranges zone on three sides and by the Lower Murray zone to its east, contains two wine regions which have received appellation as Australian Geographical Indications (AGI). These are the Barossa Valley and Eden Valley regions. The Barossa zone also includes a broader area around these two defined regions. The zone received AGI in 1996.

The Barossa Trail is a 40 kilometres (25 mi) cycling and walking path through the Barossa Valley in South Australia. Until 2019 the 27km between Gawler and Tanunda was named the Jack Bobridge Track.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gawler Football Club</span> Australian football club

The Gawler Football Club was an Australian rules football club that was founded on 21 August 1868 based at Gawler in the Township of Gawler about 39 km to the north-north east of Adelaide, South Australia.

The District Council of Light was a local government area in South Australia from 1977 to 1996, seated at Freeling.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">County of Light</span> Cadastral in South Australia

The County of Light is one of the 49 cadastral counties of South Australia. It was proclaimed by Governor George Grey in 1842 and named for the River Light, the river being named after Colonel William Light, the first Surveyor-General of South Australia. It covers the modern region of the Barossa Valley and a portion of the northern Mt Lofty Ranges. It is bounded by the upper Wakefield River in the north, the approximate path of Horrocks Highway in the west, and the North Para River in the south, and is bisected east to west by the River Light.

The Leader is a weekly newspaper that was first published in Angaston, South Australia on 24 July 1918, and continues being published to the present day in the Barossa Valley. It was the first English-language newspaper covering any part of the Barossa Valley, apart from the Kapunda Herald.

The 1933 Barossa state by-election was a by-election held on 8 July 1933 for the South Australian House of Assembly seat of Barossa. The by-election was caused by the death on 4 June 1933 of independent MP Dr Herbert Basedow, who had regained the seat at the 1933 election less than two months prior. He had previously held the seat from 1927 to 1930.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hundred of Nuriootpa</span> Cadastral in South Australia

The Hundred of Nuriootpa is a cadastral unit of hundred in the County of Light, South Australia split between in the eastern Adelaide Plains and western Barossa Valley. Named in 1847 for an indigenous term officially thought to mean "bartering place" and traditionally used as neutral ground for trading between various indigenous tribes, it is bounded on the south and east by the North Para River.

A by-election was held on 22 November 1924 for one of the seats of the three-member electoral district of Barossa, South Australia. The cause for the by-election was the death of William Hague on 9 October 1924. Despite a field of seven candidates from three parties for three seats at the general election in March, only two candidates stood for the by-election in November. The result was that Henry Crosby for the Liberal Federation with 3732 votes defeated Michael Joseph Murphy for the Labor Party with 3063 votes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Angaston Football Club</span>

The Angaston Football Club, nicknamed the Panthers, is an Australian rules football club located in Angaston, a town on the eastern side of the Barossa Valley in South Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barossa District Football Club</span>

The Barossa District Football & Netball Club is an Australian sports club based in the Barossa Valley region of South Australia. The club is nicknamed the Bulldogs and represents the towns of Lyndoch and Williamstown. Sports practised at Barossa are Australian rules football and netball, with teams competing in the Barossa Light & Gawler Football Association. Under 15’s wheat back to back 2020 and 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tanunda Football Club</span>

The Tanunda Football Club, nicknamed the Magpies, is an Australian rules football club based in the Barossa Valley town of Tanunda, South Australia, and competes in the Barossa Light & Gawler Football Association.

References

  1. Full Points Footy, Barossa Light & Gawler Football Association, archived from the original on 24 July 2008, retrieved 15 April 2009
  2. "Football". Bunyip. 26 April 1889.
  3. See the Central District Football Club 30 Year Almanac by Robert Laidlaw
  4. "Committee - Barossa Light Gawler Umpires Association". SportsTG. Retrieved 11 January 2021.

Books