Hills Football League

Hills Football League

General Information
Founded	1967 in the Adelaide Hills
Current clubs	Birdwood Blackwood Bridgewater-Callington Echunga Gumeracha Hahndorf Kangarilla Kersbrook Macclesfield Meadows Milang Mount Barker Mount Lofty Nairne Bremer United Onkaparinga Valley Torrens Valley Uraidla Districts

The Hills Football League (HFL) is an Australian rules football league, situated in the Adelaide Hills region of South Australia, to the south east of the state capital Adelaide.

The League has over 3000 players belonging to 20 member Clubs. ^[1] The League's Clubs are divided into two playing Divisions:

• Division 1 (Formerly Central Division – mostly the larger towns in the Hills region);
• Division 2 (Formerly Country Division – the remaining clubs in the region).

Both divisions have their own programs for the season. There is a promotion and relegation system that received criticism in 2014 following the ultimately unsuccessful decision to relegate Echunga in the same season that they won the Central Division premiership. ^[2] It is the second biggest league in South Australia after the South Australian Amateur Football League.

In 2009 the Uraidla Districts Football Club became the first team in HFL history to secure all senior premierships (A, B & C) in a single season a feat that was followed by Hahndorf in 2016.

History

The Hills FL was formed in 1967 as a result of the merger of the original Hills Central FL and the Torrens Valley FL. For a number of years, the competition consisted of three divisions, firstly known as the Central Zone, the Northern Zone and the Southern Zone. This later changed to Zone 1, 2 and 3 with two years also providing a Zone 4. Eventually in 1979 the two divisions that exist today was established. The one year that was an exception was 1983 when competition was played in one division. ^[3]

Heathfield-Aldgate United hold the record for the most premierships won in succession from 1971 to 1977.

Grades

The HFL consists of:

• Junior Grades
  • Under 14's (mini colts)
  • Under 16's (junior colts)
  • Under 18's (senior colts)
• Senior Grades
  • A Grade (A1)
  • B Grade (A2)
  • C Grade (A3)

Division 1

Club	Jumper	Nickname	Home Ground	Former League	Est	Years in HFL	HFL Senior Premierships
							Total	Years
Blackwood [4]		Woods	Blackwood Hill Reserve, Blackwood	SMFL	1912	1987–	3	Div 1: 1988, 1991, 2017
Hahndorf [5]		Magpies	Hahndorf Oval, Hahndorf	HCFL	1887	1967–	13	Div 1: 1984, 1985, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1997, 2001, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2024
Lobethal [6]		Tigers	Lobethal Recreation Ground, Lobethal	TVFA	1901	1967–	5	Div 1: 1981, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2022
Mount Barker [7]		Barkeroos	Hanson Oval, Mount Barker	HCFL	1881	1967–	8	Div 1: 1969, 1970, 1982, 1983, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2012
Mount Lofty District [8]		Mountain Devils	Heathfield Oval, Heathfield	SAFA	1978	1986–	5	Div 1: 1986, 1990, 2006, 2007, 2008 Div 2: 2014
Nairne Bremer United		Rams	Nairne Oval, Nairne	–	1978	1978–1991, 1998–	1	Div 1: 2023 Div 2: 1985, 1989, 2017
Onkaparinga Valley [9]		Bulldogs	Johnston Memorial Park, Balhannah	–	1967	1967–	2	Div 1: 1978, 1994
Uraidla Districts		Demons	Uraidla Showgrounds, Uraidla	–	1997	1997–	5	Div 1: 2005, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013

Premierships

^[10]

• 1967 – Heathfield-Aldgate United
• 1968 – Heathfield-Aldgate United
• 1969 – Mount Barker
• 1970 – Mount Barker
• 1971 – Heathfield-Aldgate United
• 1972 – Heathfield-Aldgate United
• 1973 – Heathfield-Aldgate United
• 1974 – Heathfield-Aldgate United
• 1975 – Heathfield-Aldgate United
• 1976 – Heathfield-Aldgate United
• 1977 – Heathfield-Aldgate United
• 1978 – Onkaparinga Valley
• 1979 – Uraidla
• 1980 – Uraidla
• 1981 – Lobethal
• 1982 – Mount Barker
• 1983 – Mount Barker
• 1984 – Hahndorf
• 1985 – Hahndorf
• 1986 – Mount Lofty District
• 1987 – Eastern Rangers
• 1988 – Blackwood
• 1989 – Uraidla
• 1990 – Mount Lofty District
• 1991 – Blackwood
• 1992 – Hahndorf
• 1993 – Hahndorf
• 1994 – Onkaparinga Valley
• 1995 – Hahndorf
• 1996 – Uraidla
• 1997 – Hahndorf
• 1998 – Lobethal
• 1999 – Lobethal
• 2000 – Mount Barker
• 2001 – Hahndorf
• 2002 – Lobethal
• 2003 – Mount Barker
• 2004 – Mount Barker
• 2005 – Uraidla Districts
• 2006 – Mount Lofty District
• 2007 – Mount Lofty District
• 2008 – Mount Lofty District
• 2009 – Uraidla Districts
• 2010 – Uraidla Districts
• 2011 – Uraidla Districts
• 2012 – Mount Barker
• 2013 – Uraidla Districts
• 2014 – Echunga ^[11]
• 2015 – Hahndorf
• 2016 – Hahndorf
• 2017 – Blackwood
• 2018 – Hahndorf
• 2019 – Hahndorf
• 2020 – Hahndorf
• 2021 – Hahndorf
• 2022 – Lobethal
• 2023 – Nairne Bremer United
• 2024 – Hahndorf

Division 2

Club	Jumper	Nickname	Home Ground	Former League	Est	Years in HFL	HFL Senior Premierships
							Total	Years
Birdwood		Roosters	Birdwood Oval, Birdwood	TVFA	1880s	1967–	6	Div 2: 1973, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1992, 1994
Echunga		Demons	Echunga Recreation Ground, Echunga	HCFL	1903	1967–	1	Div 1: 2014 Div 2: 1995, 1996, 2000, 2011, 2013 Div 3: 1972 Southern B: 1968
Gumeracha		Magpies	Gumeracha Oval, Gumeracha	TVFA	1887	1967–	6	Div 2: 1970, 1982, 1984, 2019, 2022, 2023
Kangarilla		Double Blues	Kangarilla Recreation Ground, Kangarilla	HCFL, SFL	1901	1967–1978, 2006–	5	Div 2: 2006 Div 3: 1970, 1973, 1974, 1978
Kersbrook		Blues/Brookers	Kersbrook Soldiers Memorial Park, Kersbrook	ETFA	1912	1971–	10	Div 2: 1972, 1974, 1986, 1993, 1997, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2021
Macclesfield		Blood and Tars	Macclesfield Oval, Macclesfield	HCFL, SFL	1880	1967–1983, 1987–	4	Div 2: 1980 Div 3: 1969 Div 4: 1972, 1973
Meadows		Bulldogs	Stringybark Park, Meadows	HCFL, SFL	1903	1967–1982, 2001–	5	Div 2: 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 Div 3: 1967
Torrens Valley		Mountain Lions	Centenary Park, Mount Torrens	–	1997	1997–	3	Div 2: 2005, 2007, 2010

Premierships

^[10]

• 1967 Pleasant Valley
• 1968 Pleasant Valley
• 1969 Pleasant Valley
• 1970 Gumeracha
• 1971 Pleasant Valley
• 1972 Kersbrook
• 1973 Birdwood
• 1974 Kersbrook
• 1975 Birdwood
• 1976 Birdwood
• 1977 Birdwood
• 1978 Lenswood Rangers
• 1979 Lenswood Rangers
• 1980 Macclesfield
• 1981 Bridgewater
• 1982 Gumeracha
• 1983 No Division 2
• 1984 Gumeracha
• 1985 Nairne Bremer
• 1986 Kersbrook
• 1987 Barossa District
• 1988 Barossa District
• 1989 Nairne Bremer
• 1990 Barossa District
• 1991 Mount Torrens
• 1992 Birdwood
• 1993 Kersbrook
• 1994 Birdwood
• 1995 Echunga
• 1996 Echunga
• 1997 Kersbrook
• 1998 Ironbank-Cherry Gardens
• 1999 Ironbank-Cherry Gardens
• 2000 Echunga
• 2001 Meadows
• 2002 Meadows
• 2003 Meadows
• 2004 Meadows
• 2005 Torrens Valley
• 2006 Kangarilla
• 2007 Torrens Valley
• 2008 Kersbrook
• 2009 Kersbrook
• 2010 Torrens Valley
• 2011 Echunga
• 2012 Kersbrook
• 2013 Echunga
• 2014 Mount Lofty District ^[12]
• 2015 Kersbrook
• 2016 Bridgewater Callington
• 2017 Nairne Bremer
• 2018 Ironbank-Cherry Gardens
• 2019 Gumeracha
• 2020 Ironbank-Cherry Gardens
• 2021 Kersbrook
• 2022 Gumeracha
• 2023 Gumeracha

C-Grade Only

Club	Jumper	Nickname	Home Ground	Former League	Est	Years in HFL	HFL Senior Premierships
							Total	Years
Bridgewater-Callington [13]		Raiders	Bridgewater Oval, Bridgewater	–	2012	2013–2022, 2024–	2	Div 2: 1981, 2016
Milang		Panthers	Milang Oval, Milang	GSFL	1881	1986–2005, 2010–2017, 2021–	0	-

Former clubs

Club	Jumper	Nickname	Home Ground	Former League	Est	Years in HFL	HFL Senior Premierships		Fate
							Total	Years
Ashton			Ashton Oval, Ashton	NNFA	1920s	1972–1982	0	-	Merged with Lenswood Rangers to form Eastern Rangers in 1983
Barossa District		Bulldogs	Williamstown Oval, Williamstown	GDFL	1979	1987–1990	3	Div 2: 1987, 1988, 1990	Moved to Barossa, Light & Gawler FA in 1991
Bremer				RMFL	1931	1967–1978	2	Div 3B: 1974, 1978	Merged with Nairne to form Nairne Bremer United in 1978
Bridgewater		Raiders	Bridgewater Oval, Bridgewater	TVFA	1956	1967–2012	1	Div 2: 1981	Merged with Callington United Eagles to form Bridgewater Callington in 2012
Callington United Eagles [14]		Eagles	Callington Oval, Callington	–	1995	1995–2012	0	-	Merged with Bridgewater to form Bridgewater Callington in 2012
Eastern Rangers		Saints	Ashton Oval, Ashton	–	1983	1983–1996	1	Div 1: 1987	Merged with Uraidla to form Uraidla Districts in 1997
Heathfield Aldgate United			Heathfield Oval, Heathfield	–	1967	1967–1978	9	Div 1: 1967, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977	Merged with Stirling to form Mount Lofty District in 1978
Ironbank-Cherry Gardens		Thunderers	Cherry Gardens Ironbank Recreation Ground, Cherry Gardens	–	1986	1986–2022	4	Div 2: 1998, 1999, 2018, 2020	Merged with Bridgewater-Callington in 2023, moved to Southern FL in 2024
Ironbank-Cherry Gardens- Bridgewater		Ironraiders	Bridgewater Oval, Bridgewater and Cherry Gardens Ironbank Recreation Ground, Cherry Gardens	–	2023	2023	0	-	De-merged into Bridgewater-Callington and Ironbank-Cherry Gardens in 2024
Langhorne Creek		Tigers	Langhorne Creek Oval, Langhorne Creek	HCFA	1906	1967–1977	3	Div 3: 1975, 1976, 1977	Moved to Great Southern FL in 1977
Lenswood Rangers			Lenswood Memorial Park, Lenswood	–	1967	1967–1982	2	Div 2: 1978, 1979	Merged with Ashton to form Eastern Rangers in 1983
Littlehampton		Sky Blues		HCFL	1959	1967–1972	1	Southern: 1968	Folded after 1972 season
Mount Torrens		Bombers	Centenary Park, Mount Torrens		1930	1967–1975, 1986–1996	1	Div 2: 1991	Merged with Sedan Cambrai in 1976 to form Mount Torrens-Cambrai. Merged with Pleasant Valley in 1997 to form Torrens Valley
Mount Torrens-Cambrai				HCFL	1976	1976–1985	0	-	De-merged into Mount Torrens and Sedan Cambrai in 1986
Mylor			Mylor Oval, Mylor		1902	1967–1972	2	Southern B: 1967, 1970	Folded
Nairne		Rams	Nairne Oval, Nairne	HCFL	1903	1967–1978	0	-	Merged with Bremer to form Nairne Bremer United in 1978
Palmer			Collier Park, Palmer	TVFA	1891	1967–1970, 1972–1973	1	Div 4B: 1972
Pleasant Valley		Roos	Talunga Park, Mount Pleasant	TVFA	1960s	1967–1988	4	Northern: 1967, 1968, 1969, 1971	Merged with Mount Torrens in 1997 to form Torrens Valley
Sedan Cambrai		Magpies	Cambrai Sportsground, Cambrai	TVFA	1922	1967–1975, 2010–2015	0	-	Merged with Mount Torrens in 1976 to form Mount Torrens-Cambrai Moved to Mid Murray FA in 1987. Moved to Riverland Independent FL in 2016 [15]
Stirling		Eagles	Stirling Oval, Stirling	TVFA	1800s	1967–1978	0	-	Merged with Heathfield-AldgateUnited to form Mount Lofty District in 1978
Uraidla		Redlegs	Uraidla Showgrounds, Uraidla	TVFA	1905	1967–1996	4	Div 1: 1979, 1980, 1989, 1996	Merged with Eastern Rangers to form Uraidla Districts in 1997
Williamstown		Rovers	Williamstown Oval, Williamstown	–	1967	1967–1973	0	-	Moved to Gawler and District FL in 1974

AFL Players

The following were drafted to AFL club lists having previously participated in the Hills Football League. ^[16]

Name	HFL Club	Year Drafted	SANFL Club (or equiv.)	AFL Club(s)
Brenton Sanderson	Blackwood	1992	Sturt	Adelaide, Collingwood, Geelong
Scott Burns	Birdwood [17]	1992	Norwood	Collingwood
Brett James	Kersbrook [18]	1992	Norwood	Collingwood, Adelaide
Steven Sziller	Lobethal	1994	Woodville-West Torrens	St Kilda, Richmond
Roger James	Kersbrook	1996	Norwood	Port Adelaide
Ben Nelson	Bridgewater	1996	Sturt	Carlton, Adelaide
Barnaby French	Ironbank-Cherry Gardens [19]	1997	Sturt	Port Adelaide, Carlton
Sudjai Cook	Kersbrook	1998	Norwood	Adelaide
Courtney Johns	Onkaparinga Valley	2002	East Fremantle	Essendon
Darren Pfeiffer	Birdwood [20]	2005	Norwood	Adelaide, Carlton, Port Adelaide
Cleve Hughes	Lobethal [21]	2005	Norwood	Richmond
Benet Copping	Mt Barker	2006	Sturt	Fremantle
Paul Cahill	Blackwood	2008	Sturt	St Kilda
Matthew Jaensch	Hahndorf	2009	Sturt	Adelaide
Sam Colquhoun	Birdwood	2013	Central Districts	Port Adelaide
Alex Georgiou	Lobethal	2013	Norwood	Melbourne
Matthew Fuller	Lobethal	2013	Norwood	Western Bulldogs
Dean Gore	Hahndorf	2014	Sturt	Geelong, Adelaide
Mitch Crowden	Meadows	2017	Sturt	Fremantle
Callum Coleman-Jones	Blackwood	2017	Sturt	Richmond
Tom Sparrow	Bridgewater	2018	South Adelaide	Melbourne

References

^[22]

1. http://www.sportingpulse.com/assoc_page.cgi?assoc=6621&pID=1 About the League
2. Turner, Matt (26 September 2014). "Echunga Football Club exploring ways to avoid relegation despite winning Hills Football League flag". News Limited. Messenger Community News. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
3. http://footypedia.isgreat.org/00002257.htm Footypedia
4. "Blackwood Football Club" . Retrieved 7 July 2009.
5. "Hahndorf Football Club" . Retrieved 8 May 2010.
6. "Lobethal Football Club" . Retrieved 7 July 2009.
7. "Mt Barker Football Club" . Retrieved 7 July 2009.
8. "Mt Lofty Football Club". Archived from the original on 9 July 2009. Retrieved 7 July 2009.
9. "Onkaparinga Valley Football Club" . Retrieved 11 August 2009.
10. "Past Premiers". Hills Football League. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
11. "Central Div A Grade Grand FiInal". Hills Football League. Fox Sports Pulse. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
12. "Country Div A Grade Grand Final". Hills Football League. Fox Sports Pulse. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
13. "Bridgewater Raiders". Archived from the original on 21 June 2009. Retrieved 7 July 2009.
14. "Callington United Eagles Football Club" . Retrieved 7 July 2009.
15. Dillon, Nick (5 February 2016). "Sedan-Cambrai makes eight for Independents". Murray Pioneer. Retrieved 13 February 2016.
16. "AFL Drafted Players" . Retrieved 24 December 2013.
17. Rielly, Stephen (9 August 2003). "Scott Burns: Humble Pie". The Age. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
18. Devaney, John. "SA Football Companion - Brett James". Full Points Footy. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
19. Connolly, Rohan (23 November 2003). "French Plans to Stand Tall". The Age. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
20. Fjeldstad, Jesper (2 November 2013). "Darren Pfeiffer: It's lonely on the fringe of the AFL". Sunday Mail (SA). Retrieved 20 January 2014.
21. Porter, Ashley (21 June 2008). "Cubs on song as Tigers stun Port". Illawarra Mercury. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
22. Lines, Peter (2012). South Australian Country Football Digest. Cowell: Peter Lines. pp. 227–237. ISBN   978-0-9871591-9-9.

External links

• Hills Football League Official Site
• Country Footy (Central)
• Country Footy (Country)
• Full Points Footy ^[usurped]

Books

• Encyclopedia of South Australian country football clubs / compiled by Peter Lines. ISBN   9780980447293
• South Australian country football digest / by Peter Lines ISBN   9780987159199