| Most recent season or competition: 2023 | |
| Formerly | County of Way Football Association (1909–1948) Murat Bay Football League (1949–1961) Far West Football League (1962–2020) |
|---|---|
| Sport | Australian rules football |
| Founded | 1909 |
| Inaugural season | 1909 |
| No. of teams | 6 |
| Most recent champion(s) | Western United (11th Premiership) (2023) |
| Most titles | Koonibba (37 Premierships) |
| Related competitions | Mortlock Shield, SANFL |
| Official website | https://www.greatflinders.com |
The Western Eyre Football League (WEFL), formerly Far West Football League (FWFL), is an Australian rules football competition based in the Ceduna area of the Eyre Peninsula region of South Australia, Australia. As of March 2021, the league includes clubs in Ceduna, Thevenard, Koonibba Aboriginal community, Penong (Western United FC), Streaky Bay (West Coast Hawks) and Wirrulla.
It is an affiliated member of the South Australian National Football League.
Brief history
The County Of Way Football Association was formed in 1909, with founding clubs including Charra, Denial Bay, Goode, Koonibba, Murat and Penong. Fowlers Bay also wished to join the league but was denied entry due to excessive travel distance.
In 1948 The league changed its name to Murat Bay Football League changed and then Far West Football League in 1962.
The Koonibba Roosters are the oldest continuing Aboriginal football club in Australia, having named their Team of the Century in 2009.[1]
The West Coast Hawks of Streaky Bay and Wirrulla club joined the league in March 2021, after the Mid West Football League was wound up permanently. Around the same time, the Far West Football League changed its name to the Western Eyre Football League.[2]
Current Clubs
| Jumper | Club | Location | Nickname | Founded | Years in comp | WEFL premierships | Premiership years[3] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Blues
Formally Ceduna Blues & Ceduna-Smokey Bay Blues |
Ceduna | Blues | 1989 | 1989– | 5 | 1997, 1999, 2009, 2016, 2022 |
 |
Koonibba | Koonibba | Roosters | 1906, 1909–1937, 1947– | 37 | 1910, 1922, 1925–28, 1938–40, 1946–49, 1951, 1954, 1956–57, 1960–61, 1963, 1975, 1977, 1979, 1982, 1988, 1990, 1994–96, 1998, 2001–02, 2010–12, 2014, 2017 | |
 |
Thevenard | Thevenard | Magpies | 1927 | 1927– | 23 | 1959, 1967–74, 1976, 1978, 1981, 1983–87, 1989, 1991–93, 2013, 2015 |
 |
Western United | Penong | Tigers | 1974 | 1974– | 11 | 1980, 2000, 2003–08, 2018–19, 2023 |
 |
West Coast | Streaky Bay | Hawks | 1999 | 2021– | 1 | 2021 |
 |
Wirrulla | Wirrulla | Bombers | 1919 | 2021– | 0 | |
Premiers
List of Premiership teams of the Western Eyre Football League.[4]
|
|
|
|
Ladders
2011 Ladder
| Far West | Wins | Byes | Losses | Draws | For | Against | % | Pts | Final | Team | G | B | Pts | Team | G | B | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Koonibba | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1470 | 520 | 73.87% | 22 | 1st Semi | Thevenard | 11 | 13 | 79 | Ceduna-Smoky Bay Blues | 5 | 14 | 44 | |
| Western United | 9 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1401 | 729 | 65.77% | 18 | 2nd Semi | Koonibba | 19 | 11 | 125 | Western United | 10 | 2 | 62 | |
| Ceduna-Smoky Bay Blues | 3 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 545 | 1539 | 26.15% | 6 | Preliminary | Western United | 19 | 25 | 139 | Thevenard | 7 | 7 | 49 | |
| Thevenard | 1 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 684 | 1312 | 34.27% | 2 | Grand | Koonibba | 17 | 11 | 113 | Western United | 11 | 2 | 68 | |
2012 Ladder
| Far West | Wins | Byes | Losses | Draws | For | Against | % | Pts | Final | Team | G | B | Pts | Team | G | B | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Koonibba | 10 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1438 | 840 | 63.13% | 20 | 1st Semi | Ceduna-Smoky Bay Blues | 14 | 12 | 96 | Thevenard | 10 | 11 | 71 | |
| Western United | 8 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1239 | 871 | 58.72% | 16 | 2nd Semi | Koonibba | 20 | 14 | 134 | Western United | 13 | 6 | 84 | |
| Ceduna-Smoky Bay Blues | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 992 | 1154 | 46.23% | 12 | Preliminary | Ceduna-Smoky Bay Blues | 13 | 8 | 86 | Western United | 11 | 5 | 71 | |
| Thevenard | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 723 | 1527 | 32.13% | 0 | Grand | Koonibba | 24 | 17 | 161 | Ceduna-Smoky Bay Blues | 12 | 9 | 81 | |
2013 Ladder
| Far West | Wins | Byes | Losses | Draws | For | Against | % | Pts | Final | Team | G | B | Pts | Team | G | B | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western United | 8 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1278 | 820 | 60.92% | 16 | 1st Semi | Koonibba | 36 | 17 | 233 | Ceduna-Smoky Bay Blues | 11 | 9 | 75 | |
| Thevenard | 7 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1227 | 989 | 55.37% | 14 | 2nd Semi | Thevenard | 12 | 9 | 81 | Western United | 10 | 7 | 67 | |
| Koonibba | 7 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1347 | 1089 | 55.30% | 14 | Preliminary | Koonibba | 19 | 17 | 131 | Western United | 6 | 11 | 47 | |
| Ceduna-Smoky Bay Blues | 2 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 790 | 1744 | 31.18% | 4 | Grand | Thevenard | 12 | 17 | 89 | Koonibba | 10 | 22 | 82 | |
References
- ↑ "Koonibba unveils 100-year team - Aboriginal Football". Aboriginal Football : The Indigenous Game. 30 October 2015. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
- ↑ "Mid West Football League has folded". BigFooty. 11 March 2021. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
- ↑ Country Footy 2010 Archived 2012-07-22 at archive.today
- ↑ "A Grade Premiers - Western Eyre Football League".
Further reading
- Country Footy
- Encyclopedia of South Australian country football clubs, compiled by Peter Lines. ISBN 9780980447293
- South Australian country football digest, by Peter Lines ISBN 9780987159199