Western Eyre Football League
Australian rules football competition in South Australia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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.
FormerlyCounty of Way Football Association
(1909–1948)
Murat Bay Football League
(1949–1961)
Far West Football League
(1962–2020)
(1909–1948)
Murat Bay Football League
(1949–1961)
Far West Football League
(1962–2020)
Founded1909
First season1909
Current season, competition or edition: 2026 | |
| 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 |
| First season | 1909 |
| No. of teams | 6 |
Most recent champions | Western United (14th Premiership) (2026) |
| Most titles | Koonibba (37 Premierships) |
| Related competitions | Mortlock Shield, SANFL |
| Website | https://www.wefl.web.afl/ |
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 1946 the league changed its name to Murat Bay Football Association 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]
Clubs
Locations
Current
| Club | Jumper | Nickname | Home Ground | Former League | Est. | Years in comp | WEFL Senior Premierships | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | Years[3] | |||||||
| Ceduna Blues[note 1] |  |
Blues | Ceduna Sports Club, Ceduna | – | 1989 | 1989– | 5 | 1997, 1999, 2009, 2016, 2022 |
| Koonibba | .svg) |
Roosters | Far West Aboriginal Sporting Complex, Thevenard | FWFA | 1906 | 1909–1934, 1946– | 34 | 1910, 1922, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1951, 1954, 1956, 1957, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1975, 1977, 1979, 1982, 1988, 1990, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2017 |
| Thevenard |  |
Magpies | Thevenard Oval,Thevenard | – | 1927 | 1927– | 23 | 1959, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1978, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 2013, 2015 |
| Western United |  |
Tigers | Penong Sports Ground, Penong | – | 1974 | 1974– | 14 | 1980, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2018, 2019, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026 |
| West Coast |  |
Hawks | Streaky Bay Community Complex Oval, Streaky Bay | MWFL | 1999 | 2021– | 1 | 2021 |
| Wirrulla |  |
Bombers | Wirrulla Football Ground, Wirrulla | MWFL | 1919 | 2021– | 0 | - |
Former
| Club | Jumper | Nickname | Home Ground | Former League | Est. | Years in comp | WEFL Senior Premierships | Fate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | Years[3] | ||||||||
| Athenna | – | 1922 | 1922-1925 | 0 | 1923 | Folded after 1925 season | |||
| Bonython | – | 1910 | 1910-1914 | 0 | - | Folded after 1914 season | |||
| Ceduna[note 2] | .svg) .svg) |
Eagles | Ceduna Sports Club, Ceduna | – | 1907 | 1909-1988 | 16 | 1909, 1910, 1911, 1912, 1913, 1914, 1924, 1929, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1938, 1946, 1950, 1965 | Merged with Smoky Bay in 1989 to form Ceduna Blues |
| Charra | .svg) |
FWFA | 1908 | 1909-1929, 1960-1973 | 1 | 1964 | Moved to Far West FA in 1930. Recess in 1974. Merged with Penong after 1974 season to form Western United | ||
| Charra-Denial Bay | – | 1931 | 1931-1933 | 0 | - | De-merged into Charra, who moved to Far West FA, and Denial Bay in 1934 | |||
| Denial Bay | White with darker hoops (1910) (?-1948) |
FWFA | 1907 | 1909-1930, 1934, 1947-1948 | 0 | - | Played merged with Charra as Charra-Denial Bay between 1931-33. Moved to Far West FA in 1935, returned in 1947. Folded in 1949 | ||
| Goode | – | 1906 | 1909-1914, 1927-1930, 1934-1948 | 1 | 1939 | Played merged with Maltee as Maltee Goode United between 1931-33. Folded in 1949 | |||
| Maltee | – | 1925 | 1925-1930, 1934-1939 | 0 | - | Played merged with Goode as Maltee Goode United between 1931-33. Folded in 1939 | |||
| Maltee Goode United | – | 1931 | 1931-1933 | 0 | - | De-merged into Maltee and Goode in 1934 | |||
| Merghiny |  |
Stars | – | 1910 | 1911-1914 | 0 | - | Folded after 1914 season | |
| Penong | |
Tigers | Penong Sports Ground, Penong | FWFA | 1908 | 1909-1914, 1961-1970, 1972-1973 | 2 | 1962, 1966 | Formed Far West FAafter WWI. Recess in 1971. Merged with Charra in 1974 to form Western United |
| Rovers | Ceduna Sports Club, Ceduna | – | 1955 | 1955-1958 | 1 | 1958 | Folded after 1959 season | ||
| Smoky Bay (Carawa 1971-78) | .svg)  |
Roos | Smoky Bay Oval, Smoky Bay | SBFA | 1954 | 1971-1988 | 0 | - | Merged with Ceduna in 1989 to form Ceduna Blues |
| United | – | 1940 | 1940-1952 | 1 | 1940 | Folded after 1952 season | |||
| Waybacks/Wandana | – | 1922 | 1922-1924 | 1 | 1923 | Alternative name for Murat Bay/Ceduna. Folded after 1924 season | |||
| Yalata (Tallowan 1962-63) | – | 1960s | 1962-1964 | 0 | - | Folded after 1964 season | |||
Notes
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 | |