The Victorian Women's Football League (VWFL) was an amateur Australian rules football league based in Victoria, Australia. At the time of its dissolution, it was the oldest and largest Australian rules football league for women in the world, consisting of 47 clubs from across seven divisions housing a total of more than 1,000 players.
The Victorian Women's Football League was formed in 1981 with four teams competing at open level.
In 1995, Sal Rees caused controversy when she nominated for the 1995 AFL draft: the nomination was subsequently voided, with the AFL amending its draft rules to prevent any repeat of this incident.
The VWFL grew quickly, increasing dramatically the number of players and participating teams with a Division 3 added in 2001.
In 2002, VWFL player Debbie Lee made headlines for pushing to play against men in the made-for-television team the Hammerheads. She has commented, "My whole idea with the Hammerheads was to promote women's football. At no point in time did I really think I was going to play against the men, and frankly it wouldn't really have been smart for me to do that. My whole idea was to cause a bit of activity."
An U17 Youth Girls Competition was established by Football Victoria in 2004, primarily to provide a pathway to the VWFL. This was following legal action having been taken against them in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (following a complaint to the Equal Opportunity Commission) by junior players Penny Cula-Reid, Emily Stayner, and Helen Taylor.
In May 2004, the first VWFL game was played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), with the Melbourne Uni Mugars defeating St Albans Spurs on Mother's Day. A second game was played at the MCG later in the same year, featuring the Mugars and St Kilda Sharks reserves teams.
In 2005, the VWFL celebrated its 25th season, and created a reserves competition for Division 1.
In 2006, the league posted a $6000 loss, however this was turned around in 2007 with a $19000 profit being posted at the end of 2007. 2007 saw five divisions (Premier seniors & reserves, North West, South East & Country) and 27 teams (from 20 clubs), and culminated in an Australian crowd record for women's Australian rules football at the 2007 Grand Final held on 19 August at the Preston City Oval in Melbourne. Two finals matches were also held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground for the first time.
The work done by the VWFL Media Manager Leesa Catto was instrumental in increasing media coverage across the competition. A significant partnership was negotiated with the Leader News group and weekly coverage was captured across the Melbourne Metropolitan area. Events like the participation of two VWFL players Shannon McFerran and Daisy Pearce in the E. J. Whitten Legends Game also helped lift the profile of the league.
The VWFL integrated into AFL Victoria in 2013.
At the end of the 2016 season, it was announced that the VWFL would be dissolved, with the forty-seven clubs and sixty teams of the VWFL joining ten Victorian community leagues in 2017, along with additional clubs and teams from a further eighty clubs that had expressed interest in joining women's Australian football competitions. AFL Victoria would retain management of the ten-team VFL Women's league, with the remainder of the expected 150 teams to play in regional leagues.
| rowspan="2" |Eastern Devils (R) |- |Div 2: Pascoe Vale |- | style="text-align:center;" |2012 |Diamond Creek |Bendigo |Hallam | |St Albans (R) |- | style="text-align:center;" |2011 |St Albans |La Trobe University |Hallam | |Darebin (R) |- | style="text-align: center;" |2010 |Darebin |Sunbury |South Mornington | |Darebin (R) |- | style="text-align: center;" |2009 |Darebin |Sunbury |Scoresby | |Darebin (R) |- | style="text-align: center;" |2008 |Darebin |Heidelberg |Scoresby | |East Burwood (R) |- | style="text-align: center;" |2007 |Darebin |Hadfield |Eastern Gully |Melton Centrals |Darebin (R) |- | style="text-align: center;" |2006 |Darebin |Diamond Creek |Berwick |Geelong |St Kilda City (R)
| rowspan="2" style="background: var(--background-color-interactive, #ececec); color: var(--color-base, inherit); vertical-align: middle; text-align: }; }" class="table-na" | rowspan="2" |Jaime Nankiville (21)<br><small>(Melton Centrals)</small> |Naomi Brisbane (19)<br><small>(Seaford)</small> | rowspan="2" |Jordan Ivey (21)<br><small>(Lake Wendouree)</small> |- |Millie Shone (19)<br><small>(Beaconsfield)</small> |- | rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |2015 | rowspan="2" |Daisy Pearce (28)</br><small>(Darebin Falcons)</small> | rowspan="2" |Kate Gillespie-Jones (33)<br><small>(Seaford)</small> | rowspan="2" |Brooke Lochland (21)<br><small>(Montmorency)</small> |Natalie Cardamone (19)<br><small>(Mordialloc)</small> | rowspan="2" |Adele Brazenor (18)<br><small>(Brunswick Renegades)</small> | rowspan="2" style="background: var(--background-color-interactive, #ececec); color: var(--color-base, inherit); vertical-align: middle; text-align: }; }" class="table-na" | rowspan="2" |Natasha Hardy (27)<br><small>(Sunbury Lions)</small> | rowspan="2" |Toni Hamilton (19)<br><small>(AJAX)</small> | rowspan="2" style="background: var(--background-color-interactive, #ececec); color: var(--color-base, inherit); vertical-align: middle; text-align: }; }" class="table-na" |- |Samantha Radlof (19)<br><small>(Deer Park)</small> |- | style="text-align:center;" |2014 |Daisy Pearce (22)</br><small>(Darebin Falcons)</small> |Kristy Stratton (23)<br><small>(Knox)</small> |Kate Gillespie-Jones (21)<br><small>(Seaford)</small> |Samantha Radlof (28)<br><small>(Deer Park)</small> |Zoe Alston (19)<br><small>(Bayswater)</small> |Leisha Jungalwalla (18)<br><small>(Brunswick Renegades)</small> | | |
| rowspan="2" |Natarsha Rappos (15)<br><small>(Eastern Devils)</small> |- |Div 2: Rachel Gastin (24)<br><small>(Pascoe Vale)</small> |Jaimee Lambert (32)<br><small>(Keysborough)</small> |- | style="text-align:center;" |2012 |Lou Wotton (25)</br><small>(Eastern Devils)</small> |Richelle Cranston (21)<br><small>(North Ballarat)</small> |Hannah Scott (20)<br><small>(Hallam)</small> | |Rachel Gullo (15)<br><small>(St Albans Spurs)</small> |- | style="text-align:center;" |2011 |Daisy Pearce</br><small>(Darebin Falcons)</small> |Richelle Cranston<br><small>(North Ballarat)</small> |Kerry Trevillian<br><small>(St John's OC)</small> | |Natasha Hardy<br><small>(Sunbury Lions)</small> |- | rowspan="2" style="text-align: center;" |2010 |Daisy Pearce (19)</br><small>(Darebin Falcons)</small> | rowspan="2" |Kerry Anderson (21)<br><small>(South Mornington)</small> | rowspan="2" |Samantha Radlof (24)<br><small>(Sunbury Lions)</small> | rowspan="2" style="background: var(--background-color-interactive, #ececec); color: var(--color-base, inherit); vertical-align: middle; text-align: }; }" class="table-na" | rowspan="2" |Belinda Bowey (19)<br><small>(St Kilda City Sharks)</small> |- |Lou Wotton (19)</br><small>(East Burwood Devils)</small> |- | rowspan="2" style="text-align: center;" |2009 | rowspan="2" |Daisy Pearce</br><small>(Darebin Falcons)</small> |Belinda Hateley<br><small>(Melton Centrals)</small> | rowspan="2" |Melissa Kuys<br><small>(Scoresby)</small> | rowspan="2" style="background: var(--background-color-interactive, #ececec); color: var(--color-base, inherit); vertical-align: middle; text-align: }; }" class="table-na" | rowspan="2" |Rebecca Hickmott<br><small>(Darebin Falcons)</small> |- |Alana Tully<br><small>(Geelong Panthers)</small> |- | rowspan="2" style="text-align: center;" |2008 | rowspan="2" |Cecilia McIntosh<br><small>(Melbourne University)</small> | rowspan="2" |Karen Paxman<br><small>(Heidelberg)</small> |Melissa Kuys<br><small>(Scoresby)</small> | rowspan="2" style="background: var(--background-color-interactive, #ececec); color: var(--color-base, inherit); vertical-align: middle; text-align: }; }" class="table-na" | rowspan="2" |Kristy Baeffel<br><small>(St Kilda City Sharks)</small> |- |Katie Loynes<br><small>(Berwick)</small> |- | style="text-align: center;" |2007 |Shannon McFerran<br><small>(St Albans Spurs)</small> |Amanda Walsh<br><small>(Heidelberg)</small> |Melissa Kuys<br><small>(Eastern Gully)</small> |Sarah Welsh<br><small>(Corio)</small> |Luisa Callegari<br><small>(Darebin Falcons)</small> |- | style="text-align: center;" |2006 |Shannon McFerran<br><small>(St Albans Spurs)</small> |Karen Paxman<br><small>(Hadfield)</small> |Romy Pearton<br><small>(South Mornington)</small> |Daniela Minutoli<br><small>(Geelong WSC)</small> |Jessica Williams<br><small>(Melbourne University)</small>
All leading goal kickers were presented with the Rohenna Young Medal regardless of division.
| rowspan="2" |Georgia Hammond (37)<br><small>(Darebin Falcons)</small> |- |Div 2: Amanda Laidlaw (35)<br><small>(Pascoe Vale)</small> |- | rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |2012 | rowspan="2" |Amy Catterall (39)<br><small>(St Albans Spurs)</small> | rowspan="2" |Samantha Greene (42)<br><small>(La Trobe University)</small> | rowspan="2" |Elana De Santis (42)<br><small>(Hallam)</small> | rowspan="2" style="background: var(--background-color-interactive, #ececec); color: var(--color-base, inherit); vertical-align: middle; text-align: }; }" class="table-na" |Lauren Chalkley (19)<br><small>(Berwick)</small> |- |Rebecca Hickmott (19)<br><small>(Darebin Falcons)</small> |- | style="text-align:center;" |2011 |Sarah D'Arcy (49)<br><small>(East Burwood Devils)</small> |Samantha Greene (26)<br><small>(La Trobe University)</small> |Elana De Santis (27)<br><small>(Hallam)</small> | |Melissa Beadles (24)<br><small>(East Burwood Devils)</small> |- | style="text-align: center;" |2010 |Jane Lange (52)<br><small>(Darebin Falcons)</small> |Tahnee Schulz (31)<br><small>(Lalor Park)</small> |Elise Bonar (30)<br><small>(Parkdale Vultures)</small> | |Rebecca Hickmott (31)<br><small>(Darebin Falcons)</small> |- | style="text-align: center;" |2009 |Brittany Grech (58)<br><small>(Diamond Creek)</small> |Emma Kent (42)<br><small>(North Ballarat)</small> |Melissa Kuys (34)<br><small>(Scoresby)</small> | |Rebecca Hickmott (39)<br><small>(Darebin Falcons)</small> |- | style="text-align: center;" |2008 |Moana Hope (63)<br><small>(Darebin Falcons)</small> |Selina Caruana (45)<br><small>(Heidelberg)</small> |Aimee Buchan (38)<br><small>(Berwick)</small> | |Kristy Turner (42)<br><small>(East Burwood Devils)</small> |- | style="text-align: center;" |2007 |Moana Hope (67)<br><small>(Darebin Falcons)</small> |Selina Caruana (22)<br><small>(Heidelberg)</small> |Rebecca Ouchirenko (24)<br><small>(Eastern Gully)</small> |Michelle Wiles (60)<br><small>(Corio)</small> |Louise Potter (49)<br><small>(Darebin Falcons)</small> |- | rowspan="2" style="text-align: center;" |2006 | rowspan="2" |Moana Hope (74)<br><small>(Darebin Falcons)</small> |Jessica Dudley (37)<br><small>(Heidelberg)</small> | rowspan="2" |Cassie Bell (40)<br><small>(Eastern Gully)</small> | rowspan="2" |Belinday Ousley (12)<br><small>(Geelong WSC)</small> | rowspan="2" |Ivanna Hearn (32)<br><small>(St Kilda City Sharks)</small> |- |Hayley Sanders (37)<br><small>(Hadfield)</small>
|- |Sally Wenn (34)<br><small>(St Kilda City Sharks)</small> |- | style="text-align:center;" |2003 |Nic Lalor (33)<br><small>(Deakin University Devils)</small> |Natalie Cardamone<br><small>(Mordialloc)</small> |Chelsea Davey<br><small>(TBC)</small> | |- | style="text-align:center;" |2002 |Anita Rhook<br><small>(Parkside)</small> |Kerry Saunders<br><small>(Parkside)</small> |Emma Lynch<br><small>(Mount Clear)</small> | |- | style="text-align: center;" |2001 |Dee Dundov<br><small>(St Albans Spurs)</small> |Kerry Saunders<br><small>(Parkside)</small> | | |- | style="text-align: center;" |2000 |Nic Lalor<br><small>(St Kilda City Sharks)</small> | | | |- | style="text-align: center;" |1999 |Nic Lalor<br><small>(St Kilda City Sharks)</small> | | | |- | style="text-align: center;" |1998 |Nic Lalor<br><small>(St Kilda City Sharks)</small> | | | |- | style="text-align: center;" |1997 |Nic Lalor<br><small>(St Kilda City Sharks)</small> | | |
Source:
2009 Leesa Catto<br /> 2009 Bron McGorlick<br /> 2008 Kerryn Stephen<br /> 2006 Chyloe Kurdas<br /> 2005 Di Smith<br /> 2004 Belinda Bowey<br /> 2003 Sal Rees, Rohenna Young<br /> 2002 Debbie Lee, Kerry Saunders<br /> 2001 Nicole Graves<br /> 2000 Lisa Hardeman<br /> 1999 Ann Rulton<br /> 1998 Julie Allen<br /> 1997 Dianne Vaux<br /> 1996 Bernadette Marantelli<br /> 1995 Coral White<br /> 1990 Jan Wilson, Janet Graham<br /> 1983 Helen Lambert