Riddell District Football League
| General Information | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1912 to 1915 1920 |
| Current clubs | Broadford Diggers Rest Lancefield Macedon Melton Central Riddell Rockbank Romsey Rupertswood Sunbury Kangaroos Wallan Woodend/Hesket |
| Current Junior Clubs | Diggers Rest Junior Football Netball Club Rangers Macedon Melton Central Melton Bloods Melton South Riddell Rockbank Romsey Rupertswood Sunbury Lions Sunbury Kangaroos Woodend |
The Riddell District Football League is an Australian rules football league affiliated with Football Victoria.
The league covers towns in the Macedon Ranges Victoria and an area from Rockbank in the south to Broadford in the north.
The league also runs junior competitions from Under 10 to Under 18 age groups.
Brief history
1970s
This decade saw Hesket club go into recess and the introduction of new clubs Craigieburn, Melton and Melton South. In 1975 the league went two divisional, With eight teams in First Division and six clubs in Second Division. Numbers were boosted by the return of Trentham and Hesket clubs. 1977 saw Broadford and a second team from Sunbury join the league. Diggers Rest joined in 1978.
1980s
1985 saw the league return to one division with twelve clubs. In 1987 the league went two divisional again as clubs were admitted from the Panton Hill Football League and North Fawkner from the disbanded YCW league the league had nineteen clubs.
1990s
By the mid-1990s some clubs were struggling to compete and clubs went into recess.
The strongest clubs, Darley, Melton, Melton South & Sunbury left for the Ballarat Football League in 1998. This reduced the league to one division again. North Fawkner went into recess after 1998 after the club struggled for years to secure sufficient numbers to field 2 teams, which resulted in many large defeats many over 30 goals.
2000s
Gisborne decided to play in the Bendigo Football League from 2000. Due to this it was thought that the league was no longer viable so Wallan FC left for the Diamond Valley Football League in 2002. After a restructure the Riddell District Football League stabilized. Season 2008 saw Wallan FC return and 2009 saw Broadford FC recommence in the League.
2010s
Rupertswood joined in full in 2013. It had been fielding juniors for some years. The senior side transferred in from the VAFA. Kilmore transferred to the Northern Football League in 2016
Clubs
Current
| Club | Nickname | Years in Comp | RDFL Premierships | Premiership seasons |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broadford | Kangaroos | 1997-84, 2009- | 1 | 1981 |
| Diggers Rest | Burras | 1978- | 2 | 1993, 2016 |
| Lancefield | Tigers | 1920- | 11 | 1923, 1924, 1932, 1946, 1949, 1952, 1958, 1966, 1995, 1996, 2009 |
| Macedon | Cats | 1920-2000 2003- (reformed) |
1 | 1975 |
| Melton Central | Blues | 1996- | ||
| Riddell | Bombers | 1912- | 14 | 1905, 1912, 1947, 1970, 1980, 1982, 1990, 1991, 1992, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2013 |
| Rockbank | Rams | 2000- | - | - |
| Romsey | Redbacks | 1920- | 27 | 1891, 1897, 1898, 1902, 1911, 1920, 1921, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1933, 1935, 1936, 1938, 1939, 1948, 1950, 1951, 1963, 1968, 1975, 2003, 2011, 2014, 2015 |
| Rupertswood | Sharks | 2013- | - | - |
| Sunbury Kangaroos | Kangaroos | 1987- | 1 | 2012 |
| Wallan | Magpies | 1947-53, 1965–2001, 2008- | 4 | 1977, 1989, 1992, 1998 |
| Woodend/Hesket | Hawks | 1978- (merger) | 2 | 2002, 2007 |
Former
- Craigieburn Football Club
- Darley Football Club
- Gisborne Football Club
- Hesket Football Club
- Jacana Football Club
- Kilmore Football Club
- Melton Football Club
- Melton South Football Club
- Moomba Park Football Club
- North Fawkner Football Club
- Sunbury Football Netball Club
- Trentham Football Club
- Woodend Football Club
Premiers
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Division 2
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Books
- History of Football in the Bendigo District - John Stoward - ISBN 9780980592917
- 100 years of Football in the Riddell District - John Stoward