North West Football League

The North West Football League is an Australian rules football competition in North West Tasmania. The league was previously known as the "Northern Tasmanian Football League" from its inception in 1987 until the end of the 2014 season.

North West Football League
Most recent season or competition:
2022
FormerlyNorthern Tasmania Football League (1987–2014)
SportAustralian rules football
Founded1987 (1987)
Inaugural season1987
CEOMorgan Hughes
PresidentAndrew Richardson
No. of teams7
CountryAustralia
Most recent
champion(s)		Devonport Football Club
Most titlesUlverstone Robins (9 titles)
Official websitenwfl.com.au

History

The Northern Tasmanian Football League (NTFL) was founded in 1987 to replace the Northern Tasmanian Football Association (NTFA) - no relation to the current NTFA - and the North Western Football Union (NWFU) which suffered as a result of the defection of clubs joining the new TFL Statewide League in 1986 – the NTFA had lost North Launceston and East Launceston to the TFL Statewide League at the start of 1986, then lost City-South midway through that season when it merged with East Launceston; the NWFU lost Devonport and Cooee to the Statewide League at the conclusion of the 1986 season.

After the collapse of the Statewide League at the end of 2000, the northern and coastal clubs from that competition returned to the NTFL and dominated the competition for the next eight years (Burnie and Launceston won the next eight premierships between them). With the revival of the Statewide League in 2009, the same five clubs left the NTFL again (North Launceston, South Launceston, Launceston, Burnie and Devonport), resulting in the contraction of the league to a six-club coastal composition.

In the early years, the NTFL was contested by a mixture of smaller northern and north-western clubs, but the northern clubs gradually departed, and since 2009 the league has been contested solely by clubs from the north-western coast, all with a NWFU history. Consequently, at the end of the 2014 season, the name of the league was changed to the North West Football League (NWFL).[1]

In 2015, Burnie and Devonport rejoined the competition, each fielding its reserves team in the NWFL seniors while continuing to field its senior team in the Statewide League reserves; this increased the league numbers up to eight.[2] In early 2017, Burnie withdrew from this arrangement, which dropped the number of teams down to seven.[3] Then, in 2018, Burnie and Devonport withdrew their senior teams from the Statewide League and each entered the NWFL proper.[4] The league's senior premiership is now contested by seven clubs.

Timeline

Clubs

Current clubs (2021)
Colours Club Nickname Region Home Ground League years
 Burnie DockersBurnieWest Park Oval2001–08, 2015–16 [note 1], 2018–present
 Circular Head SaintsSmithtonSmithton Football Ground1987–2018, 2022–present
 Devonport [5] MagpiesDevonportDevonport Oval2001–08, 2015–present
 Latrobe DemonsLatrobeDarrel Baldock Oval1987–present
 Penguin Two BluesPenguinDial Park1987–present
 Ulverstone RobinsUlverstoneUlverstone Recreation Ground1987–present
 Wynyard CatsWynyardWynyard Football Ground1987–present

Former NTFL/NWFL clubs
Club League years Fate
Burnie Tigers [note 2]1987–93 Merged with the Burnie Hawks
Deloraine Kangaroos1987–2003 Joined the NTFA Division I
East Devonport Swans1987–2020 Club seniors in recess since 2021
Launceston Blues [note 3]1987–93, 1998–2008 Joined the Tasmanian State League
Longford Tigers1987 Joined the NTFA Division I
North Launceston Bombers2001–08 Joined the Tasmanian State League
South Launceston Bulldogs1998–2008 Joined the Tasmanian State League
Scottsdale Magpies1987–99 Joined the NTFA Division I
South Burnie Hawks1997–98 Joined the Darwin Football Association
Notes
  1. Competing with reserve teams (Devonport 2015-17).
  2. Burnie Tigers were absorbed by the Burnie Hawks at the end of 1993, the merged club continued to participate as the Burnie Hawks in the 1994 TFL season until the club adopted a new identity and colours from 1995 as the Burnie Dockers.
  3. Member of the TFL from 1994–1997.

Grand Finals
  • 2022 Devonport 7.17 (59) def Wynyard 7.10 (52) at Latrobe
  • 2021 Devonport 6.8 (44) def Penguin 5.11 (41) at Latrobe
  • 2020 Burnie 11.16 (82) def Devonport 6.7 (43) at Latrobe
  • 2019 Burnie 9.17 (71) def Devonport 9.8 (62) at Latrobe
  • 2018 Burnie 10.14 (74) def Ulverstone 8.10 (58) at Latrobe
  • 2017 Ulverstone 11.10 (76) def Latrobe 7.10 (52) at Latrobe
  • 2016 Latrobe 10.12 (72) def Penguin 9.15 (69) at Latrobe
  • 2015 Wynyard 19.14 (138) def Ulverstone 11.10 (76) at Latrobe
  • 2014 Wynyard 24.16 (160) def Ulverstone 6.8 (44) at Latrobe
  • 2013 Latrobe 22.16 (148) def Wynyard 14.17 (101) at Latrobe
  • 2012 Wynyard 11.12 (78) def Latrobe 8.17 (65) at Latrobe
  • 2011 Latrobe 18.15 (123) def Penguin 17.17 (119) at Latrobe
  • 2010 Latrobe 20.13 (133) def Ulverstone 16.7 (103) at Latrobe
  • 2009 Ulverstone 22.14 (146) def Smithton 8.10 (56) at Latrobe
  • 2008 Launceston 17.18 (120) def Burnie Dockers 14.23 (107) at Latrobe
  • 2007 Launceston 19.9 (123) def Ulverstone 16.12 (108) at Latrobe
  • 2006 Launceston 22.14 (146) def Devonport 13.11 (89) at Latrobe
  • 2005 Burnie Dockers 8.15 (63) def Devonport 6.10 (46) at Latrobe
  • 2004 Burnie Dockers 23.19 (157) def Devonport 7.8 (50) at Latrobe
  • 2003 Burnie Dockers 14.11 (95) def North Launceston 6.13 (49) at Latrobe
  • 2002 Burnie Dockers 14.5 (89) def Ulverstone 5.12 (47) at Latrobe
  • 2001 Burnie Dockers 17.14 (116) def North Launceston 7.10 (52) at Latrobe
  • 2000 Ulverstone 13.8 (86) def Latrobe 7.10 (52) at Latrobe
  • 1999 South Launceston 11.19 (85) def Smithton 7.8 (50) at Latrobe
  • 1998 South Launceston 9.11 (65) def East Devonport 9.4 (58) at Latrobe
  • 1997 Ulverstone 21.8 (134) def East Devonport 8.8 (56) at Latrobe
  • 1996 Ulverstone 18.13 (121) def Wynyard 8.11 (59) at Latrobe
  • 1995 Ulverstone 18.15 (123) def Wynyard 14.9 (93) at Latrobe
  • 1994 Ulverstone 11.8 (74) def Latrobe 7.8 (50) at Latrobe
  • 1993 Ulverstone 14.12 (96) def Scottsdale 8.7 (55) at Latrobe
  • 1992 Burnie Tigers 18.10 (118) def Penguin 10.5 (65) at West Park
  • 1991 Smithton 18.9 (117) def Ulverstone 10.9 (69) at West Park
  • 1990 Ulverstone 18.13 (121) def Scottsdale 12.7 (79) at West Park
  • 1989 Scottsdale 13.10 (88) def Smithton 10.10 (70) at West Park
  • 1988 East Devonport 20.7 (127) def Burnie Tigers 18.15 (123) at Devonport Oval
  • 1987 Ulverstone 13.19 (97) def East Devonport 12.12 (84) at West Park

Attendance

The Northern Tasmanian Football League is considered to be one of the strongest leagues in the state and has a strong supporter following. Games in the NTFL average around 500 spectators.

References
  1. Jordan Abell (11 December 2014). "NTFL renamed North West Football League". AFL Tasmania. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  2. Jordan Abell (1 August 2014). "Welcome back: NTFL clubs give unanimous approval for the return of Burnie and Devonport". Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  3. Brad Cole (8 March 2017). "Burnie withdraw from 2017 NWFL seniors and reserves". The Advocate. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
  4. Chris Rowbottom (6 February 2018). "Burnie Football Club quits Tasmanian State League, unable to field teams". Retrieved 17 September 2018.
  5. group=note
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