All Clubs History
By Ian Wotherspoon. NWFL Patron and Historian
CLUB HISTORY IN NORTH WEST FOOTBALL LEAGUE OF TASMANIA (N.W.F.L.)
While the NWFL (formerly NTFL) currently consists of eight clubs playing senior football, since its formation in 1987 17 clubs have been affiliated with the league, including twelve in the inaugural year.
The league was formed by clubs from the former North West Football Union and Northern Tasmanian Football Association as a result of other member clubs choosing to join the fledgling State League (Mark I).
Member clubs from Tasmania’s north have been:
Scottsdale, George Town, Longford, Deloraine, Launceston, South Launceston and North Launceston.
Coastal clubs have been:
Smithton (now Circular Head Saints), Burnie (Tigers then Dockers), South Burnie, East Devonport, Devonport, Latrobe, Ulverstone, Penguin and Wynyard.
The latter four clubs (Latrobe, Ulverstone, Penguin and Wynyard) have been vital parts of the league for its entire 39 years.
The following briefly outlines the involvement of all clubs which have been associated with the NWFL, which has long been recognised as Tasmania’s premier regional football competition.
Where reference is made to the Development competition, the name was changed from Reserves in 2024, while the Colts were previously known as Under 18s or 19s.
Premierships
Club Seniors Development Colts Women TOTAL
Ulverstone 10 9 18 2 39
Devonport 5 5 5 2 17
Burnie Dockers/Tigers 9 5 2 0 16
Wynyard 3 5 4 3 15
Latrobe 4 6 1 1 12
Penguin 0 2 1 1 4
Circular Head/Smithton 1 0 2 0 3
East Devonport 1 1 0 0 2
Last Grand Final Appearance
Club Seniors Development Colts Women
Burnie Dockers 2023 2025 2024 -
Circular Head 2009 2009 2009 -
Devonport 2025 2025 2025 2019
East Devonport 1998 2010 - -
Latrobe 2017 2023 2023 2020
Penguin 2021 2022 2025 2025
Ulverstone 2018 2015 2015 2022
Wynyard 2025 2024 2023 2025
CURRENT CLUBS (2025)
LATROBE – 1987–2025 (39 years)
The Demons (once also known as the “Diehards”) struggled somewhat in the early years.
They imported “ace” players from Victoria as coaches, Terry Keays and Ashleigh Brown, but real success still eluded the club.
Then in 2010 along came “Ned”. Dale Perry arrived at the club and things started to happen. Future Latrobe Mayor Peter Freshney was president and the club’s revitalisation began.
The class of the administration at the club is confirmed when it is noted it has hosted 34 of the 39 NWFL grand finals, including the past 33 straight.
In the new era the Demons:
Won four senior flags and lost two grand finals in seven years.
Development won five premierships, including three in a row from 2011, plus one in 1995.
The Colts won a single flag in 2007.
The club has also won one Club Championship.
Beginning with Darrel Baldock decades ago, the club has produced many champions on and off the field, including:
Gavin Woodcock (one) and Josh Holland (two) as Baldock Medal winners.
In front of goal:
Mark Williams was king with 132 majors in 1989.
Terry Keays kicked 117.
Stephen French twice won the goalkicking award, as did Brodie Deverell, including 106.
Adam Jeffrey and Ryan Keep (103) also led the tally.
Alex Diprose took the award in 2022.
The Paddy Martin Medal for best representative game player has been won by Wayne Jaffray, Josh Holland and Rodney Coghlan.
Simon McCall won the equivalent in an under-age game, with Dillon Goss in 2021 being awarded the Ian Wotherspoon Medal for best player in the Colts representative game.
Best First Year Senior Player awards have gone to Peter Febey, Claye Sculthorpe and Jack Ritter (2025), with Matthew Stephenson, Kurt Wells, Alex Diprose and Cooper Bentley being adjudged Most Improved.
Best in grand finals were James Wescombe, Holland, Coghlan and Shaun McCrossen.
The Development Best & Fairest has been won by Dean Smith and Adam Stevenson, while Dane Williams took out the award an incredible three times.
Leading goalkickers have been Simon Howard, Corey Lamprey and Peter Fulton (three times), while Nick Freeman, Matthew Sheahan, Nick Von Schill and Ben Blacklow have been best in grand finals.
Colts Best & Fairest winners are Mathew Dawkins and Will Shearer; leading goalkickers Matthew Freshney, Mitchyl Hampson and Jack Freshney; the best grand final player being Kurt Wells.
In 2017 the Latrobe side took out the first NWFL Women’s flag, with Danielle Dunstone sharing the best and fairest award that year as well as being best player in that year’s grand final.
Kristy Harpley was the leading goalkicker in 2020.
In 2025 the Most Valuable Player award was taken out by Lainee Richards.
Since that inaugural premiership the Demons Women have struggled; in the most recent six years they have won just 10 games, but with a recently announced significant coaching appointment for 2026 the club’s optimism may be justified.
Off-field, the club has again excelled.
Five people have been acknowledged for their dedication as NWFL Life Members:
Rod Butler, Ivor Kirkwood, Brett Smith, Adam Jeffrey and Gavin Woodcock.
No less than 13 Demons have been inducted into the NWFL Hall of Fame:
Brett Jaffray, Brett Smith, Stephen French, Leon Dawkins, Matthew Langmaid (+ another club), Dale Perry (+ another club), Matthew Stephenson (+ another club), Ian Broomhall, Wayne Jaffray, Josh Holland, Gavin Woodcock, Allan [surname implied Broomhall/Walker], Rod Walke and Allan “Alf” Woodcock.
The Patrons Service to Football award has gone to Rod Butler, Royce Viney (+ other service), Ian Broomhall, Ivor Kirkwood, Kaylene Dawkins, Rod Walker, Peter Freshney and Kate Perry.
Certificates of Merit recipients are Bill Wickham, Leon Dawkins, “Alf” Woodcock, Malcolm Wright, Malcolm Jackson, Gill Clarke, Kandice Blake, Jason Bryan and Jason Watling in 2025.
The Queen/Ambassador Quest has been won by Angela Broomhall, Stefani Bissett, Sarah Lewis; player Damon Cock took the award in 2022 and in 2023 Grace Johnstone was a deserving winner, while Kate Ritchie, Belinda Dawkins and Kandice Blake have been honoured with the “Miss Fundraiser” award (which no longer exists).
In its 39 years the NWFL has benefitted from the input of 12 Latrobe-affiliated Board members. Foundation president (in the NTFL era) Julian Minton-Connell, in two stints, was there for six years, as was former president Shane Greenwood.
Latrobe has always been a strong, loyal member of the NWFL whose contribution to coastal football has been remarkable. The club’s normal policy has been to do what is best for football generally. The manner in which it (assisted by Latrobe Council) has hosted 34 grand finals is testament to the club’s culture and people.
The club has been recognised as a Tasmanian Hall of Fame “Great Club” with “Legendary Team” status also accorded it.
The Latrobe Demons are a proud, loyal foundation member of the NWFL and are an integral part of the vibrant Latrobe community.
ULVERSTONE – 1987–2025 (39 years)
Over the 39-year journey, undoubtedly the strongest club with on-field success unmatched is Ulverstone – the Robins. Across the three male levels the club has won 37 out of 117 possible premierships, or one in three.
That success includes:
Five successive senior flags in the 1990s.
Eleven consecutive Colts premierships from 1987.
Nine Development flags.
Twelve Club Championship awards.
In 2021 the Ulverstone NWFL Women’s team won its first premiership, following up in 2022 with another flag, completing the season undefeated and finishing with a massive for/against percentage in excess of 900%.
Just two seniors “wooden spoons” are discreetly hidden away in the clubrooms.
However, that early success has diminished to a degree in the past 25 years, with:
Only two senior flags and
Two Development premierships,
while the Colts have taken out six, the last being in 2015, with just two Club Championships during that time.
The club’s 2017 seniors flag was the last won by any club before both the Burnie Dockers and Devonport re-joined the NWFL exclusively after leaving the State League.
Such was the strength of the seniors team in those early years (1987–97) that almost anyone could have coached them to a flag. Four individual coaches led the club to those first seven flags, including Max Brown with three.
How the wheel turns.
In the past ten years the Robins’ seniors have played in two grand finals for one win (2017), with no premierships at Development or Colts level. But the wheel will turn.
Darrel Baldock Medal winners have included Reg Horton, Nathan Howard (2), Simon Walmsley, Scott Blair and Justin Hays.
Jamie Auton, with 95 goals in 1997, is the only Robins player to win the leading goalkicker award at senior level.
Auton, that same year, won the Best First Year Player award, which the following year was won by Josh Cox. Darren Crawford, Hamish Anderson, Jarrad Gale, Corey Dyson, Jacob Wiggers, Liam Davies and Jesse Shepheard continued the club’s domination of that award.
Most Improved Player awards have gone to David Newitt, Luke Marshall, Nick Leedham, Shaun Knott and Luke Dyson, while Simon Walmsley and Jeremy Soden claimed the hallowed Paddy Martin Medal for their representative game performances.
Ulverstone’s domination of senior grand finals is confirmed with best player medals going to Garth Barrett, Leigh Rawson (2), Simon Walmsley, Nathan Howard, David Orders, Adrian Siely, Troy Davies, Jarrad Gale and John Holland on the winners’ list.
At Development level, Craig McCulloch, Tim Auton, Nick Hearn and Touray October (twice, including a tie in 2025) were deemed Best & Fairest, while the club’s domination of the Colts competition is confirmed with Joe Pearson, Josh Cox, Rohan Gibson, Luke Dyson, Liam Davies (later to win the Baldock Medal) and Lleyton Connelly taking out Best Player awards.
Other Development players to earn accolades were Gary Howe (2), Grant Hearps, Daniel Gale, Matthew Turner, Tim Auton, Brodie Connelly, Shannon Abel, Nathan Applebee, Jacob Campbell, Shaun McCrossen and Oliver Depaoli-Kubank.
Other Colts awards went to Troy Brooks, who kicked 109 goals (phenomenal at that level) to win the 1991 goalkicking. Jason Stephens, Mark Singleton, Matthew Smedley, Haidyn Clarke, Jordan Kelly (2), Brodie Connelly, Bradley Gibson, Bryce Heazlewood and Troy Purton have also won that award, including the latter four in consecutive years.
Best in Colts grand finals were Gillam Leary, Adam Holstrum, Haidyn Clarke, Waide Jones, Jordan Quaile, Liam Davies and Harrison Barker, while in representative games the best player medal went to Brent Melhuish, Russell Yaxley, Ben Hilfenhaus (2) and Justin Clarke.
In 2017 Brooke Brown shared the NWFL Women’s Best & Fairest award as well as being the leading goalkicker in that competition’s first year.
Ruby Mitchell was the competition’s Best & Fairest winner in 2021 and 2022, while best in the 2021 grand final was Candice Belbin; in 2022 Lucy Thompson took out that award. The league’s Best First Year Player in 2021 was Luka Starick, in 2022 Lucy Thompson, while in 2025 Olivia Lyons completed a hat-trick of that award for the club.
Leading goalkicker in 2022 was Nikki Ellis with 36.
Libby Haines was the best player in the 2021 two successful representative games – a star in the making.
So that’s the list of player awards. One wonders what became of so many of those younger players who reached significant heights so early; similarly with other clubs.
The Robins have also traditionally been a stronghold of junior footy.
Life Membership of the NWFL has been awarded to the following stalwarts:
Neil Rawson (+ other service)
Wayne Wing (including many years’ service in the former NWFU)
Ron Ansell
Andrew Richardson (+ other service)
Hall of Fame members are Les Toombs, Rex Bloom, Nathan Howard, Ron Ansell, Max Brown and Andrew Richardson, with Eddie Atkinson, Wing, Ansell, Toombs, Dr Mark Heikkinen, Greg Wing, Richardson and Doreen Leary also being recognised with Patrons Service to Football awards.
Merit Awards went to Dr Heikkinen, Bloom, Millie Walmsley, Wayne King, Lynn Brett, Kate Williams and Andrew Leary.
The league’s Queen/Ambassador Quest winners include the inaugural winner in 1987, Michelle Eaton, followed by Kathryn Orders, Tamika Costello and Hannah King.
Ron Ansell was the club’s NWFL Director for an incredible 15 years.
The club has been recognised as a Tasmanian Hall of Fame “Great Club” with “Legendary Team” status also accorded it.
So there’s a real success story.
Unfortunately, around 16 or so years ago the club encountered a real hurdle, with people from both within and outside the club making a strong push for it to leave the NWFL and join the State League, aided and abetted by the hierarchy of that league. Fortunately, the pro-NWFL lobby won, but the club was seriously divided and it hurt.
People like Ron Ansell, Wayne King, Doreen and Terry Leary and others got the Robins back on track, but the wounds took a long time to heal.
The Ulverstone Robins are a proud, loyal foundation member of the NWFL.
PENGUIN – 1987–2025 (39 years)
The Two Blues are the only club which has been affiliated with the league for its entire 39 years not to have won a senior flag or provided a Baldock Medallist. But it’s been close!
Penguin has:
Played in four losing senior grand finals,
With two of its three flags coming on the same day in 2017, when its Colts and Development teams both won premierships,
With the “two’s” again being victorious in 2021.
Its past three (losing) grand finals have been by 3, 3 and 4 points!
In 2011 the club won its first ever Club Championship, a feat repeated in 2025. This award recognises success at all levels, from juniors and women through to the three men’s categories.
Five seniors “wooden spoons” have come the Two Blues’ way.
But the club has achieved a lot for a town consisting of little more than 4,000 people, a community which is proud of its footy club and what it achieves for the town.
From the (by today’s standards) sub-standard ground and facilities in downtown Penguin to the new, high-class stadium in the Dial Range foothills, the club has progressed; with strong leadership and a great culture it is on a sound footing.
The club’s women’s team created history in 2024 by overcoming its nemesis Wynyard by a mere five points in a weather-affected grand final to take out its first premiership. The Two Blues topped the ladder in 2025 but in the grand final the Cats were victorious by 11 points.
Penguin has had many individual players of note in the NWFL.
Paddy Martin Medal (representative) winners are:
Neville Keep
Brian Brett (2)
Brad McDonald
Zac Mihocek
Club senior coach Luke Russell
Jack Templeton, having previously been best player in the Colts rep game way back in 2009.
Best First Year Senior Player: Elijah Taylor and Jack Templeton.
Most Improved: Grant Guard, Rodney King, Toby Skene and Jake Wray-McCann.
In an injury-riddled 2021 season (for him), Templeton became the first Penguin player to take out the leading goalkicker award, with 54 majors.
Tayla Marshall, with 42 goals, took out the equivalent women’s award that year, while in winning the 2025 award with 54 goals, Shania Saward became the competition’s highest-ever women’s goal scorer.
Best in the winning 2024 Women’s grand final was Emilie Saward.
A hat-trick of Women’s Most Improved Player awards was completed by Hannah Lee in 2024, preceded in 2023 by Emilie Saward and Joey Revell in 2022.
In 2025 Libby Haines was co-captain of the women’s representative team.
League Development Best & Fairest winners are Terry Duff (way back in 1987), followed by Graeme Haywood, David Guard, Tim Bakes, Jed Dunham, Tyler Parker and Nathan Russell, who shared the award in 2024.
Leading goalkickers: Dan Laws, Kerry Jackson, Gary “Tom” Clarke and Jake De Groot.
Best in the 2017 Development grand final was Nathan Russell, Kallum Paul in 2019, and in 2021 it was Sam Mawer’s performance which saw him take out this special award.
At Colts level, Randall Hardy, James King and Kallum Paul have taken out Best & Fairest, while in 2025 co-captain Will Dutton, grandson of club icon Bill Fielding, became the fourth Two Blues player to take out this award.
Templeton was best in the 2009 Colts rep game, while best in the 2017 grand final was Dylan Bramich.
In 2025 Croyden Smith became the first Penguin player to win the NWFL Colts goalkicking award, with 48 majors.
In the past two seasons the Two Blues have fielded teams in all five levels of the junior competitions, which is an indication of the support there is for the game and the club in “tiny” Penguin.
Penguin might not have had a lot of success on-field, but individually it certainly has.
Life Members of the League include Bill Fielding (also for NWFU service), Brett Schulze (+ other service) and another club legend Ted Howe, while Kim Miles was recognised in 2021 for his contribution (+ other service).
The Hall of Fame is where Penguin has excelled, with nine people included:
Matthew Smith, Kim Miles, Robbie Lavell, Rodney Adams (all with other service), Don Naden, Janine Naden, Garry Carpenter, Ted Howe and Brett Schulze.
The Patrons Service to Football award has gone to Fielding, Schulze, Miles, Wayne Turnbull and, in 2025, long-term club president Brian Lane was a deserving winner.
Certificates of Merit awardees: Bert Cragg, Earl Howard, Alma Carpenter, Victor Anderson, Pam Revell, Don Naden, Paul Murray and Lyn Brown.
The Queen Quest/Ambassador award has been won by Kim Fielding, Stuart Whiley, James King and Caitlin Overend.
Fifteen people have been league Directors, including foundation president Earl Howard (7 years) and his son-in-law, current NWFL President Garry Carpenter (also seven). Other than those two, the turnover has been significant, while thankfully current president Brian Lane has been there for nine years to date.
In 2023 the club was rightfully recognised when it was inducted into the AFL Tasmania Hall of Fame as a “Great Club”.
Penguin is another proud, loyal foundation member club of the NWFL.
WYNYARD – 1987–2025 (39 years)
In the early days Wynyard competed without much success. It was a wonderful club, especially socially. Club icon Kerry “Couta” O’Neill basically “ran the show” as secretary.
Rox Snare, Richard Lakeland, Robert Hope, Colin Robertson and Dale Hutton were all good leaders, but in the first twenty years the club won just a single flag – the Reserves in 1987.
And then along came Tom. Greyhound guru Tom Englund has now moved on, but when he became president things began to happen and the club hasn’t looked back, with fantastic people involved. Just look at the ground and facilities, and the football culture.
The club has now won:
Three senior premierships
Five Development premierships
Four Colts premierships
A colossal ten Club Championships (second only to Ulverstone)
The club in 2020 won its first NWFL Women’s premiership, a feat repeated in 2023 and 2025; the latter by 11 points over ladder-topping Penguin.
Now here’s a bit of contrasting history:
Wynyard’s 24.16 (160) when Ulverstone lost by 116 points in the 2014 grand final remains the highest grand final score.
But in 2025 the reverse happened: the Cats managed 1.3 (9) in their 122-point loss to Devonport in the ultimate game; the biggest grand final margin and lowest ever score.
Best player awards in the seniors (Baldock Medal) have gone to Tony Flint, Sam Douglas (3), Zac Smith, Dylan Smith and Kallum Kubicki, twice – 2022 and 2024.
The goalkicking award has been taken out by:
Kevin Taylor, who in 1987 amassed 141 goals, which remains an NWFL record (and is likely to remain so).
Gregg Sharman (3 times)
Grant Williams (2)
Brody Denehey
Best players in senior grand finals have been Zac Smith (2) and Zane Murphy, while Mark Stretton, Kubicki, Denehey and Geordie Payne have won Best First Year Player awards.
Most Improved Player awards have gone to Roger Newman, Gregg Sharman in 1998 (who then progressed far), as did Sam Douglas, plus Anthony MacMichael and Zac Marshall.
In 2024 Baldock Medallist Kallum Kubicki also received the Ian Wright Memorial Medal in the Coast FM Player of the Year award, with votes provided by all club senior coaches.
The Most Valuable Player of the Year award has been won by Zac Smith and Zane Murphy.
SeaFM Rising Star/Player of the Year winners: Bryce Hanaveer and Sam Kalbfell.
The Advocate/CUB Player of the Year: Zane Murphy (twice), Sam Douglas and Zac Smith.
The Development Best & Fairest has been taken out by Joey Hawkes, Marty Fry, Ben Englund, Andrew House, Todd Chatwin and James Allen.
Best in grand finals have been Jye Gardam, Jake Watts and Sam Gleeson, with leading goalkickers Ricky Mica, Manassa Walker, Brady Allen (4), Ben Dawson and Chris Bryan.
In the Colts, Best & Fairest winners have been Scott Garland, Nick Mitchell, James Allen (2), Jahmar Jackson and Mason Elphinstone, with best in grand finals being Ben Grubb, Kai Apted, Tane Routledge and Kobi Lyons.
Nick Pearce and Thomas Liefhebber received best player medals in Colts rep games.
Leading goalkickers were Andrew Jenkins, Peter Fulton, Clint Robertson, Tyler Keene, Zac Marshall and Routledge.
Wynyard captain Olivia Smith in 2023 and 2024 was league Best & Fairest and captain of the successful NWFL women’s rep team, also being co-captain in 2025.
Best in women’s grand finals have been Abbie Hoiberg-Cox and Amy Bissett, with Jess Whelan taking out the award in 2025.
In 2021 the inaugural women’s Most Improved Player award winner was Elise Hoiberg-Cox, while the Best First Year Player in 2024 was Ella Moodie.
In 2025 Charli Davis took out the SeaFM Rising Star/Player of the Year award, which had previously been won by Charlie Vandenberg and Olivia Smith, while Samara Whitney was a special winner in 2023.
The Cats’ women have dominated the NWFL best rep-game player awards since their foundation in 2021: Abbie Hoiberg-Cox took out the award in 2022 and 2023, while in the next two years, 2024 and 2025, Jess Whelan was the league’s best player.
So there are plenty of individual award winners in Cat country.
Kerry O’Neill and Roxley Snare are NWFL Life Members, while Glenn Ebdon, Clinton Stretton, Kerry and Roxley are Hall of Fame members, together with Dan Smith and Gregg Sharman.
Patrons Service to Football awards have gone to Kerry, Tom Englund, Kathy Granger and Peter Symes.
Certificates of Merit recipients are Brendan O’Neill, Wayne Arthur, Grant Crowe, Phyllis Voss, Linda Hope, Adrian Hope, Phillip Granger, Sherrie Leno, Darryl O’Halloran and Rox Snare, who is the only person to have been recognised in every non-playing category available within the league.
The club has done well in the Ambassador/Queen Quest with eight winners in this important aspect: Belinda Hutchinson, Bridget Elliott, Kelly Bakes, Madison Hope, Rachel Degenhardt, Emma Page, Zoe O’Halloran (2021, daughter of Kelly Bakes) and Isabella Hardy (2025).
The club has had 11 individual NWFL Board Directors, including Kerry O’Neill for 13 years.
In 2024 the club was recognised by the AFL as its National Club of the Year for its outstanding achievements, particularly off-field and in the community.
Wynyard, another proud, loyal foundation member of the NWFL, is part of a population of barely 6,000 people; its contribution on and off the field has been exceptional.
CIRCULAR HEAD SAINTS
(formerly Smithton Saints / Circular Head Giants)
1987–2018, 2022–2025 (36 years)
Circular Head/Smithton is a magnificent club in an awesome community of around 8,000 people.
On-field it:
Won the seniors premiership in 1991 under former Geelong player Darren Denneman, with Darren Munday being awarded the best player medal in that grand final.
Won the Club Championship in 1989 and 2009.
Played in three losing senior grand finals.
Won Colts flags in 2001 and 2009.
Mark Thorp, Dean Tuson, Denneman, Tony Crennan, Clint Riley and Matt Elliott are all on the Baldock Medal honour board as league Best & Fairest, while in 2025 coach Liam Davies (as joint winner) joined that illustrious group. It’s interesting to note that as a youngster playing with Ulverstone, Davies in 2014 was voted best player in the Colts grand final, while in 2016 he was deemed the Best First Year Senior player. So the signs were there.
Damien Medwin won the goalkicking award with 88 in 2009.
Thorp, Danny Schoenmaker, Medwin and Tyson Armstrong were Best First Year Senior Player award winners, while the Most Improved Player award went to Wayne Dixon, Jaiden Crole and Josh Gale.
In the league’s Development competition, Best & Fairest winners Jeff Triffitt, Dean Johnson, Troy Donohue, Kelvin Popowski and Ben Poke took the limelight, while in the under-age competition David Coates remains the only player to win the award twice. Jarrod Watling and Armstrong also being winners.
Mark Spinks, Scott Bryan and Regan Townsend won the best player medal in under-age grand finals, while Tyrone Morrison won the best player award in the 2007 rep game.
Morrison, in 2022, played his 250th game, after having long since departed Circular Head for success at the Burnie Dockers.
Tony Crennan in 1994 was awarded the Paddy Martin Medal for best rep game player, with Kent Jackson also winning that award, while Scott (“Soup bones”) Blizzard took it out twice. He was awarded Life Membership of the league in 2015 after playing 300 senior games.
Off-field is where the side from Circular Head excelled, as confirmed by the number of personnel recognised by the league. Haydn Nichols, Jodie Saville, Mary Saville, Fred O’Halloran, Bill O’Halloran, Judith Moore, Peter Dunlop and Tony Maguire are all members of the Hall of Fame.
Patrons Service to Football presentations have been made to Scott Knight, Bill O’Halloran, Mary Saville, Gavin Coombe, Kevin Radford and Megan Popowski, while Stafford Heres, Leonie Edwards, Nichols and David Riddoch received Merit Awards.
The Queen Quest, later to become the Ambassador Quest, was an area in which the club thrived, with Melissa Saville in 1989 and Letitia House (2017) reigning supreme.
In the former Miss Fundraiser section the club dominated, often sharing the accolades with fellow country club (at the other end of the island), Scottsdale. No fewer than six winners came from the Saints: Cindy Bishop, Shelly Popowski, Megan Dunlop, Laurinda Murphy, Jodie Edwards and Shaundelle Medwin.
In 2005 the league scrapped the idea of recognising the club queen who raised the most money, primarily because of a perception that those isolated “country” clubs had a distinct advantage over those in the major towns. You know – spuds and cattle.
Buom Koang in 2025 was recognised as Tas. AFL Diversity Ambassador of the Year.
In the early days the ground and facilities could only be described as unique, with those in the distant grandstand almost needing binoculars to see the game. But then along came people with foresight and money and now the facilities and ground are superb (and they’ve retained the legendary “Fishermen’s Shed” from where lubricated fans can watch games).
In 2016, in an effort to increase interest and support within the community for the club, it chose to change its name from Saints to Circular Head Giants. That idea seemingly did not work and, disappointingly, just three years later the club went into recess.
Fortunately a group of people with foresight, led by president-to-be Keith Billing, rekindled interest in the club and in 2022 it thankfully and rightfully returned to the ranks of the NWFL.
It was a tough return to the NWFL, with the club winning just twelve games across the three male levels in three seasons, including the Colts, who played finals in 2023. In 2025 the signs were good, with the seniors – who had not won a game in the previous three years – winning three matches and drawing another; the Development side was victorious on three occasions, while the Colts managed a win and a draw (helped of course by a newly returning club).
In Liam Davies the club has an excellent coach, while an announced recruitment coup indicates promising signs for 2026.
A most pleasing aspect is the fact that in 2024 the club fielded, for the first time, a women’s team, which had two great wins, as it did in 2025. Kelsie Smith in 2024 won the SeaFM Rising Star/Player of the Year award, while Zeritu Heres was acknowledged as the Most Improved Player in 2025.
The club’s presence in the league has been strongly supported by other clubs and we can be sure that with further support from the Circular Head community it will continue to grow, with benefits for the whole region.
Time spent at Smithton was always worth the travel, with friendships and catering unequalled.
In 36 years, 13 people have represented the club at NWFL Director level, with the president who sadly oversaw the club going into recess, Nic Bellinger, and former president and coach Tony Maguire, each with five years, leading the longevity stakes.
EAST DEVONPORT – 1987–2020, 2025– (35 years)
It was a sad situation when, in early 2021, this city-based club with a history dating back more than 100 years discovered it could no longer field teams (other than juniors) in the NWFL, all because of a player shortage.
The Swans’ contribution to coastal football, including that of the NWFL, may have been understated. Its history of ups and downs is worth noting.
After losing the first ever NWFL grand final by 13 points to Ulverstone in 1987, the Tim Allen-coached side the following year defeated the Burnie Tigers by a mere four points in the only NWFL grand final ever played at Devonport Oval. The best player medal went to the victors’ Peter Apps.
East Devonport lost its 1987, 1997 and 1998 senior grand finals, and at no level has it played in a grand final other than its victorious effort in the Reserves in 2010. The Colts have never played on that one day in September.
Interestingly, in 1997 the club played Ulverstone in the second semi-final, scoring 1.4 (10) – the lowest finals score for the next 27 years – yet won the preliminary final, only to come up against the Robins again in the grand final, going down by 78 points.
The “wooden spoon” for bottom of the seniors ladder is one record the Swans would not have aspired to, having now “won” ten in 35 years, more than one in four.
The return
In 2025 the NWFL was blessed that the East Devonport club would be returning with teams in all three male levels fielded each week: the competition would again involve eight clubs, and the proud foundation member of the league was back – where it belongs. More on that renaissance below.
East Devonport has certainly had its share of individual award winners.
The Darrel Baldock Medal (and it’s worth recalling that Baldock began his illustrious career with the Swans) has been won by Paul Spencer, Craig Muir and Adrian Partridge, while Mark Williams with 119 goals in 1988 and Nick Milbourne with 72 in 2010 have taken out the league’s senior goalkicking award.
The Best First Year Senior Player award has gone to Sam Rundle and Brodie Sheahen, while Chris McGurk, Leigh Febey and Jack Triffitt have won the Most Improved Player category.
In 2025 Dylan Moore received the Impress Print Most Valuable Player award.
Players getting a mention in the Development competition include Nathan T. Applebee, Darren Thornton, Damien Hall and Chris Hall, while Creighton Tinney won a Colts Best & Fairest.
Graeme “Gypsy” Lee, Craig Muir and Andrew Buchhorn were recognised for their service by being inducted into the NWFL Hall of Fame, while Patrons Service to Football awards went to Ron Dell, Dawn Targett, Audrey Conley, Sue Milbourne and Barry Johnson.
Nick Milbourne in 2022 became a Hall of Fame member primarily for his service with East Devonport before becoming a 2021 premiership full forward with Devonport following the Swans’ demise.
Certificates of Merit were awarded to Sue, Andrew, Graeme Walton and Michael Tait.
Ambassador Quest winners have been Vashti Borlini, Elliott Stenson and Grant Milbourne.
Ellen Thompson in 2025 was announced as the AFLW Community Ambassador.
In 35 years the club has had 11 different NWFL Board Directors, headed by Graeme Walton (seven years) and club foundation president Ron Dell (six).
The club has a fantastic history. In addition to “the Doc”, ace AFL players including Graham Wright and Matthew Richardson were involved early in their careers. Arnold Richardson, Sue (née Richardson) Milbourne, “Gypsy” Lee are among many whose influence at the club cannot be measured. Businessmen’s lunches and high-profile guests were part of the culture.
For a brief time, despite not fielding teams in the NWFL competition, the club ambitiously sought to join the State League, a move which had some support within that competition, although that aim did not come about. Neither did that competition survive! So the club turned its attention to re-joining the NWFL after an absence of three years, to start in 2024, but due to a shortage of players that happened only partly, with three under-age and Colts teams being created.
The small club committee, led by Swans’ committed president John Febey and the wise coaching appointment of Brenton Gale, resulted in the club fielding teams in all three men’s levels as well as four junior levels.
Yes, there was not much success on-field, but it was a real achievement to field those teams every week while a real love of the club culture continued.
Across the river, Devonport’s dominance continues, but with the personnel involved at Swanland eventually the flow may creep across the river. But of course, the availability of players in the area will always be an issue.
The Swans’ home ground Girdlestone Park is a magnificent venue, the facilities are first rate and the club is financially very sound. Success will come.
Go Swannies!
BURNIE TIGERS / BURNIE DOCKERS
Burnie Tigers: 1987–1993
Burnie Dockers: 2001–2008; 2015–2025 (excluding 2017)
25 NWFL seasons
With one team from Burnie being involved in the State League, the other – the Burnie Tigers – thankfully, for seven years, was a major player in the NWFL, hosting four grand finals and a rep game in addition to winning a senior premiership and two reserves flags in those early days of the league.
A book could be written on the politics of football in Burnie in that era, with the Tigers disappearing, amalgamations, new names and changes to the entire structure: Burnie Tigers, Cooee Bulldogs, Burnie Hawks – and now it’s settled, the Burnie Dockers.
The Dockers joined the NWFL in 2001 for eight dominant years, rejoining the State League in 2009, where they won a flag before returning to the NWFL in 2015, where they remain as a strong, well-administered club. They actually fielded teams in both the NWFL and State League for a time but that became too difficult, impracticable and unsuccessful.
The Tigers in 1992 won the flag under the coaching of ex-Richmond ace Mark Lee, with his former Richmond team-mate Jim Jess being a grand final match winner. Burnie went down to East Devonport by just four points in 1988 in its only other senior grand final appearance.
Chris Reynolds in 1991 and 1992 won the NWFL leading goalkicker award, with Colin Lamprey and James Sweeney taking out Best First Year Player awards, while the Paddy Martin Medal for his rep game performance went to Craig Johnstone, with subsequent winners of that award from the Dockers being Matthew Smith and two-time winner Dylan Smith.
Jim Jess won the best player medal in the 1992 grand final.
With 102 goals in 2001, Andrew Hering was the league leading goalkicker; he repeated the dose in 2004, while Harry Walters is also a two-time winner in that category.
A host of players were deemed best player in Dockers’ grand finals – Matthew Wooldridge, Nick Probert, Matthew Smith, Jason Howard, Brad Davis, Nick McKenna, Dylan Smith and Kade Munday.
The Best First Year Player award was won by Colin Lamprey and James Sweeney way back in 1989 and 1990, then in the new era by Kade Munday (2001), Nigel White (2004), Jack McCulloch (2018) and Ethan Berechree (2024).
Interestingly, no Burnie player has been adjudged the Most Valuable Player in the competition, while in 2025 outstanding young ruckman Logan Elphinstone took out the SeaFM Rising Star award.
Travis Hudson in 2004 won the Development leading goalkicker award with 65 goals, while in that premiership year best on ground in the Development grand final was Ben Britton. Brett Robinson (2001) and Brett Miller (2008) have also been best in grand finals.
No player from Burnie has won the best player medal in Colts/under-age representative games; and while the NWFL did not play a truly representative game in 2025 (no-one would play us) a match between the western and eastern ends of the North West Coast was played as a curtain-raiser at Latrobe to a Tasmania v Queensland clash. The western end won, with Burnie’s Emig French receiving the Ian Wotherspoon Medal for best on ground.
In 1989 the Colts Best & Fairest was won by Darren French and in 2016 by Oliver Fryett, while leading Colts goalkickers were Phillip Glozier and French (2).
Grand final best players have been Blair Challis (2016) and Samuel Neasey (2020).
In 2001 along came the Burnie Dockers, representing the city of Burnie, led by coach and club administrator, former Collingwood premiership player Mick McGuane – a sharp operator.
The club won five consecutive senior flags (to match Ulverstone) under McGuane, Nick Probert and Errol Bourn. It also took out two Development flags and three Club Championships in that era.
Launceston then dominated the competition for three years before a number of clubs left for yet another State League competition in 2009.
The Dockers returned to the NWFL in 2015, while briefly remaining in the State League, and subsequently won three consecutive flags under Brent Plant, giving the Dockers eight senior premierships in 13 years. This time round they also won the 2016 and 2020 Colts flags.
The club played solely in the State League in 2017 but was welcomed back to the NWFL in 2018.
2021 was the Dockers’ least successful year since returning to Tasmania’s premier regional competition, but there was a marked improvement in 2022 with the senior team being knocked out in the preliminary final and Colts reaching the finals.
The Dockers really came alive in 2023, defeating Devonport in the second semi, but succumbing to the Pies two weeks later in the grand final, while the Colts finished the season third.
In 2024 they were knocked out by Wynyard in the preliminary final, while the Colts went down to Devonport in the grand final. In 2025 the senior side again went down to the Cats in the first semi, kicking 2.10 in the worst conditions imaginable.
In 2023 the club, for the first time, fielded a women’s team in the NWFL, while the following year the women Dockers, with six wins, reached the finals, as they did in 2025.
Reese Davis, daughter of club legend Brad, capped it all off by winning the Best First Year Senior Player award in 2023.
Bailey Boag was voted best senior player in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2023, with Nick Probert and Kade Munday also being on the Darrel Baldock Medal honour board.
Boag now holds the record as a four-time winner of the league’s Best & Fairest.
The co-captain in 2024 for the third time won the Impress Print Most Valuable Player award after an interrupted season, while in 2022 he also shared the Advocate/CUB Player of the Year award. His 2025 season was also badly affected by injury. He was a key figure in the Tasmanian team’s interstate fixtures during the season.
Dylan Smith, a dual winner, and Nick McKenna way back in 2008 also have their names on The Advocate’s winners’ list.
Boag was also the 2023 winner of the Ian Wright Memorial CoastFM Player of the Year award, as voted on by all clubs’ senior coaches.
Harry Walters and Andrew Hering have each twice won the leading goalkicker award, with Hering amassing 102 majors in the 2001 McGuane-coached premiership year.
Best First Year Senior Player was taken out by Munday, Jack McCulloch and Nigel White, with Matthew Smith and Dylan Smith (twice) winning the prestigious Paddy Martin Medal as best rep game players.
Best in the (many) grand finals are Jim Jess, Matthew Wooldridge, Probert, Matthew Smith, Jason Howard, Brad Davis, Nick McKenna, Dylan Smith and Munday.
Best in the Development grand final were Brett Robinson and Ben Britton, with leading goalkicker Travis Hudson.
Under 18s (now Colts) Best & Fairest was won by Oliver Fryett and Tigers’ Darren French (1989), with Blair Challis and Samuel Neasey being best in grand finals.
Since returning from the now defunct State League, in the past eight years the Dockers have appeared in four senior grand finals, one Development and four Colts deciders, for three seniors flags and two Colts.
Patrons Service to Football awards have gone to:
Tigers – Ian Wright (+ other service)
Dockers – Kim Miles and Barry Walker (+ other service) and Harvey Warren.
Kim Miles in 2021 was made a Life Member of the NWFL for his contribution to the club, in addition to other significant roles within the league.
In 2022 the dedicated Terry Sandman became a member of the NWFL Hall of Fame, the first person to have done so solely for his contribution to the Burnie club.
Certificates of Merit have gone to Freda Trevarthen, Sedric Trevarthen and Charlie Crane (all Tigers) and current president Jamie Boag in 2024.
Ambassador/Queen Quest winners for the Tigers were Tammy Lamprey and Kristie Atkinson, with the Dockers’ Claire Hall also the winner in 2019.
Tigers’ queen Belinda Walker took out the “Miss Fundraiser” category when that area was recognised.
In 25 years Burnie has had 10 individual league Board members, with Ian Wright, Geoff Jacobs and Peter Vincent each having three years, while Jamie Boag has the longest service with five years.
In 2005 the Burnie/Cooee clubs were inducted into the Tasmanian Hall of Fame as a “Great Club”. From those two clubs the Burnie Dockers Football Club evolved. It is a strong, proud club representing the people of Burnie and has encountered much success.
DEVONPORT – 2001–2008, 2015–2025 (19 years)
Devonport was in the State League at the time of the NWFL’s 1987 inception, where it won a flag in 1988, while on the same day the club across the Mersey River, East Devonport, took out the NWFL premiership.
In 2001 the club joined the NWFL for eight years, winning no premierships, and like a few others was enticed back to the then latest version of the State League in 2009, but returned to the NWFL in 2015, where it has remained happily, united and productively for the past ten years. Like the Burnie Dockers, the club briefly – but unsuccessfully – tried to compete simultaneously in both competitions.
If there is ever to be an example of a sporting body which has gone from rags to riches, both administratively and on-field, the Devonport Football Club would be a fine example.
Devonport played in the 2004 grand final, going down to a rampant Burnie Dockers side by 107 points. In 2005 and 2006 grand final losses to the Dockers again occurred. Next time round it played in the ultimate game in 2019 and 2020, again going down to its nemesis, those Burnie Dockers.
The club won the Club Championship in three consecutive years from 2005, following up in 2021 and 2024, and took out the Development premiership in 2007, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025, and Colts in 2018, 2021, 2022, 2024 and 2025.
It could be argued 2022 was the most successful season in the Magpies’ history to that date – winning premierships at all three levels for the first time ever.
But 2025 was to out-do the 2022 effort, without any doubt being the club’s best-ever result.
All three men’s teams finished on top of the ladder, undefeated in all roster and finals games. The average winning margin in all 18 senior games was 104 points, while the seniors, in defeating Wynyard in the grand final, kept the Cats to just 1.3 (9), the lowest ever finals score, with the 122-point margin being the greatest ever in 39 NWFL grand finals.
It was the seventh consecutive grand final for the club’s seniors, a league record, with five premierships – 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025.
In the past four years, across all three men’s teams, Devonport has lost just 21 times from 309 games – less than 7%, with the seniors managing to do the unthinkable – lose twice in four years! Would any club in Tasmania have a better record in recent years than our Magpies? Doubt it.
In 2024 the senior team defeated Wynyard in the grand final by 10 points – the club’s fourth flag in a row – under new coach Justin “Junior” Rodman, after three-time premiership coach Kurt Byard stepped down at the end of 2023.
Devonport also stands strong with the juniors and women, fielding teams at every level each year.
It should be noted that since Devonport and the Burnie Dockers’ return from the State League exclusively, in the past eight years Devonport has won five senior (Dockers three), four Development and five Colts flags (Dockers one) – but of course, they are from major population centres, in fairness to the other clubs.
As you will see below, Devonport also dominated NWFL individual awards in 2025, winning no less than 14 categories at the annual Baldock Medal count function and on grand final day. Just look for a “2025” next to the names.
In 2025 Harry Elmer became the first Devonport player to win the Darrel Baldock Medal in a tied result since Kurt Heazlewood in 2007, while Matthew Langmaid (twice), Phil Crowden (with 111), Charlie Castles, and Kai Cameron in 2024 and 2025 have taken out the seniors goalkicking award, with Cameron having been recognised with the league’s Best First Year Senior Player award in 2023.
The Paddy Martin Medal for best rep game player has gone to Mark Lowe, while in 2025 Blair Ryan took out that award after great performances in two games.
Clint Matthews has taken out the Most Improved Player award, while in 2025 it was Kynan Lee’s turn, with Oliver Kelly and Kai Cameron also taking out the Best First Year Senior Player award (as recorded in other seasons).
Quade Byard, Braden Van Buuren and Lachie Kelly have won the Wayne Wing Medal for best on ground in the seniors grand final, with Keegan Lowe being the latest winner for the second time – in 2025.
In 2024 Lowe took out The Advocate/CUB Player of the Year award, which had previously been won by Caleb Van Buuren (twice) and 2007 Baldock Medallist Kurt Heazlewood, while Blair Ryan was the 2025 victor.
Van Buuren was recognised in 2021 and 2022 with the CoastFM Player of the Year award, as voted on by all club senior coaches, while Lowe in 2025 was those coaches’ preferred player.
The Development Best & Fairest winners are Mitchell Wilson, Beau Bramich, Jack Forster, Hayden Reid, Blair Ryan and Alex Cousins-Hampton, who tied as best player in 2025, with Forster having won for a second time in 2024. Leading goalkickers are Marcus Smith, Joshua Moore and Nick Milbourne, while three-time seniors premiership coach Kurt Byard took out that award in 2025. Nick Hess, Xavier Todman, Milbourne, Wyatt Kenny and Cousins-Hampton (2025) were best in grand finals.
Brent Sheean, Fletcher Kelly, Chase Redpath, Zac Heazlewood and Jedd Spears won the Colts Best & Fairest; best in grand finals were Kristan Higgs, Alex Jolly, Redpath, Ely Blizzard, George Murphy and Will Higgins (2025).
Leading goalkickers were Higgs, Corey Plumbridge, Joshua McConnon, Tristan Wells, Blizzard and Lucas Ivory.
Best players in Colts rep games were Brenton Gale, Darren Banham and Bradley Chard, with Bailey Woodcock taking the Ian Wotherspoon Medal in 2023 and 2024.
The club won the NWFL women’s flag in 2018–19 with Zoe Knight, Savahn Overall, Meg Graham and Sarah Skinner (2025) having won the Best & Fairest medal.
Overall and Graham were best in grand finals.
Penelope Fulton and Knight have taken out the leading goalkicker awards.
In 2024 Kelsey Aherne took out the Rising Star/Most Valuable Player award.
Administrators recognised have been Ted Smith and Peter Davern with the Patrons Service to Football award, while Certificates of Merit have gone to Athol McIvor, Tony Bell and Graeme Andrews – all absolute stalwarts of the club, among many others.
In 2021 Athol McIvor became the first individual from the Devonport Football Club to be inducted into the NWFL Hall of Fame, solely for his contribution to the club, as did in 2025 the legendary Ted Smith.
Former high-profile members Dale Perry and Matthew Langmaid have also been recognised at this level for their involvement with the club and in other areas.
Goalkicking ace Nick Milbourne joined the Hall of Fame for his services to the Devonport and East Devonport clubs.
In 2025 Ava Wyllie was recognised with the AFL Young Leader of the Year award, a prestigious honour.
In 2018 Indea Pearce was named winner of the NWFL Ambassador Quest.
A significant number of nine individuals have been NWFL Board Directors in the 17 years, including Neil Wilkinson’s five-year term.
Much of the club’s recent success can be attributed to the leadership roles of six-year president Gerard Enniss, followed by president of the past three years Brendon Clark and the group of loyal, committed Magpie devotees.
IW – 10/25
The above eight clubs are those which were affiliated with the NWFL in 2025, including the seven foundation clubs, four of which have been part of the league (initially known as the Northern Tasmanian Football League – NTFL) for its entire 39 years.
The following clubs at various stages were affiliated, some having been 1987 foundation members, but who have since moved onto, or returned to other competitions. Launceston, Deloraine, Scottsdale, South Launceston and North Launceston in particular were key parts of the league for a significant part of its history.
17 clubs have been affiliated with the NWFL/NTFL in its 39-year history.
FORMER / NORTHERN CLUBS
LAUNCESTON – 1987–1993, 1998–2008 (18 years)
Launceston was a foundation league member which in 1994 joined the State League before returning to the NWFL four years later.
Success was limited in the club’s first life in our league, with no premierships and only Paul Beechy (Best First Year Player) and Alan Neville (rep game Best Player) winning awards in that time.
But when the club returned to the competition, it was look out – especially in later years.
In 2006–2008 the club played in its only NWFL grand finals, winning all three under the leadership of Adam Sanders.
This success was preceded in 1998 when the Under 18s won the premiership.
In 2008, the last year of the club’s involvement, it also took out the Club Championship.
The Darrel Baldock Medal was won by Sanders, Anthony Taylor and Brian Finch, who was also recognised twice as best rep game player, with Brennan Savage also a winner.
Superboot Adam Derbyshire won the league goalkicking award three times, including centuries – 111 in 2006 and 125 in 2008. What an inspiration it was to watch his leads, marks and kicks. They don’t seem to make full forwards like that anymore!
Further league awards at senior level went to Ashley Peck, Nathan O’Donoghue (2), Brad Dutton, Gene Savage, Andrea Miar, Sam O’Keefe, Derbyshire and Tom Bellchambers.
Reserves award winners were Simon Hill (2) and Simon Spencer as Best & Fairest.
Gordon Smith, Matthew Alway, Nathan Pendergast, Brad Dutton and Scott Bernes figured in the Under 18/19 awards.
Jenny Thurlow (1992) and Tiani Steele (1998) took out the league’s Queen Quest (later Ambassador Quest), while in 1988 Kellie Pinner won the “Miss Fundraiser” section.
Kevin Goldsmith and Malcolm Atkins, each with five years in the role, were significant Board Directors at the league. Seven people represented the club over the 18 years at Board level. When the club (like others) in 2008 was negotiating to re-join the State League, to Malcolm’s credit he kept the league and its Board up-to-date with what was happening – no secrets.
Success has finally come the way of the Blues at State level. It is a proud club, one of the oldest in the country, which was always a pleasure to deal with.
In its 18 years with the NWFL, across all three grades the club won five premierships, including three consecutive seniors flags. In 16 State League years it won four senior premierships.
DELORAINE – 1987–2003 (17 years)
The Kangaroos were in a difficult position, being jammed between the north of the state (NTFA) and the North West Coast, with the bulk of the population – and therefore prospective players – living quite some distance away on either side of the Meander River town.
The club did not have a lot of success, but what a wonderful club it was, with its sole league Hall of Fame member Stephen Tyson, a key figure, being the club’s league Board member for nine years, in addition to serving another three years as an Independent. In 17 years the club had just five different NWFL Board members.
Deloraine played in no grand finals at any level and, in its last year (2003), won just two senior games, one reserves and three Under 18s. The following year it went back to the NTFA, where in 2020 it won its sole seniors flag.
Rod Thomas captained the NWFL rep team on three occasions, winning the Paddy Martin award for best player twice.
At senior level Jamie McClennaghan, Charlie Challis, Simon Coull and Brad Crowden were recognised with various awards, while Damien McClennaghan and Adam Kent took out Under 18/19 Best & Fairest awards.
League Certificates of Merit went to Sheila Simpson, John Loone MLC, David Simpson and Ian Cubit.
Deloraine had a habit of producing fine young ladies to represent it in the league’s Queen Quest, later to become the Ambassador Quest. Five times the winner came from Deloraine: Kathryn Loone, Merrilyn Young, Kim Underlin, Courtney Heffernan and Linda Sherriff are on the honour roll as winners. In 1987 Lynn Paine was the recipient of the “Miss Fundraiser” award.
Travelling to matches at Deloraine – where the league’s “season launch” function was once held – was always enjoyable. It was a joy to join the umpiring experts upstairs and later a good time could be assured in the wonderful clubrooms. The visitors’ changerooms – well, that’s another story.
SCOTTSDALE – 1987–1999 (13 years)
At times North West Coasters used to moan about the long trip to Scottsdale – around 300km from Smithton or 200km each way from Ulverstone. But coastal clubs visited the Magpies’ nest once each season, while the northerners made the trip to the Coast maybe eight times a year.
It was also a long trip to Devonport for league meetings or for players to attend tribunal hearings. Scottsdale was a key cog in the competition for 13 years from 1987.
The club was an iconic part of football in Tasmania and it certainly made an impact on our league.
In 1989 at Latrobe, the Danny Hall-coached senior team defeated Smithton; the Reserves also won the 1989 flag and again in 1994.
Despite winning the Club Championship in 1990, the side lost the grand final to Ulverstone that year and again succumbed to the Robins in 1993.
Ruckman Peter Roozendaal and coach Ricky Hanlon won the Baldock Medal in 1990 and 1992 respectively, while Mark Nichols won the goalkicking in 1990 and 1993, with Stuart Blackwell taking out that award in 1996.
Brett Hadley, Tony Saunders and Craig Willis won NWFL seniors awards, while in the Reserves Mark Nichols, Stephen Nichols, Matthew Goss, Gary Underhill, Phil Bennett and Chris Baker were recognised in various categories.
Likewise in the Under 18/19s, Brett Lethborg, Cameron Galbraith and Michael Towns are in the record books.
Ricky Hanlon coached the league representative side to a narrow loss in 1993.
Scottsdale’s significance in Tasmanian football and that of many associated with the club was confirmed when the league, in 2001, awarded four of its players Life Membership, along with three former NWFU players. The honour went to Danny Hall, Greg Lethborg, Stephen Nichols and Rodney Hill.
In 1994 Tamara Burnett won the NWFL Ambassador Award (formerly Queen Quest), while the “Miss Fundraiser” award – which annually became a battle between Scottsdale and Smithton queens – was taken out by Tina Abraham, Chelsea Jones, Taneil Hall and Sharee Cassidy.
In its 13 years of affiliation with the NWFL until 1999, the Magpies won three flags across the three levels, including one seniors; since that time it has taken one seniors premiership, in 2001.
Long-time club president Bill Krushka was, for five years, the club’s NWFL Board member, a similar term to that of Greg Howard, current Dorset Mayor. In 13 years just four people represented the Magpies at Board level.
Scottsdale has been recognised as a Tasmanian “Great Club” with “Legendary Team” status also accorded it.
Trips from the Coast to Scottsdale were always enjoyable and worthwhile, even if the coast-based league management copped a bit of flak from club supporters!
SOUTH LAUNCESTON – 1998–2008 (11 years)
In 1998 the Bulldogs were another club which joined the NWFL from the State League (only to return there briefly in 2009).
They played in two successful seniors grand finals in that initial year and 1999, but didn’t play in another, although in 11 years the Reserves and Under 18s each played in four for two flags apiece. The club won the Club Championship in 2002.
Scott Harris (2000) and Matthew Westfield (2006) took out the league’s major player award, the Darrel Baldock Medal, while Jade Elmer, Scott Harris, Chad Baker and Scott Stephens in 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002 were awarded the Paddy Martin Medal as best rep-game players.
Jade Elmer and Brent Dean were deemed best players in their respective seniors grand finals (1998, 1999).
It was a dominant era for the Dogs and its players.
Other best players at Reserves level included Jacob Norris, Glenn Chapman, Matthew Smart and Shaun Spencer, while in 2001 and 2002 Geoff Page took out the goalkicking awards – while at the same time being an Independent member of the league executive before assuming the role for four years as the club’s league Board Director.
The Under 18s Best & Fairest was won by Dane Nicholls and Mitcham Toreresi, while Michael Lette won the goalkicking award in consecutive years. Sam Page was best in a grand final and Nicholas Buller rewarded for a great performance in the rep game.
No South Launceston player, official or helper was recognised with any form of non-playing award by the league, as sadly the club apparently had a policy not to nominate such people for consideration.
In 11 years in the NWFL, until 2008, South Launceston won four premierships, including two seniors. At State League level it won one senior flag, in 2013, and in the NTFA four.
It was always a pleasure to visit Youngtown, where the Bulldogs also hosted a handful of finals games, while visiting players experienced changerooms almost as small as those at Deloraine!
In 11 years the club had six different NWFL Board members, with Geoff Page (4 years) heading the list.
NORTH LAUNCESTON – 2001–2008 (8 years)
This proud former NTFA club had its first foray in the State League before joining the NWFL in 2001, where it played a significant role for eight years and, despite not winning a seniors flag (against tough opposition), returned to the State League in 2009 where winning seniors premierships became the norm.
The Bombers played in four Under 18s premierships, winning three, and won a Reserves grand final, with two unsuccessful seniors grand finals. In 2005 it shared the important Club Championship award with Devonport. (Read below.)
At senior level Allan O’Sign, Robert Gilligan, Alex Grima and Leigh Harding won NWFL awards, while Callan Young in 2006 took out the Reserves Best & Fairest, with Josh Chugg in 2007 booting a record-breaking 109 goals to win the Reserves goalkicking competition.
(Read below) In eight years the Bombers won four flags, with none coming at senior level, but in 16 years of State League football took out the senior flag an astonishing six times.
Ben Arkless, Josh Murfet, Matthew Adams, Sonny Whiting, Josh Newson and Shannon Buller all took out league awards during the club’s eight years, while the hard-working Lilla Fitzallen was recognised for her contribution over many years with an NWFL Merit Award.
The irrepressible Reg Lyons (who later went on to join the NTFA and became its General Manager) was North’s NWFL representative for seven years. Gary Carr also did a term.
GEORGE TOWN – 1987–1990 (4 years)
The Saints were original members of the league, but after four years returned to the NTFA.
The club was quite successful, winning 22 games in four years at senior level, 35 wins and two draws in the Reserves (who reached the finals on two occasions), while the Unders were victorious 22 times, including 12 wins and a draw in their final year.
In 1988 Derek Smith won the league Under 18/19s Best & Fairest.
The club did not win a flag at any level in the NWFL, but has eight senior flags at NTFA level.
The club’s Board members over the years were Lionel Young, Kevin Porteus, Mick Cowburn and Brent Woolley.
SOUTH BURNIE – 1997–1998 (2 years)
After significant success in the Darwin Association, the club joined the league in 1997.
On-field, that first season the club won:
One game at senior level
Two in the Reserves
Four in the Under 18/19s
There was improvement the following year with three, one and five wins across the three grades.
After two seasons the club decided it had had enough, returning to the DFA where, from time to time, it has dominated the competition.
In 1998 Trevor Snooks was recognised with a Certificate of Merit award.
It has been said that perhaps people involved at the time did not show enough tolerance or patience as South Burnie slowly adapted to the requirements of the higher level of competition and administration.
LONGFORD – 1987 (1 year)
The Tigers were foundation members of the league but chose to return to the decimated NTFA at the conclusion of the first year.
The club had some success, winning:
Three games in each of the seniors and Reserves, while
Its Under 18/19s showed promise with eight victories.
There were no individual league award winners. Its NWFL Board member was Michael Barnes.
Reference:
Ian Wotherspoon – NWFL Patron, Life Member, Historian and past General Manager at conclusion of 2025 season.
Any issues, please raise with NWFL management.