Riddell District Football Netball League

The Riddell District Football Netball League (RDFNL) is an Australian rules football and netball league in Victoria, Australia. The RDFNL covers towns in the Macedon Ranges and an area from Melton and Rockbank in the south to Kyneton and Lancefield in the north.

The league also runs junior competitions from Under 10 to Under 18 age groups.

1910s
The Riddell District Football Association was formed in May, 1912 from the following clubs - Gisborne, Riddell and Sunbury clubs. Riddell FC won the 1912 premiership and the Raftis Trophy.

1920s
In September, 1925, the Riddell DFA hosted the St. Kilda Reserves side in a match at Riddell, with St. Kilda: 15.13 - 103 defeating Riddell DFA: 5.3 - 33 Romsey played off in nine grand finals in ten years in the 1920's, winning seven premierships, while Lancefield also played off in nine grand finals in ten years in the 1920's and into the early 1930's, but won only three of their nine grand finals.

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 after 1996 season. 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.
 * Macedon went into recess for 2001 and 2002. Due to this it was thought that the league was becoming no longer viable.
 * Wallan FC left for the Diamond Valley Football League in 2002. After a restructure the Riddell District Football League stabilised.
 * 2008 saw Wallan FC return.
 * 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.
 * Sunbury Kangaroos transferred to the Essendon District Football League from 2019.

2020s

 * 2020 saw Broadford FC transfer to the AFL Outer East League.
 * 2021 saw Rupertswood FC transfer to the Essendon District Football League
 * 2024 will see Kyneton join the senior ranks after crossing over from the Bendigo Football Netball League

Football Premiers

 * Seniors


 * 1912 Riddell
 * 1913 Sunbury
 * 1914 Woodend
 * 1915 Sunbury
 * 1916-18 WW1
 * 1919 Macedon
 * 1920 Romsey
 * 1921 Romsey
 * 1922 Sunbury
 * 1923 Lancefield
 * 1924 Lancefield
 * 1925 Romsey
 * 1926 Romsey
 * 1927 Romsey
 * 1928 Romsey
 * 1929 Romsey
 * 1930 Woodend
 * 1931 Woodend
 * 1932 Lancefield
 * 1933 Romsey


 * 1934 Gisborne
 * 1935 Romsey
 * 1936 Romsey
 * 1937 Woodend
 * 1938 Romsey
 * 1939 Romsey
 * 1940-45 WW2
 * 1946 Lancefield
 * 1947 Riddell
 * 1948 Romsey
 * 1949 Lancefield
 * 1950 Romsey
 * 1951 Romsey
 * 1952 Lancefield
 * 1953 Sunbury
 * 1954 Woodend
 * 1955 Sunbury
 * 1956	Trentham
 * 1957	Sunbury
 * 1958	Lancefield


 * 1959	Trentham
 * 1960	Hesket
 * 1961	Trentham
 * 1962	Gisborne
 * 1963	Romsey
 * 1964	Woodend
 * 1965	Gisborne
 * 1966	Lancefield
 * 1967	Gisborne
 * 1968	Romsey
 * 1969	Sunbury
 * 1970	Riddell
 * 1971	Kilmore
 * 1972	Gisborne
 * 1973	Melton
 * 1974	Sunbury
 * 1975	Gisborne
 * 1976	Sunbury
 * 1977	Sunbury
 * 1978	Gisborne


 * 1979	Gisborne
 * 1980	Sunbury
 * 1981	Melton
 * 1982	Sunbury
 * 1983	Melton
 * 1984	Melton
 * 1985	Wallan
 * 1986	Melton
 * 1987	Sunbury
 * 1988	Sunbury
 * 1989	Darley
 * 1990	Sunbury
 * 1991	Riddell
 * 1992	Riddell
 * 1993	Craigieburn
 * 1994	Melton South
 * 1995	Darley
 * 1996	Sunbury
 * 1997	Gisborne
 * 1998	Gisborne


 * 1999	Gisborne
 * 2000	Jacana
 * 2001	Kilmore
 * 2002	Woodend/Hesket
 * 2003	Romsey
 * 2004	Lancefield
 * 2005	Riddell
 * 2006	Riddell
 * 2007	Woodend/Hesket
 * 2008  Riddell
 * 2009  Lancefield
 * 2010  Riddell
 * 2011  Romsey
 * 2012  Sunbury Kangaroos
 * 2013 Riddell
 * 2014 Romsey
 * 2015 Romsey
 * 2016 Diggers Rest
 * 2017 Macedon
 * 2018 Diggers Rest


 * 2019 Rupertswood
 * 2020 RDFL in recess > COVID-19
 * 2021 Wallan. Minor premiers. Shortened season > COVID-19
 * 2022 Riddell
 * 2023 Diggers Rest

RDFL - Minor Premiers
A shield was presented by the RDFA by Mr. JW Imms, Romsey to the Minor Premiers, who finished on top of the ladder. Then in 1958, this Shield was changed to the W V Shannon Shield to commorate Bill Shannon from the Lancefield Football Club.
 * Seniors


 * 1948 - Kilmore
 * 1949 - Lancefield
 * 1950 - Sunbury
 * 1951 - Romsey
 * 1952 - Lancefield
 * 1953 - Romsey
 * 1954 - Trentham
 * 1955 - Sunbury
 * 1956 - Trentham
 * 1957 - Sunbury
 * 1958 - Sunbury
 * 1959 - Sunbury
 * 1960 - Gisborne


 * 1961 - Trentham
 * 1962 - Lancefield
 * 1963 - Lancefield
 * 1964 - Woodend
 * 1965 - Gisborne
 * 1966 - Lancefield
 * 1967 - Woodend
 * 1968 - Romsey
 * 1969 - Woodend
 * 1970 - Woodend
 * 1971 - Gisborne
 * 1972 - Gisborne
 * 1973 - Melton

Division Two: Football Premiers

 * 1975 Romsey
 * 1976 Macedon
 * 1977 Wallan
 * 1978 Woodend/Hesket
 * 1979 Craigieburn d Broadford
 * 1980 Riddell
 * 1981 Broadford
 * 1982 Riddell


 * 1983 Woodend/Hesket
 * 1984 Broadford: 19.13 - 127 d Digger's Rest: 15.15 - 105
 * 1985 No RDFL Division Two
 * 1986 No RDFL Division Two
 * 1987 Kilmore
 * 1988 Northern Eagles
 * 1989 Wallan
 * 1990 Riddell


 * 1991 Moomba Park
 * 1992 Wallan
 * 1993 Diggers Rest
 * 1994 Kilmore
 * 1995 Lancefield
 * 1996 Lancefield
 * 1997 RDFL returns to one division

Reserves Premiers

 * 1953 - Lancefield d Kilmore
 * 1954 - Romsey d Gisborne
 * 1955 - Woodend d Sunbury
 * 1956 - Woodend d Romsey
 * 1957 - Woodend d Romsey
 * 1958 - Sunbury: 11.12 - 78 d Woodend: 10.9 - 69
 * 1959 - Lancefield d Woodend
 * 1960 - Woodend d Lancefield
 * 1961 - Woodend d Kilmore
 * 1962 - Lancefield d Woodend
 * 1963 - Sunbury d Lancefield
 * 1964 - Sunbury d Trentham
 * 1965 - Sunbury d Gisborne
 * 1966 - Sunbury: 12.9 - 81 d Kilmore: 9.6 - 60
 * 1967 - Gisborne d Romsey
 * 1968 - Sunbury: 7.8 - 50 d Lancefield: 6.11 - 47
 * 1969 - Gisborne d Lancefield
 * 1970 - Gisborne: 11.10 - 76 d Sunbury: 9.8 - 62
 * 1971 - Sunbury d Kilmore
 * 1972 - Sunbury: 12.11 - 83 d Lancefield: 7.9 - 51
 * 1981 - Broadford: 9.8 - 62 d Diggers Rest: 8.13 - 61


 * 2011 - Macedon: 13.16 - 94 d Sunbury Kangaroos: 7.2 - 44
 * 2012 - Riddell: 9.8 - 62 d Diggers Rest: 7.13 - 55
 * 2013 - Diggers Rest: 10.9 - 69 d Riddell: 8.12 - 60
 * 2014 - Sunbury Kangaroos: 9.10 - 64 d Riddell: 8.11 - 59
 * 2015 - Sunbury Kangaroos: 9.13 - 67 d Diggers REst: 7.7 - 49
 * 2016 - Diggers Rest: 17.14 - 116 d Sunbury Kangaroos: 5.4 - 34
 * 2017 - Sunbury Kangaroos: 11.17 - 83 d Wallan: 8.11 - 59
 * 2018 - Diggers Rest: 6.8 - 44 d Wallan: 2.1 - 13
 * 2019 - Wallan: 9.10 - 64 d Rupertswood: 6.7 - 43
 * 2020 - RDFNL in recess due to COVID-19
 * 2021 - Wallan: 1st - Diggers Rest: 2nd. Minor Premiers > Shorten COVID-19 season > no finals.
 * 2022 - Diggers Rest: 5.8 - 38 d Wallan: 2.4 - 16
 * 2023 - Diggers Rest: 11.9 - 75 d Wallan: 5.7 - 37

Thirds Premiers
In 1965, the RDFL Thirds started as an Under 14 competition, then in 1966, became an Under 16 competition. The Under 18.5 years of age Thirds competition came into effect in ?, while the Thirds competition change to an Under 19.5 years of age competition in 2018.


 * 1965 - Sunbury: 10.4 - 64 d Riddell: 3.1 - 19
 * 1966 - Riddell: 10.20 - 80 d Sunbury: 10.4 - 64
 * 1967 - Sunbury d Woodend
 * 1968 - Woodend d Sunbury
 * 1969 - Sunbury d Gisborne
 * 1970 - Sunbury d Wallan
 * 1971 - Sunbury d Gisborne
 * 1972 - Lancefield d Woodend
 * 1973 -
 * 2003 - Woodend Hesket
 * 2004 -
 * 2005 -
 * 2006 -
 * 2007 - Woodend Hesket
 * 2008 -
 * 2009 - Woodend Hesket
 * 2010 -


 * 2011 - Woodend Hesket: 12.12 - 84 d Sunbury Kangaroos: 8.16 - 64
 * 2012 - Riddell: 14.11 - 95 d Wallan: 10.12 - 72
 * 2013 - Riddell: 8.7 - 55 d Rupertswood: 7.12 - 54
 * 2014 - Rupertswood: 23.19 - 157 d Macedon: 4.4 - 28
 * 2015 - Rupertswood: 25.13 - 163 d Woodend Hesket: 11.6 - 72
 * 2016 - Rupertswood: 19.14 - 128 d Woodend Hesket: 7.11 - 53
 * 2017 - Wallan: 14.14 - 98 d Rupertswood: 5.11 - 41
 * 2018 - Rupertswood: 11.8 - 74 d Wallan: 2.8 - 20
 * 2019 - Rupertswood: 7.8 - 50 d Woodend Hesket: 4.10 -34
 * 2020 - RDFNL in recess due to COVID-19
 * 2021 - Wallan: 1st. Diggers Rest: 2nd. Minor Premiers > Shorten COVID-19 season > no finals.
 * 2022 - Wallan: 14.5 - 89 d Riddell: 9.5 - 59
 * 2023 - Macedon: 17.7 - 109 d Gisborne: 1.4 - 10

Football Grand Finals

 * Seniors

League Best and Fairest Awards

 * Seniors


 * - 1952: Ken Cleve (Wallan) tied with Ray Russell (Lancefield) on 14 votes, but was the official runner up on a countback and he has never received a retropective "co-winners" medal from the RDFL.

Leading RDFL Goalkicker

 * Seniors