West Kimberley Football Association

The West Kimberley Football Association is an Australian rules football competition in the far North West of Western Australia.

The league covers an area from Bidyadanga in the west to Derby in the east. Games are played during the day in Broome and Derby with the majority of games and all finals taking place on Haynes Oval in Broome. At the end of the 2005 season there were eight teams participating – Broome Bulls, Broome Saints, Towns, Bidyadanga Emus, Peninsula Bombers, Cable Beach Greenbacks, Derby Lightning and Mowanjum Hawks. In 2006 the Looma Eagles joined the competition after leaving the Central Kimberley Football League (CKFL).

History
In 1921 the Broome Football Club was formed, local citizens signed up and two teams were formed. Using the residences of the players to divide the town in two. A line was drawn across the town and players living to the North of the line were zoned to North, and players living South of the line played for South. For six seasons this was the rule and it was a lopsided competition, South was the dominate team. In 1927 a redrawing of the zones resulted in two new teams, Marsh Rovers and the Wanderers. This was an attempt to revitalise the game in town but when the Great Depression hit it caused a downturn in economic activity and resulted in the lack of workers coming to town. Lack of workers meant lack of players and the game when into recess. 3 years later an attempt of revival the game the club returned to the original boundaries and origin teams. This lasted only a season and a half before the game was kaput.

After WWII there was an influx of workers to the town, The Japanese had bombed Broome during the war and the town needed rebuilding, The State and Federal Governments were involved and with the slogan of  Populate or persist the game of Australian rules was revived. The first season was in 1949, three teams were formed, Commonwealth, Meatworks and Towns. This continued until 1955 when a fourth team was included, Broome Saints.

Current Clubs
List of clubs competing in the WKFA (correct as of 2022 Season):

2016 Season
Men's Competition

Premiers: Bidyadanga Emus

Bullen Medal (Best & Fairest): Angelo Thomas (Bidyadanga) & Hayden McLeod (Bulls)

2017 Season
Men's Competition

Premiers: Broome Bulls

Bullen Medal (Best & Fairest): Wade Wundungin (Derby Tigers)

2020 Season

 * Cancelled due to State Government travel restrictions.

2021 Season
Men's Competition

Premiers: Cable Beach

Bullen Medal (Best & Fairest): Tristram Pigram (Saints)

Women's competition

2022 Season
Men's Competition

Premiers: Cable Beach

Bullen Medal (Best & Fairest): Benjamin Goldie (Towns)

Women's Competition

2023 Season
Men's Competition

Premiers: TBC

Bullen Medal (Best & Fairest): TBC

Women's Competition

Bullen Medal Winners
2013: Joseph Dann (Cable Beach)

2014: Hayden McLeod (Bulls)

2015: Gerrick Weedon (Derby)

2016: Angelo Thomas (Bidyadanga) and Hayden McLeod (Bulls)

2017: Wade Wundungin (Derby)

2018: Wade Wundungin (Derby), Anthony Treacy (Cable Beach) & Zephenier Skinner (Looma)

2019: Angelo Thomas (Bidyadanga)

2020: Not awarded due to COVID-19 pandemic

2021: Tristram Pigram (Saints)

2022: Benjamin Goldie (Towns)