Whyalla Football League

[Under_Scrutiny]

4 in a row for West Whyalla

amazing effort

Go you dragons!
It was their 9th gf appearance in a row.
Outstanding!

Be their 10th this year and another flag coming their way

[Armchair expert]

4 in a row for West Whyalla

amazing effort

Go you dragons!
It was their 9th gf appearance in a row.
Outstanding!

Be their 10th this year and another flag coming their way

Hold the phone

they just let Centrals win one

nice of them

[Under_Scrutiny]

Amazing effort by Mark Turner's Central Whyalla.

Been a while since a team came from 3rd on the ladder to win the flag in this competition.

Westies dynasty on hold.......for this year anyway

[Fricky]

Weerona Bay have put a letter out to their members on the low playing numbers across all grades and that they are discussing with other Whyalla clubs on the possibility of an amalgamation.

No surprise that Whyalla clubs are struggling with numbers.

[Fricky]

"Whyalla Football League clubs Central Whyalla and North Whyalla consider amalgamation
Two more local SA footy clubs, including a reigning 2025 premier, are considering a merger following the 2026 season amid ongoing off-field difficulties.
November 19, 2025 - 3:20PM
Two SA country footy clubs are considering a merger for after the upcoming 2026 season as they struggle with a number of off-field challenges.
This masthead understands Whyalla Football League clubs Central Whyalla – this year’s WFL premiership winner – and North Whyalla have discussed the possibility of a merger to take place at a time after next season.
Both clubs have announced the development to their members and are set to hold a vote within the coming weeks to determine whether discussions will progress.
The development comes just two weeks after Adelaide Footy League clubs Mawson Lakes and Greenacres approached their competition with a plan to amalgamate ahead of the 2026 season.
“It is becoming increasingly clear both within North Whyalla Football and Sporting Club and across the wider Whyalla football landscape that our current operating model is no longer sustainable,” a North Whyalla spokesman said in a statement to members.
“In recent months, the club has begun initial conversations (regarding amalgamation) with other local clubs and we have now reached a stage where we must seek the direction of our members.”
Central Whyalla committee member Scott Collison said the club had been facing a number of challenges in recent years and had come to a realisation it could not continue for much longer in its current situation.
“There are ongoing difficulties in recruiting and having enough volunteers to run not only the football department, but the day to day running of the club,” Collison said.
“And there is obviously the financial aspect, with increased running costs and a volunteer based club, we struggle to afford having paid positions and it has become a difficult model to sustain long term, and has placed severe workload and pressures on the few hardworking volunteers we currently have.
“Unfortunately, we just have to consider where we may be in five to 10 years time if we just keep trying to scrape by with what we have got.”
While Central Whyalla claimed the premiership with a one-point win over Roopena, North Whyalla finished second bottom with a win-loss record of 3-12.
The potential amalgamation between the two clubs would make them Whyalla FL a five-team competition."

Could they take a colour from each club and the new club be called the Bombers?

[Killa]

Can see the SGFL and WFL comps merging again like the early days.

Can see the colours being red, white and black.

[Fricky]

Can see the SGFL and WFL comps merging again like the early days.

Can see the colours being red, white and black.

The Whyalla Saints?

The other merger whisper is South Whyalla (blue and red) and Weeroona Bay (black and yellow). Blue and yellow and become the eagles?

[Dirty dog]

Isn’t Mt Barker bigger than Whyalla and only have one team. 2 would be enough

[heater31]

Isn’t Mt Barker bigger than Whyalla and only have one team. 2 would be enough

Would be now. Whyalla at its peak had nearly 40,000 but that was 50 years ago.

The most logical would be to reduce the teams and form an Iron Triangle League.

Haven't heard much on Eyre Peninsula leagues rationalisation since they released a discussion paper with suggestions. From memory Whyalla wasn't included

[Killa]

Isn’t Mt Barker bigger than Whyalla and only have one team. 2 would be enough

Would be now. Whyalla at its peak had nearly 40,000 but that was 50 years ago.

The most logical would be to reduce the teams and form an Iron Triangle League.

Haven't heard much on Eyre Peninsula leagues rationalisation since they released a discussion paper with suggestions. From memory Whyalla wasn't included

They had that in the 60s before SGFL and WFL separated due to concerns. I remember people talking in the Port Augusta Football League room before the Central Oval upgrade that they predicted the football clubs would eventually be no more with the towns being the footy clubs themselves.

[Killa]

Can see the SGFL and WFL comps merging again like the early days.

Can see the colours being red, white and black.

The Whyalla Saints?

The other merger whisper is South Whyalla (blue and red) and Weeroona Bay (black and yellow). Blue and yellow and become the eagles?

Was thinking the same colours.

Now the interesting point is whether WFL join the SGFL. Or Pire teams join the Northern Areas competition and Port Augusta and Whyalla teams create their own competition. With teams merging this escalate those discussions.

[Fricky]

It would make sense for the Pirie teams to join Northern Areas and Pt Augusta/Whyalla creating a league.

NAFA goes from 6 to 9 teams
Pt Augusta/Whyalla league would be between 6 to 8 teams depending on how many amalgamations happen in Whyalla

[Armchair expert]

It would make sense for the Pirie teams to join Northern Areas and Pt Augusta/Whyalla creating a league.

NAFA goes from 6 to 9 teams
Pt Augusta/Whyalla league would be between 6 to 8 teams depending on how many amalgamations happen in Whyalla

Pirie sides don't have netball so unlikely NAFA would be keen on Pirie teams joining.

[wenchbarwer]

It would make sense for the Pirie teams to join Northern Areas and Pt Augusta/Whyalla creating a league.

NAFA goes from 6 to 9 teams
Pt Augusta/Whyalla league would be between 6 to 8 teams depending on how many amalgamations happen in Whyalla

Pirie sides don't have netball so unlikely NAFA would be keen on Pirie teams joining.

This seems to be a common issue facing urban teams wanting to move to country based leagues.

I understand the community aspect of the girls & guys playing together on the same day, but if that's a limitation to joining/amalgamating to a country league, then country leagues will continue to suffer, I feel.

Also, there'd be a fair discrepancy when it comes to the number of junior teams & players in urban clubs, compared with those in the country. How do you equalise that?

[The Bedge]

I understand the community aspect of the girls & guys playing together on the same day, but if that's a limitation to joining/amalgamating to a country league, then country leagues will continue to suffer, I feel

I concur

[OnSong]

It would make sense for the Pirie teams to join Northern Areas and Pt Augusta/Whyalla creating a league.

NAFA goes from 6 to 9 teams
Pt Augusta/Whyalla league would be between 6 to 8 teams depending on how many amalgamations happen in Whyalla

Pirie sides don't have netball so unlikely NAFA would be keen on Pirie teams joining.

This seems to be a common issue facing urban teams wanting to move to country based leagues.

I understand the community aspect of the girls & guys playing together on the same day, but if that's a limitation to joining/amalgamating to a country league, then country leagues will continue to suffer, I feel.

Also, there'd be a fair discrepancy when it comes to the number of junior teams & players in urban clubs, compared with those in the country. How do you equalise that?

Went through a situation like this with Angle Vale joining the Adelaide Plains.
They had no netball for the first year or two but there were stipulations that had to be added on in time, and that has since happened.
Not sure the two entities co-exist all that well but for all intents and purposes, Angle Vale has both footy and netball, plus co-located courts at their footy oval.
Makes for a significantly better club atmosphere having both at the same club on the same day IMO.
Most netball clubs are affiliated with a footy club in Whyalla too.
Back in the day it was
Roopena - Roopena (duh)
Kiwi - Norths
YCW - Centrals
Can't remember who Warriors etc were tied to and it was largely an informal connection (except in the case of Roopena).

[heater31]

It would make sense for the Pirie teams to join Northern Areas and Pt Augusta/Whyalla creating a league.

NAFA goes from 6 to 9 teams
Pt Augusta/Whyalla league would be between 6 to 8 teams depending on how many amalgamations happen in Whyalla

Pirie sides don't have netball so unlikely NAFA would be keen on Pirie teams joining.

This seems to be a common issue facing urban teams wanting to move to country based leagues.

I understand the community aspect of the girls & guys playing together on the same day, but if that's a limitation to joining/amalgamating to a country league, then country leagues will continue to suffer, I feel.

Also, there'd be a fair discrepancy when it comes to the number of junior teams & players in urban clubs, compared with those in the country. How do you equalise that?

Went through a situation like this with Angle Vale joining the Adelaide Plains.
They had no netball for the first year or two but there were stipulations that had to be added on in time, and that has since happened.
Not sure the two entities co-exist all that well but for all intents and purposes, Angle Vale has both footy and netball, plus co-located courts at their footy oval.
Makes for a significantly better club atmosphere having both at the same club on the same day IMO.
Most netball clubs are affiliated with a footy club in Whyalla too.
Back in the day it was
Roopena - Roopena (duh)
Kiwi - Norths
YCW - Centrals
Can't remember who Warriors etc were tied to and it was largely an informal connection (except in the case of Roopena).

Warriors were associated with West I think

[wenchbarwer]

I know whenever someone mentions the SFL/GSFL idea, one of the first points will be in regards to the GSFL netball.

I feel the more important point is to do with junior footy. In both the proposed Whyalla merger and the SFL/GSFL debate, the city teams have much more developed junior programs, far greater numbers and much more diverse range of age groups and genders. Splitting along a junior/senior divide would be much more harmful to the long term success of your football club than along a football/netball divide.

[Fricky]

Future Pt Augusta/Whyalla FL teams
North/Centrals Saints - Black/white/red
South/Bays Eagles - Blue/Yellow
West/Roopena Sharks - Green/Blue

Central Augusta Bloods - Black/Red
South Augusta Bulldogs - Red/White
West Augusta Hawks - Purple/White

[heater31]

Makes for a significantly better club atmosphere having both at the same club on the same day IMO.

As someone who did this as a junior, I concur.

It not only creates atmosphere, but it also allows a family to travel long distances to the same venue to play Footy and netball.

Also has other benefits of doubling your pool of volunteers to get roles filled around both clubs.