Lower South West Football League

History

The Lower South West Football League was formed when the Nelson Football Association and the Warren Football Association merged in 1959.

Clubs Participating in the Nelson FA were:

Bridgetown Warriors Bridgetown Rovers Nannup Greenbushes Balingup Boyup Brook

Clubs participating in the Warren FA were:

Deanmill Fire Brigades Jardee Manjimup Imperials Northcliffe Pemberton Palgarup (although folded in 1954)

Since 1959 the LSWFL has lost two clubs, Greenbushes and Nannup, But have recently gained Kojonup from the Great Southern FL.

With the commencement of the LSWFL in 1959, Manjimup Tigers were the form team, winning three of the first four premierships.

Between 1963 and 1976, Deanmill and Southerners would share all the premierships, which included Deanmill winning three in a row in the early 1970s. These two proud clubs would continue to regularly win premierships throughout every decade.

The late 1970s would see Tigers again prove strong, winning back to back titles. The early 1980s saw Manjimup Imperials reign supreme, and Boyup Brook would finally win their first premiership in 1981. Bridgetown would win their first title in 1984 and back it up in 1986.

Deanmill and Southerners dominated the 1990s, winning 4 and 3 titles respectively, as Southerners started the new millennium winning three premierships in a row (1999-2001).

The new century has seen all 7 current clubs win a premiership. Manjimup Imperials tasted success in 2004 & 2007, whilst Manjimup Tigers were victorious in 2010 & 2013. Deanmill had success in 2002 and won back to back premierships in 2008 and 2009, as well as 2015. After winning in 2001, Southerners won the title in 2005, 2006, 2011 and 2016.

Bridgetown, Boyup Brook and new club Kojonup all broke long droughts this century. Bridgetown won the premiership in 2003 (a 17-year drought), however this was nothing compared to Boyup's 31-year wait for a premiership in 2012. Kojonup would win their first premiership in 2014.

Club information

Boyup Brook - Were originally known as the Boyup Brook Tigers wearing yellow and black, although changed their nickname to the Roos and their colours to Green and White in 1987.

It took 22 years before Boyup would play in their first league Grand Final, where in 1981 they took on Southerners. They won the match by 132 points, which still remains the biggest winning margin in a LSWFL Grand Final.

Boyup would go on to play in the 1982, 1989, 1999, 2000 and 2002 Grand Finals, however they would not taste success in any of them.

After a 31-year drought, Boyup won their second league premiership in 2012, defeating Deanmill by 25 points.

Boyup has also won two reserves premierships in 1976 & 2004.

Bridgetown - The Bridgetown Rovers FC (Blue and Red) and Bridgetown Warriors FC (Maroon and Yellow) merged prior to the commencement of the LSWFL in 1959 to form the Bridgetown Bulldogs. The single Brigetown Football Club had existed since 1904 in the Nelson Football Association wearing blue and red until the club split in the 1930s into the two clubs, Rovers and Warriors.

Bridgetown played in 6 losing Grand Finals (including 3 in a row in 1965,66,67) before they won their first league premiership in 1984. They won another premiership two years later in 1986, before a 17-year wait for their third title in 2003.

Bridgetown have won six reserves premierships (1971, 1980, 1983, 2001, 2009 & 2015), as well as three colts premierships (1963, 1981 & 1982).

Deanmill - Originally bearing the nickname of simply 'the mill', Deanmill later adopted the Hawks mascot.

Deanmill have won 16 league premierships, winning their first title in 1963. Deanmill won three premierships in the 1960s, four in the 1970s (including three in a row), two in the 1980s, four in the 1990s and three in the 2000s, with their most recent in 2015.

Kojonup - Moved to the LSWFL from the Great Southern FL in 2008, also changing their name and colours from the Kojonup Magpies, wearing black and white, due to Manjimup Imperials already possessing both the Mascot and Colours.

Kojonup originally came from the now defunct Central Great Southern FL before it was merged with the Southern Districts FL in 1990 to become the Great Southern FL.

Kojonup won their first League Premiership in the LSWFL in 2014.

Imperials - Imperials have won 8 league premierships. After tasting success in 1961, it would be another 21 years later in 1982 that Imperials would win their second premiership.

Imperials won three premierships in the 1980s, two in the 1990s and two in 2000s, with their most recent league premiership coming in 2007.

Southerners - Originally Pemberton Warriors and Pemberton Jayes merged to become Pemberton FC. Prior to the commencement of the LSWFL in 1959 Pemberton FC and Northcliffe FC Merged to become Southerners FC.

Southerners are the most successful club with 19 league premierships, having never gone more than six years without winning a premiership.

Southerners won three premierships in a row from 1999-2001. Their most recent premiership was in 2016.

Tigers - Prior to the commencement of the LSWFL in 1959, Fire Brigades FC and Jardee FC merged to become the Tigers FC. At the start of the LSWFL Tigers were the most successful club, winning three of the first four league premierships (1959,1960 & 1962).

It wasn't until 1977 they would win their fourth premiership, and then won their fifth title the following year in 1978.

It was another 18 years before they won their sixth premiership in 1996. Fourteen years later in 2010 they won their seventh title.Tigers won the 2013 league premiership.