THE LEAGUE 
The WKFA became the WKFL in 2006.
THE LEAGUE
The WKFA became the WKFL in 2006.
Every organisation seems to be made up of five kinds of bones. There are the Wishbones, who keep wishing someone else would do the work. There are the Jawbones, who talk a lot and do as little as possible. There are the Knucklebones, who rap anything anyone does. There are Lazybones who say they will do it but never do. Finally, there are the Backbones, who get under the load and get the work done.
After many years at the helm through the 70's, Fr Mac carried out the organisation of the Association, from the purchase of footballs to assigning umpires, but in 1980 he decided to opt out.
". . . and who could blame him? Anyway, he has got better things to do on a Sunday." (Broome News)
But at the AGM of that year, no one could band together to form a committee. The meeting seemed to think that anyone with an affiliation to a particular club couldn't function as an executive.
". . . an immature and selfish attitude me thinks! Perhaps we could swap committees with Netball. The footy committee could run Netball and thus neutrality would be assured. When you have strong clubs intending to play in an undermanned Association, which they won't bend to help, then you can't help thinking Fr Mac should let the balloon go, let the clubs sort out their petty squabbles and see if they really want to play footy." (Broome News)
Well, that's just about what was to happen with the Association over the next ten years. Too often all the spade work was left to two or three individuals to 'carry the can' who then received little in return except undue criticism. Was it any wonder that a Constitution, affiliation with the WAFL and Incorporation was not achieved until 1992.
In fact, in season 1986 the Association possessed no secretary, no treasurer and no property manager. Furthermore, the WKFA possessed a starting debt of $5,000.
". . . if not for the efforts of Mick Bruijn, who teeters on the edge of sensibility the season will fold. Just hope he doesn't crack. Previous efforts over the last two years to wipe out debts have indicated that clubs showed unrivalled greed when discussing their own financial situation, however appeals to shore up the Association fall on deaf ears. any fine administrators have been involved with individual clubs which have prospered while the Association is in decline." (Broome News)
With these problems, most preferred to sit on their hands at the AGM's since oval marking, the tribunal, umpires, scoreboards, collection of fees and paperwork were all left to the unwitting masochists who ended up on the committee and then battled through, but it often became too much with three games every weekend.
However, by the early 90's the Association had become very strong with the policy applied of 'shared responsibility'. The clubs themselves had to set up for the games and supply inter-change officials. Revenue was collected at the gate and a food van was purchased, both of which helped the Association financially and gave it the capacity to plan encouragingly for the future.
West Kimberley Football League – The Story of Our LeagueBefore we get into today's football, we'd like to take a few moments to celebrate the competition itself—the West Kimberley Football League. Every weekend we gather to watch a game we all love, but behind every bounce of the ball lies a story that stretches back more than seventy-five years. It's a story of community, resilience, volunteers and some remarkable people whose passion has helped football thrive in one of Australia's most unique regions. While today's competition is known as the West Kimberley Football League, or WKFL, many supporters will remember it as the West Kimberley Football Association, the name it proudly carried until 2006. Like many country football competitions, the league's journey hasn't always been easy. One of the great quotes from the league's history describes every organisation as being made up of five kinds of bones. There are the Wishbones, who wish someone else would do the work. The Jawbones, who do plenty of talking but very little doing. The Knucklebones, who criticise what everyone else is doing. The Lazybones, who promise to help but never quite get around to it. And finally, there are the Backbones—the people who quietly roll up their sleeves, carry the load and simply get the job done. Thankfully, Kimberley football has always had plenty of backbones. No one represents that spirit more than Father Michael McMahon, affectionately known as Father Mac. Father Mac arrived in Broome in 1967 as the Parish Priest, but his impact reached far beyond the church. At a time when football had disappeared from the region for several years, he helped revive the competition in 1969, beginning an unbroken run of football that continues to this day. He served as President of the Association for six years, umpired countless matches, coached the Towns Falcons to five consecutive premierships during the 1970s, organised fixtures, sourced footballs, appointed umpires and was instrumental in relocating football to the Male Oval. Quite simply, Father Mac became known as the father of Broome football, and in 1980 he fittingly became the league's very first Life Member. When Father Mac stepped away from running the Association in 1980, the league suddenly realised just how much work one person had been carrying. Committee positions became difficult to fill. Volunteers were scarce. By 1986 the Association had no secretary, no treasurer, no property manager and was carrying a debt of around five thousand dollars. Yet football survived. It survived because clubs and volunteers refused to let it disappear. By the early 1990s, the league adopted a model of shared responsibility. Clubs began helping set up grounds, provide interchange officials and contribute to the running of every match day. Combined with gate takings and better administration, the league entered a new era of stability and growth. But the story of Kimberley football isn't just about the people—it's also about the places where the game has been played. Long before today's excellent facilities, football was played on what had once been tidal mud flats and even a rubbish dump. The construction of the Broome Town Oval in 1973 transformed football in the Kimberley. For the next seventeen years, it became one of the great country football venues in Western Australia. Every club had its own patch of the ground. Saints supporters packed the western wing. The Meatworks faithful gathered behind the Checkpoint goals. Beagle Bay supporters made plenty of noise near the basketball end. Bardi supporters filled the area in front of Sun Pictures. And Towns supporters proudly occupied the eastern wing beneath colourful banners and a large tent providing relief from the Kimberley sun. The atmosphere was unforgettable. Facilities, however, were a little different to today's standards. Towns players famously changed on the verandah of the old NSW Bank. Saints players changed at Rabbits. Beagle Bay players often changed on the back of a truck. The oval itself had its own challenges too. Broken glass sometimes needed clearing before games, faulty watering systems left large bare patches, and even discarded wire sparklers occasionally had to be removed before the opening bounce. Night football was introduced in 1986 and quickly became popular, although the lighting left plenty to be desired. As Broome continued to grow, so too did the need for better sporting facilities. Football moved to the Frederick Street Sporting Complex in 1990, giving the community two quality public ovals, improved facilities and a playing surface almost as wide as the MCG. Then in 2009 came one of the league's proudest moments with the opening of the Father McMahon Oval and the Joe "Nipper" Roe Oval. It was a fitting tribute to two men whose influence on football and the Broome community can scarcely be measured. Joe "Nipper" Roe was a former East Fremantle premiership player who became one of the Kimberley's finest footballers, coaches and gentlemen. Known for his exceptional skills and generosity, his legacy lives on every time football is played on the oval that now bears his name. As the league continued to grow, it also made sure to honour those whose service had shaped its future. Life Membership remains the highest honour the West Kimberley Football League can bestow. Following Father Mac, football stalwarts such as Kevin Bullen, Phillip Matsumoto, Brian Kane, Alan Bishop, Gary "Butch" Chesson, Andrew Blackley, Michael Albert, Robbie Wilson, Patrick Cox, Brendan Cox, Don McKenzie, John Thomas, Brett Claudius, and most recently Eunice Yu, who became the league's first female Life Member in 2025, have all been recognised for extraordinary service to football in the Kimberley. These honours recognise much more than games played. They celebrate thousands of volunteer hours marking ovals, coaching juniors, balancing budgets, organising fixtures, fundraising, mentoring players and ensuring football could continue for the next generation. Today, the West Kimberley Football League is one of Australia's great regional football competitions. It brings together communities from across the Kimberley, celebrates local talent, strengthens lifelong friendships and continues a football tradition built on dedication, respect and community spirit. So as the players run onto the ground today, remember they're not just representing their club. They're representing more than seventy-five years of football history. They're following in the footsteps of the pioneers who built the league, the volunteers who kept it alive, the legends who inspired generations and the communities who continue to make Kimberley football something truly special. From tidal mud flats to outstanding sporting facilities… From a handful of determined volunteers to a thriving regional competition… The story of the West Kimberley Football League is still being written. And today, we're lucky enough to witness its next chapter. |
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