Australian rules football in South Australia

Australian rules football in South Australia has a history dating back to the early 1860s, and it has long been the most popular sport in the state.

Australian rules football in South Australia
Governing bodySouth Australian Football Commission
First played1860, Adelaide
Audience records
Single match66,987 (1976). SANFL Grand Final. Sturt vs Port Adelaide. (Football Park, Adelaide)

History
See also: South Australian National Football League

Early examples of football (1843–1853)
Advertisement in the Southern Australian newspaper for an upcoming Irish Football game to celebrate St Patricks Day.

The first recorded game of any "football" in South Australia was that of 'Caid' played in Thebarton by people of the local Irish community in 1843 to celebrate St Patrick's Day.

In 1844 there was debate amongst the South Australian Legislative Council whether it be allowed that "foot-ball" be played on Sundays, with arguments against preferring the quiet worship of God.[1][2]

"Harrow rules" of St Peters (1854–1856)
Left: John Acraman was a successful businessman who lived in Adelaide and sponsored the development of football at St Peter's College in the 1850s.
Right: St Peter's College, Adelaide played primitive games of football in 1854.

In 1854 Adelaide businessman John Acraman imported five round footballs from England and paid for the construction of goal posts at St Peter's College in Adelaide's eastern suburbs.[3][4] St Peter's football matches were played between Frome Road and Adelaide Bridge, on a similar site to the current University Oval. "Harrow rules" involving kicking the ball but not running with it.[5]

Festive football games (1857–1859)

In 1857 a football match was held in Glenelg as part of the annual Commemoration Festival to celebrate the 21st anniversary of the proclamation of the colony of South Australia.[6] In 1859 the Gawler Institute ran a rural fete which included a game of football being staged.[7] On 12 March 1859 the town of Angaston held a farewell party for Charles Fuller which included football.[8] During a Christmas picnic in 1859 football was played by the employees of 'English & Brown' at Fourth Creek (River Torrens).[9]

Formation of designated clubs (1860–1875)
See also: List of Australian rules football clubs by date of establishment
The Old Adelaide Football Club was the first Australian rules football club founded in South Australia.

The earliest recorded Australian rules football club in South Australia was the original Adelaide Football Club, formed on 26 April 1860.[10] The Adelaide club hosted intra-club matches to provide a platform for football games to be played. Later in 1860 two new teams were formed bearing the names North Adelaide Football Club and South Adelaide Football Club, unrelated to the modern namesakes. In 1862 the newly formed Modbury and Teatree Gully Football Club was invited to play a match against the Adelaide team. A return match was held later in the year. The early years of football were poorly organised and dogged by argument over which set of rules to adopt. In fact, after a match between Port Adelaide and Kensington in 1873, it was remarked that neither side understood the rules clearly, and there was uncertainty over which team had won. However, as the years progressed, there became a growing push for uniformity and structure in South Australian football.

20 July Meeting (1876)
At the old Prince Alfred Hotel on 20 July 1876 a meeting between local club delegates was held where Charles Kingston pleaded that all the local clubs adopt the rules of the "Old Adelaide club" as they were similar to those in use in Victoria. He said that by adopting the "Old Adelaide club rules" intercolonial matches could be played between states.

After a period of years with clubs fighting over technicalities of rules a meeting was held between representatives of the Adelaide, South Adelaide, Victorian and Woodville clubs. At the meeting Charles Kingston argued that "it was possible that someday an inter-colonial football match might be played, and it was desirable in that case that South Australian players should play the game as it was played in other colonies". During his plea to the other clubs at the meeting he compared the 'Old Adelaide rules' to those used in Victoria saying 'practically there was but little difference between them'.[5]

Establishment of SAFA (1877)

Following an initial meeting on Thursday 19th April 1877 at Prince Alfred Hotel [11]called by Richard Twopeny the Captain of the Adelaide Football Club two delegates each from the following Football Clubs - Kensington, South Park, Willunga, Port Adelaide, Adelaide, North Adelaide, Prince Alfred College, Gawler, Kapunda, Bankers, Woodville, South Adelaide and Victorian attended a meeting held at the Prince Alfred Hotel in King William Street, Adelaide held on 30 April 1877 to develop a uniform set of rules and establish a governing body. [12]

They formed the South Australian Football Association, the first governing body of its type for football in Australia, and adopted rules similar to those used in Victoria. The use of an oval ball, bouncing the ball and pushing from behind forbidden amongst the rules agreed. The inaugural 1877 SAFA season was contested by 8 clubs.

Early years of organised competition (1877–1886)

Norwood joined the Association in 1878, but Bankers (1877), Kensington (1877-1881), South Park (1877-1884), Willunga, North Adelaide, Prince Alfred College, Gawler (1887-1890), Kapunda, Woodville, and Victorian all left the Association within the first 15 years.

1887 saw Gawler, Hotham and West Adelaide join the SAFA with the last of those bearing no relation to the modern day West Adelaide Bloods. But the 1894 Season, the Association had been reduced to just four clubs (North Adelaide originally called Medindie until 1892, Port Adelaide, South Adelaide and Norwood) with the demise of the Old Adelaide Football Club (which was founded in 1860) at the end of the 1893 Season.

Growth as major pastime (1887–1915)

The Association experienced a resurgence in the late 1880s. From the 1886 season to the 1887 attendances almost doubled. The addition of West Adelaide (1887), North Adelaide (1893), West Torrens (1897) and only the demise of Adelaide (1893), meant the Association was six clubs by the turn of the century. In 1898, the Magarey Medal was awarded to the fairest and most brilliant player for the first time. Sturt joined the Association in 1901 and in 1907, the Association was renamed the South Australian Football League.

War years (1916–1944)

The SAFL was suspended from 1916–18 due to World War I. Glenelg joined the league in 1921. In 1927, the South Australian Football League was renamed the South Australian National Football League. During World War II, the eight clubs merged to form four composite clubs over the period 1942–44.

Golden era (1945–1981)

The post war years saw the code become a part of everyday life with mass media providing greater coverage than ever before. After Port Adelaide had won its 8th premiership in the last 10 seasons the SANFL admitted two new clubs for the 1964 season, Central District and Woodville. The latter club Woodville being located less than 3 km away from Port Adelaide.

Move towards national club competition (1982–1989)

In 1982 the SANFL approached the VFL in regards to entering two sides, Port Adelaide and longtime major rival Norwood, in the Victorian league.[13] This action was also taken by WAFL club East Perth in 1980.[14] All approaches were ignored by the VFL at the time with the reason given by Jack Hamilton being that the VFL clubs thought that one or two SANFL teams would end up being too strong later admitting that they also wanted to continue to poach the states best players, which would soon include Craig Bradley and Stephen Kernahan in 1986.[15] 1982 also saw the first instance of the VFL expanding beyond Melbourne and Geelong with the South Melbourne Football Club being relocated to Sydney. The Port Adelaide Football Club's annual report from late 1982 showed that the failure of the attempts made by South Australian and West Australian clubs to enter the VFL significantly impacted the club's understanding of its future.[16] From this point Port Adelaide restructured the club in regards to economics, public relations and on-field performance for an attempt to enter the league in 1990. There was genuine feeling that failure to do this would result in the club ceasing to exist in the future.[17] In 1985 Port Adelaide registered itself as a national football club. Sentiment at this time amongst the direction of Australian rules football in South Australia was succinctly encapsulated by a Michael Robinson article in the 1985 Football Times Yearbook that previewed the SANFL's upcoming season. In that article Robinson wrote about the disappointment of the equal gate sharing of match takings enforced by the SANFL for the upcoming season with the stronger South Australian clubs propping up ailing clubs such as Woodville.[18]

"What would be left of the SA league without the great clubs such as Norwood and Port Adelaide? It would drop to a miserable fourth-class contest. No one could blame Norwood and Port Adelaide for wanting to get out of the SA league into national ranks if they are further threatened by the dragging down process.

— Michael Robinson in regards to impacts of gate revenue sharing adopted by the SANFL for the 1985 season on Norwood and Port Adelaide, [18]

The following year the SANFL registered the name "Adelaide Football Club" in 1986 but ended up deciding against entering a team into the VFL.[19] In 1986 Norwood Football Club made an independent approach to the VFL with entry into the league discussed in great detail but these discussions ultimately failed to materialise.[17] In 1987 the West Coast Eagles and Brisbane Bears were admitted to the Victorian Football League leaving South Australia as the only mainland state without representation in the VFL.

"In 1988 a deputation from Norwood Football Club had announced it was interested in joining the VFL 'at any time in the future' and ... a private consortium headed by Ken Eustice was interested in grabbing a licence".

— Ross Oakley, [20]

By 1989 seven out of ten SANFL clubs were recording losses and the combined income of the SANFL and WAFL had dropped to 40% of that of the VFL.[19] The 1989 Port Adelaide annual report and November newsletter contrasted with the outlook of other SANFL and WAFL clubs. After its demolition of North Adelaide in the 1989 SANFL Grand Final holding its opposition to a single goal, the club claimed a profit in the annual report and hinted at its intentions the following year in the club newsletter by saying Port Adelaide was "far better than their nearest rival in the SANFL".[21][22]

First South Australian AFL club (1990)
Left: On 9 August 1990 it was revealed Norwood had been in discussions with the AFL to join in 1991. However, after seeing the local media response to Port Adelaide's bid they sided with the SANFL. Norwood would again try to gain a licence during 1994 in a merger with Sturt[23]
Right: An injunction was won in the Supreme Court of South Australia preventing Port Adelaide from continuing its discussions with the AFL after 12 August 1990

During early 1990 the SANFL had decided to wait three years before making any further decision. Frustrated with lack of progress, Port Adelaide were having secret negotiations in the town of Quorn for entry in 1991.[24] A practice match organised by Port Adelaide and Geelong on 25 February at Football Park attracted at over 30,000 spectators and illustrated the potential of a South Australian side in the newly renamed national competition.[25] Around the same time AFL was also seeking Norwood to join the national competition in 1990. However Norwood would eventually side with the SANFL after seeing the media reaction to Port Adelaide's attempts.

"They [the SANFL clubs] are not going to make that decision until they are at the lowest possible ebb. They'd be voting themselves into obscurity [opting for a composite team] in their state."

— Ross Oakley in regards to the other SANFL clubs opposing Port Adelaide's entry.[26]

When the knowledge of Port Adelaide Football Club's negotiations to gain an AFL licence were made public, the other SANFL clubs saw it as an act of treachery. Subsequently, the SANFL clubs, led by Glenelg and Norwood, urged Justice Olssen to make an injunction against the bid, which he agreed to.[19] In total the SANFL spent $500,000 in legal fees to stop Port Adelaide's entry into the AFL, with the latter simply unable to compete in the court room. The SANFL promptly created a composite team to beat Port Adelaide's bid. The Adelaide Football Club gained what was very close to being Port Adelaide's licence to the AFL and began playing in 1991. The new Adelaide club would adopt the moniker of "Crows" after the states inhabitants often used the nickname "Crow-eaters". During this time the SANFL began suing people involved with Port Adelaide, including people volunteering in unpaid positions, with the AFL quickly stepping in to guarantee the protection of the club and associated people.[13] In 2014 during an interview with the Adelaide Advertiser, Ross Oakley revealed that "In desperation to force (the SANFL’s) hand...we began dealing directly with two powerhouse clubs of the SANFL, Norwood and Port Adelaide...we were changing the league’s name to AFL – and we could not go without a team from Adelaide".[20]

1990 SANFL Grand Final
Last game without AFL in SA.		GBTotal
Glenelg131593
Port Adelaide1612108
Venue: Football Park Crowd: 50,589[27]

"These twenty blokes, everyone who has helped us, are sensational people and all the views that you have read in the press the one thing that really matters is that there will always be a Port Adelaide Football Club."

— 15px, 15px, George Fiacchi upon accepting the 1990 Jack Oatey Medal for best on ground at the 1990 SANFL Grand Final.[28]

"I want to tell you that you want to enjoy this moment for what it is because the good times are well and truly gone. Apart from Jack (John Cahill) and the players there are a couple of individuals out there who are responsible for that and make sure you enjoy tonight because the good times will not happen again."

— 15px, 15px, Glenelg coach and inaugural Adelaide coach Graham Cornes's address to the Port Adelaide change-rooms post the 1990 SANFL Grand Final.[29]

The front runners for the coaching job at the newly created club were both involved in the last SANFL game played in South Australia before the advent of a local AFL team, the 1990 SANFL Grand Final. In that game Port Adelaide, coached by John Cahill defeated Glenelg, coached by Graham Cornes, by 15 points. Graham Cornes ended up being selected to coach Adelaide for the 1991 AFL season. Cornes compiled a club list of the best players from South Australia, with few originating from other states, in what was almost a state side in the first year.[30] Chris McDermott, captain of Glenelg in the 1990 SANFL Grand Final, was designated as the Crows inaugural captain.[30] Despite Port Adelaide being SANFL premiers in 1990, only 5 players from the team became part of the Adelaide squad of 52. Those players being Bruce Abernethy, Simon Tregenza, David Brown, Darren Smith and Scott Hodges, with the last three joining Port Adelaide's inaugural AFL squad in 1997.[30][31]

Race to be second South Australian AFL club (1991–1996)

The admission of Adelaide to the AFL had a devastating impact on the leagues attendances with the SANFL recording a 45% drop between 1990 and 1993.[32] Port Adelaide defied this trend of falling SANFL attendances recording an increase of 13% from 1990 to 1993.[33]

"I only hope petty jealousies and fears within the S.A.N.F.L. don't short circuit a Port Adelaide proposal which clearly seems better than any other"

— Tony Greenberg, Inside Football, June 1994, [34]

In 1994 the AFL announced that South Australia would receive a licence for a second team based in the state.[15] The major bids competing with Port Adelaide this time around were from merger club proposals in Norwood-Sturt, and Glenelg-South. On 15 June the SANFL handed down a report recommending the second license go to a team formed from the amalgamation of two clubs.

"The sub-licence should be granted to an amalgamation of two SANFL clubs"

— SANFL, Report on the Future Direction of Football in South Australia, 15 June 1994, [35]

On 16 June it was reported in The Age by Stephen Linnell that "the League's preference was for a single, established club to join the league".[36] The final tenders were submitted to the SANFL on 14 September 1994 including Port Adelaide's second application, Norwood–Sturt's merged club bid with the remaining application coming from Woodville–West Torrens.[37]

"In my opinion coming second [not getting the second South Australian AFL licence] means you die"

— Michael Aish, Norwood champion, August 1994., [38]

On 2 October Port Adelaide won the 1994 SANFL Grand Final, its fifth in seven years. On 13 December Port Adelaide won the tender for the second SA license over its various state rivals, however it was prevented from entering the competition before 1996 as stipulated in the Adelaide license agreement.[39] In 1995 after an SANFL game at Football Park the Adelaide began carrying out a training session which was interrupted by a large hoard of Port Adelaide supporters chanting "We're coming to get you".[40] Adelaide coach Robert Shaw was the only Adelaide official to confront the hoard.[40] In 1996 Port Adelaide was left to wait again as a vacancy was required in the league.

It was announced on 27 October 1995 that Port Adelaide would be participating in the 1997 AFL season, one season later than initially planned and seven years after the clubs first failed bid in 1990.[41]

National premierships (1997–2004)

From 1997 to 2004 South Australian AFL clubs won three Australian Football League premierships.

Adelaide Oval return (2009–2014)

After previous hosting the highest level of Australian rules football in South Australia from 1877 to 1973, Adelaide Oval once again became permanent the home of top level Australian rules football in South Australia after a major redevelopment of the ground.

Regional variation

Some variations of Australian Rules Football in South Australia compared with other Australian states still exist:

Points system: In South Australia, most leagues award two points for a win, and one for a draw. Elsewhere in Australia generally four points are awarded for a win and two for a draw.

Percentage: In South Australia, ladder percentage is usually calculated as "For" ÷ "For and Against" × "100". Elsewhere in Australia it is generally calculated as "For" ÷ "Against" × "100".

Behind posts: Behind posts have generally been coloured red in South Australia, as opposed to white elsewhere.

Goalkicker listings: Match reports in South Australia generally list goals and behinds scored by player, whereas elsewhere in Australia goals only are generally shown.

Field markings: The "50" on the 50-metre line at AAMI Stadium is in a serif font, whereas at Victorian grounds a sans-serif font is used.

Participation

In 2007, there were 14,825 senior players in SA and total participation of 72,971.[42]

Attendance record

Major Australian Rules events in South Australia

South Australians in the Australian Football Hall of Fame

see Australian Football Hall of Fame

Legend

Players

Umpires

Coaches

Administrators

Governing body

The governing body is the South Australian National Football League.

Leagues & Clubs

Professional clubs

Adelaide Metropolitan Leagues

Regional leagues

The South Australian Country Football Championships is contested annually, and comprises the following representative sides:

  • Central (comprises the Barossa Light and Gawler, Adelaide Plains, Northern Areas, North Eastern and Yorke Peninsula Football Leagues)
  • Southern Districts (River Murray, Great Southern, Hills, Southern and Kangaroo Island Football Leagues)
  • South East (Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara, Mid South Eastern and Western Border Football Leagues)
  • Eyre Peninsula (Port Lincoln, Great Flinders, Eastern Eyre, Mid West and Far West Football Leagues)
  • Northern Cities (Whyalla, Woomera & Districts and Spencer Gulf Football Leagues)
  • Murray Mallee Barrier Zone (Riverland, Mid Murray, Broken Hill and Mallee Football Leagues)

Women's

Representative team

The South Australian representative team, also known as the Croweaters, have played State of Origin matches against all other Australian states.

See also: South Australia Australian rules football team
See also: Interstate matches in Australian rules football

Principal venues

Sources
  1. "LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL". Southern Australian. VII (549). South Australia. 20 August 1844. p. 2. Retrieved 3 February 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. "HISTORIC FOOTBALL". The Register (Adelaide). LXXII (18, 917). South Australia. 1 July 1907. p. 5. Retrieved 10 October 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. Pill, Shane (2011). "1860–2010: Celebrating 150 years of organised football in South Australia". 27th ACHPER International Conference: 336.
  4. Daly, Elysian Fields, 63, citing South Australian Register of 25 July 1908.
  5. Pill, Shane; Frost, Lionel (17 January 2016). "R.E.N. Twopeny and the Establishment of Australian Football in Adelaide". The International Journal of the History of Sport. 33 (8): 797–812. doi:10.1080/09523367.2016.1173033.
  6. "TWENTY-FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF THE COLONY". South Australian Register. XXI (3479). South Australia. 30 November 1857. p. 2. Retrieved 10 October 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. "THE GAWLER INSTITUTE RURAL FETE". The South Australian Advertiser. I (208). South Australia. 10 March 1859. p. 3. Retrieved 3 February 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. "ANGASTON". South Australian Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1858–1889). 15 March 1859. p. 2. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  9. "THE MAGILL RACES". South Australian Weekly Chronicle. II (76). South Australia. 31 December 1859. p. 5. Retrieved 12 October 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. "Full Points Footy". Archived from the original on 8 December 2006. Retrieved 25 January 2007.
  11. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/90881172
  12. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/40794431
  13. Abernethy, Bruce (1997). From Port to a Power. Kent Town, Adelaide: Wakefield Press. p. 71. ISBN 186254400X.
  14. "Fight on East Perth – Applying to Join VFL". www.amnet.net.au. Retrieved 8 October 2015.
  15. Oakley, Ross (2014). The Phoenix Rises. Richmond, Victoria: Slattery Media Group. p. 156. ISBN 9780987420596.
  16. 'Port Adelaide Football Club Inc. Annual Report and Balance Sheet Season 1982', page 11
  17. "Port Adelaide Football Club..."one must ask does the 'Big V' want the game to go national"". Australian Football.
  18. Robinson, Michael (1985). "Yet another season of advancing backwards". 1985 Football Times Yearbook (1976–1992). Ashley Hornsey. pp. 10–12.
  19. "Revisiting the South Australian license saga of 1991". The Roar.
  20. https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/afl/teams/port-adelaide/fight-to-break-south-australian-impasse-on-vfl-involved-far-more-than-port-adelaide/news-story/dc13dfdbbd3f8cc2beb939c308e48831
  21. Whimpress, T.J. (1989). Port Adelaide Football Club Inc. Report of the Football and Footballers Clubs. Largs Bay, South Australia: Largs Bay Printers. p. 26.
  22. Weber, Bruce (1989). Magpie News. Largs Bay Printers: Port Adelaide Football Club. p. 3.
  23. "AFL sought Norwood". The Canberra Times. 64 (20, 209). Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 10 August 1990. p. 13. Retrieved 1 August 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  24. "Port Adelaide from SANFL to AFL". ABC: Stateline South Australia.
  25. Fishburn, Chris (April 1990). "Keeping Score '90". Magpie News. p. 34.
  26. "Put Port Adelaide into AFL: Oakley". The Canberra Times. 64 (20, 205). Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 6 August 1990. p. 22. Retrieved 10 May 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  27. http://www.subiacofc.com/seasons/season/SANFL/1959/
  28. George Fiacchi, 1990 SANFL Grand Final – Port Adelaide vs. Glenelg, Channel 9.
  29. Graham Cornes, 1990 SANFL Grand Final, Channel 9.
  30. "On this day: Inaugural squad named – AFC.com.au". afc.com.au. Retrieved 15 April 2017.
  31. "Past players – portadelaidefc.com.au". portadelaidefc.com.au. Retrieved 15 April 2017.
  32. The Budget. Adelaide: SANFL. 1994.
  33. "Port Adelaide AFL Bid Video". Port Adelaide Football Club. 1994.
  34. Tony Greenberg, Inside Football, 8 June 1994.
  35. SANFL, Report on the Future Direction of Football in South Australia, 14 June 1994.
  36. Linnell, Stephen (16 June 1994). "League 'No' may open door to Port". The Age.
  37. Ashton, Norman (2018). Destiny. Adelaide: Wakefield Press. p. 137. ISBN 9781743055946.
  38. Jeff Reynolds, Australian Football, May 2016.
  39. Rucci, Michaelangelo (14 December 1994). "Premiers SA's Second Team". The Advertiser (Adelaide). pp. 1–2.
  40. Rucci, Michelangelo (29 May 1996). "What makes Port Adelaide different from the Crows?". The Advertiser (Adelaide).
  41. Ashton, Norman (2018). Destiny. Adelaide: Wakefield Press. p. 153. ISBN 9781743055946.
  42. More chase Sherrin than before – realfooty.com.au

See also
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