SANFL players to VFL in the 70's and 1980

[Leaping Lindner]

I came across this in an old budget and thought it was interesting and worth sharing. It's a list of every SANFL player from the 1970's and 1980 that went to the VFL. The number next to the name is the age they went at and the last number is the amount of VFL games they ended up playing.
1970
Graham Molloy -22 (Norwood - Melbourne) 67
1971
Robert Day - 26 (West Adelaide - Hawthorn) 38
Brian Mulvihill - 24 (West Torrens - Nth Melb) 24
Craig McKellar - 21 (Woodville - Richmond- Melbourne) 136
John Tilbrook - 25 (Sturt - Melbourne) 53
1972
None
1973
Glynn Hewitt - 20 (West Adelaide - Richmond) 15
Bohdan Jaworskyj -26 (North Adelaide - Hawthorn) 68
Denis McCarthy - 22 (South Adelaide - Essendon) 0
1974
Malcolm Blight - 24 (Woodville - Nth Melbourne) 180
Dean Farnham - 23 (Central District - Fitzroy) 17
Ray Huppatz - 25 (Woodville - Footscray - North Melbourne) 86
1975
Phil Carmen - 24 (Norwood - Collingwood - Melbourne - Essendon - Nth Melb) 101
Neville Roberts - 20 (West Torrens - Richmond) 49
Neil Sachse - 24 (North Adelaide - Footscray) 2
1976
Terry Moore - 24 (Central District - North Melbourne - Hawthorn) 61
1977
Barry Norsworthy - 25 (Central District - Melbourne) 21
David Young - 23 (South Adelaide - South Melbourne - Collingwood) 62
1978
Max James - 26 (Port Adelaide - South Melbourne) 55
1979
Graham Cornes - 30 (Glenelg - Nth Melbourne) 5
Russell Ebert - 29 (Port Adelaide - Nth Melbourne) 25
Robbert Klomp - 23 (Sturt - Carlton- Footscray) 93
1980
Andy Bennett - 25 (South Adelaide - Hawthorn - StKilda) 35
Phil Maylin - 23 (Woodville - Carlton - Footscray) 122
John Roberts - 23 (Woodville - South Melbourne) 50

24 players in 11 years!!! The sanfl would almost lose that in one draft these days.

[McAlmanac]

The one that slipped under my radar is Mulva.

[am Bays]

1980 you can chuck in Mark Williams and Jeff Sauru (West Torrens) IIRC from the Footabll Times year book, eight players went over in 1980.....

[Leaping Lindner]

1980 you can chuck in Mark Williams and Jeff Sauru (West Torrens) IIRC from the Footabll Times year book, eight players went over in 1980.....

Williams was still at Port in 1980 and Sarau came from the VFL (and much later - IIRC 1985) . You not thinking of 1981
maybe?

[Magpiespower]

Chocco played in the 1980 premiership team.

Was one of Collingwood's best in the 1981 grand final loss to Carlton.

Sauru played over 200 games with the Saints before crossing to Torrens.

[am Bays]

1980 you can chuck in Mark Williams and Jeff Sauru (West Torrens) IIRC from the Footabll Times year book, eight players went over in 1980.....

Williams was still at Port in 1980 and Sarau came from the VFL (and much later - IIRC 1985) . You not thinking of 1981
maybe?

Taking MP into consideration too can I change it to IIRI

[Adelaide Hawk]

Greg Parke played for Norwood in 1976 and then returned to the VFL to play with Fitzroy in 1977.
David Palm went to West Perth in 1980 and then onto Richmond in 1983.

[spell_check]

John Cassin played two season with Torrens (ironically 1975 and 1976) before returning to Victoria to play with North Melbourne.

[biscuit]

I read recently that the VFL Grand final Record of 1976 stated that only 7 South Australians were playing in the VFL that year.

Considering that by the late 1990's well over 100 South Australians were on AFL playing lists, it reiterates just how many of our best footballers chose to play their football in the SANFL until the late 1970's - early 1980's.

Makes it all the more of a pity that the AFL are doing their best to promote the popular belief that elite footballers only ever competed in the VFL-AFL. Surely they have to make more of an effort to recognise the football heritage of the SANFL and WAFL.

[Adelaide Hawk]

I read recently that the VFL Grand final Record of 1976 stated that only 7 South Australians were playing in the VFL that year.

Considering that by the late 1990's well over 100 South Australians were on AFL playing lists, it reiterates just how many of our best footballers chose to play their football in the SANFL until the late 1970's - early 1980's.

Makes it all the more of a pity that the AFL are doing their best to promote the popular belief that elite footballers only ever competed in the VFL-AFL. Surely they have to make more of an effort to recognise the football heritage of the SANFL and WAFL.

We can't expect the Victorians to do it if our own media won't.

[biscuit]

You're right about the media, Adelaide Hawk, and this weekends press certainly shows the attitude that the media have toward the history of the SANFL. Now Barrie Robran is not even rated because he didn't play VFL.

However, it's the AFL who have to lead the way in this matter. If they came out and recognised the contribution that the SANFL and the WAFL played in establishing the framework for todays national comp, the media would follow.

The AFL have to show the lead by defining only its post 1987 premierships as national flags, so that the pre 1987 flags are state premierships, as the SANFL and WAFL ones were. They have to actively seek a per capita representation of players from the southern states in the Hall of Fame - regardless of whether a player played in the VFL or not. They have to provide recognition for teams which defeated VFL premiers in Championship of Australia matches. They have to provide greater recognition for Magarey Medallists and Sandover medallists, especially those from the pre national comp era.

If the AFL don't lay the groundrules, we can't expect the media to follow - Victorian or otherwise. The likes of Robran will be subjected to a lack of recognition nationally unless the AFL actually starts promoting the national history of the game instead of just the Victorian history.

[Adelaide Hawk]

If the AFL don't lay the groundrules, we can't expect the media to follow - Victorian or otherwise. The likes of Robran will be subjected to a lack of recognition nationally unless the AFL actually starts promoting the national history of the game instead of just the Victorian history.

Barrie Robran's "lack of recognition" is not the fault of the AFL. They have awarded Robran Legendary status in their Hall of Fame, an accolade afforded to an elite few. The single factor undermining the efforts of yesteryear's great players is our own media's pre-occupation and obsession with the Crows and the Power.

[biscuit]

You're correct, Adelaide Hawk, in that the AFL have done the right thing in this instance by inducting Robran as a legend. But it is an exception, rather than a rule, that the AFL recognised SANFL related history. Why is it that out of 20 Hall of Fame legends, only 1 is South Australian? It is such an exception that the general populace are now surprised if recognition of non-VFL heritage is granted. Why is it that of the promotions to legend status in the Hall of Fame, only the elevation of Barrie Robran has caused controversy? Yes, the media are to blame, but I think the AFL needs to lead the way.

[Adelaide Hawk]

Biscuit, I don't know how far back your memory extends, or your knowledge of football history. I can understand the point of view you are making, but having watched football through the 60s, 70s and 80s, it was clear to me over that period that VFL was a higher standard than SANFL or WAFL. That's not to say that SA or WA footballers couldn't have been successful, it's just that the overall standard of VFL was tougher and more intense.

Record books indicate that Victoria has been the superior football state back to the beginning of football, dominant in AFC carnivals and state matches in general. I watched SA v VFL state matches from 1966 to 1982 without ever seeing us beat them, and we received some powerful thumpings in the interim.

I have no real problem with only 1 SA player being elevated to legends status, and I am pleased it is Barrie Robran. He is the only one I can think who truly belongs to such an elite group. I have always loved SANFL footy but I've never had delusions we were of equal standard to VFL as other people appear to think.

[am Bays]

Russell Ebert should be a legend, 300+ games 4 magareries, premierships, All Australian, coaching, development of the game....

In the one season (1979) he played he showed he was good enough at the end of his career, when he flew over on a Thursday and flew back on a Sunday. Not bad for a bloke only training once a week with his team....

Not decrying Doc Baldock'scontributiuon to the game as an example but Ebert has done as much in the games as at least half the other legends.....

I 100% agree the Victorian Standard of football was better back then but I believe there are potential Hall-of Famers and Legends of the game in WA and SA who have done as much if not more than some of teh current members of each category. the only crime they have had is to play in a lesser standard of footy but when they played state footy they showed they were just as good if not better than their Victorian counterparts...

[biscuit]

I agree entirely that the VFL were the strongest comp, particularly in the latter half of the 20th century. There is no denying that. Yet, on a per-capita basis, similar numbers of footballers played the game in SA as in Victoria, similar numbers of spectators attended games, the game was of similar cultural significance in each state. If it's true that people made significant contributions to the game in either state, then surely it's not unreasonable to expect that we should have a per-capita type representation in the Hall of Fame? i.e. Couldn't there be a South Australian for every 3 or 4 Victorians?
I also think that we are guilty today of recalling the difference in standard between the VFL and the SANFL in the 1980's, in the lead-up to the AFL, and extrapolating that back through the previous 100 years. We won a reasonable proportion of state games in the first half of the 20th century, and at club level, our sides were always competitive with VFL teams.

[drebin]

Russell Ebert should be a legend, 300+ games 4 magareries, premierships, All Australian, coaching, development of the game....

In the one season (1979) he played he showed he was good enough at the end of his career, when he flew over on a Thursday and flew back on a Sunday. Not bad for a bloke only training once a week with his team....

Not decrying Doc Baldock'scontributiuon to the game as an example but Ebert has done as much in the games as at least half the other legends.....

I 100% agree the Victorian Standard of football was better back then but I believe there are potential Hall-of Famers and Legends of the game in WA and SA who have done as much if not more than some of teh current members of each category. the only crime they have had is to play in a lesser standard of footy but when they played state footy they showed they were just as good if not better than their Victorian counterparts...

Ebert may well be elevated one day but the "mail is" that Ken Farmer will be rightly so next elevated to the Legend status. If so that will make him only the second legend along with Robran to be the only two not to have played in the VFL/AFL. Not a bad strike rate for the good old Roosters if it happens!

I still can't fathom how Farmer wasn't even inducted in the inaugural selections - the Bradman of goal kicking!

[Leaping Lindner]

Russell Ebert should be a legend, 300+ games 4 magareries, premierships, All Australian, coaching, development of the game....

In the one season (1979) he played he showed he was good enough at the end of his career, when he flew over on a Thursday and flew back on a Sunday. Not bad for a bloke only training once a week with his team....

Not decrying Doc Baldock'scontributiuon to the game as an example but Ebert has done as much in the games as at least half the other legends.....

I 100% agree the Victorian Standard of football was better back then but I believe there are potential Hall-of Famers and Legends of the game in WA and SA who have done as much if not more than some of teh current members of each category. the only crime they have had is to play in a lesser standard of footy but when they played state footy they showed they were just as good if not better than their Victorian counterparts...

Ebert may well be elevated one day but the "mail is" that Ken Farmer will be rightly so next elevated to the Legend status. If so that will make him only the second legend along with Robran to be the only two not to have played in the VFL/AFL. Not a bad strike rate for the good old Roosters if it happens!

I still can't fathom how Farmer wasn't even inducted in the inaugural selections - the Bradman of goal kicking!

I can't fathom how Ian McKay or Tom leahy still aren't in the 'normal' Hall of Fame.

[Aerie]

Biscuit, I don't know how far back your memory extends, or your knowledge of football history. I can understand the point of view you are making, but having watched football through the 60s, 70s and 80s, it was clear to me over that period that VFL was a higher standard than SANFL or WAFL. That's not to say that SA or WA footballers couldn't have been successful, it's just that the overall standard of VFL was tougher and more intense.

Record books indicate that Victoria has been the superior football state back to the beginning of football, dominant in AFC carnivals and state matches in general. I watched SA v VFL state matches from 1966 to 1982 without ever seeing us beat them, and we received some powerful thumpings in the interim.

I have no real problem with only 1 SA player being elevated to legends status, and I am pleased it is Barrie Robran. He is the only one I can think who truly belongs to such an elite group. I have always loved SANFL footy but I've never had delusions we were of equal standard to VFL as other people appear to think.

The standard of the VFL may have been better, but the fact is that the highest level you could play at on a weekly basis was in your state league. The elite few players from the state leagues around the country would have been equal to those elite in the VFL. I'd imagine the reason the overall standard was better was because of the depth due to population and the major reason South Australians went over to Victoria from the 70's through to the 80's was because of money.