SA Footy

Yes we all know about South Adelaide's history with some of their interstate recruits over the years. I found this story on page 10 of the 1967 SA Grand Final Budget - read the opening sentence of what happened in January. 42 years on - can anyone reveal the true story of what really happened? I can't believe that a league football club could have been "hoaxed" in that manner !!

Only South could have been conned that way.

Also, new North Adelaide recruit Barrie Robran was best on ground in his 1st game.
Neil Kerley was cleared to Glenelg as captain coach.
Barry Ion was cleared to Woodville to keep him occupied whilst he sought a radio career.

Mr66 wrote:Only South could have been conned that way.

Who knows what was going on? You're talking about a club who sacked a coach who dragged them off the bottom, got their first flag in 26 years, and had them in the finals 3 years running.

The story:

It wasn't a con, it was a cocktail of mistaken identity and B Grade journalism. The Clarence Football Club had their end of season trip in Adelaide, and one of their players was named John Hudson, apparently not a bad player, a CHB.

On the trip they met a few South Adelaide players, spent some time at the club, and it was suggested some of them try out with South. John Hudson went home with the intention of playing for South Adelaide the following year, but no deal had been struck so far as I know.

Where the story came from was a bit of investigative journalism gone wrong. Lawrie Jervis had been looking at the South Adelaide guest book and saw an entry for someone named Hudson from Tasmania. Like most journalists today, he put 2 & 2 together and got 537, and decided to run the story in the News that Peter Hudson was signed by South Adelaide.

Anyway, John Hudson got back to Tassie full of intention of playing for South in 1967 when he got a call from a Tassie journalist telling him Peter Hudson had signed with South. He decided that South must have thought he was Peter, so he didn't bother returning.

In a sideline, John Hudson states the only thing he ever had to do with Peter was in 1966 when he struck the full forward and got a 3 match suspension

Poor old South - what a basket case

I would have thuoght that David Kantilla was your greatest recruit. Well so my old man said.

Moe wrote:I would have thuoght that David Kantilla was your greatest recruit. Well so my old man said.

Ah yes, the great Amparralamtua, or "David Kantilla" as he was better known.

If he were around today, would have been a sensation. Very much in the Stephen Michael/Adam Goodes mould, there wasn't much he couldn't do. Great player. It always annoys me when people discuss great aboriginal players, and his name is never mentioned.

The story about David is when South first recruited him, they had a job convincing him to wear boots. Born a Tiwi Islander, he came from the Bathurst Island, was 6'5" tall, and had an incredible leap. He played 2 seasons with St.Marys before coming to South.

His first game was against Glenelg at Kensington and apparently he took all sorts of incredible marks and booted 6 goals. SA football had never seen the likes of him before, and he was a pioneer to other aboriginal players making their way into SANFL football.

He won South's best & fairest the first two seasons at the club, and was the first aboriginal player to reach 100 SANFL games. As I said, a wonderful player.

Adelaide Hawk wrote:

Mr66 wrote:Only South could have been conned that way.

Who knows what was going on? You're talking about a club who sacked a coach who dragged them off the bottom, got their first flag in 26 years, and had them in the finals 3 years running.

The story:

It wasn't a con, it was a cocktail of mistaken identity and B Grade journalism. The Clarence Football Club had their end of season trip in Adelaide, and one of their players was named John Hudson, apparently not a bad player, a CHB.

On the trip they met a few South Adelaide players, spent some time at the club, and it was suggested some of them try out with South. John Hudson went home with the intention of playing for South Adelaide the following year, but no deal had been struck so far as I know.

Where the story came from was a bit of investigative journalism gone wrong. Lawrie Jervis had been looking at the South Adelaide guest book and saw an entry for someone named Hudson from Tasmania. Like most journalists today, he put 2 & 2 together and got 537, and decided to run the story in the News that Peter Hudson was signed by South Adelaide.

Anyway, John Hudson got back to Tassie full of intention of playing for South in 1967 when he got a call from a Tassie journalist telling him Peter Hudson had signed with South. He decided that South must have thought he was Peter, so he didn't bother returning.

In a sideline, John Hudson states the only thing he ever had to do with Peter was in 1966 when he struck the full forward and got a 3 match suspension

Nice pick up AH.

Adelaide Hawk wrote:

Moe wrote:I would have thuoght that David Kantilla was your greatest recruit. Well so my old man said.

Ah yes, the great Amparralamtua, or "David Kantilla" as he was better known.

If he were around today, would have been a sensation. Very much in the Stephen Michael/Adam Goodes mould, there wasn't much he couldn't do. Great player. It always annoys me when people discuss great aboriginal players, and his name is never mentioned.

The story about David is when South first recruited him, they had a job convincing him to wear boots. Born a Tiwi Islander, he came from the Bathurst Island, was 6'5" tall, and had an incredible leap. He played 2 seasons with St.Marys before coming to South.

His first game was against Glenelg at Kensington and apparently he took all sorts of incredible marks and booted 6 goals. SA football had never seen the likes of him before, and he was a pioneer to other aboriginal players making their way into SANFL football.

He won South's best & fairest the first two seasons at the club, and was the first aboriginal player to reach 100 SANFL games. As I said, a wonderful player.

His nickname was Soapy ( I don't know why but I can guess!) and was revered around the club. He was an absolute gentlemen and broke the mould of peoples thoughts about a number of things. He died unfortunately in a car crash back in the Tiwi Islands.

I can just remember him playing but do remember him being the blackest-skinned person imaginable and having a great reputation.

DOC wrote:His nickname was Soapy ( I don't know why but I can guess!)

Yes, a lot of used to think that, but apparently it came from a photo that showed Kantilla all soaped up after a shower.

Great player; most unfortunate death. Struck by a car on Bathurst Island at a time when there were only two cars on the island.

baggy8 wrote:Great player; most unfortunate death. Struck by a car on Bathurst Island at a time when there were only two cars on the island.

is that true, or an exaggeration?

As far as I know that's the truth as it was reported at the time. It was thirty years ago, fewer cars about, less money to buy them with, trickier to get them to a remote island in the first place.

some interesting stories in that article.....i think souths best recruit would have been either gordon gatti or bobby davis


hey dutchy, the bays beat north melbourne

Mark Bradley

Wayne Carty

Bob Keddie