SA Footy

Spelly, this season Central could not defeat sturt.
How often has the grand final winner been declared despite failing to defeat another team ?

This is the 10th time a premier failed to defeat every club in a year, as seen here:

viewtopic.php?f=17&t=25373

After Round 7, and a most impressive win against North from my point of view, the Eagles were 6-1. From that point on, only four more wins were registered for the season - to the eventual 9th and 10th placed sides...and both meetings against the eventual premiers. Go figure.

Updated list of occasions where a premier that season failed to beat a team:
Year Premier Lost to Record
1924 Torrens Norwood 0-2-1
1932 Sturt Torrens 0-1-1
1934 Glenelg Torrens 0-2
1963 Port West 0-3
1976 Sturt South 0-1-1
1986 Glenelg Central 0-2
1993 Eagles Glenelg 0-1-1
1998 Port South 0-2
2003 Central Port 0-2
2010 Central Sturt 0-3
2014 Norwood Eagles 0-2
2019 Glenelg South 0-1-1

None of those premierships should count.

Wedgie wrote:None of those premierships should count.

Whoa whoa whoa

Hey Smithy,

I can raise you one on this topic.

This year the West Adelaide U/18's won
- only 8 games from 18 h/a games (the minor premiers North won 16 h/a games)
- only beat 5 of the 9 teams in the comp
- finished 5th (by %)
- then proceed to win 4 games on the trot to win the GF

Only 3 teams in the SANFL history (in any grade - League, Reserves and juniors) have ever won from 5th spot.

The list above includes the major round as well - for example, Sturt in 2002 did not defeat Central until the GF, so that is not there. West Under 18s this year didn't defeat North, Norwood or Sturt in the minor round, but did so in the finals.

That might be an exercise in itself - how many teams did one team fail to beat in the minor round, only to go onto win the flag. That's probably a contender.