Mini League

[Ash59]

That brings bak some memories... I reckon I was at that game too. Did Neil Sachse get reported a couple of times in that game and plead he'd been concussed and couldn't remember the incidents??

[spell_check]

I recall upon getting the scores from the match that there were a few incidents during the match, but couldn't say who was involved.

The scores were:
Round 9 1973
North 4.3 7.5 12.9 14.12 (96)
Central 3.2 7.3 10.4 14.5 (89)
Adelaide, 9792

[godoubleblues]

I played 2 mini league games
the first was round 7 1975, for Norwood v West Torrens at the Parade, I was at East Adelaide Primary then and we played Strathmont Primary, buggered if I can remember the result

the second time was round 20 1976, for West Torrens (we moved house) v Woodville at Adelaide Oval (that was a buzz playing on Adelaide Oval), this time I was at Surrey Downs Primary and we played combined schools , whoever they were, I think we may have won this one

the one thing I can remember from back then was the ovals were so bloody big but we did play across them from wing to wing

[FattyLumpkin]

Played for North Vs Central at Prospect in a glue-pot ('71 or '72). Spent the whole match tip-toeing around as not to get muddy (had to wear the same clobber the day after in another game). Lined up at CHB and didn't see the ball - we won 6 goals to zip.
Met Barrie Robran & got a pie & coke to boot.

Recall a ML game at Alberton some years later. Some kid about half the size of everyone else - probably filling in numbers. Got his hands on the ball & tackled by a bigger kid who tossed him around like a rag doll. "Holding the ball" whistled the ump. The Alberton Oval locals went feral and booed. Only time I've heard booing in a ML game

[RUSure]

I am delighted so many people can recall their mini-league experience with obvious pride. Surely though, someone knows someone that was involved in some way in the first ever game. I remain very keen to get as many details as possible about it.
Any assistance would be very appreciated.

[Adelaide Hawk]

I am delighted so many people can recall their mini-league experience with obvious pride. Surely though, someone knows someone that was involved in some way in the first ever game. I remain very keen to get as many details as possible about it.
Any assistance would be very appreciated.

I'm not really sure what you are after, but the very first match of "Coca-Cola Mini League" started on the 5th & 7th April 1969, round 1 of the SANFL League season. I don't personally know anyone who played that round, but I do know Andrew Aish played for West Adelaide.

The Coca-Cola Mini League executive were Jock Woods (Coca-Cola), Brian McMahin (Glenelg) and Don Roach (SANFL).

The 10 Club Managers were:
K.Martin (Norwood), G.Vincent (South Adelaide), G.Hodgins (West Torrens), J.Bowman (Sturt), P.Ruth (Central District), P.Tyner (West Adelaide), M.Chennel (Port Adelaide), J.Hall (Woodville), B.McMahon (Glenelg), K.Curtis (North Adelaide).

The rules were:

1. Games to be played at half time intervals of league games.

2. Players to be under 11 years of age on 1st January.

3. No player may play more than 6 minor round games.

4. Players may be selected from lads attending schools situated within each League Club district.

5. Score cards and team sheets to be forwarded to Football House by the Monday following the match day, or day after games played on public holidays.

6. Games shall consist of two 7 minutes halves. There shall be no time-on. One minute to be allowed for half-time change over.

7. Games to be played acress the centre of the ground.

8. Games to be played under ANFC Rules with the exception of the following:
1. Kick-in rule where ball lands out of bounds on the full
2. No kicking off the ground to the danger of other players.
3. The umpire shall have the power to order a player off for any normal reportable offence.
4. There shall be no replacement allowed should a player be ordered off.
5. Regulation school size balls to be used.

9. The mini-league fixture will follow the League up till the 18th round. The Semi Finals will be played on the 19th round. The Preliminary Final to be played on the 20th round. The Grand Final to be played on League 1st Semi Final Day.

10. The home side is responsible for placement of boundary marker and postable goal and behind posts. and also supply goal umpires.

11. Where Adelaide Oval is a neutral ground, the placing of equipment will be the loser of the toss between Club Managers.

12. Where, at the conclusion of the minor round, any sides sharing equal points and percentages, then order on the Premiership List will be decided by taking sides in order of who have played the greater number of players during the minor round.

13. Should any game be called off through any unavoidable circumstance, the game results for the clubs concerned will be considered a draw. Should any club forfeit a match, the club concerned will receive no points, and 7 points deducted from their "points for" aggregate. The other club involved will receive 2 premiership points, and 7 points credited to their "points for" aggregate.

14. The umpire to be supplied by the SANFL.

15. The Executive shall deal with any breach of rules and misconduct.

[spell_check]

I'd love to know why that can't be implemented again, having a proper mini-league season.

[RUSure]

Ideally Hawk I seek to know

a/ Who were the schools representing the clubs in the first game which I understood to be between Norwood and Glenelg at The Parade.

b/ The players from the two schools (assuming both were only a 1 school team each and not an amalgamated team for the sake of the game)

c/ The scores and goalkickers too to really push the request.

Thank you for your help to date. My friend is delighted with what has been offered already but the jigsaw has this one peice missing.

[Adelaide Hawk]

RUSure,

I can't be a lot of help except to tell you that the game you are talking about was in fact the 4th round of mini-league, not the first as you are suggesting.

Unfortunately, whereas they usually printed the names of the schools and players in the Football Budget, for some reason for this match they elected to use the space to mention Cornes had returned from National Service, so you're out of luck.

The only information I can offer is Glenelg won the game 2-2 to Norwood 1-1.

If the kids hung around, they would have seen Neil Kerley smash Damien Nygaard's jaw.

[Macca19]

Played two games for WWT.

First was WWT vs Port in 1994 at Footy Park. I got one kick playing in a pocket.

Second one was WWT vs Centrals at Footy Park in 1995. Got about 3 kicks and a handball playing on a wing.


Funniest thing ive seen in Mini League was at Alberton back in 03ish, Port vs West. The final siren went and this kid from one side pushed a girl over playing for the other team. Girl then went on rampage. Grabbed the kid by the hair and threw him to the ground, pushed three other kids over and when the first kid got back up, she pushed/punched him in the face. Ended up having to be pulled apart. Had my mates and I in stitches. The girl showed more heart than Port did that day

[MagareyLegend]

1969 Sturt Coca-Cola Mini-league Premiership Team

R. Magarey, I. Cambridge, L. Nieuhoffer, G. Vivian, B. Freeman A. Ricketts, D. Marsh, G. Brooks, R. Pitt, R. Farnham, M. Farquhar, I. Gant (Captain), G M. England, R. Weatherald, M. Catford, P. J. Heward, P. Heward, G. Coldwell, A. Lucas, T. Callow.

A total of 2,542 different lads represented the 10 league clubs in this the first year of the Mini- League. This was a much higher figure than anticipated as the Mini-League rules only stipulated that each club had to field a minimum number of 60 different lads.

Congratulations are in order to Sturt for winning the Premiership Cup. Sturt won the grand final the hard way, coming from fourth position. The final four in order was West, North, Centrals, and Sturt.

A shield for the club playing the most lads for the year, to be called the "Len Thompson" shield, was won by the Norwood Club narrowly from Glenelg. Both these clubs played close on the maximum number possible.

Trophies were presented at a special presentation night on Friday, 26th September, in the Channel 7 Studios. Every lad who played in the final series received a pennant and the Grand Finalists received a Premiership and Runners Up Medallion. The "200" Club presented clubs who fielded 200 or more players a special "200" Club Trophy.

Footnote - I attended this funtion and received a red & white pennant for finishing 3rd in the North team which I still have in my collection

Here's how they finished:

First-STURT: Manager, Jim Bowman; Coach, John Tester. Finished fourth end of Minor Round, played 232 lads.
Second-WEST ADELAIDE: Manager, Peter Turner. Finished first end of minor round, played 166 lads.
Third-NORTH ADELAIDE: Managers, Kevin Curtis and Peter Angelin. Finished second end of minor round. Played 206 lads.
Fourth-CENTRAL DISTRICT: Manager, Peter Ruth (State Primary Schools Coach 1968-69). Finished third end of minor round. Played 254 lads.
Fifth-SOUTH ADELAIDE: Manager, George Vincent. Played 282 lads.
Sixth-WOODVILLE: Managers, John Hall and Jack Nairne. Played 206 lads.
Seventh-PORT ADELAIDE: Manager, Marx Kretschmer. Played 258 lads.
Eighth-WEST TORRENS: Manager, George Hodkins, played 162 lads.
Ninth-GLENELG: Manager, Brian McMahon. Played 374 lads.
Tenth-NORWOOD: Manager, Keith Martin. Played 396 lads.

Special thanks must go to the Mini League Managers and their army of willing helpers who worked so hard to provide the opportunity for so many lads to play in the Mini-League.

[SDK]

I think I can go back even further.
Remember in 1966 at Norwood Oval as an exhibition I played a mini league match for Hectorville against Maylands across the ground. It was half time in a Norwood v Glenelg game.
Apparently the brainchild of Robery Oatey we were told this was the first match of its type so we had to concentrate on the skills not who won ha ha.
We were only able to kick drop kicks or drop punts and I remember taking two marks in front of goal and missed both because I could not spell drop punt let alone kick one ! In those days we kicked torpedoes or screwies as we called them.

[Adelaide Hawk]

I think I can go back even further.
Remember in 1966 at Norwood Oval as an exhibition I played a mini league match for Hectorville against Maylands across the ground. It was half time in a Norwood v Glenelg game.
Apparently the brainchild of Robery Oatey we were told this was the first match of its type so we had to concentrate on the skills not who won ha ha.
We were only able to kick drop kicks or drop punts and I remember taking two marks in front of goal and missed both because I could not spell drop punt let alone kick one ! In those days we kicked torpedoes or screwies as we called them.

I played in a game in 1966 as well, but I cannot recall which league game it was, or who we played. I also don't remember that we were restricted by what kicks we could use. All I can remember is we won the game 1-0 to 0-1, it was Under 13s.

The following year they decided to play the full length of the oval which was a bit of a joke. I played full forward and ball never got down to my end for the entire match

[MagareyLegend]

I played full forward and ball never got down to my end for the entire match

you must have been playing for Woodville then

[MagareyLegend]

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[Voice]

Hated playing at Elizabeth oval. Played for Elizabeth East Primary against Norwood i think. Would have been 89. Too big for the little tackers. By the time you got from one end to the other, the siren was gone

[FattyLumpkin]

Son played at the Gabba. Gave him the BIG pre-game pep talk. Socks down & jumper out - like a real footballer (read Marty Leslie, McIntosh et al). Sure enough, he entered the arena with socks down & jumper out - but skipping!!!! The video still bring tears of laughter to my eyes.

[JK]

Son played at the Gabba. Gave him the BIG pre-game pep talk. Socks down & jumper out - like a real footballer (read Marty Leslie, McIntosh et al). Sure enough, he entered the arena with socks down & jumper out - but skipping!!!! The video still bring tears of laughter to my eyes.

ROFLMFAO ... Thats sensational!!!

[Footy Chick]

Son played at the Gabba. Gave him the BIG pre-game pep talk. Socks down & jumper out - like a real footballer (read Marty Leslie, McIntosh et al). Sure enough, he entered the arena with socks down & jumper out - but skipping!!!! The video still bring tears of laughter to my eyes.

Question 1: Is your son 21 yet?

Question 2: If the answer to the above is YES, then did you show this to all his mates at his 21st?

If answer to question 2 is NO, then you'd be/were silly not to

[Punk Rooster]

played several games for North, making my debut at Alberton Oval (1984 seems to be familiar....)
My Dad basically used to go & ask the Team Manager if they were short, & I'd more than happily fill in.
I refused to front up for Sturt when a student at Murray Bridge Primary School....