A record for meetings in GFs by two clubs other than Port

[Mr66]

This is the article in the 1979 Grand Final Budget which explains the confusion.

"CHALLENGE FINALS AND THOSE TRAUMAS IN THE TWENTIES"

'Two clubs, Sturt in 1923, and Port in 1925 and 1926, were placed second but did not
play in the grand finals of those years.

Because their positions on the premiership ladders show them as second,some statisticians
have presumed that they took part in the grand finals and their published lists credit them
with more grand final appearances than they have actually made. Two other clubs, West Torrens 1925,
and North 1923 and 1926, were defeated in grand finals but were placed fourth.

Conversely the clubs that did play in the grand finals, have not received recognition of having done so.
This happened during the old challenge right system which operated up until 1930 inclusive.
When the South Australian Football League was formed in 1907, the method of playing finals was as follows:
The first and third clubs and the second and fourth clubs met in the semi-finals, the two winners met in the final
and if the minor premier was successful in both of their matches, the season ended with three major round games,
with the two clubs playing in the final taking first and second placings.

Should the minor premier be defeated in any of their games, they had the right to challenge the only
undefeated club to play off for the premiership, the winner being premiers and the loser runner-up.
From 1907 to 1911 inclusive, no minor premier went top, but the eventual premiers all had to win three
games to take the pennant.

In these five seasons all clubs finished on the premiership ladder according to the number of wins
they registered, but in 1912, West 10 wins headed Port with 13 wins.
Port went through the minor round undefeated with 12 wins. West finished in second place having won
seven and lost five.

However, West beat Sturt once and Port twice in the major round to win the premiership.
In 1913, North scraped into the four with six wins and six losses, then unexpectedly defeated West (second)
but lost to Port(minor premiers) in the final. With seven wins,North moved up to second, ahead of West with
nine wins. There were a few complaints that a team should move up two places by virtue of one win, but nothing
came of it. West Adelaide with seven wins and seven losses, just made the finals in 1922, to take fourth place
ahead of Port on percentage. The Bloods defeated West Torrens(second) in the semi final but were easily beaten
Norwood in the final. West took second place with eight wins and dropped West Torrens to third with 10 wins ans
a drawn game.

Once again complaints were heard, this time of a louder nature so action was decided on.
Henceforth, unless the minor premier was defeated in the grand final, all clubs would revert back to the
positions they held at the end of the minor round.

In the following year, North was the first club to suffer under the new rule. The Roosters beat Sturt(second)
in the semi-final and lost to Norwood in the final, so stayed in fouth place. Sturt was officially the runner up.

In 1925, West Torrens defeated Port (second) and were beaten in the final by Norwood by one point,8.4 to 7.9,
with the last kick of the match. The Eagles reverted to fourth place and Port was second.

Worse was to befall North in 1926, finishing the minor round with eight wins and six losses, the Roosters took
fourth place and created a league record. It is the only time that a club has finished the minor round with
scores for and against being the same, 899 points and percentage of 50.00.(*) North beat Port(second) then
defeated Norwood, winners of the first semi-final, but were beaten by Sturt(minor premiers) in the grand final.

With the same number of wins as Port and Norwood (10 each), North went back to fourth place and Port was
the runner up, although they had packed their clothes away two weeks before the grand final.

North had won two major round games, Norwood and Sturt one each and Port none. The rules were again
amended to the effect that if the third or fourth clubs won two major round games to reach the grand final
and lost, then they would be placed second in future. This Norwood did from third place in 1928 and
Port from fourth position in 1930.

Ern Kolosche'

I hope this sheds some light on this subject.

* Central went one better in 1999 by going 10-10, scoring 2025 points and conceding the same.

[spell_check]

It's strange how it took until 1931 for a fairer system to be created.