SA Footy

The SANFL came into being in as we know it in 1907 known as the SAFL.

I believe that it was previously know as SAFA having its origins going back to 1877 but not 100% sure on that part

The league suspended play at the end of 1915 due to WW. While most clubs did enter a competition designed to raise funds for the war effort it was not recognised by the SAFL and as such did not recognise games played or premierships as not all clubs competed during its 3 years of existence 1916-1918

Below is the minor round and major round records of the 7 teams playing in the comp at the time.

Major Round

I will kick this off with 1907 as it happened in this season

MINOR ROUND
PA 10-2
NW 9-3
WT 7-5
NA 5-7
SA 4-8
WA 4-8
ST 3-9

FINALS RESULTS

1ST SEMI
PA 12-10
WT 2-1

2ND SEMI
NW 6-11
NA 5-5

PRELIM
NW 7-14
PA 6-6

GRAND FINAL
NW 8-7
PA 3-9

In this 1907-1920 period of time
On occasions the Prelim Final teams and Grand Final teams were the same teams !
In season 1907 NW beat PA in both finals

The period 1907 - 1930 was the challenge final era.

In 1907 Port Adelaide finished Minor Premier and it was a

1 v 4
2 v 3

They were also sudden death finals no second chance.

The Prelim final was actually the Grand Final.

As Norwood defeated Port Adelaide in the Grand Final. Port Adelaide as Minor Premier were able to challenge the winner of the Grand Final to a rematch for another shot at the Premiership. Which they lost again

If the Minor Premier was knocked out in the first round of finals they could still challenge the Grand Final winner for another shot at the flag as well.

We lost our first premiership this way in 1929 in the NADFA in only our second year of existence. Minor Premier was knocked out in first round we won our final and Grand Final but lost it in the Challenge final. Won it all the following year as Minor Premier

1904
FINALS

PA 3-5
SA 6-5
This game was played at Alberton Oval
Minor round PA 10-1-1...SA 7-5 so PA prob deserved to play on their home ground

NA 2-10
NW 6-8
Played at Jubilee Oval

NW 3-13
SA 3-10
Played at Unley Oval !

GRAND FINAL
NW 1-2...2-4...3-5.....9-8
PA 4-2....5-6...8-10...8-10
Played at Jubilee Oval

NW 35 points down got up to win in what appears an extraordinary comeback
The comeback is great as it was an era of low scoring
PA in 12 Minor Round games conceded 380 points against , an average of 31.66 points per match
For NW to score 39 points in one quarter surely must have astonished the crowd estimated at 15,000
Looking at the scores , there might have been a breeze factor? if so it was still a great last qtr


I know this match was played 3 years b4 the thread titled start 1907 +
This game was important in SANFL history
It remains the only SANFL grand Final played at Jubilee Oval

Jubilee Oval was last used in 1921 for SANFL games
In 1919 it was used for a totally different purpose
1919 there was a quarantine camp set up at the oval to treat people during the Spanish Flu pandemic that had reached Adelaide
Coincidently the current CO19 in Adelaide has the same digital numbers as 1919

The Spanish Flu affected people of all ages , including many people at football playing ages
By todays pandemic standards it was quite incredible that the 1919 SANFL season was played in full
There might have been irregular performances by players and teams, ?
Well there had to be as the mighty Norwoods only won one game for the season....

Also in 1919
The South Australian Trotting Association had their first harness racing meeting
The venue they used was Alberton Oval

1919 Luck of the draw ...

1ST SEMI
NA 7-18
ST 3-5

2ND SEMI
WT 9-5
PA 5-5

PRELIM
WT 2-3
NA 2-3

PRELIM REPLAY
WT 5-2
NA 6-2

GRAND FINAL
ST 5-9
NA 5-9

GRAND FINAL REPLAY
ST...0-2...0-3...0-4... 3-5
NA 0-3....1-4...2-6....2-6

Luck of the draw for NA ...
They drew 2 games in this finals series
They played their first final in August and last final in October !
Without being there, maybe the effort of so many finals took its toll ?
NA had kept ST goal less for 3 qtrs then conceded 3 last qtr goals and lost
I wonder how close the replayed game was to a draw as well ?

Grand Final Replay

WT...2-0...5-2...5-3...5-3
NA...1-0...5-0...5-1...6.2

West Torrens blew another lead in finals

First Challenge Final

Sturt..........0-1....4-4....4-6....5-9
Nth Adel...4-3....5-3....5-4....5-9

Sturt who were Minor Premiers and who had lost their first final exercised their right under the Challenge Final system then Drew with North Adelaide in the first Challenge Final the won the replay to capture the Premiership

JAMES GOSSE
Was a NW BIG man played 112 games

Jimmy Gosse has an impressive portfolio
1896 SAFA debut
1897 Best training effort
1900 Became a NW official
1901 Best all round player
1902 Best Follower
1902-1905 State Rower
1905 Norwood captain
1905 Retired
1920-1939 Norwood President
1945-1952 SANFL President
1947 Knighted
1951 Became the grandfather of Alexander Downer , the Australian Politician
1952 R.I.P
1961 Part of Kangaroo Island named Gosse after Sir James Gosse

mal wrote:JAMES GOSSE
Was a NW BIG man played 112 games

Jimmy Gosse has an impressive portfolio
1896 SAFA debut
1897 Best training effort
1900 Became a NW official
1901 Best all round player
1902 Best Follower
1902-1905 State Rower
1905 Norwood captain
1905 Retired
1920-1939 Norwood President
1945-1952 SANFL President
1947 Knighted
1951 Became the grandfather of Alexander Downer , the Australian Politician
1952 R.I.P
1961 Part of Kangaroo Island named Gosse after Sir James Gosse

And he donated a Medal which is awarded to the Best and Fairest best player in the Independent Schools senior competition.
I don't have a list of winners, but I know that Cole Gerloff won the Gosse Medal in 2017 and John McInnes won it in the 1950s. I believe that Haydn Bunton junior won it also when representing Adelaide Boys High which strangely played in the Independent Schools competition rather than the State Schools competition.

mal wrote:1919 Luck of the draw ...

1ST SEMI
NA 7-18
ST 3-5

2ND SEMI
WT 9-5
PA 5-5

PRELIM
WT 2-3
NA 2-3

PRELIM REPLAY
WT 5-2
NA 6-2

GRAND FINAL
ST 5-9
NA 5-9

GRAND FINAL REPLAY
ST...0-2...0-3...0-4... 3-5
NA 0-3....1-4...2-6....2-6

Luck of the draw for NA ...
They drew 2 games in this finals series
They played their first final in August and last final in October !
Without being there, maybe the effort of so many finals took its toll ?
NA had kept ST goal less for 3 qtrs then conceded 3 last qtr goals and lost
I wonder how close the replayed game was to a draw as well ?

According to reports of the day, Sturt's Ivor Nicolle goaled from 45 yards out and on a 45 degree angle to secure the victory with the last kick of the day. If he had missed and scored a behind the game would have been another draw. The south eastern forward pocket at Adelaide Oval was known as Ivor Nicolle's pocket, even by commentators as late as the 1960s. Then again Vic Richardson was one commentator who certainly used the term, he was still commentating in the 1960s and he would have played in those 1919 games.

1908
Adelaide Oval
Track heavy

SA 4-5...4-6...5-8...5-8
NZ 0-1...1-7..1-7...3-10

NZ is in fact New Zealand who one participated in football carnivals
This game was played in very wet conditions, that may have suited NZ ?
The enzedders had played a carnival in Melbourne in 1908 then later played this match against SA


In the Melbourne carnival was a NZ player George 'percy' Dempster who also played and captained Port Adelaide
NZ won 6 of the 11 matches in the 1908 carnival

The participating teams were
NZ
NSW
QLD
SA
TAS
VI
WA

VI 13-22 beat WA 6-8 in the final

NZ teams have also participated in Australian comps in other sports such as Cricket and Rugby League
One wonders if ever a NZ team has been considered in joining the AFL ?

Football in NZ began in the latter part of the 1800s
There were close to 50 clubs playing
It appears that after the 1908 carnival , and maybe because of WWI , NZ football may have lost popularity
There are teams currently playing Australian Rules Football in NZ and has several leagues
Who knows they may be invited to play in Australia again in some capacity

mal wrote:Football in NZ began in the latter part of the 1800s
There were close to 50 clubs playing
It appears that after the 1908 carnival , and maybe because of WWI , NZ football may have lost popularity
There are teams currently playing Australian Rules Football in NZ and has several leagues
Who knows they may be invited to play in Australia again in some capacity

Possibly declined in NZ with similar timing and fashion in NSW and Qld, where footy did get a start 100+ years ago, but faded away as the rugby codes were introduced to schools and students naturally gravitated to what was put in front of them.
It's obviously taken a ma$$ive effort by the AFL to gain some footing again in those states after the domination of league & union.

There are footy leagues all over the world, driven by expat Aussies.
Can't see it ever being a small niche sport overseas, but people like giving it a go.