Australian rules football in South Australia

Early examples of football (1843 – 1853)

The first recorded game of any "football" in South Australia was that of 'Caid' played in Thebarton by people of the local Irish community in 1843 to celebrate St Patrick's Day.

In 1844 there was debate amongst the South Australian Legislative Council whether it be allowed that "foot-ball" be played on Sundays, with arguments against preferring the quiet worship of God.^[1]

"Harrow rules" of St Peters (1854 – 1859)

John Acraman was a successful businessman who lived in Adelaide and sponsored the development of football at St Peter's College in the 1850's

In 1854 Adelaide businessman John Acraman imported five round footballs from England and paid for the construction of goal posts at St Peter's College in Adelaide's eastern suburbs.^[2][3] Football matches were subsequently played on St Peter's grounds under rules known as "Harrow rules" involving kicking the ball but not running with it.^[4] In 1857 a football match was held in Glenelg as part of the annual Commemoration Festival to celebrate the 21st anniversary of the proclamation of the colony of South Australia. In 1859 the Gawler Institute ran a rural fete which included a game of football being staged.^[5]

Formation of designated clubs (1860 – 1875)

The earliest recorded Australian rules football club in South Australia was the original Adelaide Football Club, formed in 1860.^[6] The Adelaide club hosted intra-club matches to provide a platform for football games to be played. Later in 1860 two new teams were formed bearing the names North Adelaide Football Club and South Adelaide Football Club, unrelated to the modern namesakes. In 1862 the newly formed Modbury and Teatree Gully Football Club was invited to play a match against the Adelaide team. A return match was held later in the year. The early years of football were poorly organised and dogged by argument over which set of rules to adopt. In fact, after a match between Port Adelaide and Kensington in 1873, it was remarked that neither side understood the rules clearly, and there was uncertainty over which team had won. However, as they years progressed, there became a growing push for uniformity and structure in South Australian football.

The July 20 Meeting (1876)

At the old Prince Alfred Hotel on the 20 July 1876 a meeting between local club delegates was held where Charles Kingston pleaded that all the local clubs adopt the rules of the "Old Adelaide club" as they were similar to those in use in Victoria. He said that by adopting the "Old Adelaide club rules" intercolonial matches could be played between states.

After a period of years with clubs fighting over technicalities of rules a meeting was held between representatives of the Adelaide, South Adelaide, Victorian and Woodville clubs. At the meeting Charles Kingston argued that "it was possible that someday an inter-colonial football match might be played, and it was desirable in that case that South Australian players should play the game as it was played in other colonies". During his plea to the other clubs at the meeting he compared the 'Old Adelaide rules' to those used in Victoria saying ‘practically there was but little difference between them’.^[4]

Establishment of SAFA (1877)

In 1877, 12 of South Australia's football clubs met to develop a uniform set of rules and establish a governing body. They formed the South Australian Football Association, the first governing body of its type for football in Australia, and adopted rules similar to those used in Victoria. The inaugural 1877 season was contested by those 12 clubs: South Park, Willunga, Port Adelaide, Adelaide, North Adelaide, Prince Alfred College, Gawler, Kapunda, Bankers, Woodville, South Adelaide and Victorian.

Early years of organised competition (1877–1886)

Norwood joined the Association in 1878, but South Park, Willunga, North Adelaide, Prince Alfred College, Gawler, Kapunda, Bankers, Woodville, and Victorian all left the Association within the first 10 years. By 1886, the Association had been reduced from 12 to four clubs.

Growth as major pastime (1887–1915)

The Association experienced a resurgence in the late 1880s. From the 1886 season to the 1887 attendances almost doubled. The addition of West Adelaide (1887), North Adelaide (1893), West Torrens (1897) and only the demise of Adelaide (1893), meant the Association was six clubs by the turn of the century. In 1898, the Magarey Medal was awarded to the fairest and most brilliant player for the first time. Sturt joined the Association in 1901 and in 1907, the Association was renamed the South Australian Football League.

War years (1916–1944)

The SAFL was suspended from 1916-18 due to World War I. Glenelg joined the league in 1921. In 1927, the South Australian Football League was renamed the South Australian National Football League. During World War II, the eight clubs merged to form four composite clubs over the period 1942-44.

Golden era (1945–1981)

The post war years saw the code become a part of everyday life with mass media providing greater coverage than ever before. After Port Adelaide had won its 8th premiership in the last 10 seasons the SANFL admitted two new clubs for the 1964 season, Central District and Woodville. The latter club Woodville being located less than 3km away from Port Adelaide.

Move towards national competition (1982 – 1990)

During the late 1970s and early 1980s, an increasing number of SANFL players moved to Victoria to play in the VFL competition. In 1981 the VFL rejected a SANFL bid to enter a composite South Australian team to its competition. The SANFL introduced a player retention scheme in 1988 in an attempt to maintain the quality of the competition in the face of falling attendances.

Adelaide Crows and Port Adelaide enter AFL (1991–1997)

On 31 July 1990, Port Adelaide surprised the SANFL by making an independent bid to the join the AFL. The SANFL was left with little option but to submit its own bid to enter the AFL. In a thirty-minute meeting the SANFL formed the Adelaide Football Club. While Port Adelaide had by far the largest supporter base in South Australia, it could not compete with the SANFL's offer of a composite club and the use of Football Park, and in November 1990, following a legal battle, the AFL announced the Adelaide Football Club had been granted a licence and would enter the competition in 1991.

The Adelaide Crows debuted in 1991 wearing the state colours of navy blue, red and yellow. While the Adelaide Crows enjoyed crowds of over 40,000 every week and dominated local media coverage, crowds at local SANFL matches suffered substantially. In 1990, Woodville and West Torrens had merged to form Woodville-West Torrens Football Club. In 1994 after a tender process put to all the SANFL clubs, the Port Adelaide Football Club secured a licence to enter the AFL. However the club had to wait until a Victorian club had either folded or merged to ensure only 16 teams would be in the national competition. With the merger between Fitzroy and Brisbane, Port Adelaide entered the national competition in 1997.

Adelaide Oval return (2009 – 2014)

After previous hosting the highest level of Australian rules football in South Australia from 1877 to 1973, Adelaide Oval once again became permanent the home of top level Australian rules football in South Australia after a major redevelopment of the ground.

Legend

• Barrie Robran (North Adelaide)
• Malcolm Blight (Woodville, North Melbourne)

Players

Umpires

• Ken Aplin

Coaches

• John Cahill
• Jack Oatey
• Fos Williams

Administrators

• Max Basheer
• Thomas Hill
• Bob McLean

Professional clubs

• Adelaide Football Club (Australian Football League)
• Port Adelaide Football Club (Australian Football League)

Open

Women's

• South Australian Women's Football League Official Site