1881 SAFA season

Last updated

1881 SAFA premiership season
Teams6
Premiers Norwood
4th premiership
Leading goalkickerJoe Pollock
Norwood (7 Goals)
W J Duffy
Norwood (7 Goals)
Matches played34
Highest1,500 (Round 2, Norwood vs. Port Adelaide)
←  1880
1882  →

The 1881 South Australian Football Association season was the 5th season of the top-level Australian rules football competition in South Australia. The premiership season began on Saturday 7 May.

Contents

Norwood went on to record its 4th consecutive premiership.

The years premiership trophy was called the Fowler Challenge Cup. [1]

Adelaide and Kensington merged at a meeting held on 11 April 1881 to create full squads of a senior and second twenty and it was decided that the colour of the club be black-and scarlet guernsey, hose, and cap, and navy blue knickerbockers [2] but resigned from the competition after 4 games. [1]

It was then reported endeavours were being made to induce the North Adelaide Juniors and the North Parks to amalgamate and apply to the Association for permission to take up the fixtures of the Adelaide and Kensington Club. [3] However, this didn't eventuate but the two clubs would merge and join the SAFA in 1885 as a new Adelaide senior team.

SAFA Senior Clubs 1881 Season

ClubColoursHome GroundCaptainComments
Adelaide-Kensington   Black   Scarlet
  Navy Blue		Old Adelaide Ground, North Adelaide H.S. WyattResigned from SAFA
on 1 June 1881
Norwood   Navy blue   Red East Park Lands, Adelaide A.E. Waldron
Port Adelaide   Magenta Alberton Oval, Alberton J. Sandilands
South Adelaide   Navy Blue   White South Terrace, Adelaide T.Maloney /
A.C. (Iney) Mehrtens
South Park   Light Blue   White South Park Lands, Adelaide
Victorian   Orange   Black Montefiore Hill, North Adelaide G.E.Downs

Premiership season

Round 1

Round 1
Saturday, 7 May (3:12 pm) Victorian 0.7 (0)drew with South Adelaide 0.5 (0) Adelaide Oval [4]
Saturday, 7 May (3:30 pm) South Park 0.3 (0)def. by Norwood 2.7 (2)South Park Lands (crowd: 550) [4] [5]
Saturday, 7 May (3:25 pm) Port Adelaide 3.15 (3)def. Adelaide-Kensington 1.2 (1) Alberton Oval (crowd: 200) [4] [6]

Round 2

Round 2
Saturday, 14 May (3:20 pm) Victorian 3.21 (3)def. Adelaide-Kensington 0.0 (0) Montefiore Hill [7] [8]
Saturday, 14 May (2:45 pm) Norwood 4.6 (4)def. Port Adelaide 1.3 (1) Adelaide Oval (crowd: 1,500) [7] [8]
Saturday, 14 May (3:00 pm) South Park 0.6 (6)def. by South Adelaide 1.7 (1)South Park Lands [7] [8]

Round 3

Round 3
Saturday, 21 May (3:15 pm) Norwood 2.5 (2)drew with Victorian 2.3 (2) Adelaide Oval (crowd: 1,500) [9] [10]
Saturday, 21 May (3:15 pm) Port Adelaide 3.18 (3)def. South Park 1.2 (1) Alberton Oval [9]
Saturday, 21 May Adelaide-Kensington 0.4 (0)def. by South Adelaide 4.8 (4) Kensington Oval [11]

Round 4

Round 4
Saturday, 28 May (3:30 pm) Victorian 0.1 (0)drew with Port Adelaide 0.2 (0) Adelaide Oval [12]
Saturday, 28 May (3:30 pm) South Adelaide 3.5 (3)drew with Norwood 3.11 (3)South Park Lands [12] [13]
Saturday, 28 May Adelaide-Kensington 0.1 (0)def. by South Park 7.14 (7)Old Adelaide Ground [14]
  • Adelaide-Kensington's game against South Park would be its last official game for the season as they resigned from the competition on the Wednesday 1 June. [15]

Round 5

Round 5
Saturday, 4 June (3:15 pm) Victorian 0.4 (0)def. by South Park 2.6 (2) Adelaide Oval [16]
Saturday, 4 June (3:30 pm) Port Adelaide 0.6 (0)drew with South Adelaide 0.8 (0) Alberton Oval [16]

Norwood were scheduled to play Adelaide-Kensington, but Adelaide-Kensington resigned from the competition on 1 June; Norwood were awarded the match on forfeit, and played against a 25 team from Royal Park instead.

BYE ROUND

Saturday 11 June to 18 June 1880 were bye Rounds due to the SAFA hosting Carlton from Melbourne. A series of 4 matches were played against the local SAFA Clubs.

Round 6

Round 6
Saturday, 25 June South Park 1.5 (1)def. by Norwood 4.6 (4) Adelaide Oval [17]
Saturday, 25 June Victorian 1.9 (1)def. South Adelaide 0.0 (0)North Park Lands, Foot of Montefiore Hill [17]

Despite Adelaide-Kensington resigning from the SAFA. A match was advertised [18] and played on the Queen and Albert Oval (Alberton Oval), Saturday, June 25, between the first twenty of the Ports (17) and a combined team of Adelaides-cum-Kensingtons (20). The game was not commenced till 3.40pm in consequence of each team having to take on some substitutes. The game throughout was played in a very friendly spirit. Result - Port Adelaide defeated Adelaide-Kensingtion 8 goals 25 behinds to Nil [19] [20]

Round 7

Round 7
Saturday, 2 July South Adelaide 2.4 (2)def. by South Park 4.6 (4) Adelaide Oval [21]
Saturday, 2 July Port Adelaide 1.11 (1)drew with Norwood 1.16 (1) Alberton Oval [21]

Round 8

Round 8 [22]
Saturday, 9 July (3:15 pm) Victorian 0.2 (0)def. by Norwood 4.8 (4) Adelaide Oval (crowd: 1,000) [23] [24]
Saturday, 9 July (3:00 pm) South Park 3.9 (3)def. Port Adelaide 1.5 (1)South Park Lands [24]
Bye
South Adelaide

Round 9

Round 9
Saturday, 16 July Norwood 6.17 (6)def. South Adelaide 0.1 (0) Adelaide Oval [25]
Saturday, 16 July (3:25 pm) Port Adelaide 0.11 (0)def. by Victorian 1.4 (1) Alberton Oval [25]

Round 10

Round 10
Saturday, 23 July (3:20 pm) South Adelaide 5.19 (5)def. Port Adelaide 0.7 (0) Adelaide Oval (crowd: 500) [26] [27]
Saturday, 23 July South Park 3.10 (3)def. Victorian 0.6 (0)South Park Lands [26]

Round 11

Round 11
Saturday, 30 July (3:20 pm) Norwood 3.6 (3)def. South Park 0.10 (0) Adelaide Oval [28]
Saturday, 30 July (3:30 pm) South Adelaide 2.8 (2)def. Victorian 0.6 (0)South Park Lands [28]

Round 12 (Match Abandoned)

Round 12
Saturday, 6 August South Park 1.4drew with South Adelaide 1.4South Park Lands [29] [30]

Game was abandoned following a dispute and the spectators rushing the ground. Match was replayed on Saturday, 24 September 1881.

Bye Round

A practice match for the SAFA Intercolonial Twenty was scheduled.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 13, 1881, on VIC'S GROUNDS, MONTEFIORE HILL.
INTERCOLONIAL TWENTY V. ASSOCIATION. [31]

The following is the SAFA football team chosen to go to Melbourne on the 16th: —
J. Brophy, E. Cox, A. W. Docks, J.Creswell, M. Coffey, W. Dixon, A, Dick (vice-captain), A.Frayne, R. Hill, H. B. Lavis, T.Maloney, A.Mehrtens, P. G. McShane, J. Minney, H. Macnamara, A. Shawyer, J. Fidoli, D. C. Scott, R. Turpeny, J. Watt, A. E. Waldron (captain), R. Wardrop

The following have been chosen to play against them in the practice match, to be held on August 13, on the Victorians' ground:—
A. Shawyer, J. Minney, J. Traynor, W. Longdon, W. Hilditch, J. Fletcher, Ern. Le Messurier, C.Godfrey, W, Knill, T. Smith, J. E. Woods, W.Budgen, A. M. Pettinger, H. S. Wyatt (vice-captain), J. Sandilands (captain), B. Coonan, T.Blinman, G. Bragge, J. Pollock, A. Attridge; emergency—H. Ewer. W. Reed, J. Rees, J. Munro. [32]

Round 13

Round 13
Saturday, 3 September Port Adelaide 0drew with South Park 0 Alberton Oval [33]
  • The newspaper reporter at the game was critical of the ground condition at Alberton Oval noting that areas had grass up to one foot high. [33]

Round 14

Round 14
Saturday, 10 September South Adelaide 0.6 (0)def. by Norwood 3.10 (3)South Park Lands [34]
Saturday, 10 September Victorian 0v Port Adelaide 0 Montefiore Hill [34]

The Victorian v Port Adelaide match was abandoned due to a crowd invasion and declared a draw. A disputed goal (due to the goal umpire not at his post) 20 minutes before time caused both teams to withdraw from the ground.

Round 15

Round 15
Saturday, 17 September (3:30 pm) Victorian 0.5 (0)drew with South Park 0.10 (0) Montefiore Hill [35]
Saturday, 17 September Port Adelaide 1drew with South Adelaide 1.4 (1) Alberton Oval [35]

Round 16

Round 16
Saturday, 24 September (3:00 pm) Norwood 6.14 (6)v Port Adelaide 0.0 (0)East Park Lands [36]
Saturday, 24 September South Park 0.10 (0)drew with South Adelaide 0.8 (0)South Park Lands [37]

South Park vs. South Adelaide was rematch for the game abandoned on 6 August 1881.

Round 17

Round 17
Saturday, 1 October Victorian 1.2 (1)def. by Norwood 2.9 (2)Old Adelaide Ground (crowd: 500) [38] [39]

Ladder

1881 SAFA Ladder
TEAMPWLDGFGA
1 Norwood (P)131003409
2 South Adelaide 134451918
3 South Park 135532117
4 Victorian 13454815
5 Port Adelaide 132651023
6 Adelaide / Kensington 5050117
Key: P = Played, W = Won, L = Lost, D = Drawn, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against, (P) = Premiers [40]

Note:

Intercolonial matches

1881 Intercolonial Matches
Saturday, 20 August Victoria 8.24def. South Australia 1.8 East Melbourne Cricket Ground [42]
Wednesday, 24 August Victoria 4.14def. South Australia 1.5 East Melbourne Cricket Ground (crowd: 1,000) [43]

Additional matches

Members of the Carlton Football Club arrived at Port Adelaide wharf by the steamer Victorian on Thursday morning at 11.30am, 9 June 1881 after a very rough passage from Melbourne. [44]

SAFA Clubs vs Carlton (VFA)
Saturday, 11 June 2.42pm South Park 2.8 (2)def. by Carlton 6.9 (6) Adelaide Oval (crowd: 3000) [45]
Wednesday, 15 June 2.50pm Port Adelaide 0.3 (0)def. by Carlton 13.17 (13) Adelaide Oval (crowd: (small)) [46]
Saturday, 18 June 3pm Victorian 0.5 (0)def. by Carlton 3.12 (3) Adelaide Oval (crowd: 3000) [47]
Monday, 20 June 2.45pm Norwood 1.5 (1)def. by Carlton 3.12 (3) Adelaide Oval (crowd: 4000) [48]

The Victorian vs Carlton match was briefly attended by Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale age 17 and Prince George of Wales age 16 (who would become King George V) who were both on a Royal tour in Australia.

Other Matches

References

  1. 1 2 "22 Oct 1881 - Football. THE FOOTBALL SEASON OF 1881". nla.gov.au. 1881. p. 15.
  2. ↑ "ADELAIDE AND KENSINGTON FOOTBALL CLUB". trove.nla.gov.au. 16 April 1881. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  3. ↑ "FOOTBALL NOTES". trove.nla.gov.au. 11 June 1881. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  4. 1 2 3 "FOOTBALL". South Australian Register . Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 9 May 1881. p. 1 Supplement: SUPPLEMENT TO THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN REGISTER. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  5. ↑ "FOOTBALL". The South Australian Advertiser . Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 9 May 1881. p. 7. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  6. ↑ https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/195865395
  7. 1 2 3 "FOOTBALL". The South Australian Advertiser . Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 16 May 1881. p. 6. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  8. 1 2 3 "FOOTBALL". South Australian Register . Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 16 May 1881. p. 6. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  9. 1 2 "FOOTBALL". South Australian Register . Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 23 May 1881. p. 1 Supplement: SUPPLEMENT TO THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN REGISTER. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  10. ↑ "Football". South Australian Weekly Chronicle . Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 28 May 1881. p. 16. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  11. ↑ "FOOTBALL". South Australian Register . Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 25 May 1881. p. 7. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  12. 1 2 "FOOTBALL". The South Australian Advertiser . Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 30 May 1881. p. 7. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  13. ↑ "FOOTBALL". South Australian Register . Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 31 May 1881. p. 2 Supplement: SUPPLEMENT TO THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN REGISTER. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  14. ↑ "FOOTBALL". South Australian Register . Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 1 June 1881. p. 6. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  15. ↑ "SOUTH AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION". Adelaide Observer . National Library of Australia. 4 June 1881. p. 15. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  16. 1 2 "FOOTBALL". South Australian Register . Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 6 June 1881. p. 6. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  17. 1 2 "FOOTBALL". The South Australian Advertiser . Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 27 June 1881. p. 7. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  18. ↑ "Football. - FOOTBALL NOTES. - Evening Journal (Adelaide, SA : 1869 - 1912) - 25 Jun 1881". Evening Journal. 1881. p. 3.
  19. ↑ "Football. - South Australian Weekly Chronicle (Adelaide, SA : 1881 - 1889) - 2 Jul 1881". South Australian Weekly Chronicle. 1881. p. 15.
  20. ↑ "Football. - PORTS SEVENTEEN V. ADELAIDE-CUM-KENSINGTON TWENTY. - Evening Journal (Adelaide, SA : 1869 - 1912) - 28 Jun 1881". Evening Journal. 1881. p. 3.
  21. 1 2 "FOOTBALL". The South Australian Advertiser . Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 4 July 1881. p. 6. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
  22. ↑ "Advertising". Evening Journal. 1881. p. 1.
  23. ↑ "FOOTBALL". The South Australian Advertiser . Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 11 July 1881. p. 7. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
  24. 1 2 "FOOTBALL". South Australian Register . Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 12 July 1881. p. 2 Supplement: SUPPLEMENT TO THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN REGISTER. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
  25. 1 2 "FOOTBALL". South Australian Register . Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 18 July 1881. p. 2 Supplement: SUPPLEMENT TO THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN REGISTER. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
  26. 1 2 "[No heading]". The South Australian Advertiser . Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 25 July 1881. p. 6. Archived from the original on 11 March 2020. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
  27. ↑ "FOOTBALL". South Australian Register . Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 25 July 1881. p. 7. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
  28. 1 2 "FOOTBALL". South Australian Register . Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 1 August 1881. p. 1 Supplement: SUPPLEMENT TO THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN REGISTER. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
  29. ↑ "FOOTBALL". The South Australian Advertiser . Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 11 August 1881. p. 7. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
  30. ↑ "FOOTBALL". South Australian Register . Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 9 August 1881. p. 6. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
  31. ↑ "Advertising". Evening Journal. 1881. p. 2.
  32. ↑ https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/160147919
  33. 1 2 "FOOTBALL". The South Australian Advertiser . Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 9 September 1881. p. 6. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
  34. 1 2 "FOOTBALL". The South Australian Advertiser . Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 12 September 1881. p. 7. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
  35. 1 2 "FOOTBALL". South Australian Register . Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 19 September 1881. p. 7. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
  36. ↑ "FOOTBALL". The South Australian Advertiser . Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 26 September 1881. p. 6. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
  37. ↑ "FOOTBALL". South Australian Register . Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 26 September 1881. p. 1 Supplement: SUPPLEMENT TO THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN REGISTER. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
  38. ↑ "FOOTBALL". The South Australian Advertiser . Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 3 October 1881. p. 7. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
  39. ↑ "FOOTBALL". South Australian Register . Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 4 October 1881. p. 3 Supplement: Supplement to the South Australian Register. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
  40. ↑ "22 Oct 1881 - Football. THE FOOTBALL SEASON OF 1881". nla.gov.au. 1881. p. 15.
  41. ↑ "Cup Scoring List, 1881". Adelaide Observer. 1881. p. 19.
  42. ↑ "Intercolonial Football Match". South Australian Register. Adelaide, SA. 25 August 1881. p. 6.
  43. ↑ "Intercolonial Football Match". South Australian Register (Supplement). Adelaide, SA. 29 August 1881. p. 1.
  44. ↑ "Arrival of the Carlton Footballers". South Australian Advertiser. 1881. p. 6.
  45. ↑ "FOOTBALL". South Australian Register . Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 13 June 1881. p. 7. Retrieved 12 December 2025.
  46. ↑ "FOOTBALL". South Australian Register . Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 16 June 1881. p. 6. Retrieved 12 December 2025.
  47. ↑ "FOOTBALL". The South Australian Advertiser . Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 20 June 1881. p. 6. Retrieved 12 December 2025.
  48. ↑ "THE INTERCOLONIAL FOOTBALL MATCH". The South Australian Advertiser . Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 21 June 1881. p. 5. Retrieved 12 December 2025.
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