1885 SAFA season

1885 SAFA premiership season
South Adelaide, premiers
Teams4
PremiersSouth Adelaide
2nd premiership
Leading goalkickerH R Hill
South Adelaide (19 goals)
Attendance
Matches played30
Total attendance54,000 (1,800 per match)
Highest8,000 (Round 6, Adelaide vs. South Adelaide)

The 1885 South Australian Football Association season was the 9th season of the top-level Australian rules football competition in South Australia.

A new senior Adelaide Football Club formed from a merger of North Adelaide Junior and North Parks clubs from the Adelaide and Suburban Football Association joined.

However, two inaugural clubs - South Park on 18 March 1885 and Victorians (North Adelaide) on 21 April 1885 both resigned and disbanded before the season commenced reducing the number of teams in the competition to 4.

The 1885 SAFA season was the first time since 1878 that all clubs played a fixed number of games with each of the four clubs playing five times against the other three for a total of 15 games.

Twenty three of the thirty games played had crowd figures quoted for an approximate average of 1,800 spectators per game.

At the committee meeting of the S.A. Football Association held on 28 April 1885 Messrs. A. Mehrtens, J. Sidoli, F. H. Wedd, and J.Pollock were appointed Association Field Umpires from the eleven applicants.

The large scoring-board at the Adelaide Oval was first used for football matches during the season. A new fence and bicycle track had also been added around the Oval. [1]

The first ever night match under lights at Adelaide Oval was held on 1st July 1885 for the match between Adelaide and South Adelaide. [2]

SAFA Senior Clubs 1885 Season

Club Colours Home Ground Captain Comments
Adelaide   Black
  Red		 Adelaide Oval, Adelaide J.D. Stephens New Adelaide Senior Club formed from the merger of North Adelaide Junior and North Park
Norwood   Dark blue
  Red		 Kensington Oval, Kensington A.E. Waldron
Port Adelaide   Magneta
  Blue		 Alberton Oval, Alberton R.Turpenny

C.Kellett
South Adelaide   Navy Blue
  White		 Adelaide Oval, Adelaide A.J.Hall

Premiership season

Round 1

Round 1
Saturday, 2 May (3:15 pm) Norwood 6.15 (6) def. Adelaide 1.5 (1) Kensington Oval [3]
Saturday, 2 May (3:15 pm) South Adelaide 4.11 (4) def. Port Adelaide 3.3 (3) Adelaide Oval (crowd: 1,500) [4]

Round 2

Round 2
Monday, 25 May South Adelaide 5.13 (5) def. Norwood 0.8 (0) Adelaide Oval (crowd: 4,500) [5]
Bye
Port Adelaide, Adelaide
  • Port Adelaide was on a football trip in Victoria during rounds 2 and 3.

Round 3

Round 3
Saturday, 31 May South Adelaide 4.9 def. Adelaide 2.11 Adelaide Oval (crowd: 950) [6][7]
Bye
Port Adelaide, Norwood
  • Adelaide Oval's surface was in poor condition due to the famous Indigenous corroboree the night before. It was performed by around 100 Aboriginal men and women from Point MacLeay mission and Yorke Peninsula and was attended by around 20,000 spectators (around a sixth of Adelaide's population). [8] It was followed by a second performance on the Saturday evening.[9] The match between South Adelaide and Adelaide was witnessed by about forty aborigines, who were seated upon the lawn in front of the pavilion.

Round 4

Round 4
Saturday, 6 June (3:10 pm) South Adelaide 3.11 (3) def. by Norwood 5.8 (5) Adelaide Oval (crowd: 2,000) [10][11]
Saturday, 6 June (3:10 pm) Port Adelaide 10.14 (10) def. Adelaide 2.11 (2) Alberton Oval (crowd: 800) [12][13]

Round 5

Round 5
Saturday, 27 June (3:00 pm) Port Adelaide 2.5 (2) def. by South Adelaide 3.16 (3) Alberton Oval (crowd: 1,500) [14]
Saturday, 27 June (3:15 pm) Adelaide 4.5 (4) def. Norwood 0.13 (0) Adelaide Oval [15][16]

Round 6

Round 6
Wednesday, 1 July (8:00 pm) Adelaide 1.8 (1) def. South Adelaide 0.8 (0) Adelaide Oval (crowd: 8,000) [17]
Saturday, 4 July Port Adelaide 2.12 (2) def. by Norwood 3.8 (3) Alberton Oval (crowd: 2,000) [18]

Round 7

Round 7
Saturday, 11 July (3:25 pm) Norwood 0.5 (0) drew with South Adelaide 0.12 (0) Kensington Oval [19]
Saturday, 11 July (3:18 pm) Adelaide 0.10 (0) def. by Port Adelaide 2.10 (2) Adelaide Oval (crowd: 600) [20]

Round 8

Round 8
Saturday, 18 July Norwood 1.20 (1) def. by Adelaide 4.10 (4) Kensington Oval (crowd: 400) [21]
Saturday, 18 July (3:13 pm) South Adelaide 2.8 (2) drew with Port Adelaide 2.15 (2) Adelaide Oval (crowd: 3,000) [22]

Round 9

Round 9
Saturday, 25 July (3:25 pm) Norwood 3.11 (3) def. Port Adelaide 2.16 (2) Kensington Oval (crowd: 1,000) [23]
Saturday, 25 July Adelaide 0.5 (0) def. by South Adelaide 6.14 (6) Adelaide Oval [24]

Round 10

Round 10
Saturday, 1 August (3:16 pm) South Adelaide 8.11 (8) def. Norwood 4.5 (4) Adelaide Oval (crowd: 2,000) [25][26]
Saturday, 1 August (3:20 pm) Port Adelaide 8.17 (8) def. Adelaide 1.8 (1) Alberton Oval (crowd: 500) [27]

Round 11

Round 11
Saturday, 8 August (3:10 pm) South Adelaide 5.10 (5) def. Adelaide 3.11 (3) Kensington Oval (crowd: 500) [28][29]
Bye
Port Adelaide, Norwood

Round 12

Round 12
Saturday, 15 August (3:29 pm) Port Adelaide 2.11 (2) def. South Adelaide 1.5 (1) Alberton Oval (crowd: 2,000) [30]
Saturday, 15 August (3:28 pm) Adelaide 3.5 (3) def. by Norwood 4.6 (4) Adelaide Oval (crowd: 1,000) [31][32]

Round 13

Round 13
Saturday, 22 August (3:25 pm) Port Adelaide 1.13 (1) def. by Norwood 6.16 (6) Alberton Oval (crowd: 2,000) [33][34]
Saturday, 22 August (3:20 pm) Adelaide 2.4 (2) def. by South Adelaide 11.13 (11) Kensington Oval (crowd: 300) [35]

Round 14

Round 14
Saturday, 29 August (3:20 pm) Adelaide 6.9 (6) def. Norwood 1.13 (1) Kensington Oval [36][37]
Saturday, 29 August (3:15 pm) South Adelaide 6.14 (6) drew with Port Adelaide 6.2 (6) Adelaide Oval (crowd: 5,000) [38][39]

Round 15

Round 15
Saturday, 5 September Norwood 2.11 (2) def. by South Adelaide 8.10 (8) Kensington Oval (crowd: 550) [40]
Saturday, 5 September Adelaide 2.6 (2) def. by Port Adelaide 3.13 (3) Adelaide Oval (crowd: 500) [41][42]

Round 16

Round 16
Saturday, 12 September (3:18 pm) Adelaide 5.5 (5) def. by South Adelaide 8.7 (8) Adelaide Oval [43]
Saturday, 12 September (3:30 pm) Norwood 4.14 (4) def. Port Adelaide 2.8 (2) Kensington Oval (crowd: 800) [44]

Round 17

Round 17
Saturday, 18 September (3:30 pm) Adelaide 3.5 (3) def. Port Adelaide 1.14 (1) Adelaide Oval [45]

Ladder

1885 SAFA Senior Ladder
TEAMPWLDGFBAGABA
1 South Adelaide (P) 15 11 2 2 72 159 36 96
2 Norwood 15 7 7 1 42 162 54 161
3 Port Adelaide 15 6 8 1 49 159 41 146
4 Adelaide 15 4 11 0 38 111 70 188
Key: P = Played, W = Won, L = Lost, D = Drawn, GF = Goals For, BF = Behinds For, GA = Goals Against, BA = Behinds Against, (P) = Premiers [46]

Adelaide and Suburban (Junior) Association

The Junior sides of the four senior clubs competed in the Adelaide and Suburban (Junior) Association together with Kensington, Hotham and West Torrens.

Kensington had competed in the Senior competition for four seasons from 1877 to 1880 before merging with the Old Adelaide Football Club. The merged Club folded after 4 games in 1881. Kensington joined the Adelaide and Suburban (Junior) Association on its formation in 1882.

Hotham (North Adelaide) and West Torrens (West Adelaide) both joined the senior SAFA competition in 1887.

In 1889, Hotham (North Adelaide) then merged with the new senior Adelaide Club which was formed in 1885, formerly North Adelaide Junior and North Park both from the Adelaide and Suburban Association. North Park were the Premiers of Adelaide and Suburban Association in 1884 with Adelaide (renamed from North Adelaide Junior) as the runner up. This merged new Adelaide team won the Senior SAFA premiership in 1886.

A notable player for Hotham was Jack 'Dinny' Reedman who moved to South Adelaide in 1889 when Hotham merged with Adelaide. Reedman was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 1996 and South Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2002.

1885 Adelaide and Suburban
(Junior) Association Ladder
TEAMPWLDGFGAPTS
1 Hotham (P) 12 12 0 0 63 12 24
2 West Torrens 12 10 2 0 56 10 20
3 North Park
(Adelaide Junior)		 12 6 5 1 33 36 13
4 Norwood Junior 12 5 7 0 24 23 10
5 South Adelaide Junior 12 4 7 1 26 36 9
6 Kensington 12 2 10 0 11 46 4
7 Port Adelaide Junior 12 2 10 0 9 59 4
Key: P = Played, W = Won, L = Lost, D = Drawn, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against, (P) = Premiers [47]

References

  1. ↑ https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/160738194
  2. ↑ https://adelaideaz.com/articles/adelaide-oval-s-first-sports-event-under-lights-in-1885--adelaide-v--south-adelaide-football-match
  3. ↑ "NORWOOD v. ADELAIDE". The South Australian Advertiser. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 4 May 1885. p. 7. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  4. ↑ "FOOTBALL". South Australian Register. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 4 May 1885. p. 3. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  5. ↑ "FOOTBALL". The South Australian Advertiser. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 26 May 1885. p. 6. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  6. ↑ "FOOTBALL". South Australian Register. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 1 June 1885. p. 7. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  7. ↑ "FOOTBALL". The South Australian Advertiser. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 1 June 1885. p. 7. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  8. ↑ https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/44530755
  9. ↑ https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/208348659
  10. ↑ "FOOTBALL". The South Australian Advertiser. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 8 June 1885. p. 6. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  11. ↑ "FOOTBALL". South Australian Register. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 8 June 1885. p. 7. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  12. ↑ "FOOTBALL". The South Australian Advertiser. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 8 June 1885. p. 6. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  13. ↑ "FOOTBALL". South Australian Register. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 8 June 1885. p. 7. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  14. ↑ "FOOTBALL". The South Australian Advertiser. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 29 June 1885. p. 7. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  15. ↑ "FOOTBALL". South Australian Register. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 29 June 1885. p. 6. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  16. ↑ "FOOTBALL". The South Australian Advertiser. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 29 June 1885. p. 7. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  17. ↑ "FOOTBALL BY ELECTRIC LIGHT". South Australian Register. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 2 July 1885. p. 5. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  18. ↑ "FOOTBALL". The South Australian Advertiser. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 6 July 1885. p. 6. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  19. ↑ "FOOTBALL". South Australian Register. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 13 July 1885. p. 7. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  20. ↑ "FOOTBALL". South Australian Register. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 13 July 1885. p. 7. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  21. ↑ "FOOTBALL". The South Australian Advertiser. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 20 July 1885. p. 6. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  22. ↑ "FOOTBALL". The South Australian Advertiser. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 20 July 1885. p. 6. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  23. ↑ "FOOTBALL". The South Australian Advertiser. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 27 July 1885. p. 7. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  24. ↑ "FOOTBALL". The South Australian Advertiser. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 27 July 1885. p. 7. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  25. ↑ "FOOTBALL". South Australian Register. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 3 August 1885. p. 3. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  26. ↑ "FOOTBALL". The South Australian Advertiser. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 3 August 1885. p. 3. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  27. ↑ "FOOTBALL". The South Australian Advertiser. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 3 August 1885. p. 3. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  28. ↑ "FOOTBALL". South Australian Register. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 10 August 1885. p. 3. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  29. ↑ "FOOTBALL". The South Australian Advertiser. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 10 August 1885. p. 7. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  30. ↑ "FOOTBALL". The South Australian Advertiser. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 17 August 1885. p. 3. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  31. ↑ "FOOTBALL". South Australian Register. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 17 August 1885. p. 3. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  32. ↑ "FOOTBALL". The South Australian Advertiser. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 17 August 1885. p. 3. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  33. ↑ "FOOTBALL". The South Australian Advertiser. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 24 August 1885. p. 7. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  34. ↑ "FOOTBALL". South Australian Register. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 24 August 1885. p. 3. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  35. ↑ "FOOTBALL". South Australian Register. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 24 August 1885. p. 3. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  36. ↑ "FOOTBALL". South Australian Register. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 31 August 1885. p. 7. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  37. ↑ "FOOTBALL". The South Australian Advertiser. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 31 August 1885. p. 6. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  38. ↑ "FOOTBALL". The South Australian Advertiser. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 2 September 1885. p. 3. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  39. ↑ "FOOTBALL". South Australian Register. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 2 September 1885. p. 6. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  40. ↑ "FOOTBALL". The South Australian Advertiser. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 7 September 1885. p. 7. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  41. ↑ "FOOTBALL". South Australian Register. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 7 September 1885. p. 3. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  42. ↑ "FOOTBALL". The South Australian Advertiser. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 7 September 1885. p. 7. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  43. ↑ "FOOTBALL". South Australian Register. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 14 September 1885. p. 7. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  44. ↑ "FOOTBALL". South Australian Register. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 14 September 1885. p. 7. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  45. ↑ "FOOTBALL". South Australian Register. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 21 September 1885. p. 3. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  46. ↑ "FOOTBALL". Adelaide Observer. National Library of Australia. 10 October 1885. p. 19. Retrieved 19 December 2014.
  47. ↑ "FOOTBALL". The Chronicle (South Australia). National Library of Australia. 12 September 1885. p. 14. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
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