SANFL 1945-1990

[Ingorudi]

Thanks guys. My friends dad has a book on centrals and looking at it reed kicked 50 goals in 1974 63 in 1975 and 69 in 1976 so he must have been good at both ends of the ground. My friends dad never saw him play but his career at centrals is 104 games and 218 goals . Does any one know his career at the double blues . Thanks guys how tall was he ????

[robranisgod]

Thanks guys. My friends dad has a book on centrals and looking at it reed kicked 50 goals in 1974 63 in 1975 and 69 in 1976 so he must have been good at both ends of the ground. My friends dad never saw him play but his career at centrals is 104 games and 218 goals . Does any one know his career at the double blues . Thanks guys how tall was he ????

I would have thought that he was about 6 feet 1 inches or 185 centimetres. He never struck me as being quite tall enough for a key position.

[HoldenV8]

I started watching footy back in 1980 when I was 5 and attended my first SANFL game 2 years later. Back then I lived in the heart of North Adelaide's city zone and most of my friends were either North or Port fans. I bucked the trend and supported Westies. I played for Gepps Cross back then (only lived about 500 metres from their ground), and I did play mini-league a couple of times for the Roosters over the years.

My first SANFL game was Norwood vs West at The Parade, the last minor round of the 1982 season. Westies needed a win to have a chance of sneaking into the 5, but Norwood, on their way to a premiership, hosed us 25.11 (161) to 10.21 (81). I think that loss gave the club a lot of motivation for 1983.

Westies had an awesome team in 1983. Despite losing long serving ruckman Dexter Kennedy to Port in what proved an ill-timed move, we still had Ian Borchard, Geoff Morris, Peter Meuret, the high flying Roger Luders, Mark Mickan, Larry (brother of Tim) Watson, Craig Williams, Bernie Conlon, Grantley Fielke, Leon Grosser, 1983 rookie Robin McKinnon (who suffered two broken jaws during the season), the Winter twins Roger and Peter, John Kantalaftis, Randall Bennett, Mike Smith, Tony Burgess, Mark Dreher, Greg Summerton, Richard Hamilton, and a brash young kid who could kick the ball a country mile, Bruce Lindner. And the coach was none other than the King himself Neil Kerley.

Westies had an 18-4 record in the minor round to easily win the minor premiership. They kicked 476.339 (3195) in their 22 games (an average of just over 145 points per game - more than 20 goals) while conceding 343.259 (2317), an average of 105 ppg. In the minor round Luders kicked 94 goals, Lindner kicked 69 and Mike Smith around 50. Kerles Bloods had turned attacking from defence into an art form. The round 3 game against Glenelg (who lost their first 8 for the year) at Footy Park was just a scoring-fest. Westies won 29.13 (187) to 23.11 (149) which I believe is still the record aggregate score for a game at the ground. Glenelg's score that day would normally have been more than enough for an easy win, but not this time.

Our biggest win of the year was a 106 point drubbing of Malcolm Blight's Warriors (no longer the Peckers) at Woodvile when we won 29.18 (192) to 13.8 (86) in round 11. My parents took me to that game. Mickan was brilliant all day and IIRC Luders kicked 10.

The club suffered a blow late in the season when Mark Mickan went down injured (Posterior cruciate ligament) and was out for the rest of the year, though he did go on to win the first of 4 club B&F awards. Kerley then managed to convince Dirk de Jong (around 202 cm or about 6'8") to come out of retirement and lead the teams ruck for its run through the finals. Although Dexter Kennedy had moved to Port in 1983, de Jong had actually retired early in the year (about round 3) when it became clear that Mickan was the #1 ruckman at the club and with Craig Williams in the team that meant de Jong faced playing most of the year in the two's. I believe that he actually kept fit during the year playing his other sporting love, volleyball.

In the finals we obliterated reigning premiers Norwood 24.16 (160) to 13.8 (86) in the Second Semi-Final. Luders kicked 7 goals to take his tally to 101 for the year and became the first West Adelaide player to kick 100 goals in a league season. Norwood had been only one of four teams to beat us in 1983, the others being Sturt, Glenelg, and there had been a surprise 3 point loss to West Torrens in the last round.

With Sturt defeating Norwood in the Preliminary final, it was a West Adelaide vs Sturt GF on a rather warm day at Footy Park. John Halbert's Double Blues had given West its worst loss for the year in round 8 at West Lakes, with a club record 15 goals from Rick Davies helping Sturt to a 29.16 (190) to 17.14 (116) win. Sturt were a class side themselves in 1983. Rick Davies kicked 151 goals for the season, plus they had Peter Motley, Frank Spiel, Eddie Fry, John Paynter, Jim Derrington, Greg Whittlesea, Brendon Howard, Trevor Sims and "The Flash" Michael Graham. Halbert himself, back at Sturt after 4 seasons at the Bay, was heading into his third straight GF as a coach. He went in with an 0-2 record.

As was usual, a GF involving Westies saw a smaller than usual attendance with only 47,129 at the decider (compared to around 55,000 for both 1982 and 1984). From memory this might have been the only sub 50,000 GF attendance at Footy Park during the 1980's. The umpires were Laurie Argent and Rick Kinnear. Ch.7 commentators for the day were Bruce McAveney and Robert Oatey with Ian "Daisy" Day riding the boundary, plus the odd comment from Peter Marker. Jackie Love sang "Up There Cazaly", and while she was good, her legs were better. To her credit when interviewed by Day she admitted that she really didn't follow either team (she is from Perth), but was excited to be there. After kissing Love, Kinnear, about to umpire his first GF, jokingly predicted to Day that with his wife in the crowd he could be divorced by that night. Love had also performed at the Magarey Medal night. North Adelaide's annoying little ant Tony Antrobus won the medal with Westies ex-Sydney Swan Bernie Conlon a surprising second. Antrobus won the medal with 35 votes, but the unlucky one was Glenelg's Stephen Kernahan who piled a whopping 44 votes (not bad playing for a team that only won 9 of 22 games for the year). Sticks was ineligible due to being suspended for one game after a round 4 clash with Macca against Norwood.

Sturt started better and with a 2-3 goal breeze favouring the golf course end had a one goal lead going into the first break. Then Westies exploded and their running game went into top gear. They kicked a GF record 10 goals in the second quarter to blow the game wide open and it was only 4 goals for the term from The Flash that kept Sturt in the game. Surprisingly, Rick Davies failed to kick a goal in the first half and spent a fair bit of the second term in the ruck when Halbert gave Spiel a rest.

The game settled somewhat after half time with the heat sapping the players energy. Westies maintained a 20-30 point lead and ended up winning 21.16 (142) to 16.12 (108). Lindner was a star kicking 5 goals, his last a 65 metre boomer from the centre square only seconds before the final siren (described by Robert Oatey as having been "pile driven"). Luders kicked 4 to take his tally to 105 for the year, and captain Ian Borchard was a worthy Jack Oatey Medallist, though it could have easily gone to a number of team mates including Randall Bennett who played the game of his life on the wing, Geoff Morris who went into the game under an injury cloud and had actually gone to Morphettville Racecourse during the week to use a machine on his injured hammy, was brilliant. Peter Meuret (reportedly in his last game of SANFL footy but he returned in 1985) was at his mercurial best including a sensational second quarter goal kicked off balance while being tackled on the boundary line, while Leon Grosser was brilliant in the forward pocket kicking 4 goals.

For Sturt, Peter Motley and Michael Graham were easily their best on the day. Davies managed 2 goals after half time to take his season tally to a then SANFL record 151, but was generally kept quiet by Tony Burgess and Frank Spiel tried hard but was overshadowed by de Jong who justified his decision to return.

For West Adelaide it was their 8th premiership and first since 1961, coincidentally also coached by Kerley. We haven't won one since, though we have been in 3 GF's (1991, 2003 and 2012 - I was at the 1991 and 2012 games). For Neil Kerley it was his 4th and last premiership as a coach (having been Wests captain-coach in 1961 as well as leading Souths and Glenelg to the 1964 and 1973 premierships). He would leave West at the end of 1984 to join the South Australian big for the America's Cup, but would come back in 1988 as the coach of Centrals.

I was only 8 when West Adelaide won the flag in 1983. I'm now 40, but that year seems like only yesterday. 32 years is a long time between drinks and I have dubbed Westies as "consistently inconsistent". On our day we can beat anyone, yet the same team the next weekend would get flogged by the bottom team. I tell ya, its frustrating being a Bloods supporter, but I wouldn't support anyone else.

[JK]

From memory, 82' GF crowd was around 48k and 84' was 50,271 .. I recall an article in 82' saying some work was being done, or wouldn't be done in time (or something like that) that reduced the capacity by a bit, so that crowd in 83' was fine for the day I reckon.

Great write up too, that 83' side rates as arguably the best Ive seen in my time.

[HoldenV8]

You're right there JK. I looked it up and I believe there were 47,339 at the 1982 GF (and just over 50,000 for 1984). But 1983 was definitely the lowest GF attendance of the 1980's.

1983 was one of the best years for attacking footy in the SANFL. Four players kicked over 100 goals for the year with Rick Davies (151), Neville Roberts (111), Grenville Dietrich (109) and Rogers Luders (105) all topping the century. These days we're lucky if the Ken Farmer Medallist kicks over 70.

The last Ken Farmer Medallist to kick over 70 for the year was Brant Chambers who kicked 80 in 2009. Chambers was also the last SANFL player to kick 100 when he kicked 106 in 2007. Before that the last one was Adam Richardson with 100 in 2001.

[wristwatcher]

You're right there JK. I looked it up and I believe there were 47,339 at the 1982 GF (and just over 50,000 for 1984). But 1983 was definitely the lowest GF attendance of the 1980's.

1983 was one of the best years for attacking footy in the SANFL. Four players kicked over 100 goals for the year with Rick Davies (151), Neville Roberts (111), Grenville Dietrich (109) and Rogers Luders (105) all topping the century. These days we're lucky if the Ken Farmer Medallist kicks over 70.

The last Ken Farmer Medallist to kick over 70 for the year was Brant Chambers who kicked 80 in 2009. Chambers was also the last SANFL player to kick 100 when he kicked 106 in 2007. Before that the last one was Adam Richardson with 100 in 2001.

Your stat on 100 is wrong. I remember running out when Chambers kicked 100 with a guy named Big Al who I only met in 08 so it had to of been later than 07..... but other than that I agree with the death of the 100 goal forward and the interesting interview

[RB]

Chambo kicked 100 in 2007 and 2008.

[JK]

Chambo kicked 100 in 2007 and 2008.

Greedy bastard

[RB]

Ken Farmer kicked 100 every year from 1930 to 1940... ;-)

[spell_check]

You're right there JK. I looked it up and I believe there were 47,339 at the 1982 GF (and just over 50,000 for 1984). But 1983 was definitely the lowest GF attendance of the 1980's.

1983 was one of the best years for attacking footy in the SANFL. Four players kicked over 100 goals for the year with Rick Davies (151), Neville Roberts (111), Grenville Dietrich (109) and Rogers Luders (105) all topping the century. These days we're lucky if the Ken Farmer Medallist kicks over 70.

The last Ken Farmer Medallist to kick over 70 for the year was Brant Chambers who kicked 80 in 2009. Chambers was also the last SANFL player to kick 100 when he kicked 106 in 2007. Before that the last one was Adam Richardson with 100 in 2001.

I've seen that info before regarding Richardson kicking 100 in a season and it's wrong. I reckon the SANFL website had it. The Ken Farmer Medalists are:

1981 Tim Evans Port 83
1982 Tim Evans Port 116
1983 Rick Davies Sturt 130
1984 Tim Evans Port 120
1985 Malcolm Blight Woodville 126
1986 Stephen Nichols Woodville 88
1987 John Roberts North 102
1988 Stephen Nichols Woodville 104
1989 Rudi Mandemaker Central 87
1990 Scott Hodges Port 127
1991 Scott Morphett Eagles 95
1992 Mark Tylor Port 97
1993 Mark Tylor Port 87
1994 Scott Hodges Port 114
1995 Danny Del-Re South 92
1996 Scott Hodges Port 101
1997 James West Norwood 73
1998 Adam Richardson West 82
1999 Adam Richardson West 66
2000 Adam Richardson West 72
2001 Adam Richardson West 81
2002 Daniel Hargraves North 68
2003 Darren Bradshaw West 88
2004 Daniel Schell Central 63
2005 Daniel Schell Central 76
2006 Mark Passador Eagles 74
2007 Brant Chambers Sturt 106
2008 Brant Chambers Sturt 97
2009 Brant Chambers Sturt 80
2010 Todd Grima Glenelg 56
2011 Michael Wundke South 67
2012 Justin Hardy Central 58
2013 Michael Wundke South 52
2014 Michael Wundke Eagles 60


And the leading goalkickers after the major round in those seasons were (plus those who kicked 100 but did not lead):
1981 Tim Evans Port 98
1982 Tim Evans Port 125
1982 Trevor Pierson Woodville 109
1982 Greg Edwards Central 104
1983 Rick Davies Sturt 151
1983 Neville Roberts Norwood 112
1983 Grenville Dietrich North 109
1983 Roger Luders West 105
1984 Tim Evans Port 127
1984 Grenville Dietrich North 101
1985 Malcolm Blight Woodville 126
1985 Ian Willmott Sturt 112
1986 Stephen Nichols Woodville 103
1987 John Roberts North 111
1988 Stephen Nichols Woodville 104
1989 Rudi Mandemaker Central 93
1990 Scott Hodges Port 153
1990 Allen Jakovich Woodville 101
1991 Scott Morphett Eagles 99
1992 Mark Tylor Port 97
1993 Mark Tylor Port 90
1994 Scott Hodges Port 129
1995 Danny Del-Re South 92
1996 Scott Hodges Port 116
1997 James West Norwood 80
1998 Adam Richardson West 85
1999 Adam Richardson West 66
2000 Adam Richardson West 72
2000 Chris Kluzek Eagles 72
2001 Adam Richardson West 84
2002 Daniel Hargraves North 68
2003 Darren Bradshaw West 97
2004 Daniel Schell Central 74
2005 Daniel Schell Central 81
2006 Mark Passador Eagles 79
2007 Brant Chambers Sturt 112
2008 Brant Chambers Sturt 109
2009 Brant Chambers Sturt 82
2010 Todd Grima Glenelg 58
2011 Michael Wundke South 73
2012 Justin Hardy Central 59
2013 Michael Wundke South 52
2014 Brett Eddy South 67

[HoldenV8]

I will qualify Adam Richardson's 100 goals by saying that yes he did kick 84 in the 2001 minor round, but according to West Adelaide he hit the ton in the finals.

Same with Roger Luders back in 1983. He kicked 94 through the season and hit the 100 in the finals. Davies, Roberts and Dietrich all kicked their ton in the minor round. But, neither Sturt (Davies), Norwood (Roberts) or North (Dietrich) had another player kick over 50 for the season. After the 1983 GF, West had Luders with 105, Lindner with 77 and Mike Smith with 69.

[robranisgod]

I will qualify Adam Richardson's 100 goals by saying that yes he did kick 84 in the 2001 minor round, but according to West Adelaide he hit the ton in the finals.

Same with Roger Luders back in 1983. He kicked 94 through the season and hit the 100 in the finals. Davies, Roberts and Dietrich all kicked their ton in the minor round. But, neither Sturt (Davies), Norwood (Roberts) or North (Dietrich) had another player kick over 50 for the season. After the 1983 GF, West had Luders with 105, Lindner with 77 and Mike Smith with 69.

Dietrich actually didn't kick his 100th goal until late in the first quarter of the elimination final. In 1984 he kicked his 100th goal late in the last quarter of the last minor round match. North, of course, didn't make the finals in 1984.

West in 1983 had the most potent forward line I have ever seen. In addition to the three players who kicked over 50 goals there was also Geoff Morris and Peter Meuret doing untold damage up forward. And of course you had Bernie Conlen and Leon Grosser changing in the forward pocket. What a nightmare for opposition defenders.

Normally premiership sides are built around outstanding defences and brilliant midfields. West were, of course, more than useful in those areas, but it was clearly their forwards who did most of the damage. North were a young, up and coming side in those days and managed to kick 18 goals against West at Prospect. Unfortunately West kicked 30 goals that day. Unbelievable.

[JK]

Just on that 83' Westies side, they fell away pretty dramatically in 84', and even 85' by comparison (whilst acknowledging they still won the Elim and 1st Semi). Given as I said it was the best SANFL side I can recall seeing, how and why do you think they fell away so quickly Holden?

[heater31]

Just on that 83' Westies side, they fell away pretty dramatically in 84', and even 85' by comparison (whilst acknowledging they still won the Elim and 1st Semi). Given as I said it was the best SANFL side I can recall seeing, how and why do you think they fell away so quickly Holden?

Think players left or retired after the flag. I've had a chat with Tony Burgess about that season and he was living in Melbourne for most if not all of the 83 season and commuting back each Friday.

[HoldenV8]

Just on that 83' Westies side, they fell away pretty dramatically in 84', and even 85' by comparison (whilst acknowledging they still won the Elim and 1st Semi). Given as I said it was the best SANFL side I can recall seeing, how and why do you think they fell away so quickly Holden?

Injuries hurt us in 1984. Lindner only played 4 games, Roger Winter 3, Larry Watson 13, Borchard 14 and Conlon 17, plus Meuret had gone back home to Broken Hill for the year. They were among our best in 1983. We came back in 1985, but losing Luders 2/3 of the way through the season didn't help. Still, we weren't as good as we were in 1983. After that we fell away and didn't do much until the second half of 1991 (other than winning the Foundation Cup night comp in 1987). I wish I knew why, though a lot of the players were getting older and retiring.

Through 1986 and 87 we lost Morris, Meuret, Borchard, Conlon, Mike Smith and Luders to retirement (Watson retired at the end of 1984). Lindner went to Geelong, Mickan to the Brisbane Bears and Fielke spent a season at Collingwood. That's basically the nucleus of the side right there and while those coming through or recruited were ok, they weren't premiership contenders. In fact, by 1988 there were only a few of the 1983 Grand Final team left at the club, namely Leon Grosser, Richard Hamilton, John Kantalaftis, Randall Bennett, Robbie McKinnon, Craig Williams and Greg Summerton.

As good as the 1983 side was though, to be fair it must be said that most of the players had career years that season. Westies fans kept hoping for a few seasons that they would recapture that form again, but it wasn't to be.

[FlyingHigh]

Holden, maybe the question should have West been better in the preceding years, given they made the prelim final in '77?
Appreciate Fielke, Mickan and Lindner would have been youngsters in the early '80's (not sure of the years they debuted), but so were Kernahan, McDermott, McGuiness, Aish and McIntosh.

[on the rails]

Holden, maybe the question should have West been better in the preceding years, given they made the prelim final in '77?
Appreciate Fielke, Mickan and Lindner would have been youngsters in the early '80's (not sure of the years they debuted), but so were Kernahan, McDermott, McGuiness, Aish and McIntosh.

Good point FH - West supporters would look back in hindsight and wonder why that period didn't bring more success.

[Spargo]

Holden, maybe the question should have West been better in the preceding years, given they made the prelim final in '77?
Appreciate Fielke, Mickan and Lindner would have been youngsters in the early '80's (not sure of the years they debuted), but so were Kernahan, McDermott, McGuiness, Aish and McIntosh.

Good point FH - West supporters would look back in hindsight and wonder why that period didn't bring more success.

How the f#*k do you think we felt from 1969 through to 1992?

[HoldenV8]

The players responded to Fos Williams' coaching in 1977, but it fell apart in 1978, after which Fos retired for good. Trevor Hughes proved to be woefully inadequate as an SANFL coach and 1979 and 80 were horrible years. As soon as Doug Thomas got the chance to bring Kerley back to the club, he took it. Kerles got the best out of his players in 1983 with 1981 and 82 building up to that.

Ruger Luders and Leon Grosser debuted for the club in 1978. Grantley Fielke and John Kantalaftis in 1979 , Bruce Lindner and Tony Burgess in 1980, Randall Bennett and Mark Mickan in 1981. Plus we recruited Ian Borchard in 1979, Craig Williams in 1980, Larry Watson in 1981, Mike Smith in 1982 and then got Bernie Conlon, Mark Dreher and Robin McKinnon in 1983.

Those 15 players, along with veterans Geoff Morris and Peter Meuret were the nucleus of the 1983 side.

[therisingblues]

With Sturt defeating Norwood in the Preliminary final, it was a West Adelaide vs Sturt GF on a rather warm day at Footy Park. John Halbert's Double Blues had given West its worst loss for the year in round 8 at West Lakes, with a club record 15 goals from Rick Davies helping Sturt to a 29.16 (190) to 17.14 (116) win. Sturt were a class side themselves in 1983. Rick Davies kicked 151 goals for the season, plus they had Peter Motley, Frank Spiel, Eddie Fry, John Paynter, Jim Derrington, Greg Whittlesea, Brendon Howard, Trevor Sims and "The Flash" Michael Graham. Halbert himself, back at Sturt after 4 seasons at the Bay, was heading into his third straight GF as a coach. He went in with an 0-2 record.

As was usual, a GF involving Westies saw a smaller than usual attendance with only 47,129

You left out Neil Craig. He didn't play in the grand final after ruling himself out with some niggling injury. The Sturt training staff believed he could have played with the injury, or so I have heard.
I wonder what would have happened had Neil Craig played that day....?
Westies were a monster side that year however, probably the best SANFL side I have seen.
The Sturt of 1983 would have won the flag in most other years, they were absolutely electric at times, and massacred North in the first-semi and Norwood in the Preliminary. Other highlights were Rick's 15 goals in the 70 point disassembling of West at Footy Park, followed by his 11 goals the following week in the Blues then-record 114 point thrashing of Port at home, and an incredible final 10 minutes of footy at the Parade which I still consider the greatest finish I have witnessed to any footy game.

On that crowd figure, I am pretty certain that the match was sold out. As I remember, tickets went on sale after the second-semi and the Grand Final had about 40% of tickets remaining before Sturt won the preliminary. The match was sold out the following Monday IIRC. I got my ticket from the Cheer Squad on the Wednesday, and I reckon that they were no longer available from official outlets at that stage.
Great memories...