1964 - 1990

[JK]

Of all the Grand Finals that Glenelg played they should have won more with the talent they had.

1975- This is one and 77 & 90 they should have one. Best SANFL side ever to hit the ground stats wise . Nothing went right Grand Final Day

75' must have been an interesting year ... Before my time but I believe Norwood only lost around 2 games for the year but were fairly decent underdogs for the GF'? (Not trying to be a smartass FE, but) would there be many other seasons where a side with such a W/L record was considered a reasonable underdog in the GF?

[robranisgod]

Of all the Grand Finals that Glenelg played they should have won more with the talent they had.

1975- This is one and 77 & 90 they should have one. Best SANFL side ever to hit the ground stats wise . Nothing went right Grand Final Day

75' must have been an interesting year ... Before my time but I believe Norwood only lost around 2 games for the year but were fairly decent underdogs for the GF'? (Not trying to be a smartass FE, but) would there be many other seasons where a side with such a W/L record was considered a reasonable underdog in the GF?

The year that immediately comes to mind is 1981, where Glenelg won 19 games out of 22, a winning percentage of 86.36% compared to Norwood's 16 wins from 18 games, a winning percentage of 88.89% of games. Furthermore Glenelg in 1981 were minor premiers by 4 games, Norwood by only 1 game.
Glenelg had a percentage of more than 3% better than the second team, Port in 1981. In 1975 Norwood had a percentage of 4.5% inferior to Glenelg, the second team.
But Port had thrashed Glenelg in the Second Semi Final and no one gave Glenelg a chance in the Grand Final. This time the favourites won, though.
I have to admit that I was dumbfounded when the siren rang in 1975 and Norwood had won the match. I don't know whether I was sucked in by the media but I expected Glenelg to win comfortably,
Max Hall on Channel 9 was about the only media person I can remember tipping Norwood, and he added the rider that he had always been a Norwood supporter.

[Magellan]

Of all the Grand Finals that Glenelg played they should have won more with the talent they had.

1975- This is one and 77 & 90 they should have one. Best SANFL side ever to hit the ground stats wise . Nothing went right Grand Final Day

75' must have been an interesting year ... Before my time but I believe Norwood only lost around 2 games for the year but were fairly decent underdogs for the GF'? (Not trying to be a smartass FE, but) would there be many other seasons where a side with such a W/L record was considered a reasonable underdog in the GF?

Good question. It was an 18 game minor round that year, and Norwood lost the first two before winning the next sixteen. One of those was to the Bays (by 76 points), plus coupled with the second semi final win might've contributed to their favoritism. Glenelg only lost 3 games that year as well, so were only marginally behind Norwood across the season.

[JK]

Cheers lads .. 81’ stretches my memory a little, I’d recalled the Bays had a strong season but didn’t realise just how accomplished it was. 75’ like several seasons I guess just threw up what appears to be a quirk, but is completely understandable when one looks a little deeper.

The sliding doors of footy is a fascinating thing - Norwood only lost 3 minor round games in a dominant 97’ campaign similar to Glenelg of 81’, yet couldn’t beat North who didn’t make finals, got rolled in the 2nd Semi, just scraped through the Prelim, then touched up Port in a GF we could very easily have missed all together.

[FOURTH ESTATE]

The talent that Glenelg had that year and the way they were playing made them almost unbackable for the flag similar to Richmond in 1972

They defeated Sturt easily in QF by 26pts and would have been more if they kicked straight 17.24 - 15.10

Stormed away from Norwood in the SS by 29pts. 21.9 - 16.10.

It all went pear shaped on Grand Final Day.

Glenelg's winning margins that year were

R1 - Norwood 76pts
R2 - Port 55pts
R3 - West 90pts
R4 - Sturt 22pts
R5 - Woodville 53pts
R6 - South 45pts
R7 - North 56pts
R8 - Central 141pts
R9 - West Torrens 73 pts
R12- West 49pts
R14 - Woodville 111pts
R15 - South 31pts
R16 - North 104 pts
R17 - Central Dist 238pts
R18 - West Torrens 88pts

Average winning margin in the Minor Round was 11 goals

It was a strange season only 18 rounds

The SANFL added the knockout comp called the Datsun Cup in which Glenelg & Sturt made the final

The Big four made it thru the early rounds with Port playing the Bays & Norwood playing Sturt in the semi

Thus making Glenelg & Sturt the only clubs to play 21 games in the minor round

Norwood had the second best defence & Glenelg third

Glenelg had best offence averaging 159 pts per game Norwood was 4th at 122 pts per game.

The Glenelg side that year was the best ever assembled side in the history of the SANFL not to win the flag.

In 1980 Port Adelaide became the first ever side to break thru for the 3000 pts scored in a minor round but they didn't achieve it until Round 21 and finished up with 3176 after 22 rounds. If going on Glenelg's average score in 1975 they would have scored 3498pts for 22 games. Even thou the seasons are 5 years a part High Scoring was still in vogue in 1980. Port were scoring at 144 pts per game in 1980 and Glenelg who finished second was at 131 pts per game.

If you u ever get to look at the video of the 49.23 match against Central at the Bay that year , the type of play that day Glenelg were playing was the way that they were playing all year, That day everything came together in a match of almost perfection.

1975 was the biggest ever Boil Over in Grand Final. Of All the Grand Finals that Glenelg lost that one hurts the most it should never have happened.

Play that match again the following week and the Bays would have won.

[Magellan]

Cheers lads .. 81’ stretches my memory a little, I’d recalled the Bays had a strong season but didn’t realise just how accomplished it was. 75’ like several seasons I guess just threw up what appears to be a quirk, but is completely understandable when one looks a little deeper.

The sliding doors of footy is a fascinating thing - Norwood only lost 3 minor round games in a dominant 97’ campaign similar to Glenelg of 81’, yet couldn’t beat North who didn’t make finals, got rolled in the 2nd Semi, just scraped through the Prelim, then touched up Port in a GF we could very easily have missed all together.

Good analogy, would be interesting to identify similar cases over the years.
(North actually came fourth in 1997, and I reckon Norwood beat us comfortably in 2 of the 3 games, with North winning by less than a kick in a Port Power curtainraiser).

[RB]

The Glenelg side that year was the best ever assembled side in the history of the SANFL not to win the flag.

A big call FE, but the evidence you provided was compelling.

Sturt in 1978 would have to be a contender.

[JK]

Cheers lads .. 81’ stretches my memory a little, I’d recalled the Bays had a strong season but didn’t realise just how accomplished it was. 75’ like several seasons I guess just threw up what appears to be a quirk, but is completely understandable when one looks a little deeper.

The sliding doors of footy is a fascinating thing - Norwood only lost 3 minor round games in a dominant 97’ campaign similar to Glenelg of 81’, yet couldn’t beat North who didn’t make finals, got rolled in the 2nd Semi, just scraped through the Prelim, then touched up Port in a GF we could very easily have missed all together.

Good analogy, would be interesting to identify similar cases over the years.
(North actually came fourth in 1997, and I reckon Norwood beat us comfortably in 2 of the 3 games, with North winning by less than a kick in a Port Power curtainraiser).

I don’t reckon that’s quite right Mags, reckon Norwood’s 3 Minor round losses were twice to North and once to Port. You definitely got us late in the year at Norwood Oval. I didn’t realise you’d played finals that season though.

[Magellan]

Cheers lads .. 81’ stretches my memory a little, I’d recalled the Bays had a strong season but didn’t realise just how accomplished it was. 75’ like several seasons I guess just threw up what appears to be a quirk, but is completely understandable when one looks a little deeper.

The sliding doors of footy is a fascinating thing - Norwood only lost 3 minor round games in a dominant 97’ campaign similar to Glenelg of 81’, yet couldn’t beat North who didn’t make finals, got rolled in the 2nd Semi, just scraped through the Prelim, then touched up Port in a GF we could very easily have missed all together.

Good analogy, would be interesting to identify similar cases over the years.
(North actually came fourth in 1997, and I reckon Norwood beat us comfortably in 2 of the 3 games, with North winning by less than a kick in a Port Power curtainraiser).

I don’t reckon that’s quite right Mags, reckon Norwood’s 3 Minor round losses were twice to North and once to Port. You definitely got us late in the year at Norwood Oval. I didn’t realise you’d played finals that season though.

See for yourself. Here's a summary of the season (and a handy resource to boot):

https://australianfootball.com/seasons/season/south%2Baustralian%2Bnational%2Bfootball%2Bleague/107/premiership%2Bseason/3/3/1997

[JK]

Wow, my humble apologies mate, I was sure you’d beaten us at the Parade (game where Jason Millar was reported then suspended for needlessly belting one of your defenders, Davis maybe). Either I got the result wrong or season wrong, but either way cheers for the correction mate.

[DOC]

The AustralianFootball.com website and the story of it's creator John Devaney is remarkable.

He is a man who lives in England (Adelaide for a small period as a child) but his love for our national game and the preservation of it's history is really worth reading.

https://australianfootball.com/articles/view/The+Full+Points+Footy+story/123

[FOURTH ESTATE]

The Glenelg side that year was the best ever assembled side in the history of the SANFL not to win the flag.

A big call FE, but the evidence you provided was compelling.

Sturt in 1978 would have to be a contender.

Yes you could argue for the Double Blues of 1978

1975 Glenelg Average score 159 pts per game
1978 Sturt average score 126 pts per game

1975 Glenelg Winning Margin 66 pts per game
1978 Sturt Winning Margin 46 pts per game

Sturt did manage to defeat Port Adelaide twice during the season

97 pts at Unley
70 pts at Alberton

Only played Norwood, Port & Glenelg twice that season which is strange for a 22 game minor round season. Must have had something to do with there 7th place finish in 1977

They did play NA, WA, CD &, WT three times and those sides finished

10
9
8
5

Respectively.

Losing the GF was a shock.

I was the only one out of all my mates who picked Norwood that day expect for one of my close mates who was a Norwood man but even he did not give his team much of a chance.

Norwood smashed us in the QF Final, pushed Sturt all the way in 2SF to only lose by 22 pts but margin could have been bigger if the Double Blues kicked straight 13-19 to 11-9. Disposed of Port Adelaide in the Prelim Final by 6 goals after being 4 goals down at 1/4 time.

GF should have been over at 1/4 time 5.9 - 1.5. Norwood just kept hanging in there.

Spoke to Michael Taylor about the game when we used to visit us a work in his job. He said they always thought they were a chance at 3/4 time even thou they were down by 29pts. If they got a couple of early goals they then knew that they were in it.

It could be argued that the 1978 Sturt side was up there but that 1975 Glenelg side was something else. Having since both of them play would lean to towards the Bays they were outstanding in 1975 and compelling watching.

[Magellan]

Wow, my humble apologies mate, I was sure you’d beaten us at the Parade (game where Jason Millar was reported then suspended for needlessly belting one of your defenders, Davis maybe). Either I got the result wrong or season wrong, but either way cheers for the correction mate.

No problems at all, mate. For some reason I vividly recall the game at Prospect early in the seasons, and listening intently to the 5AA broadcast during the curtainraiser match.

[mal]

If I was framing a bookies market on NWs Grand Finals in this period

1975 GL 1-40 NW 2-80
1978 ST 1-80 NW 2-10
1980 PA 1-05 NW 17-00
1982 GL 5-00 NW 1-20
1984 PA 1-70 NW 2-30

Going by my odds, and opinion I had NW winning 1-4 and it ended up 4-1 instead
NW played very well on the day in each and every GF
Arguably the losing GF in 1980 was perhaps their best performance against a PA team I considered almost invincible

The one GF that I had thought NW had a better chance than the percepted views of the times was the 1978 Grand Final
These were the line ups

STURT
1 HOWARD
3 WINTER
4 SIMS
6 BURGAN
8 BAGSHAW
9 HEINRICH
12 LEONARD
14 REED
15 WARK
19 GRAHAM
20 CASEY
21 SANDERS
22 KLOMP
24 DAVIES
26 HARGREAVES
28 BARTON
30 LLOYD
32 CECE
34 WISEMAN
36 DOWNES
37 WEATHERALD
39 MUTTON

NORWOOD
3 JENKINS
5 STASINOWSKI
6 ARMOUR
7 CRAIG
10 WOODCOCK
11 GALLAGHER
12 NICHOLSON
14 FIENEMANN
15 ADAMSON
16 ADLER
17 TURBILL
19 PALM
20 VONBERTOUCH
21 ROSSER
25 KERLEY
27 OLSEN
28 WYNNE
29 TAYLOR
30 BUTTON
31 MICHALANNEY
32 NUNAN
38 PHILLIS

In my opinion
ST had the best 2 footballers in this match Rick Jumbo Prince Davies and Paul Mr Magic Bagshaw
Possibly the 3rd best player in this game if one thinks that Michael Flash Graham was better than Michael Kingo Taylor
I think they were the best 4 players in the match , there are others who could be considered in a 3rd-10th best player in this match
Looking back at the teams I think Norwood had more depth and a more even team
I think as a group after each teams top 10 best players , that NW had better players from about 11th best player onwards

Another way of looking at the depth factor
I counted 15 NW players who would make STs team
I counted 9 ST players who would make NWs team

I still thought ST would win because Jumbo Baggy and Flash would win it for them
But on the day I had thought stop or contain those champs and NW could win

ST 14--26
NW 16-15

My opinion would have been so so wrong had ST taken kicked straight
ST should have been up by 8-10 goals at 3/4 time
I might get gagged for this, but I think the wrong team won this game

[FOURTH ESTATE]

I lived in Para Vista and went to Para Vista High School. Played in the same school team as Bruce Lindsay & Trevor Clisby.

Bruce played for West Torrens & Trevor for North Adelaide. Within a 5-10 minute drive of our house in four different directions were the boundaries for
North Adelaide, West Torrens, Port Adelaide & Central District. Every couple of years I was zoned to a different club and wanted to play for none of them.

When did it change to Valley View HS?

I think it changed in the 1990's

A bit of re-structuring by the Education Dept.

There were 3 high schools in the area, Strathmont, Ingle Farm & Para Vista. There was also an abundance of Primary Schools in the area
Ingle Farm
Ingle Farm Central
Ingle Farm East
North Ingle
Para Vista
Modbury West

Ingle Farm was the original primary school opened in the mid 60's then Ingle Farm East & Central in 1970. Spent 1969 at Ingle Farm then was one of the original students at Ingle Farm East in 1970. The 1976 Grade 7 class was the first group to go all the way thru the school of which I was a member of.

Ingle Farm
Ingle Farm Central
Strathmont

Became housing estates

Para Vista was the first high school in the area and opened in 1973. Following the closure of the primary schools and the declining student numbers in the area. Ingle Farm High was renamed the new Ingle Farm Primary and Adult Education. Part of the deal was that a lot of the Equipment was transferred to Para Vista High but on the condition that the name was changed. The school is not even in Valley View which is a joke. A lot of us old timers don't like the name. Football matches against Ingle Farm high were the highlight of the year. Not much football was actually played and very low scores. We only played each other once a year and most of the time was taken up settling old scores from primary school. Fun times

[FOURTH ESTATE]

1978 Grand Final was the first time the SANFL Grand Final was shown live on TV. It was still touch and go on the day if the game would be shown.

Following the success of the VFL Grand Final replay the previous year being shown live and it did not detract the crowd numbers at the game it was considered as a possible option in the SANFL. Pressure was also mounting as more people who couldn't go to the Grand Final wanted to watch it live.

The ratings for the game went thru the roof especially in the last quarter with Norwood storming home.

All was going well with the telecast until Michael Taylor as Captain of Norwood in his acceptance speech when receiving the TS Hill Trophy and lifting it above his head dropped a swear word. He said at the time

" About Bloody Time"

This sent the Channel 7 switchboard into melt down with people complaining about swearing on tv during prime Saturday afternoon viewing and with children watching.

Remember this is 1978. You could have naked women walking around on TV late at night ( Number 96 & The Box) but swearing was still taboo on TV

At the time players from both sides did not know that the game was being shown live as it was a last minute decision to show the game literally 5-10 minutes before the game started.

Michael Taylor at the time didn't realize he had said it due the emotion of the game.

Over the years the F Bomb or other words have been dropped due to the emotion of the game at GF Presentations.

[mal]

There was another BIG3 of the times
Bay Disco
Peckers Club
Sams

They were nightclubs aligned to the football clubs
Bay Disco[GL] Wednesdays + Sundays
Peckers Club[WDV] Thursdays
Sams [NW]Saturdays

Did any other SANFL football clubs have a nightclub/disco set up ?
Was there a connection with the Reepham Hotel and NA ?

Thanks posters for the BIG4 explanations

It all comes back to me now
NA did run a Roosters Disco at the Reepham Hotel
I can recall going a few times on Sunday nights in the early 80s
There used to be a few NA players that rolled up , and I think the players might have even been responsible for running the disco

Doc has confirmed that SA had the Panthers disco

So there was at least BIG5 for nightclubs

If I had to pick the best one, the Bay Disco gets my vote

[RB]

Over the years the F Bomb or other words have been dropped due to the emotion of the game at GF Presentations.

Craig 'Toilet Mouth' Parry in 2011 springs to mind.

[Magellan]

Over the years the F Bomb or other words have been dropped due to the emotion of the game at GF Presentations.

Craig 'Toilet Mouth' Parry in 2011 springs to mind.

Kim Klomp in 1991.

Russell Ebert also dropped the same magic word as Taylor into his post GF speech ('“It's taken us a bloody long time, but by geez it's worth it!”) the year before, but I guess luckily for him and for general public standards of decency it wasn't broadcast live on the telly.

[FOURTH ESTATE]

The SANFL certainly knew where the money was crowd wise during the 70's & 80's.
1974,75,76,78,80 & 82 the final 4 teams in those years were the Big Four

During the 10 year period 1973 - 82 the sides clashed as per below

PA vs NWD 28 times
PA vs GL 27 times
GL vs NWD 26 times
GL vs ST 26 times
ST vs NWD 23 times
ST vs PA 23 times

Considering that Sturt and Port were such great rivals in the Mid - late 60's surprising that they only met 23 times during that period

Port, Glenelg & Norwood would have been the big winners on the gates for home games but all 3 sides clashed that much at FP not sure if they got alot out of the gate.

All four clubs had to give up home games for these clashes sometimes meeting at football park twice a season in the minor round.

Not my favorite ground give me Adelaide Oval any day.