SA Footy

Over the course of the weekend just gone I watched the entire VFL Grand Final Marathon with matches from every decade from the 1950's onwards. one interesting thing stood out a mile in line with Kevin Sheedy's comments in the media recently that he prefers the SANFL's 25m penalty system over the VFL/AFL's 50m penalty.

During the 1964,1966, 1970 & 1973 Grand Finals various 15 m penalties were paid during the course of the match. Was the 15m standard measure in both the VFL and SANFL or have they always been different? When did they make the individual changes to their current position of 50m and 25m?

It was 15 yards/metres in both the VFL and SANFL until about 1988 I think. Then it was 50 metre penalties in both Leagues. I can't remember when the 25 metre rule was adopted in the SANFL, but I think it was around 1996 or thereabouts.

cheers spelly, rather recent development then.

Also I note the year they had the Centre Diamond 1973???? was bloody confusing to watch on TV. Maybe because I'm so used to watching it with a square.

heater31 wrote:cheers spelly, rather recent development then.

Also I note the year they had the Centre Diamond 1973???? was bloody confusing to watch on TV. Maybe because I'm so used to watching it with a square.

Yeah, it was also there in 1974. There is a thread about that in here:

viewtopic.php?f=17&t=16256

spell_check wrote:It was 15 yards/metres in both the VFL and SANFL until about 1988 I think. Then it was 50 metre penalties in both Leagues. I can't remember when the 25 metre rule was adopted in the SANFL, but I think it was around 1996 or thereabouts.

I reckon 50m came in to the VFL before the SANFL. I remember in the 1989 state game a commentator calling a 50 m penalty, then being corrected by one of the other commentators "it's only 15 today".

I could be quite wrong, but I reckon the 25 metre penalty came in around the same time as we went over to 3 central umpires - which was mid-season, about when South had there first ever home game at Noarlunga? I know I have some notes about this stashed away, I'll have to dig them up.

I always thought the 25m penalty was a step in the right direction. The 50m penalty was too heavy and the umps were reluctant to pay it as often as the 15m. I reckon having 25 and 50 m penalties provides a good balance.

I at least know in 1991 it was 50 metres in the SANFL - the Grand Final had plenty of them!

You are thinking of 1995, Pseudo.

spell_check wrote:I at least know in 1991 it was 50 metres in the SANFL - the Grand Final had plenty of them!

You are thinking of 1995, Pseudo.

Make that 1990, there were 50 metre penalties then.