SA Footy

When the SANFL was an 8 team league, why didn't they play a 21 game minor round like the WAFL did when they had an 8 team league?

Mr66 wrote:When the SANFL was an 8 team league, why didn't they play a 21 game minor round like the WAFL did when they had an 8 team league?

Were the WAFL playing 21 games in 1963? I would be surprised. The VFL were only playing 18 at that stage and I think that it was only in 1963 that the SANFL went to 20 games. Remember footy only started on Anzac Day in those days.

robranisgod wrote:

Mr66 wrote:When the SANFL was an 8 team league, why didn't they play a 21 game minor round like the WAFL did when they had an 8 team league?

Were the WAFL playing 21 games in 1963? I would be surprised. The VFL were only playing 18 at that stage and I think that it was only in 1963 that the SANFL went to 20 games. Remember footy only started on Anzac Day in those days.

I couldn't be bothered going all the way back, but in 1926 they went from a 6 to a 7 team competition and it appears they started playing 21 rounds from then, three matches and a bye each round. There were a handful of seasons since then they had 19 or 20 rounds, but ostensibly 21 rounds were the go for the WAFL for many years prior to 1964. As to the SANFL's rationale as to the number of rounds, I have no idea.

One thing that I did notice about 1926 is that they started in late April, but played the Grand Final 0n 9th October, so their season obviously went much later than the SA one.

They had 21 game season in 1934, 1951, 1953 and from 1957 till 1996 when they admitted Woodvil....err I mean Peel