The SANFL's most infamous incident?

[FlyingHigh]

Clarification: in 85 Vic beat SA, but played four interchange players, instead of three, so the match was awarded to SA.

Fair to say that someone screwed up there.

From memory there was plenty of talk before the game about the interchange and the rules always were three interchange but the Vics in their arrogance still played four.

[Dogwatcher]

I think it was a Teddy Whitten muck up.

[FlyingHigh]

Could have been Teddy, but it was deliberate, not a mistake

[spell_check]

Most people who post in this section of the forum about reminiscing moments and matches will go for instances from the 70s and 80s...it's understandable; it's pre Crows, and there are not as many online who can clearly remember sensations from the 60s back

But these certainly would be up there if they did happen anywhere from the 60s to even now:

What about when Port forfeited the 1902 Semi versus South because of who was set down to umpire the match. Imagine the furore now if that occured!
West Torrens Reserves could have won 5 consecutive flags from 1915 to 1922 had they not forfeited the 1921 Semi FInal to Port in protest of being stripped of the 2nd last round points. This was due to Garnet Curnow being ruled an ineligible player for the match against West in Round 16.
The umpire bouncing the ball before South got onto the field after half time against Norwood, who promptly scored a goal; sometime in the late 20s-early 30s
Despite a large public protest, the 1932 Magarey Medalist, Max Pontifex missed out on the 1933 Premiership side after being suspended.
What about Ken Aplin being suspended from umpiring for a year due a comment made to Alan Reval in 1943 during a match
Then when Reval was writing for the Advertiser, and in 1954 said Stan Wickham was too slow and needed a bike to keep with the play...Wickham then rode a bike out onto the oval in the next match. And was suspended by the SANFL for two matches.

I know some of you will know what I'm talking about, but in about 1968 a couple of officials (Glenelg/North?) fought over a football that was thrown into play after the ball in use was lost?

[JK]

I think it was a Teddy Whitten muck up.

I always thought it was Sheedy being pig-headed about where he wanted to see football get to (he was often outspoken about the game, and changes etc from memory). Might have been he was just the mouthpiece though, Im not sure.

[JK]

Russo's justification on that was apparently that the SA players werent aware (or didnt adjust adequately) that one of the rules was being interpreted as per VFL rule-book, and not how the SANFL interpreted the particular rule (I know someone who saw Russo at Port Lincoln races a few years ago, when the issue was brought up with him).

From memory, from what the person who spoke to Russo a couple of years ago, said, the VFL, at that time, didnt have a "prior opportunity" rule.

Russo's questionable adjudicating went further than just HTB decisions though.

That said, not all of his calls were wrong, but you know what parochial crowds are like - Once you cop a couple (perceived) bad ones, the crowd disagrees with all of the others.

Felt like late in the game both Russo and the SA Ump (Rick Kinnear I think?) were the 22nd man for each side at times lol. I see Rick every now and then, I might hit him up for his recollection next time I see him.

[Booney]

Roger Luders and Stephen Riley.

Hadn't thought about this one for a while until I saw a lad I know comment on Luders' sons Facebook, just saw the name and it took me back to the incident and the fall out that ensued.

[Spargo]

Roger Luders and Stephen Riley.

Hadn't thought about this one for a while until I saw a lad I know comment on Luders' sons Facebook, just saw the name and it took me back to the incident and the fall out that ensued.

North ended up beating West in the Prelim by 11 points some 8 weeks after the incident. Luders would've likely been the difference that day if he'd played & West would've gone on to the GF.

[JK]

Russo's justification on that was apparently that the SA players werent aware (or didnt adjust adequately) that one of the rules was being interpreted as per VFL rule-book, and not how the SANFL interpreted the particular rule (I know someone who saw Russo at Port Lincoln races a few years ago, when the issue was brought up with him).

From memory, from what the person who spoke to Russo a couple of years ago, said, the VFL, at that time, didnt have a "prior opportunity" rule.

Russo's questionable adjudicating went further than just HTB decisions though.

That said, not all of his calls were wrong, but you know what parochial crowds are like - Once you cop a couple (perceived) bad ones, the crowd disagrees with all of the others.

Felt like late in the game both Russo and the SA Ump (Rick Kinnear I think?) were the 22nd man for each side at times lol. I see Rick every now and then, I might hit him up for his recollection next time I see him.

Caught up with Rick Kinnear last night, and we had a quick (but funny) chat about it. Rick had a fair smirk on his face as soon as I mentioned the name John Russo. He said our intel, was that Russo was a "different" sort of bloke, and Kinnear was under instruction not to miss any free's our way, because as his superior (Peter Mead back then I think) put it at the time, "He sure as hell won't miss any of their free's"

[GWW]

Yeah, wasnt trying to defend Russo, just mentioning what Id heard was his justification

[JK]

Yeah, wasnt trying to defend Russo, just mentioning what Id heard was his justification

Yeah all good mate, I didn't take it that way

[Magellan]

Roger Luders and Stephen Riley.

Hadn't thought about this one for a while until I saw a lad I know comment on Luders' sons Facebook, just saw the name and it took me back to the incident and the fall out that ensued.

North ended up beating West in the Prelim by 11 points some 8 weeks after the incident. Luders would've likely been the difference that day if he'd played & West would've gone on to the GF.

By the same token, Grenville Dietrich didn't play in the prelim final either.

[blueandwhite]

A dubious free kick to Peter Mead in the 1965 Prelim final. v South.
Kicked for goal from 55 m after the final siren- ball shepherded through by the port cheer squad who had invaded the ground- Port the winners by 1 pt went on to beat Sturt in the Grand final

[robranisgod]

Roger Luders and Stephen Riley.

Hadn't thought about this one for a while until I saw a lad I know comment on Luders' sons Facebook, just saw the name and it took me back to the incident and the fall out that ensued.

North ended up beating West in the Prelim by 11 points some 8 weeks after the incident. Luders would've likely been the difference that day if he'd played & West would've gone on to the GF.

By the same token, Grenville Dietrich didn't play in the prelim final either.

And West kicked 4 goals in time on. Junk time goals they are called these days. North led by 35 points late in the last quarter. They were never going to lose that game.

[stampy]

and we all know what happened the following week

[robranisgod]

A dubious free kick to Peter Mead in the 1965 Prelim final. v South.
Kicked for goal from 55 m after the final siren- ball shepherded through by the port cheer squad who had invaded the ground- Port the winners by 1 pt went on to beat Sturt in the Grand final

Most of what you write is true other than the distance from goal. He kicked a mongrel punt from 40 metres at the most but certainly the Port cheer squad helped get in the way.

30 seconds early Brian Roberts had the chance to seal the game but didn't make the distance from about 30 metres out, Port cleared and the ball ended up with Peter Mead who bounced as he was tackled. These days it would be holding the ball.

[Look Good In Leather]

Not a well known one but the post match punch on between some North players and Central players on the way to the changing rooms after a match at Prospect in 1973. It was the catalyst for away teams using the Prospect Cricket Club rooms in future.

How about the pre-match punch on between Central and Norwood when the two teams managed to cross paths during the warmup? 1980s IIRC.

Round 17 1988, at the Parade. Didn't they both go to warm-up at the same end? Not sure who started it/broke protocol, maybe Centrals as they were playing away. I seem to recall it being something Kerls was responsible for?

[Magellan]

Not a well known one but the post match punch on between some North players and Central players on the way to the changing rooms after a match at Prospect in 1973. It was the catalyst for away teams using the Prospect Cricket Club rooms in future.

How about the pre-match punch on between Central and Norwood when the two teams managed to cross paths during the warmup? 1980s IIRC.

Round 17 1988, at the Parade. Didn't they both go to warm-up at the same end? Not sure who started it/broke protocol, maybe Centrals as they were playing away. I seem to recall it being something Kerls was responsible for?

Great footage LGIL. I reckon I saw Tim McNeil trying to get a piggyback on Richard Lounder (I think) during the pre-match brawl!

[JK]

LOL How big was Lounder?!?! Reckon he could have taken all of the Norwood players at the same time, the bloke was mammoth!!

[Dogwatcher]

Number 1 draft pick based on height.