1912 – 1930

SUMMARY OF PLAYING YEARS 1912-1930

The Port Augusta Football  Association was formed in 1901 after the meeting of interested persons formed the following committee to administer the sport on an organised basis in Port Augusta.

 

President:             T Hewitson Special magistrate
Vice presidents :  JT Keats, Esq, Special magistrate.
                            Reverend C. E. Doudney
                            Doctors Cheney and Riddell

Messrs Jas. Beaton, W Britten, CM Hakendorf, W Mullen, J Newton, l Harrison, A Austin.
Secretary:   GJ Humphries.
General committee:  Messrs F Hogan, T Muir, Alex Mealy.

It was decided to establish 2 teams, Albions and Excelsiors, to which the following available players were
allocated:

Excelsiors
Andrew Mealy, F Hogan, A Corbett, C Humphries, D Taylor, F Taylor, W Moran, P
Morgan, A Harrison, W Harrison, M Ross, A Shand, F Hewitson, W Randall, C
Walters, F Altman, A Brown, N Keats, K Beaton, F Mawby.

Albions
J Williamson, E Withers, F Withers, A Spender, J Thompson, D Dempsey, Alex
Mealey, A McDowall, W Elliott, G Surman, F Luke, H Hamilton, A Gosden, FD
Mahoney, J Woolmann, H Robertson, J Howell, R Duck, C Smith.

The first competitive match was stage in the Central parklands, near the site of the present Central Oval on 19/5/1901 with Albions defeating Excelsiors 1 goal 4 points to 2 points.

The Port Augusta dispatch of 25/5/1901 described the match as very fast and exceedingly well attended but offered no further comment and did not nominate any best players or indicate which Albion player scored the first historic goal.

Although this match represented the first attempt at organised football in Port Augusta the two club competition was abandoned after only a few games and a combined team, styled the Port Augusta Football club then completed the 1901 season with a series of matches against neighbouring towns.

For the next 11 years from 1901 to 1911 no attempt was made to introduce local football and the Port Augusta Football club continued over this period to engage in intertown fixtures mainly against Quorn, Port Pirie and Wilmington.

However the Port Augusta Football Association decided in 1912 to introduce a local three club competition with South, Central and North being the teams chosen to start the competition.

The 1912 officials who took the far sighted decision to revert to a local competition were:

Patron:   WG
Pryor
President:  T Hewitson ( Mayor of Port Augusta)
Secretary:  T Brenan
Committee:  Messrs J Fullerton,
HB Trembath, J Scharenberg, A Withers.

Although the composition of the Association has varied over the years organised club football has continued uninterrupted ever since in Port Augusta with the exception of 1916 and 1935.

North, one of the original clubs, was disbanded at the conclusion of the 1915 season while West and Flinders commenced as member clubs of the Association during the same year.  Centrals, winners of the first premiership, withdrew from the competition about the same time and were not to re appear until 1937.

During later years, Quorn and Wilmington were admitted to the competition and the Association was restyled for a time as the “Great Northern Football League” before subsequently reverting to its present designation.

The Spencer Gulf League was formed in 1961, comprising of teams from Port Augusta, Whyalla and Port Pirie.  Whyalla left the SGL in 1965 leaving 8 teams from Port Augusta and Port Pirie.  The League reverted to 7 teams in 1992 when Props and Risdon amalgamated to form Lions In 2007 the League reverted to 6 teams when Willsden disbanded.

 

South Augusta History
1912- 2012

 1912

Position 3rd

• Captain Coach : l Johnston
• 1912 was the first year in the clubs history and South Augusta played his first game ever against Central
  Augusta on the 24^th may 1912 and lost that match 3.11 to 3.9.
• South played 8 games for the season and won 3 of these games with the 3 teams in the competition being South, Central Augusta and North. South’s colours were blue and white.
• South lost in the Semi final to Norths 11.9 to 4.8 with the best players being a Spicer, McDonald and Howell and Central win
  the premiership that year 6.4 to North 3.11
• Players who represented Port Augusta that year were Ralph Cilento, John Fullerton, A Withers and A Spicer.
• The Transcontinental paper commented that the innovation of Football had proved its worth and next season should see in
  consequence an improved standard of play in Port Augusta. The Secretary of the Association ( TR Brenan) who was also a South player had worked very
  hard for the Association and it would be gratifying to him to see that all 3 clubs were established in the town. 
  

 

1913

Position 2nd

• Captain Coach: l Johnston
• South loses in Grand Final to Norths 11.2 to 2.5.
• Souths had only 16 players for the final when 5 of the
  best players had to leave town for work with the best players in the final
  John Fullerton and A Spicer.
• The local paper stated that it did not speak well for
  club loyalty when they could only muster 16 players for the final.
  Goalkickers for Souths were Spicer and McDonald.
• During the year there was a controversy during the
  year when Central were left with 10 players during one game. The umpire
  did not allow a team to field players without uniforms and a result was
  the Association met and decided to strictly enforce dress code for
  uniforms in the future.

 

1914

Position 2nd

• Captain Coach: l Johnston
• South lose to Central in the Grand Final 5.10 to 3.4
  with the goalkickers being McBeath, Barrett and Whitbread. The President
  of the Association was Mr. T Hewitson
• Souths J Fullerton is also Assistant secretary of the Association
  and Badams was on the Management Committee of the League.
• Local papers stated that games were often played in
  dusty conditions, on dirt ovals and players did not stay in positions
  resulting in scrappy games.
• Generally crowds were around 100-200 for minor round
  games.

 

1915

Position 3rd

• Souths Club delegates are Gogler and Dave Barry.
• There are 5 team’s in the competition this year after West
  and Quorn join the competition. South have a good year and finish 2^nd
  after the end of the minor round, however they lose in the Semi final and
  do not  make the Grand Final.  
• l Johnson from Souths finishes second in the Association
  trophy for the best player in the competition, known as the Enterprise Picture
  medal.
• The chairman of the Port Augusta Football Association
  is Mr. Roger Sullivan.  In the Grand
  Final North 3.8 defeated West 3.5.
• Games are played on the Port Augusta oval and many
  players start to go to World War 1 and as a consequence many teams find it
  hard to field a full list.

 

1916

• There was no competition this year due to the war but
  a few games were organised between those not involved in the First World
  War.

 

1917

Position 3rd

• South President: F Johnstone, South Secretary M Durick
• The President of the Association is Dave Barry
• South recruit champion player Charlie Tilling,
  previous winner of the Association Fairest and Best.  There were 3 teams in the competition, Flinders,
  South and West and teams played 9 games for the season before the finals.
• The leading goal kicker for South in 1917 was l Brown.
• South A Grade loses in the first Semi final to Flinders
  4.11 to 4.5. Best players in the match include Rev Anderson, Charlie Tilling,
  McKenzie, A Martlew, J Grantham, Robert and John Fullerton.  South Augusta A Grade joint captains are
  Charlie Tilling and Robert Fullerton
• In the Grand Final Flinders 7.5 defeated West 6.6

 

1918

Position 1^st

• South Augusta wins their first premiership for the club after
  defeating Flinders 4.11 to 3.7
• Umpire of that game was Jack Penglase and best players
  in the Grand final include W Higgs, Holdsworth and Art Martlew, goal
  kickers were J Tuckfield (2), D McKenzie and N Bartsch.
• The President of the club was F Johnson, Captain John Holdsworth,
  Coach H Dalwood and Secretary M Durick.

Position 2^nd

• South lose in Grand final to Flinders 3.7 to 3.4 with
  the best players in the final E Collins, John Holdsworth, W Anderson, Charlie Tilling, M Kirkham, A Bartsch
  and P Callery.  The President of the
  club is F Johnston and the Secretary M Durick. Club delegates were Dave
  Barry and J Osborne.
• The club captain was John Holdsworth and players who
  represented Port Augusta from Souths included John Fullerton, Art Martlew,
  Charlie Tilling, William Badams, C Hocking and W Harvey.
• W Richardson receives the trophy for the best all-round player in
  the club at the Presentation night.

 

1920

Position 3rd

• South President F Johnstone, Club Captain Charlie Tilling
  and Vice Captain R Joyce.
• The Port Augusta Football Association President is Mr.
  Toope.  South loses in Preliminary
  final to Flinders with the scores 2.9 to 2.2.  Best players in that game include
  Charlie Tilling, Joyce, M Kirkham, John Holdsworth, Robert Fullerton and Ted
  Fullerton and Frankel.
• In the Grand final West 6.8 defeat Flinders 4.7.

  

THE 1920’S
The 1920’s saw the club and the competition continue to grow, however, there was no premiership success for the club yet. Although they were not far away with making runner up twice and obtaining third position five times. In 1928 South Augusta finally broke through for their 2nd A Grade Premiership and their first in the SGL. Club champion Charlie Tilling continued to perform on the ground with some outstanding performances. Best players for the era included Charlie Tilling, John Holdsworth, Robert Fullerton and Ted Fullerton. Dave Barry served as Club President for several years and was also involved with the Association ensuring that the competition remained strong.

In 1921 South’s lost the Semi final to Westies after the match had to be replayed under controversial circumstances when South’s protested over a bad decision by a goal umpire. The goal umpire was accused of bribery throughout the match. During the 1923 Presentation night, Vice President of the Association, Joe Beerworth stated that “South’s possessed many good qualities for a team, their manliness on the field and spirit of sportsmanship is exhibited on all occasions whether they win or lose’. As teams became stronger, a B Grade competition was formed and in 1925 South Augusta won the B grade premiership and The Carter Cup was introduced.

Dave Barry served the club as President from 1921 to 1930 and was an integral part of the clubs formation during this period. Perry Tamblyn won the Outstanding Player Of The Year Medal for the Association in 1926, he played in South’s B Grade side. On the social side, the club formed a social committee to organise events. With A Hearne, J Main, O Schammer, W Knuckey and J Bolitho taking change. Their events surely turned heads and often had huge turn outs. In 1928 South’s broke through for a Premiership defeating Westies 4-7 (31) to 3-9 (27). Best players in the Grand final were M Zanker, J McGarry, C Dunne, P Tamblyn, and B Collings. This was the 2nd premiership for the club with the B Grade also winning a premiership against Stirling. Les Riches was the captain who proudly lead the team to this victory.

In 1929 there were 4 teams in the competition with South’s, Westies, Flinders and Quorn all participating. Practice was often held every Tuesday and Thursday night. South’s had a number of coaches during the 1920s with club champion Charlie Tilling coaching for 2 years, Jim Glasson for 2 years and Wally McManus for 2 years which included the 1928 Premiership. B Grade won 3 premierships in a row between 1927- 1929 but West and Flinders dominated the A Grade competition winning 9 premierships between them, Westies 5 and Flinders 4.

1921
Position: 3rd.
• Club Presidents: D Barry and E Holdsworth.
• A Grade Captain and Coach; C Tilling.
• Best and Fairest: C Tilling.
• South’s lost the semi final to West after the match was replayed under controversial circumstances.
• Best players for the year included; C Tilling, M Kirkham and R Joyce.

1922
Position: 2nd.
• Club Presidents: D Barry Snr and E Holdsworth.
• A Grade Captain and Coach: H Clarke.
• Best players were C Tilling, M Kirkham and R Joyce.
• South’s lost the grand final to Flinders 9-9 (63) to 6-6 (36).

1923
Position: 2nd.
• President: D Barry Snr.
• Captain: J Glasson.
• Best and Fairest: W Richardson.
• South’s lost the grand final to Flinders 8-4 (52) to 4-10 (34).

1924
Position: 3rd.
• Club President: D Barry Snr.
• A Grade Captain and Coach: J Glasson.
• South’s lost the semi final to West 10-16 (76) to 5-15 (45).
• South’s players who represent Port Augusta that year in an association team was; A Musgrave, P Tamblyn, J Croft, L Ryan, M Kirkham, A Zanker, C Tilling and F Frankel.

1925
Position: 3rd.
• Club President: D Barry Snr.
• A Grade Captain: D Barry, Vice Captain: W McGarry.
• A Grade Best and Fairest: Jim Croft.
• South’s lost in the semi final to West 4-5 (29) to 1-6 (12).
• South’s won the B grade premiership (The Carter Cup) 4-6 (30) to 3-11 (29).

1926
Position: 3rd.
• Club President: D Barry Snr.
• A grade Captain and Coach: J Croft.
• A Grade Best and Fairest: P Tamblyn. He also won the SGL B&F.
• South’s lost the semi final to Flinders 3-12 (30) to 5-3 (33).

1928.
Position: 1st.
• Club President: D Barry Snr.
• A Grade Captain: W McManus,
• South’s win the grand final against West 4-7 (31) to 3-9 (27).
• South’s win the B grade grand final against Stirling.