Australian Football

In 1901, 18-year-old North Adelaide centreman Phil Sandland won the Magarey Medal after his only full season of senior football. Allegedly, when told of his win, he was unsure of exactly how to react in that he “had never heard of the Magarey Medal”. Sandland’s memorable season comprised 14 SAFA games for North, plus both of South Australia’s interstate matches for the year against the VFL. 

In 1902 he departed for Western Australia, where he ‘went bush’, although on a brief return visit to Adelaide later in the year he was rushed into North Adelaide’s team for its premiership-deciding match against South Adelaide. Sandland promptly proved that he still had what it took with a fine display in North’s crushing 9.14 (68) to 4.7 (31) win.

Thereafter, apart from one senior game followed by an appearance in ‘Dinny’ Reedman’s testimonial match the following year, Phil Sandland never played senior football again. After the Reedman testimonial he returned to Western Australia where he lived until his death in 1970. Phil Sandland remains the youngest ever winner of what, for most of the 20th century, was South Australian football’s most prestigious individual award.

Author - John Devaney