The SAFL and the Great War
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The 1915 South Australian Football League season was highly eventful and historically significant. It took place under the influence of the developments of World War I, which had a strong impact on every aspect of the game. The season commenced with the war in Europe bogged down and preparations for the ultimately failed Dardanelles campaign underway. There was no suggestion in any of the League or clubs preseason meetings that the football season would not be played.
It was the final South Australian Football League season until the end of the war. It did not recommence until 1919.
Before the season, many South Australians hoped for a final victory of the Allies over Germany, which would result in a much better future, but as the year went by, it became very clear that this would not eventuate. Football at a time of war, was a vigorous topic of discussion. Some people had the view that there should have been no football, because it diverted attention from the more serious state of the war. In South Australia, young men strongly responded to the call to join the fight and by the commencement of the year 4,812 men had enlisted, and over the course of 1915 a further 13 597 enlisted.
The 1915 football season continued in South Australia, in spite of resentment and opposition from some sections of the community. One view, published in the newspapers, was that a yelling crowd of barrackers at a football match, disturbed the many people, whose homes had a vacant chair in consequence of the war. There was a suggestion, early in the year that no games would be played, but in view of the proposal that business should proceed as normal, the league decided to conduct its customary program.
The opposition to football, was balanced by the view that there could not be real objection to the winter pastime. It kept men in good physical condition and rendered service to the nation by providing them with a diversion. The military authorities encouraged football. Players who went into camp were granted leave on Saturdays to play for their respective teams. It was proposed that if people spent too much time with their grief, the determination required to win the war would be weakened. It was considered the duty of those who stayed at home, to swallow their sorrow and carry on, with as cheerful and courageous spirit as possible. There was also a view that it was unwise to depart from all the pre war customs, occupations and pastimes.
All the league clubs, lost men who enlisted in service to the Empire. The football field proved to be an excellent recruiting ground, with the men among the first to respond to the call of Empire. It was considered worth reporting at the time, that the need clubs had for their services deterred few, if any, from enlisting and the clubs were proud to see them donning the King's uniform.
As the season progressed the matches were played against a backdrop of the horror and tragedy of the casualties suffered at Anzac Cove and the worsening news about the progress of the war in Europe. The call for enlistments increased and the circumstances in Adelaide responded to military requirements, which included taking over the Adelaide and Jubilee Ovals to establish military camps.
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Football remained in the public’s activities and thoughts, but in a significantly diminished manner, as attendances dropped away. During the 1915 season the financial situation, on account of the war, went from bad to worse. The war had a sobering influence on the crowds and the barracking was noticeably subdued, even though the football was interesting and at times marked by brilliance..
The 10th Battalion was formed in South Australia and among the first infantry units raised, as part of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) during the First World War. It had been formed within weeks of the declaration of war in August 1914 and embarked for overseas duty in October. The 10th Infantry battalion was one of only three battalions that made up the covering force for the ANZAC landing on 25 April 1915 and was the first ashore at around 4:30 am.
All league clubs had a number of players enlisted in the armed forces. In the annual report of the South Australian Football League, presented at its meeting in early March, it was stated that, in addition to the league contributing to the Patriotic Fund, many of the most prominent players and umpires in Adelaide had volunteered for service at the front and had left with one or other of the contingents from Australia. The league communicated its pride in those men and confidence that they would do credit to the State. It was added in the meeting, by the secretary, Mr. Frank Marlow that at least 200 members of the league clubs had volunteered for active service.
At the commencement of the season the club enlistments were reported as:
North Adelaide: Dr. FN Le Messurier.
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Norwood: G. D. Beames, Lieutenant L. A. Lewis, C. Moore, B. J. Nash, P. Robin (right) and T. V. Storey. The first South Australian League footballer to be killed in the war was Norwood’s star wingman Phil Robin. He died fighting on the battlefield at Gallipoli. It is believed that Lance Corporal Philip Robin, along with Private Arthur Blackburn penetrated further inland than any other Australians on the day of the landing.
Port Adelaide: J. C. Watson
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South Adelaide: G. Coley. J. Hansen (left), G. Irwin, E. Kitson, E. Whiting, Trainer J. Argall. The first local player to be decorated was J.H. Jackson, who had previously represented both North Adelaide and South Adelaide. He won the Distinguished Conduct Medal.
Sturt: J. F. Bannigan, P. Baulderstone, C. V. Wickens. Former Sturt player Frank James who had played 40 games from 1901-04 died from his wounds on May 7.
West Torrens: S. Dedman, R. Hood, T. McKenzie
All the B grade league clubs, as well as many others in the metropolitan area and the country districts, had representatives in the Australian contingents.
During the minor round, the opinion of the great majority of followers of the competition was that Port Adelaide was a certainty for its third consecutive championship. Since 1910 they had been premiers or runners up. They were first that year, second in the next two, and top again for the previous two seasons.
The football was of a high standard and the competition strenuous. In normal times, it was thought that the high standard football would have attracted record attendances. The matches were clean and fast. It was reported that the football was better than had been displayed for many years. As the season progressed, the matches steadily improved and the results were of greater interest. This was especially the case, in comparison with 1914, when it was a foregone conclusion, from almost the first match that Port Adelaide would be premiers. The only question was, whether Port would go through the entire season without defeat. In the 1915 season, several clubs improved sufficiently to challenge the seasiders, who remained the premiership favourite.
During the season, the league arranged and conducted a patriotic football carnival, with the proceeds handed to the Wounded Soldiers' Fund. The league and the clubs provided the money out of their funds to meet the expenses of the match. The carnival was well attended.
There was some controversy about the instigation of the Victorian Football League (VFL) to abandon interstate matches for the season. Before the season commenced, the VFL wrote to the South Australian Football League (SAFL) and stated that it did not think it was advisable to hold interstate matches during the continuance of the war and suggested that the matter be held in abeyance until June. In response, Mr. Woods moved a motion at a league meeting, to the effect that the VFL be written to, to advise that the SAFL was of the opinion that there was no good reason for the games not to be played as usual. This was agreed to by the meeting. This lead to a serious dispute, as the VFL declined to carry out any further correspondence, until the SAFL had apologised for its letter. The matter remained unresolved, as the SAFL referred the matter to the Australian Football Council (AFC). On account of the absence of communication between the VFL and SAFL, no game for the championship of Australia was arranged. Port Adelaide had defeated Carlton the year before.
The newspaper criticised the standard of umpiring during the season and it was suggested that when peace was restored the League should pay more for umpires and expect a higher standard. It was considered very unfortunate that the league had not even one official comparable with the leading umpires of previous years.
The establishment of a military camp at the Adelaide Oval, further interfered with the success of the season. The pavilions were not available when they were urgently required to accommodate spectators during finals. It was reported that many people refused to attend a football match which was held on an oval used as a military camp, in honour of the soldiers.
In the finals Port Adelaide was surprisingly defeated By West Adelaide. Sturt defeated South Adelaide and then West Adelaide in the final. Port Adelaide as the minor premier, had the right of challenge. Sturt achieved its first premiership, with victory over Port Adelaide in the Challenge Final. Sturt was confident of winning the final, but the Portonians had been, as strong, if not stronger than them and superior in most of the other facets of the game throughout the season. In a wonderful contest, Sturt proved invincible and eclipsed Port in general play. Its defence was solid and its attack was strong enough to obtain sufficient points to win. Sturt played brilliantly, while Port strove hard to avert defeat, but was up against a better side and lost the championship. It was a great disappointment for Port, because it had been the most consistent team in the league.
Sturt was successful in winning its first premiership in its 15th season. Sturt thoroughly deserved its success, because of its persistence and improvement throughout the season. No other team displayed as much determination to win through against all odds. Sturt was considered no hope for the premiership at the beginning of the finals, as it just scraped into fourth place with six wins and six losses. The double blues had lost to Port Adelaide and South Adelaide twice, West Adelaide and West Torrens and dropped from third in 1914 to fourth. Sturt had only once previously played in the final, when they were runners up in 1910. They had been fourth five times, fifth three times and last five times. Its performance in the Challenge Final to defeat the reigning premier Port Adelaide was achieved with a wonderful performance.
Port Adelaide possessed a very strong combination that was the prefinals favourite for the premiership as it finished the minor round in top place, but its finals record was dismal, as it lost to West Adelaide and then to Sturt in the Challenge Final, for an extremely disappointing conclusion to such a dominant season. Port Adelaide set a club record with seven consecutive grand finals.
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South Adelaide emerged from its previous season’s dismal achievements, when it finished sixth and had its most successful season since 1904 with third place. It was considered the most serious rival to Port Adelaide for the premiership during the minor round, until it lost its semi final match against Sturt to end its season. Their captain J. J. Tredrea (right), the doyen of active footballers, suffered from a strained heart in this match and both team were discouraged by the knowledge of his ailment. It was a regrettable finish, but did not dim the lustre of the great achievements of South.
West Adelaide with six wins and six losses tied with Sturt on victories, but gained precedence by better average in points kicked and lost and finished the minor round in third place. They were fifth in 1914. They lost to South Adelaide twice, North Adelaide, Port Adelaide, Sturt and West Torrens.
West Torrens with five wins and seven losses, fell from fourth to fifth. It was beaten by South Adelaide twice, North Adelaide, West Adelaide, Port Adelaide, Norwood and Sturt. Torrens made a bid for a place in the finals, but their run was too late. They finished the season by defeating Port Adelaide. The blue and golds were recognised as a team having fine individual merit, but as in previous seasons lacking combination. It did not fulfil optimistic expectations after it made a brilliant finish to the previous season when it had a stiff uphill fight all the way.
North Adelaide disappointed from its expectations of the season that it was always a dangerous side that rivals would find troublesome. It achieved four victories, eight defeats for a disappointing result and dropped from second in 1913 and 1914 to sixth. It won in matches against West Adelaide, West Torrens, South Adelaide and Norwood.
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For the third year in a row Norwood finished the season at the bottom of the premiership list. It had been hoped by their supporters that they would be able to show some of the brilliance of Norwood of bygone days, but that hope was not realised. They won only three of their 12 games, against North Adelaide, West Torrens and South Adelaide.
No appreciable records were established in the season. Port again kicked the most points. In 1914 they scored a record 1 250, against their opponents 539 and North were second with 777 for, to 893 against. This time the Portonians obtained 865 for and 512 against and Sturt recorded 789 for and 706 against.
In goalshooting accuracy, surprisingly, the bottom club, Norwood, lead with 43.6 per cent, Sturt with 43.3% was second, and Port with 41.7% was third, followed by South 40%, West 37.1%, Torrens 36.3% and North 35.5%.
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The allocation of the Magarey medal, for the fairest and most brilliant player, was decided by the central umpires. After each match the umpire in charge, made his choice and placed his selection in a sealed envelope. At the end of the season the envelopes were opened and the player with the most votes won. A number of men shone during the season, with Frank Barry (above left) from South Adelaide, the winner after a tied vote with Shine Hosking (right) from Port Adelaide and Charles Perry from Norwood.
Fitzgerald, of West Adelaide, with 31 goals, out of 84 by his side, was the highest goalkicker for the season, with Angelo Congear of Port Adelaide, with 21 goals out of 117 second, and Foale from North Adelaide, with 19 goals from 75.
Overshadowing the events in Adelaide on the football field was the disastrous eight month campaign at Gallipoli, which began with a dawn landing on April 25. During the Gallipoli battles, nearly nine thousand men were killed and twenty thousand injured.
Enlistments by football players from all the clubs continued during the season and clubs continued with ongoing absences caused by players leaving for the game for military service.
Footnotes
Trevor Gyss's book 1915: South Australian Football and World War I is available on the Lulu website here. It provides the main events of the season, a description of every match, every club, every player and sets it against the events of the war that saw footballers killed, wounded and in the service of their country and empire.
Comments
Julien Peter Benney 16 May 2020
One notable and possibly critical facet of Port’s record 1914 season is that it occurred in a year as dry as recent winters controlled by man-made global warming (regarding which nobody can be permitted to forget that Australia is alongside the Gulf Cooperation Council states the globe’s worst offender). The end of Port’s long unbeaten run – which extended even to tougher competition like VFL premiers Carlton and a combined team from the rest of the SAFL – coincided with the break-up of what was until 1976 a quite unprecedented winter drought all across southern Australia. Since 1998, however, climatic conditions à la 1914 have become normal.
This climate change, alongside the replacement of Waverly by Docklands, was a prerequisite for Essendon’s record 2000 season. Back in 1991, West Coast until Round 10 were more dominant than Essendon in 2000. Then the weather abruptly broke up and the Eagles’ great advantage in pace could not demolish opposition attacks as it did up to Round 9, when the speedy Eagle defence had conceded 36 points fewer per game than the next-best defence (Essendon) and 58 points fewer per game than the average of the other 14 defences. In 2000, Essendon were not exposed to such different conditions, not had Port Adelaide been in 1914 and early 1915. However, back in 1913 Port had lost to WAFL premiers Subiaco in very wet conditions in Perth.
Did SAFL observers in 1915 note that Port had never had to cope with wet conditions in 1914 and had most recently failed when they had last to cope with them?
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