Website APFL Sportingpulse | ||
Founded 1909 in Dublin, South Australia Current clubs Angle Vale
Balaklava
Hamley Bridge
Hummocks-Watchman
Mallala
Two Wells
United
Virginia Grounds Ralli Park Showgrounds, Balaklava
Hamley Bridge Sporting Oval, Hamley Bridge
Hummocks-Watchman Eagles Football Club, Port Wakefield
Lochiel Oval, Lochiel
Mallala Football Club, Mallala
Two Wells Football Club, Two Wells
United Football Club, Long Plains
Virginia Recreation Park, Virginia A Grade Premiers Virginia 15.13 (103) defeated Mallala 12.12 (84) Reserves Premiers Virginia 11.12 (78) defeated Mallala 8.6 (54) | ||
The Adelaide Plains Football League (APFL) is an Australian rules football competition based in the Adelaide Plains region immediately north of Adelaide, South Australia. It is an affiliated member of the South Australian National Football League.
Contents
History
Grace Plains was possibly the first club formed in the District in 1904. Football was certainly played in the other towns of Mallala, Dublin and Two Wells at that time with those clubs all officially forming in 1908. When Virginia was formed in 1909, moves were being made to form an association from a group of clubs that had played an unofficial competition in 1908.
A meeting held in Dublin on May 4, 1909 resulted in the formation of the Adelaide Plains Football Association. Delegates were present from Mallala, Virginia, Two Wells, Windsor, Lower Light and Dublin. Officers elected were, patron Mr Coombe, president Mr George Cheney and secretary Mr Andrew Driscoll. At a second meeting the colours were chosen as double blue.
Dublin had a comfortable victory over Two Wells in the first match of the new association 9.14 (68) to 0.2 (2). Dublin had gone to a lot of trouble to ensure their facilities were adequate for their opening match of the season. In the preceding months they had built dressing rooms, a pavilion and had even erected new goal posts.
Wasleys Football Club created a record in 1927 when they became the first Adelaide Plains club to complete a season without losing a match. Hamley Bridge applied to join the association in 1930 but their application was rejected because of the poor condition of the roads over which visiting teams would have to travel to arrive at Hamley Bridge.
During a history of just over 100 years, the Adelaide Plains association has stood tall, outlasting many nearby associations. The Wooroora, Wakefield, North Western, Lower North and Gilbert associations have all fallen by the wayside with their member clubs or their incarnations filtering through to become the Adelaide Plains of today.
(From South Australian Country Football Digest - Peter Lines)
Current Clubs
Premierships
No football was played between 1916 and 1918 due to World War I
No Football was played between 1941 and 1944 due to World War II
Mail Medals
54 Mail Medals were awarded in Adelaide Plains from 1933 to 1940 and 1949 to 1988. There were tied results in 1953, 1963, 1973, 1977 and 1987. The Mail Medal was augmented in 1987 with the Plains Producer Medal, which has been donated by the Balaklava Weekly Newspaper. The Plains Producer Medal has adapted the same voting system. Both medals were given in 1987/88. Two Wells midfielder Cecil Rowe won the first Medal from Dublin’s Alan Webb. This Medal was one of only 16 given throughout the state.