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Australian rules football club From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
West Torrens Football Club was an Australian rules football club that competed in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) from 1895 to 1990. In 1991, the club merged with neighbouring Woodville Football Club to form the Woodville-West Torrens Eagles.
| West Torrens Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|
| ||
| Names | ||
| Full name | West Torrens Football Club | |
| 1990 season | ||
| Leading goalkicker | L. Schache | |
| Best and fairest | Paul Pisani | |
| Club details | ||
| Founded | 1893 (as Port Natives) | |
| Dissolved | 1990 (Merged) | |
| Colours | Blue and Gold | |
| Competition | Adelaide and Suburban Association 1893-94 SANFL 1895-1990 | |
| Ground(s) | Jubilee Oval (1897–1904) Hindmarsh Oval (1905–1921) Thebarton Oval (1922–1989) Football Park (1990) | |
| Uniforms | ||
| ||
With the proposed introduction of representative Districts for clubs in the SAFA the Native Club in 1897 derived its name from Electoral district of West Torrens and based itself in the inner western suburbs of Adelaide, around the reaches of the River Torrens at Thebarton and Hindmarsh.
A precursor club was the West Adelaide Football Club (1878–1887) that was founded in 1878 as the West Torrens and dissolved after just one season in the SAFA after changing its name to West Adelaide and wearing colours of Red, White and Blue in 1887.
The annual general meeting of the Port Natives' Football Club was held at the Port Admiral Hotel on Tuesday evening 25th April 1893. There was a large attendance with Mr. J. Cox presiding. The following officers were elected for the ensuing year: Patron, Mr. R. S.Guthrie, M.L.C.; president, Mr. W. Knapman ; vice-presidents, Messrs. J. Williams, W. Hounslow, Samuels, Gairdner, A. G. Osterstock, and D. Bower ; committee, Messrs. H. Lane, W. Brady, and W. Stark ; association delegates, Messrs. W. Brady, E. McGuiness, and J. Cox; secretary, Mr. J. Carr ; captain, Mr. C. Fry ; vice-captain, Mr. J. Cox. It was decided that the club should join the Adelaide and Suburban Association,[1] and after several new members had been elected the meeting terminated with a vote of thanks to the chairman. [2]
On Friday evening 8 March 1895, a junior club the Port Native Football Club Premiers of the Adelaide and Suburban Association,[3] who intended to enter the Senior Association during the ensuing season under the name of the "Natives," held a meeting at the Port Admiral Hotel. Mr. E. McInnes presided over a good attendance. The Secretary Mr J. Carr reported that at a previous meeting the following colours had been decided upon:— Darkblue guernsey with gold band, dark-blue trousers and hose. The following officers were elected: Patron, Mr. Ralph Potts; Presidents, the Mayor of Adelaide Mr. C. Tucker and the Mayor of Port Adelaide Mr. C. R. Morris: a number of Vice-Presidents; Secretary, Mr. S. W. Smith; Assistant Secretary, Mr. J. Carr; Treasurer, Mr. A. Darton; Delegates to the S.A.F.C., Messrs. E. Mclnnes and F. W. Ward ; Proxy Delegates, Mr. W. H. Carr, the Secretary, and the Treasurer. A general committee was also elected.[4][5][6]
The senior club that was formed originally was known as "The Natives" and competed in the 1895 SAFA season and 1896 SAFA season wearing Blue with a gold Hoop held its initial meetings at the President's Office at Grenfell Street in Adelaide. [7]
With the introduction of Electoral Districts at a meeting of the SAFA on Monday 26th Oct 1896 at Prince Alfred Hotel the Natives delegates informed the SAFA that they intend to rename themselves West Torrens.[8] At the Annual General Meeting held on Friday 19 March 1897 at Lady Daly Hotel, Hindmarsh it was passed unanimously that the Club would alter the name from The Natives Football Club to West Torrens Football Club.[9]
In its history of almost 100 years, West Torrens won only four premierships; conversely, however, they only slumped to the wooden spoon on six occasions, evidence that they were generally quite competitive.
Despite their relative lack of team success, winning only four SANFL Premierships and one Night Premiership in their history (1924, 1933, 1945, 1953 and 1983 (night)), West Torrens boasted some of the best individual players ever to play Australian rules football. Players such as 1946 and 1947 Magarey Medallist, 1953 All-Australian and 1953 premiership captain Bob Hank, triple Magarey Medal winner (1955, 1958 & 1963), 1956 All-Australian and '53 premiership player Lindsay Head and former Australian Test cricketer Neil Hawke were all star players for the club.
The club reached the finals for the last time in 1980 and by 1982 there were calls for West Torrens to merge with another club. In 1990, with the imminent entry of the South Australian-based Adelaide Crows into the national Australian Football League (AFL), it was decided that West Torrens and Woodville would amalgamate. In an apt moment, Woodville and West Torrens were drawn to play each other in their respective final games which was played at the Adelaide Oval. The two sides merged after the completion of the 1990 SANFL season and have since participated in the SANFL as the Woodville-West Torrens Eagles.
* 1983 SANFL Escort Cup Grand Final played at West Torrens home ground Thebarton Oval. The Eagles defeated South Adelaide in the last SANFL Night Grand Final to be played at a suburban ground.
Magarey Medallists
* In 1998 John Karney, along with Charlie Adams (Port Adelaide) and Wat Scott (Norwood) was retrospectively awarded the 1921 Magarey Medal after he was originally in a four way tie with only South Adelaide's 1919 and 1920 Medal winner Dan Moriarty awarded the 1921 Medal.
SANFL leading goalkickers
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