The Port Adelaide Magpies were founded in 1870, winning 36 SANFL flags and one VFL/AFL premiership in 2004. They joined the AFL in 1997 after an unsuccessful attempt in 1990. This page is dedicated to the story behind the earlier attempt.
Background
in 1981, the SANFL decided to try to enter a composite team in the VFL but SANFL requests to the VFL in 1981 were politely declined due to the VFL not considering national expansion at the time. This was despite applications also coming from East Perth in the WAFL in 1980.
In 1985, The National Football Council commissioned a report that recommended South Australia enter a team into the VFL, as a joint effort between Norwood and Port Adelaide, two of the more successful and oldest SANFL clubs.
With financial troubles affecting half its clubs, the VFL evidently saw expansion as its saviour in 1986 and set the wheels in motion inviting both the SANFL and WAFL to the league. This coincided with the appointment of the VFL Commission in 1985.
In 1986, the VFL invites both the WAFL and SANFL to submit teams to the league. The SANFL registers the Adelaide football club, but declines the invitation although it does continue negotiations.
The WAFL accepts agreeing to pay the license fee up front. The SANFL refuse to pay a license fee of any kind and in 1987 set up a player retention scheme to prevent the best talent leaving the SANFL. The VFL sets up Brisbane instead of an SA team. In 1987, West Perth director John Clinch advises the SANFL against joining the VFL saying it had ruined the WAFL.
The events of 1990
Early in 1990, the SANFL had met and unanimously voted to reject joining the AFL before 1993, further rejecting a license fee and demanding the league consist of no more than 14 teams. However the AFL was determined and began negotiating with Port Adelaide, who were already concerned that they were subsidising the rest of the SANFL clubs due to their strong support.
Port Adelaide, working with AFL Commissioner Alan Schwab, signed a Heads of Agreement with the AFL on July fourth 1990 which was kept secret for almost a month, but when revealed many in the SANFL felt that it was a betrayal. The SANFL ordered Port Adelaide to withdraw the bid. Further Port was told if its bid was successful, it would be removed from the league and games would not be permitted at Football Park.
The terms of the deal offered to Port were far more generous than those previously offered to the SANFL for its composite team, among other things it included a negotiated license fee of just $1.5 million (the SANFL would later attempt to get this deal for itself and the Adelaide Football Club). The deal would have left two Port Adelaides, one in the AFL and one in the SANFL.
To further complicate matters, at the urging of several SANFL clubs, Justice Olsson awarded a temporary injunction against Port, preventing it from proceeding further.
On August sixth, the Club addressed its members, with at least one Board member revealing he had voted against the decision. However Port remained defiant. The SANFL announced it would submit a counter-bid when its directors voted 10-1 (with Port the only exception) to join the AFL.
The battle was far from won. While the SANFL had announced its plan, the AFL demands included dropping the case against Port and paying its costs. Port argued that the actions taken were a breach of the Trade Practices Act. The SANFL would end up giving Port Adelaide a pitiful fine of $8,000 for not dropping the case. Port would go on to win the 1990 SANFL premiership – and gloat about winning it in the face of considerable adversity in the annual report.
Timeline of the Saga
■May 1990 – The SANFL and its clubs unanimously resolve not to enter a team until 1993
■Jul 4, 1990 – Heads of Agreement submitted to the AFL, kept secret for a month
■Aug 6, 1990 – Port members are told the board voted 7-1, SANFL submits own team
■Sep 19, 1990 – Adelaide is officially accepted by the AFL Board
Timeline of Events leading up to the Saga
■1981- The SANFL approves a composite club application to join the VFL who advises that applications are not being accepted at that time
■1985- The NFL conducts a study into a national league. The VFL shows no support for the study. The NFL report states that a SANFL composite team should not enter the league, but a joint Port-Norwood team should.
■1986- The VFL presidents vote to begin League expansion
■1986- The SANFL is invited to join the VFL, but declines (it does continue negotiating). The SANFL forms the Adelaide football club Inc
■1987- The SANFL introduces a Player retention scheme to stop talent deserting to the VFL.
■1989- 7/10 SANFL clubs report losses
■1989- VFL income approaches 30 million, SANFL and WAFL income combined was 12 million.
■1990- The VFL formally becomes the AFL
■1990- May – SANFL clubs unanimously vote against joining the VFL before 1993, further the SANFL states that it will not pay a licence fee and no more than 14 teams should be in the league.
■1990- Port signs a heads of agreement anyway to join in 1991. The terms offered to Port were far more favourable than those offered to the SANFL previously. (its understood that the licence fee for Port would have been just 1 million
■1990- Port Adelaide plays Geelong in a trial match
■1990 Sep – The SANFL formally applies to join the AFL under the same terms offered to Port Adelaide.
■1990 Oct – Adelaide Football Club sub licence is formally signed and Adelaide enters the AFL.
Jason from Sydney
Guest
The SANFL didn't want to enter a team in the AFL back in 1990, however Port Adelaide did, so Port Adelaide should have been able to feel they could have been open about it, they couldn't be open with it because the hatred the SANFL and other Clubs had towards Port. I thought it was a free Country so there for Port should have been allowed to enter in 1991. And what the AFL should have done is say to the SANFL that they could enter the Crows and Port can also enter then they would have had those Showdowns much earlier. JMO
Hawkar
Guest
Mate you could not be further from the truth, as in just one season adelaide were able to slip from a semi final to 11th spot... While port jumped from bottom four to a prelim! The power also succeed crows in members and home crowds for 2013, and have been granted it their home game for the first showdown at adelaide oval. Adelaide fc are now reaping the reward of their supreme arrogance toward Port Adelaide.
Jason from Sydney
Guest
When two teams who hate each other a merger would never work, I mean that in any sport.
Dan
Guest
LoL. The funny thing is Port IS in the AFL, and that's what really irks the Port haters. Keep hating - it only makes us stronger!!!
adam214
Guest
Merging with norwood a club we have hated and vice versa for over a 100 years?! can i buy some of the stuff your smoking?!
Cameron
Guest
If your from Adelaide, then I can take it as a joke. If from any other state, then depending on how they say it will depend on how I take it.
Bayman
Guest
Don't worry Cameron, I'm from Adelaide so I can say it. As for anyone getting offended....sod 'em if they can't take a joke, son.
Cameron
Guest
That's justr my interpretation.
Cameron
Guest
True, Brewski, true!!! This article has enlightened other news that I didn't know about, as I am sure it has with other people. That again Bayman is the type of wording that will get people not liking you, generalising certain people to be serial killers.
Brewski
Roar Rookie
Floreat pica, will try again, last 2 times the posts have not shown up. Obviously this site will not accept my trove newspapers link, suffice to say type in MR. Crawley Collingwood (use full stop after MR), with some perseverance you wil find several stories confirming the same thing. The piping shrike is either a Murray or white backed magpie, Mr Crawley was maybe using the SA Cof A as a template, because quite clearly that Magpie looks nothing like the Collingwood one, interesting a Hotel Called the Magpie operated in Collingwood from 1894 to 1908 on Perry ST. Collingwood Historical website is a great site, i have a great interest in the suburb and its many pubs, have a look if interested. http://www.collingwoodhs.org.au/index.php?p=1_16_Hotels I have a very big interest in checking out all remaining hotels for a beer as well ; )
Strummer Jones
Guest
So Wookie, just to be clear where you stand, if the top 5 Victorian clubs and the main interstate clubs tried to form a "Super-Aussie Rules" comp run by Newscorp, and the AFL tried to stop them, you would be the first to say "hey, don't screw over these teams trying to defect from the AFL"?
floreat pica
Guest
Well Brewski, interesting article indeed- still I find it somewhat strange that the suggestion would have been 'lets have black and white like the piping shrike on the SA coat of arms' rather than just 'lets wear black and white like the magpies'. Perhaps after the question of design was raised I could see the coat of arms reference coming in.. stripes being so thin. I still feel the primary inspiration for this parochial suburb would have been the presence of the local flock.
floreat pica
Guest
I fail to see how Collingwood would logically have taken inspiration from the SA coat of arms Brewski. Its a bit of a long call to suggest that, when the Collingwood/Abbotsford area was famed for its large raucous and frequently dangerous flock of magpies, they would feel any need to look to another colony for mascot and colour ideas. My point was merely that Port should not be called the Magpies when referring to them before 1902.
Bayman
Guest
Brewski, We South Australians have always called the bird on the coat of arms/flag/emblem a "piping shrike" - rather than a magpie. Having said that, nobody I've ever spoken to has the faintest notion what a piping shrike actually is. For example, I've never known anybody in Adelaide and surrounds to say, "Look, up in the sky - it's a sparrow, it's a pigeon, it's a piping shrike!" The general consensus was that it must be some variant of the magpie - but no-one ever actually said it for sure.
Bayman
Guest
Not a bloody drop, Brewski. Mind you, we do a very nice line of bank deposits, a la Snowtown! Good old Adelaide, the home of the serial killer although I'm pretty sure most of them are Port supporters!
Brewski
Roar Rookie
@ Cameron, the reply function does not seem to work, but yes i found it interesting, and dam those croweaters again !!. Next they will be claiiming that there is no convict blood in SA !!.
Cameron
Guest
Quite an interesting article Brewski. Well done on finding it.
Brewski
Roar Rookie
@ Cameron, probably did not make myself clear, the Argus newpaper reports confirm what the link i gave stated, their is also a Tassie newspaer article saying the same thing, but it is a Mr W Crawley rather than G Crawley ... maybe a typo from the that link i gave.
Brewski
Roar Rookie
@ Cameron, .... The Britannia Football Club, on which Collingwood was partially based, wore scarlet, white and blue, close to Footscray's colours and could not be used when the new club entered the Victorian Football Association in 1892 At a meeting to decide upon a uniform, a supporter, Mr. G. S. Crawley, suggested the black and white colours from the magpie on the South Australian coat-or-arms. http://www.ozsportshistory.com/melbournerules/collingwood.html I have checked the old argus newspapers and there is some info in their old newspapers, but the guy is referred to as MR W Crawley rather than MR G Crawley, the guy was involved in old Collingwood football and Cricket clubs in the 1890's to onwards Quite interesting though, and would not be very well known IMO, had to come from somewhere though.
Cameron
Guest
Haven't heard of that before, Brewski.