The Spencer Gulf Football League is an Australian rules football competition based at the head of the Spencer Gulf in South Australia. It is an affiliated member of the South Australian National Football League.
The Spencer Gulf Football League was formed in 1961, via a merger of the Port Pirie Football League (PPFL), the Whyalla Football League (WFL), and the Port Augusta-based Great Northern Football Association (GNFA). At the end of the 1966 season the WFL contingent withdrew.
Brief history In 1961 the Great Northern Football Association, the Port Pirie Football Association and the Whyalla Football League merged to form the Spencer Gulf Football League. The twelve founding clubs were Central Augusta, Central Whyalla, North Whyalla, Port, Proprietary, Risdon, Solomontown, South Augusta, South Whyalla, West Augusta, West Whyalla and Willsden.
The four Whyalla-based clubs left the Spencer Gulf Football League at the end of season 1966 to form the Whyalla Football League, leaving 8 teams from Port Augusta and Port Pirie.
In 1992 Willsden amalgamated with Quorn to form Quorn-Willsden Wolves. The league reverted to 7 teams in 1994 when Proprietary and Risdon amalgamated. In 2006 the league was cut down to 6 teams when the Quorn-Willsden Wolves folded due to financial woes.
Clubs Current ClubColoursNicknameHome GroundFormer LeagueEst.Years in SGFLSGFL Senior PremiershipsTotalYearsCentral AugustaBloodsETSA Oval, Port AugustaGNFA19151961-81978, 1980, 1982, 1991, 1992, 2009, 2010, 2011PortBulldogsPort Oval, Port Pirie SouthPPFA1941 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/page/92039311961-141961, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1970, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2026Proprietary-RisdonLionsMemorial Oval, Port Pirie–19941994-42015, 2021, 2023, 2024SolomontownCatsMemorial Oval, Port PiriePPFA18931961-71984, 1988, 1990, 1994, 2014, 2022, 2025South AugustaBulldogsCentral Oval, Port AugustaGNFA19121961-131964, 1981, 1983, 1993, 1994, 2000, 2006, 2012, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020West AugustaHawksChinnery Park, Port Augusta WestGNFA19151961-121969, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1996, 2005, 2013
Former ColoursClubNicknameHome GroundFormer LeagueEst.Years in SGFLSGFL Senior PremiershipsFateTotalYearsCentral WhyallaRoostersMemorial Park, WhyallaWFL19611961-19660–Re-formed Whyalla FL in 1967North WhyallaMagpiesMemorial Park, WhyallaWFL19611961-19660–Re-formed Whyalla FL in 1967ProprietaryPanthersMemorial Oval, Port PiriePPFA1890s1961-199431968, 1971, 1977Merged with Risdon to form Proprietary-Risdon following 1993 seasonQuorn-WillsdenWolvesQuorn Oval, Quorn–19931993-200612001Folded due to financial difficulties in 2006RisdonTigersMemorial Oval, Port Pirie–19611961-199411979Merged with Proprietary to form Proprietary-Risdon following 1993 seasonSouth WhyallaDemonsMemorial Park, WhyallaWFL19611961-196611962Re-formed Whyalla FL in 1967West WhyallaDragonsMemorial Park, WhyallaWFL19611961-196611963Re-formed Whyalla FL in 1967WillsdenWolvesETSA Oval, Port AugustaGNFA19571961-199211986Merged with Quorn to form Quorn-Willsden following 1992 season
Premierships
1961 – Port 1962 – South Whyalla 1963 – West Whyalla 1964 – South Augusta 1965 – Port 1966 – Port 1967 – Port 1968 – Proprietary 1969 – West Augusta 1970 – Port 1971 – Proprietary 1972 – West Augusta 1973 – West Augusta 1974 – West Augusta 1975 – West Augusta 1976 – West Augusta 1977 – Proprietary 1978 – Central Augusta 1979 – Risdon 1980 – Central Augusta 1981 – South Augusta 1982 – Central Augusta 1983 – South Augusta 1984 – Solomontown 1985 – West Augusta 1986 – Willsden 1987 – West Augusta 1988 – Solomontown 1989 – West Augusta 1990 – Solomontown 1991 – Central Augusta 1992 – Central Augusta 1993 – South Augusta 1994 – South Augusta 1995 – Solomontown 1996 – West Augusta 1997 – Port 1998 – Port 1999 – Port 2000 – South Augusta 2001 – Quorn-Willsden 2002 – Port 2003 – Port 2004 – Port 2005 – West Augusta 2006 – South Augusta 2007 – Port 2008 – Port 2009 – Central Augusta 2010 – Central Augusta 2011 – Central Augusta 2012 – South Augusta 2013 – West Augusta 2014 – Solomontown 2015 – Lions 2016 – South Augusta 2017 – South Augusta 2018 – South Augusta 2019 – South Augusta 2020 – South Augusta 2021 – Lions 2022 – Solomontown 2023 – Lions 2024 – Lions 2025 – Solomontown 2026 – Port
Madigan Medallist & Ken Mitchell Awards Year Madigan Medallist Team Ken Mitchell Award Team Goals1961 M Vanvacas D Foote North Whyalla Central Whyalla W Schapel Ports 611962 J Martin West Augusta W McGuiness Ports 461963 B Curtis Proprietary G Davis South Whyalla 671964 K Haylock South Whyalla M Vanvacas South Whyalla 491965 D 'Sam' Donovan West Whyalla G Davis South Whyalla 641966 G Cockshell Risdon D Pollard Ports 561967 W Virgo South Augusta M Minervini Solomontown 391968 M Minervini Solomontown G Hill West Augusta 621969 W Virgo South Augusta M Minervini Solomontown 371970 C Butler Solomontown V Butler West Augusta 461971 C Colligan Risdon D Shillabeer Proprietary 721972 J Clarke Risdon D Murphy L Welk Willsden 461973 B Webb Solomontown D Shillabeer South Augusta 651974 K McSporran West Augusta D Shillabeer South Augusta 851975 K McSporran West Augusta K Mitchell Central Augusta 821976 K McSporran West Augusta K Mitchell Central Augusta 921977 C Prior Proprietary K Mitchell Central Augusta 981978 J Noonan Willsden P Manning Central Augusta 951979 K Naudebaum Central Augusta S Cheney Risdon 561980 P Hynes South Augusta R Vidovich Proprietary 691981 C Cock South Augusta D Thornton Solomontown 741982 J Boles Willsden R Harris Ports 801983 R Payne Risdon R Harris Ports 951984 R Payne Risdon D Thornton Solomontown 771985 K McSporran R Anderson M Schurnaker West AugustaSolomontownRisdon P Combe Proprietary 661986 K Arbon Ports L Rawlins Solomontown 681987 R Anderson Solomontown L Rawlins Solomontown 851988 Mark Bickley Solomontown L Rawlins Solomontown 591989 L Myles Proprietary L Rawlins Solomontown 651990 C Ferrne Risdon D Freeman Central Augusta 891991 S Curnow Central Augusta D Bickley Solomontown 751992 J Duffy Central Augusta S Wildman Central Augusta 1261993 S McLennan South Augusta B Minchington Ports 911994 J Simmons Ports M Darcy Central Augusta 461995 C Siviour Solomontown M Darcy Solomontown 921996 B Fazulla West Augusta J Boles Quorn-Willsden 701997 Z McKenzie Quorn-Willsden D Mellow Ports 541998 B Fazulla West Augusta D Mellow Ports 771999 D Savage Ports D Mellow Ports 602000 P Sadler Proprietary-Risdon Lions K Allen Quorn-Willsden 612001 K Keeler T Simpson South Augusta Quorn-Willsden K Allen Quorn-Willsden 1022002 J Robinson Solomontown V Remphrey Ports 502003 J Martin M Peek Quorn-Willsden Solomontown D Mellow Port 582004 C Tee Solomontown C Pollard Port 1042005 C Tee M Keatley Solomontown Central Augusta K Allen Quorn-Willsden 1022006 C Tee Solomontown Jarod Reid Quorn-Willsden 872007 M Keatley Central Augusta B Amos South Augusta 1062008 M Fuller Central Augusta T Horsnell Proprietary-Risdon Lions 562009 T Clarke Ports M Gale Ports 682010 A DearloveR Struck Ports South Augusta A Dearlove Port 1432011 T Price Solomontown R Morris Central 662012 G Cook L Schmidt S McIntyre Solomontown 782013 D Rogers Proprietary-Risdon Lions H Warren West 82 2014R Giles Proprietary-Risdon Lions H Warren West 69 2015 N Collins West Augusta B Inglis Port 422016 J Fuller Proprietary-Risdon Lions B Colson South 542017 D Kildea South Augusta B Colson South 752018 A Stuart South Augusta L Brown South 822019 D Kildea South Augusta T Horsnell Proprietary-Risdon Lions 552020 L Edwards Proprietary-Risdon LionsL Edwards Proprietary-Risdon Lions 362021 J Hayes SolomontownL Edwards Proprietary-Risdon Lions 672022 C Davey SolomontownA Jacobs Proprietary-Risdon Lions 432023 C Davey SolomontownA Jacobs Proprietary-Risdon Lions 692024 N KraemerA OliphantProprietary-Risdon Lions M Caputo Solomontown 522025 A CoePortsH WallaceProprietary-Risdon Lions642026L PaparellaSouth AugustaJ KovacicSolomontown49
AFL representatives
The Spencer Gulf League has been home to many AFL Footballers including:
Mark Bickley (Adelaide Crows, 1991–2003) Played his junior football for the Solomontown Football club and was a premiership player with the club in 1988, in that same year he won the Madigan Medal at the age of 19. Mark moved to the South Adelaide Football Club in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL), where he was then selected as an inaugural member of the Adelaide Crows squad in 1991. In 1997 Bickley was appointed captain of the Adelaide Football Club, and captained the 1997 and 1998 Adelaide premiership sides. He is now a member of the SANFL Hall of Fame.
Luke Taylor (Melbourne, 1998–2000)
Bryan Beinke (Adelaide Crows, 1999–2002)
Jared Rivers (Melbourne Demons, 2003–2015) Played junior football for the South Augusta Football Club and won a premiership with the club in 2000 at the age of 15. Jared was selected by the Melbourne Demons as the 26th pick overall in the National Draft of 2002. In 2004 he won the National Bank Rising Star.
Mark Jamar (Melbourne Demons, 2003–2016) Played his early football at the Lions Football Club before moving to North Adelaide in the SANFL. Mark was selected at pick 6 of the 2001 Rookie Draft by the Melbourne Demons. In 2010 he was named as the second ruckman for the All-Australian squad.
Elijah Ware (Port Adelaide, 2005–2006)
Wade Thompson (Port Adelaide, 2009–2010)
Lewis Johnston (Sydney Swans & Adelaide, 2009–2014)
Connor Rozee (Port Adelaide, 2019-present) Played his junior football with the South Augusta Football Club before moving to North Adelaide in the SANFL. He was selected by the Port Adelaide Football Club with pick 5 in the 2018 AFL National Draft. In his first year, he was Port Adelaide’s leading goal kicker with 29 goals and also won the Gavin Wanganeen Medal. He claimed the John Cahill Medal in 2022, was named in the All-Australian team in both 2022 and 2023, and won the Showdown Medal in 2022 and 2025. In 2024, Connor was announced as Port Adelaide’s captain.
Tariek Newchurch (Adelaide Crows, 2021–2022)
Isaac Keeler (St Kilda, 2023-2026)
Kane McAuliffe (Richmond, 2024-present)
Grand Final results
Grand Final on 19 September 2015 Lions 5.4 8.6 11.11 16.15 (111) Central 1.1 2.3 6.8 9.11 (65) Best: Lions – T. Dunkley, R. Eyre, T. Harmer, J. Fuller, T. Bradley. Central – G. Appleton, A. Ruffles, A. Parsons, M. Harvey, M. Fuller. Goals: Lions – T. Bradley 4, J. Fuller 2, J. Strawbridge 2, S. Dyer, K. Edwards, T. Ley, A. Slattery, C. Marsland, L. Patterson, S. Edwards, T. Dunkley. Central – J. Reid 4, J. Muirhead 2, M. Harvey, A. Hosking, G. Appleton
Grand Final on 20 September 2014 West 1.4 1.7 4.9 7.11 (53) Solomontown 1.2 4.6 6.7 8.10 (58) Best: Sollies – L. Bearman, B. Schutte, Z. Siemer, G. Cooke, R. Hoare. West – not av. Goals: Sollies – M. O'Brien 2, K. Head 2, J. Head, L. Bearman, T. Hoare, B. Mudge. West – H. Warren 5, T. Starke-Treloar 2
21 September 2013 West 3.4 9.6 12.7 16.8 (104) Central 2.1 4.1 9.2 15.6 (96) Best: West – J. Jackson, T. Warren, S. Page, N. Collins, R. Dadleh. Central – L. Button, M. Fuller, M. Turner, N. Callary, S. Watts. Goals: West – S. Page 6, T. Starke-Treloar 2, H. Warren 2, N. Collins 2, M. Anesbury 2, R. Stapleton, J. Coulthard. Central – L. Button 4, D. Shillabeer 3, J. Reid 2, A. Ruffles 2, M. Harvey, M. Turner, J. Little, S. Watts
22 September 2012 South 3.3 5.4 10.8 15.8 (98) Sollies 2.5 3.7 8.10 9.12 (66) Best: South – A. Margitich, M. Horner, R. Struck, B. Hurt, B. Laube, S. Brusnahan . Sollies – J. Davies, C. Millard, R. Saracino, Z. Siemer, S. Malchow. . Goals: South – B. Trewartha 3, B. Cox 2, T. Kernahan 2, C. Heron 2, D. Dohnt 2, L. Schmidt, J. Lukich, M. Horner, T. Payne. Sollies – S. McIntyre 2, J. Davies 2, B. Goodridge, N. Redman, L. Bearman, C. Millard, T. Hoare
24 September 2011 Central 4.3 7.5 9.7 11.10 (76)