The Southern Metropolitan Football League (SMFL) was an Australian rules football competition based in the southern suburbs of Adelaide , South Australia until it folded at the end of the 1986 season. It first formed in 1912 as the Sturt Football Association,[ 1] [ 2] and during its history was also known as the Mid-Southern Football Association (1920-1930),[ 3] Glenelg District Football Association (1931–1949),[ 4] Glenelg-South-West District Football Association (1950–1966)[ 5] and Glenelg-South Adelaide Football Association (1967–1983),[ 6] before finally being named Southern Metropolitan Football League (1984–1986).[ 7]
The association first affiliated with the South Australian Football League in 1921.[ 8] In 1927, the association made a special request to the SAFL for financial assistance.[ 9]
The remaining clubs at the end of the 1986 season were distributed in 1987 as follows:
Joined SAFA – Brighton , Mitchell Park [ 10]
Joined Hills Football League – Blackwood [ 11]
Joined Southern Football League - Marion ,[ 12] Morphettville Park ,[ 13] Plympton [ 14]
Joined Central District Football Association – Ovingham [ 15]
Merged and joined SAAFL - Camden (merged with Greek FC) [ 16] [ 17]
Clubs in Bold indicate teams playing in the final season (1986)
Club
Years participating
Other names
Adelaide Lutheran
1980-84 [ 18]
Albert Sports
1979-81 [ 19]
ANZ Bank
1960-80 [ 20]
Bank of Adelaide
1971-76 [ 21]
Black Forest
1919-1927, 1931-33 [ 22]
Blackwood
1912-15, 1919–41, 1944–48, 1953-86
Bridgewater
1915
Brighton
1912-13, 1919–41, 1946–57,[ 23] 1969-86 [ 24]
Brighton and Seacliff (1938–56)
Brompton
1981-82
Brunswick
1952-53
Camden
1927-86 [ 25]
Novar Gardens (1927–31)
Clarendon
1925, 1929, 1948
College Park
1950-51
Colonel Light Gardens
1944-45, 1976-85 [ 26] [ 27]
Edwardstown
1920, 1925–33, 1936-54
Edwardstown B participated 1935
Flagstaff Hill
1978-84
Brighton Tigers (1978)
Glandore
1958-84 [ 18]
Glenelg Imperial
1912-15, 1923–30, 1942-46
Glenelg Junior
1933-34, 1936
Glenelg Rovers
1931-32
Glenelg Sailing Club
1928-29
B-Grade only
Glenelg United
1929
Glenelg YMCA
1946
Goodwood
1915, 1925–30,[ 28] 1979-84 [ 18] [ 29]
Happy Valley
1924,[ 30] 1964-79
Immanuel Old Scholars
1978-79 [ 31]
Kelvinator
1950, 1953-67 [ 32]
Lockleys
1960-85 [ 27]
Marion
1912-15, 1920–41, 1946-86
Sturt (1920–41, 1946–56)
Mitcham
1912-15, 1922–24, 1976-84 [ 18] [ 26]
Mitcham Park
1915
Mitchell Park
1969-85
Morphettville Park
1959-86
Mortlock Park
1927-30
North Brighton-Somerton
1950-51 [ 33]
Norwood Union
1979-82 [ 34]
Ovingham
1986
Plympton
1921-27, 1937-86
Port Noarlunga
1935-36
Public Service
1948
Reynella
1920-27, 1930-47
Richmond and Keswick United
1928-30
Salesian
1980-84 [ 18] [ 31]
Seacliff
1931-35
Semaphore Seasiders
1915
South Adelaide Ramblers
1950-57
South Adelaide C (1953–55)
St. Leonards
1930-53
St. Leonards Colts
1935-38
St. Peters
1929
South Road Estate
1929
B-Grade only
Sturt-Brighton
1942-45
Sturt Centrals
1916
Sturt College Of Advanced Education
1981
Sturt Imperial
1915
Sturt Ramblers
1912-15
Torrens College Of Advanced Education
1975-78
Torrensville United
1962-78
Underdale United
1927 [ 35]
West Suburban
1930
Wingfield Royals
1979-81 [ 19]
Woodville South
1962-78 [ 29]
Kilkenny United (1962–70)
Year
A-Grade
1912
Mitcham Undefeated [ 36]
1913
Sturt Ramblers
1914
Mitcham [ 36]
1915
Sturt Ramblers
1916
Sturt Centrals
1917
In recess (World War I)
1918
In recess (World War I)
1919
Brighton
H.S. Rugless Medallists [ edit ]
The H.S. Rugless Medal was awarded to the player adjudged the Fairest and Most Brilliant in the competition. During the Sturt Football Association years (1912–19) it was known as the Thomas Medal.
1912
1913
1914 – Jack Rowlands (Blackwood) [ 11]
1915
1916
1917
1918
1919
H.S. Rugless Medal (A1)[ edit ]
J.C. Morrow Medal (A2)[ edit ]
In 1936 the Morrow Medal was established for the fairest and most brilliant player in the then B-Grade competition.[ 82]
Division 2 A-Grade Medal [ edit ]
1980 - Neil Wuttke [ 83]
1983 - Geoff Drechsler [ 83]
1984 - Glenn Todman [ 83]
Division 2 B-Grade Medal [ edit ]
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^ Bloch, Fred. "SAAFL History – 1983" . South Australian Amateur Football League. Retrieved 30 July 2013 .
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^ a b c d "Association B&F" . Flagstaff Hill Football Club . Retrieved 25 November 2023 .
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