The 1881 South Australian Football Association season was the 5th season of the top-level Australian rules football competition in South Australia. The premiership season began on Saturday 7 May.
Norwood went on to record its 4th consecutive premiership.
The years premiership trophy was called the Fowler Challenge Cup.[1]
Adelaide and Kensington merged at a meeting held on 11 April 1881 to create full squads of a senior and second twenty and it was decided that the colour of the club be black-and scarlet guernsey, hose, and cap, and navy blue knickerbockers[2] but resigned from the competition after 4 games.[1]
It was then reported endeavours were being made to induce the North Adelaide Juniors and the North Parks to amalgamate and apply to the Association for permission to take up the fixtures of the Adelaide and Kensington Club.[3] However, this didn't eventuate but the two clubs would merge and join the SAFA in 1885 as a new Adelaide senior team.
Adelaide-Kensington's game against South Park would be its last official game for the season as they resigned from the competition on the Wednesday 1 June.[14]
Norwood were scheduled to play Adelaide-Kensington, but Adelaide-Kensington resigned from the competition on 1 June; Norwood were awarded the match on forfeit, and played against a 25 team from Royal Park instead.
Despite Adelaide-Kensington resigning from the SAFA. A match was advertised [17] and played on the Queen and Albert Oval (Alberton Oval), Saturday, June 25, between the first twenty of the Ports (17) and a combined team of Adelaides-cum-Kensingtons (20). The game was not commenced till 3.40pm in consequence of each team having to take on some substitutes. The game throughout was played in a very friendly spirit. Result - Port Adelaide defeated Adelaide-Kensingtion 8 goals 25 behinds to Nil [18][19]
The Victorian v Port Adelaide match was abandoned due to a crowd invasion and declared a draw. A disputed goal (due to the goal umpire not at his post) 20 minutes before time caused both teams to withdraw from the ground.
South Adelaide played South Park three times for a 1-1-1 record; South Adelaide were ranked above South Park on a superior head-to-head record against Norwood (0-2-1 to 0-3).
Adelaide/Kensington withdrew from the competition after Round 4; all published ladders record their Round 5 match against Norwood as a win for Norwood on forfeit.
^"FOOTBALL NOTES". trove.nla.gov.au. 11 June 1881. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
^ abc"FOOTBALL". South Australian Register. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 9 May 1881. p. 1 Supplement: SUPPLEMENT TO THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN REGISTER. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
^ ab"FOOTBALL". South Australian Register. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 23 May 1881. p. 1 Supplement: SUPPLEMENT TO THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN REGISTER. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
^"FOOTBALL". South Australian Register. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 31 May 1881. p. 2 Supplement: SUPPLEMENT TO THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN REGISTER. Retrieved 15 January 2015.
^ ab"FOOTBALL". South Australian Register. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 12 July 1881. p. 2 Supplement: SUPPLEMENT TO THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN REGISTER. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
^ ab"FOOTBALL". South Australian Register. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 18 July 1881. p. 2 Supplement: SUPPLEMENT TO THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN REGISTER. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
^ ab"FOOTBALL". South Australian Register. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 1 August 1881. p. 1 Supplement: SUPPLEMENT TO THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN REGISTER. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
^"FOOTBALL". South Australian Register. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 4 October 1881. p. 3 Supplement: Supplement to the South Australian Register. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
^"Intercolonial Football Match". South Australian Register. Adelaide, SA. 25 August 1881. p. 6.
^"Intercolonial Football Match". South Australian Register (Supplement). Adelaide, SA. 29 August 1881. p. 1.
^"FOOTBALL". South Australian Register. Adelaide: National Library of Australia. 26 September 1881. p. 1 Supplement: SUPPLEMENT TO THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN REGISTER. Retrieved 16 January 2015.