Port Adelaide Football Club History

The Port Adelaide Football Club is arguably the most successful senior football club, not only in South Australia but Australia-wide.

Since playing its first game in 1870, the club has gone on to win an Australian record of 34 SANFL premierships (up until 1997) including six in a row and achieve the honour of being Champions of Australia on four occasions.

More recently there has been another landmark in the club's history, the joining of the country's national competition - the Australian Football League. <

It all began back during April 1870 when Messrs. John A. Rann, George Ireland and R.W.J. Leicester met on the North Parade at Port Adelaide and discussed the formation of a sporting social club for the young men of the district, hence the formation of the Port Adelaide Football Club.

First officials of the newly formed club were President - Capt. John Hart (snr.), Chairman - W..E.Mattinson, Secretary - R.W.J.Leicester, Treasurer - G.Irelannd, Committee - J.A.Rann, R.Carr, L.Bridgland and J.Wald (Captain).

An extract from the first meeting held on 13th May 1870 read: 'Members are informed that the opening practice will commence at 3 p.m. on Saturday 14th inst. - R.W.J.Leicester, Hon. Sec.'

The club played its first game on 24th May 1870 against a team known as the Young Australians which resulted in a nil all draw on a ground that was part of the Glanville Hall Estate owned by Captain John Hart (snr.). The ground was referred to as 'Bucks Flat'.

From that first game until 1877 Port Adelaide wore blue and white colours which they changed to a rose pink cap, guernsey and socks with white knickerbockers in 1878.

A further change was made in 1883 when we wore a magenta and blue cap, guernsey and hooped socks with navy blue knickerbockers. But in 1902 someone must have come to their senses, as we changed to the famous black and white colours.

There was no organised competition for the club to play in until 1877 when it was a founding member of the South Australian Football Association. It quickly established itself as a force in that competition and went on to win its first flag in 1877. The club continued to prove its strength and in 1914 created history by going the whole season undefeated and in the process winning the honour of being Champions of Australia.

After capturing three flags in the 1930's, with superb talent such as dual Magarey Medallist Bob Quinn, the club would embark on its next great era with the arrival of Fos Williams to Alberton in 1950. He led the club to 9 premierships overall and in many ways propelled the Club to where it is today. Port Adelaide won seven premierships in the 50's including a SANFL record six in a row.

The tradition continued to grow. Through great players such as four-time Magarey Medallist Russell Ebert, Port continued its SANFL supremacy arguably peaking just before entering the AFL. The club, coached by John Cahill, won seven out of nine flags between 1988 and 1996, making it the obvious choice for the second SANFL licence to join the AFL, which we were awarded in 1994.

In 1997 the Port Adelaide Football Club joined the Australian Football League, in many ways the crowning achievement of more than 100 years of unrivaled success. It maintained its presence in the SANFL through the formation of the Port Adelaide Magpies Football Club, who share the records and history from 1870 to 1996.

On joining the AFL, teal blue and silver were added to the famous black and white, along with a new nickname, Power, to avoid a clash with the Collingwood Magpies.

Cahill was appointed inaugural coach of a young Power squad, led by Brownlow Medallist and former player Gavin Wanganeen.

After two seasons of just missing out on the finals and surprising most of our interstate rivals, Cahill was replaced as senior coach. His successor was Mark Williams, who in his first season took the Power to its first finals appearance, a game it lost to eventual premiers, the Kangaroos.