1961 SANFL Season

These are the results for the 1961 season of the South Australian National Football League.

It featured nineteen rounds. Port Adelaide were the minor premiers.

The season ended with a finals series following the Page-McIntyre system. West Adelaide were the premiers, with Neil Kerley as the premiership coach.

Season Details

Name: 1961 SANFL Season
Teams: 8
Rounds: 19
Finals System: Page-McIntyre System
Matches: 80

Team Details

Team Home Ground Coach (Appointed) Coach (Caretaker)
Glenelg Glenelg Oval Stan Wickham
North Adelaide Prospect Oval Jack McCarthy
Norwood Norwood Oval Alan Killigrew
Port Adelaide Alberton Oval Geof Motley
South Adelaide Adelaide Oval
Sturt Unley Oval Glynn Williams
West Adelaide Richmond Oval Neil Kerley
West Torrens Thebarton Oval Dick Reynolds

Season Results

Premiers: West Adelaide
Runners-Up: Norwood
Minor Premiers: Port Adelaide

Team Results

Minor Premiership Results

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA GF BF GA BA
Port Adelaide 1st 15 -0- 4 30 58.5% 1,638 1,161 228 270 160 201
West Adelaide 2nd 14 -0- 5 28 58.7% 1,827 1,287 258 279 178 219
West Torrens 3rd 14 -0- 5 28 55.8% 1,782 1,410 251 276 195 240
Norwood 4th 11 -0- 8 22 53.8% 1,611 1,382 225 261 191 236
North Adelaide 5th 10 -0- 9 20 51.2% 1,537 1,465 214 253 209 211
South Adelaide 6th 5 -0- 14 10 38.8% 1,250 1,970 174 206 280 290
Glenelg 7th 4 -0- 15 8 42.6% 1,481 1,996 210 221 282 304
Sturt 8th 3 -0- 16 6 42.7% 1,330 1,785 186 214 251 279

Overall Premiership Results

Team Position (Outcome)
West Adelaide 1st Premiers
Norwood 2nd Runners-Up
Port Adelaide 3rd Defeated by Norwood (Preliminary Final)
West Torrens 4th Defeated by Norwood (Semi Final)
North Adelaide 5th Did not qualify for finals
South Adelaide 6th Did not qualify for finals
Glenelg 7th Did not qualify for finals
Sturt 8th Did not qualify for finals

Season Fixture

Round 1

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 22/04/1961 2:10 PM Glenelg v South Adelaide Kensington Oval 103 - 94
SAT 22/04/1961 2:10 PM Port Adelaide v West Adelaide Alberton Oval 75 - 98
SAT 22/04/1961 2:10 PM West Torrens v Sturt Thebarton Oval 107 - 48
TUE 25/04/1961 2:10 PM North Adelaide v Norwood Adelaide Oval 107 - 82

Round 1 Ladder

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA
West Torrens 1st 1 -0- 0 2 69.0% 107 48
North Adelaide 2nd 1 -0- 0 2 56.6% 107 82
West Adelaide 3rd 1 -0- 0 2 56.6% 98 75
Glenelg 4th 1 -0- 0 2 52.3% 103 94
South Adelaide 5th 0 -0- 1 0 47.7% 94 103
Norwood 6th 0 -0- 1 0 43.4% 82 107
Port Adelaide 7th 0 -0- 1 0 43.4% 75 98
Sturt 8th 0 -0- 1 0 31.0% 48 107

Round 2

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 29/04/1961 2:10 PM North Adelaide v Port Adelaide Prospect Oval 43 - 54
SAT 29/04/1961 2:10 PM Norwood v West Adelaide Norwood Oval 54 - 88
SAT 29/04/1961 2:10 PM South Adelaide v West Torrens Adelaide Oval 44 - 97
SAT 29/04/1961 2:10 PM Sturt v Glenelg Unley Oval 106 - 125

Round 2 Ladder

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA
West Torrens 1st 2 -0- 0 4 68.9% 204 92
West Adelaide 2nd 2 -0- 0 4 59.0% 186 129
Glenelg 3rd 2 -0- 0 4 53.3% 228 200
North Adelaide 4th 1 -0- 1 2 52.4% 150 136
Port Adelaide 5th 1 -0- 1 2 47.8% 129 141
Norwood 6th 0 -0- 2 0 41.1% 136 195
South Adelaide 7th 0 -0- 2 0 40.8% 138 200
Sturt 8th 0 -0- 2 0 39.9% 154 232

Round 3

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 06/05/1961 2:10 PM South Adelaide v Port Adelaide Adelaide Oval 85 - 64
SAT 06/05/1961 2:10 PM Sturt v North Adelaide Unley Oval 92 - 100
SAT 06/05/1961 2:10 PM West Adelaide v Glenelg Richmond Oval 144 - 81
SAT 06/05/1961 2:10 PM West Torrens v Norwood Thebarton Oval 70 - 50

Round 3 Ladder

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA
West Torrens 1st 3 -0- 0 6 65.9% 274 142
West Adelaide 2nd 3 -0- 0 6 61.1% 330 210
North Adelaide 3rd 2 -0- 1 4 52.3% 250 228
Glenelg 4th 2 -0- 1 4 47.3% 309 344
Port Adelaide 5th 1 -0- 2 2 46.1% 193 226
South Adelaide 6th 1 -0- 2 2 45.8% 223 264
Sturt 7th 0 -0- 3 0 42.6% 246 332
Norwood 8th 0 -0- 3 0 41.2% 186 265

Round 4

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 13/05/1961 2:10 PM Glenelg v West Torrens Glenelg Oval 101 - 108
SAT 13/05/1961 2:10 PM Norwood v Port Adelaide Norwood Oval 46 - 87
SAT 13/05/1961 2:10 PM South Adelaide v Sturt Adelaide Oval 87 - 66
SAT 13/05/1961 2:10 PM West Adelaide v North Adelaide Richmond Oval 100 - 37

Round 4 Ladder

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA
West Adelaide 1st 4 -0- 0 8 63.5% 430 247
West Torrens 2nd 4 -0- 0 8 61.1% 382 243
Port Adelaide 3rd 2 -0- 2 4 50.7% 280 272
South Adelaide 4th 2 -0- 2 4 48.4% 310 330
Glenelg 5th 2 -0- 2 4 47.6% 410 452
North Adelaide 6th 2 -0- 2 4 46.7% 287 328
Sturt 7th 0 -0- 4 0 42.7% 312 419
Norwood 8th 0 -0- 4 0 39.7% 232 352

Round 5

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 20/05/1961 2:10 PM Norwood v Sturt Kensington Oval 77 - 58
SAT 20/05/1961 2:10 PM Port Adelaide v Glenelg Alberton Oval 121 - 80
SAT 20/05/1961 2:10 PM South Adelaide v West Adelaide Adelaide Oval 69 - 62
SAT 20/05/1961 2:10 PM West Torrens v North Adelaide Thebarton Oval 95 - 74

Round 5 Ladder

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA
West Torrens 1st 5 -0- 0 10 60.1% 477 317
West Adelaide 2nd 4 -0- 1 8 60.9% 492 316
Port Adelaide 3rd 3 -0- 2 6 53.3% 401 352
South Adelaide 4th 3 -0- 2 6 49.2% 379 392
Glenelg 5th 2 -0- 3 4 46.1% 490 573
North Adelaide 6th 2 -0- 3 4 46.0% 361 423
Norwood 7th 1 -0- 4 2 43.0% 309 410
Sturt 8th 0 -0- 5 0 42.7% 370 496

Round 6

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 27/05/1961 2:10 PM North Adelaide v South Adelaide Prospect Oval 113 - 88
SAT 27/05/1961 2:10 PM Norwood v Glenelg Norwood Oval 123 - 76
SAT 27/05/1961 2:10 PM Port Adelaide v West Torrens Adelaide Oval 99 - 73
SAT 27/05/1961 2:10 PM Sturt v West Adelaide Unley Oval 56 - 131

Round 6 Ladder

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA
West Adelaide 1st 5 -0- 1 10 62.6% 623 372
West Torrens 2nd 5 -0- 1 10 56.9% 550 416
Port Adelaide 3rd 4 -0- 2 8 54.1% 500 425
North Adelaide 4th 3 -0- 3 6 48.1% 474 511
South Adelaide 5th 3 -0- 3 6 48.0% 467 505
Norwood 6th 2 -0- 4 4 47.1% 432 486
Glenelg 7th 2 -0- 4 4 44.8% 566 696
Sturt 8th 0 -0- 6 0 40.5% 426 627

Round 7

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 03/06/1961 2:10 PM Glenelg v North Adelaide Glenelg Oval 36 - 99
SAT 03/06/1961 2:10 PM Port Adelaide v Sturt Alberton Oval 62 - 43
SAT 03/06/1961 2:10 PM South Adelaide v Norwood Adelaide Oval 39 - 155
SAT 03/06/1961 2:10 PM West Adelaide v West Torrens Richmond Oval 68 - 61

Round 7 Ladder

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA
West Adelaide 1st 6 -0- 1 12 61.5% 691 433
West Torrens 2nd 5 -0- 2 10 55.8% 611 484
Port Adelaide 3rd 5 -0- 2 10 54.6% 562 468
North Adelaide 4th 4 -0- 3 8 51.2% 573 547
Norwood 5th 3 -0- 4 6 52.8% 587 525
South Adelaide 6th 3 -0- 4 6 43.4% 506 660
Glenelg 7th 2 -0- 5 4 43.1% 602 795
Sturt 8th 0 -0- 7 0 40.5% 469 689

Round 8

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 10/06/1961 2:10 PM Glenelg v South Adelaide Glenelg Oval 81 - 86
SAT 10/06/1961 2:10 PM Norwood v North Adelaide Norwood Oval 68 - 55
SAT 10/06/1961 2:10 PM Sturt v West Torrens Unley Oval 64 - 101
MON 12/06/1961 2:10 PM Port Adelaide v West Adelaide Adelaide Oval 77 - 52

Round 8 Ladder

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA
West Adelaide 1st 6 -0- 2 12 59.3% 743 510
West Torrens 2nd 6 -0- 2 12 56.5% 712 548
Port Adelaide 3rd 6 -0- 2 12 55.1% 639 520
Norwood 4th 4 -0- 4 8 53.0% 655 580
North Adelaide 5th 4 -0- 4 8 50.5% 628 615
South Adelaide 6th 4 -0- 4 8 44.4% 592 741
Glenelg 7th 2 -0- 6 4 43.7% 683 881
Sturt 8th 0 -0- 8 0 40.3% 533 790

Round 9

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 17/06/1961 2:10 PM North Adelaide v Port Adelaide Kensington Oval 84 - 93
SAT 17/06/1961 2:10 PM Sturt v Glenelg Adelaide Oval 64 - 69
SAT 17/06/1961 2:10 PM West Adelaide v Norwood Richmond Oval 82 - 62
SAT 17/06/1961 2:10 PM West Torrens v South Adelaide Thebarton Oval 108 - 75

Round 9 Ladder

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA
West Adelaide 1st 7 -0- 2 14 59.1% 825 572
West Torrens 2nd 7 -0- 2 14 56.8% 820 623
Port Adelaide 3rd 7 -0- 2 14 54.8% 732 604
Norwood 4th 4 -0- 5 8 52.0% 717 662
North Adelaide 5th 4 -0- 5 8 50.1% 712 708
South Adelaide 6th 4 -0- 5 8 44.0% 667 849
Glenelg 7th 3 -0- 6 6 44.3% 752 945
Sturt 8th 0 -0- 9 0 41.0% 597 859

Round 10

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 24/06/1961 2:10 PM Glenelg v Port Adelaide Glenelg Oval 62 - 82
SAT 24/06/1961 2:10 PM North Adelaide v West Torrens Prospect Oval 70 - 62
SAT 24/06/1961 2:10 PM Sturt v Norwood Unley Oval 68 - 57
SAT 24/06/1961 2:10 PM West Adelaide v South Adelaide Richmond Oval 124 - 26

Round 10 Ladder

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA
West Adelaide 1st 8 -0- 2 16 61.3% 949 598
Port Adelaide 2nd 8 -0- 2 16 55.0% 814 666
West Torrens 3rd 7 -0- 3 14 56.0% 882 693
North Adelaide 4th 5 -0- 5 10 50.4% 782 770
Norwood 5th 4 -0- 6 8 51.5% 774 730
South Adelaide 6th 4 -0- 6 8 41.6% 693 973
Glenelg 7th 3 -0- 7 6 44.2% 814 1,027
Sturt 8th 1 -0- 9 2 42.1% 665 916

Round 11

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 01/07/1961 2:10 PM Port Adelaide v Norwood Alberton Oval 76 - 79
SAT 01/07/1961 2:10 PM South Adelaide v Sturt Adelaide Oval 84 - 66
SAT 01/07/1961 2:10 PM West Adelaide v North Adelaide Richmond Oval 94 - 60
SAT 01/07/1961 2:10 PM West Torrens v Glenelg Kensington Oval 89 - 82

Round 11 Ladder

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA
West Adelaide 1st 9 -0- 2 18 61.3% 1,043 658
West Torrens 2nd 8 -0- 3 16 55.6% 971 775
Port Adelaide 3rd 8 -0- 3 16 54.4% 890 745
Norwood 4th 5 -0- 6 10 51.4% 853 806
North Adelaide 5th 5 -0- 6 10 49.4% 842 864
South Adelaide 6th 5 -0- 6 10 42.8% 777 1,039
Glenelg 7th 3 -0- 8 6 44.5% 896 1,116
Sturt 8th 1 -0- 10 2 42.2% 731 1,000

Round 12

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 08/07/1961 2:10 PM Glenelg v West Adelaide Glenelg Oval 80 - 106
SAT 08/07/1961 2:10 PM North Adelaide v Sturt Prospect Oval 91 - 48
SAT 08/07/1961 2:10 PM Norwood v West Torrens Norwood Oval 81 - 71
SAT 08/07/1961 2:10 PM South Adelaide v Port Adelaide Adelaide Oval 42 - 101

Round 12 Ladder

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA
West Adelaide 1st 10 -0- 2 20 60.9% 1,149 738
Port Adelaide 2nd 9 -0- 3 18 55.7% 991 787
West Torrens 3rd 8 -0- 4 16 54.9% 1,042 856
Norwood 4th 6 -0- 6 12 51.6% 934 877
North Adelaide 5th 6 -0- 6 12 50.6% 933 912
South Adelaide 6th 5 -0- 7 10 41.8% 819 1,140
Glenelg 7th 3 -0- 9 6 44.4% 976 1,222
Sturt 8th 1 -0- 11 2 41.7% 779 1,091

Round 13

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 15/07/1961 2:10 PM Glenelg v Norwood Glenelg Oval 70 - 98
SAT 15/07/1961 2:10 PM Port Adelaide v West Torrens Alberton Oval 78 - 37
SAT 15/07/1961 2:10 PM South Adelaide v North Adelaide Adelaide Oval 84 - 104
SAT 15/07/1961 2:10 PM West Adelaide v Sturt Kensington Oval 90 - 66

Round 13 Ladder

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA
West Adelaide 1st 11 -0- 2 22 60.6% 1,239 804
Port Adelaide 2nd 10 -0- 3 20 56.5% 1,069 824
West Torrens 3rd 8 -0- 5 16 53.6% 1,079 934
Norwood 4th 7 -0- 6 14 52.1% 1,032 947
North Adelaide 5th 7 -0- 6 14 51.0% 1,037 996
South Adelaide 6th 5 -0- 8 10 42.1% 903 1,244
Glenelg 7th 3 -0- 10 6 44.2% 1,046 1,320
Sturt 8th 1 -0- 12 2 41.7% 845 1,181

Round 14

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 29/07/1961 2:10 PM North Adelaide v Glenelg Prospect Oval 86 - 48
SAT 29/07/1961 2:10 PM Norwood v South Adelaide Norwood Oval 124 - 29
SAT 29/07/1961 2:10 PM Sturt v Port Adelaide Unley Oval 33 - 102
SAT 29/07/1961 2:10 PM West Torrens v West Adelaide Thebarton Oval 108 - 86

Round 14 Ladder

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA
West Adelaide 1st 11 -0- 3 22 59.2% 1,325 912
Port Adelaide 2nd 11 -0- 3 22 57.7% 1,171 857
West Torrens 3rd 9 -0- 5 18 53.8% 1,187 1,020
Norwood 4th 8 -0- 6 16 54.2% 1,156 976
North Adelaide 5th 8 -0- 6 16 51.8% 1,123 1,044
South Adelaide 6th 5 -0- 9 10 40.5% 932 1,368
Glenelg 7th 3 -0- 11 6 43.8% 1,094 1,406
Sturt 8th 1 -0- 13 2 40.6% 878 1,283

Round 15

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 05/08/1961 2:10 PM North Adelaide v Norwood Prospect Oval 99 - 73
SAT 05/08/1961 2:10 PM South Adelaide v Glenelg Adelaide Oval 71 - 93
SAT 05/08/1961 2:10 PM West Adelaide v Port Adelaide Richmond Oval 74 - 85
SAT 05/08/1961 2:10 PM West Torrens v Sturt Kensington Oval 107 - 88

Round 15 Ladder

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA
Port Adelaide 1st 12 -0- 3 24 57.4% 1,256 931
West Adelaide 2nd 11 -0- 4 22 58.4% 1,399 997
West Torrens 3rd 10 -0- 5 20 53.9% 1,294 1,108
North Adelaide 4th 9 -0- 6 18 52.2% 1,222 1,117
Norwood 5th 8 -0- 7 16 53.3% 1,229 1,075
South Adelaide 6th 5 -0- 10 10 40.7% 1,003 1,461
Glenelg 7th 4 -0- 11 8 44.6% 1,187 1,477
Sturt 8th 1 -0- 14 2 41.0% 966 1,390

Round 16

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 12/08/1961 2:10 PM Norwood v West Adelaide Adelaide Oval 110 - 96
SAT 12/08/1961 2:10 PM Port Adelaide v North Adelaide Alberton Oval 94 - 54
SAT 12/08/1961 2:10 PM Sturt v South Adelaide Unley Oval 106 - 88
SAT 12/08/1961 2:10 PM West Torrens v Glenelg Thebarton Oval 119 - 96

Round 16 Ladder

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA
Port Adelaide 1st 13 -0- 3 26 57.8% 1,350 985
West Adelaide 2nd 11 -0- 5 22 57.5% 1,495 1,107
West Torrens 3rd 11 -0- 5 22 54.0% 1,413 1,204
Norwood 4th 9 -0- 7 18 53.3% 1,339 1,171
North Adelaide 5th 9 -0- 7 18 51.3% 1,276 1,211
South Adelaide 6th 5 -0- 11 10 41.0% 1,091 1,567
Glenelg 7th 4 -0- 12 8 44.6% 1,283 1,596
Sturt 8th 2 -0- 14 4 42.0% 1,072 1,478

Round 17

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 19/08/1961 2:10 PM Glenelg v Sturt Glenelg Oval 85 - 137
SAT 19/08/1961 2:10 PM North Adelaide v West Adelaide Prospect Oval 65 - 67
SAT 19/08/1961 2:10 PM Norwood v Port Adelaide Kensington Oval 52 - 92
SAT 19/08/1961 2:10 PM South Adelaide v West Torrens Adelaide Oval 51 - 166

Round 17 Ladder

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA
Port Adelaide 1st 14 -0- 3 28 58.2% 1,442 1,037
West Adelaide 2nd 12 -0- 5 24 57.1% 1,562 1,172
West Torrens 3rd 12 -0- 5 24 55.7% 1,579 1,255
Norwood 4th 9 -0- 8 18 52.4% 1,391 1,263
North Adelaide 5th 9 -0- 8 18 51.2% 1,341 1,278
South Adelaide 6th 5 -0- 12 10 39.7% 1,142 1,733
Glenelg 7th 4 -0- 13 8 44.1% 1,368 1,733
Sturt 8th 3 -0- 14 6 43.6% 1,209 1,563

Round 18

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 26/08/1961 2:10 PM Norwood v Sturt Norwood Oval 128 - 51
SAT 26/08/1961 2:10 PM Port Adelaide v South Adelaide Alberton Oval 129 - 33
SAT 26/08/1961 2:10 PM West Adelaide v Glenelg Adelaide Oval 171 - 45
SAT 26/08/1961 2:10 PM West Torrens v North Adelaide Thebarton Oval 112 - 88

Round 18 Ladder

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA
Port Adelaide 1st 15 -0- 3 30 59.5% 1,571 1,070
West Adelaide 2nd 13 -0- 5 26 58.7% 1,733 1,217
West Torrens 3rd 13 -0- 5 26 55.7% 1,691 1,343
Norwood 4th 10 -0- 8 20 53.6% 1,519 1,314
North Adelaide 5th 9 -0- 9 18 50.7% 1,429 1,390
South Adelaide 6th 5 -0- 13 10 38.7% 1,175 1,862
Glenelg 7th 4 -0- 14 8 42.6% 1,413 1,904
Sturt 8th 3 -0- 15 6 42.7% 1,260 1,691

Round 19

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 02/09/1961 2:10 PM Glenelg v Norwood Glenelg Oval 68 - 92
SAT 02/09/1961 2:10 PM South Adelaide v North Adelaide Adelaide Oval 75 - 108
SAT 02/09/1961 2:10 PM West Adelaide v Sturt Richmond Oval 94 - 70
SAT 02/09/1961 2:10 PM West Torrens v Port Adelaide Thebarton Oval 91 - 67

Round 19 Ladder

Team Ladder (W-D-L, PP & P%) PF PA
Port Adelaide 1st 15 -0- 4 30 58.5% 1,638 1,161
West Adelaide 2nd 14 -0- 5 28 58.7% 1,827 1,287
West Torrens 3rd 14 -0- 5 28 55.8% 1,782 1,410
Norwood 4th 11 -0- 8 22 53.8% 1,611 1,382
North Adelaide 5th 10 -0- 9 20 51.2% 1,537 1,465
South Adelaide 6th 5 -0- 14 10 38.8% 1,250 1,970
Glenelg 7th 4 -0- 15 8 42.6% 1,481 1,996
Sturt 8th 3 -0- 16 6 42.7% 1,330 1,785

Final Round 1

Semi Final

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 09/09/1961 2:10 PM West Torrens v Norwood Adelaide Oval 60 - 81 37,020
SAT 16/09/1961 2:10 PM Port Adelaide v West Adelaide Adelaide Oval 73 - 90 29,846

Final Round 2

Preliminary Final

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 23/09/1961 2:10 PM Port Adelaide v Norwood Adelaide Oval 89 - 91 39,846

Final Round 3

Grand Final

Date Match Venue Result Attendance
SAT 30/09/1961 2:10 PM West Adelaide v Norwood Adelaide Oval 109 - 73 40,409