West Torrens Football Club
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West Torrens Football Club was an
Australian rules football Australian football, also called Australian rules football or Aussie rules, or more simply football or footy, is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an oval field, often a modified cricket ground. Points are scored by k ...
club that competed in the
South Australian National Football League The South Australian National Football League, or SANFL ( or ''S-A-N-F-L''), is an Australian rules football league based in the Australian state of South Australia. It is also the state's sports governing body, governing body for the sport. O ...
(SANFL) from 1897 to 1990. In 1991, the club merged with neighbouring Woodville Football Club to form the Woodville-West Torrens Eagles. With the proposed introduction of representative Districts for clubs in the SAFA the Native Club in 1896 derived its name from
Electoral district of West Torrens West Torrens is a single-member electoral district for the South Australian House of Assembly. Named after the City of West Torrens (which is so-named because of its location on the River Torrens), it is a 25.1 km² suburban electorate in A ...
and based itself in the western suburbs of
Adelaide Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...
, around the western reaches of the
River Torrens The River Torrens , (Karrawirra Parri / Karrawirraparri) is the most significant river of the Adelaide Plains. It was one of the main reasons for the siting of the city of Adelaide, capital of South Australia. It flows from its source in the ...
.


Club history

A precursor club in the district was the West Adelaide Football Club (1878–1887) that was founded in 1878 as the West Torrens and dissolved after just one season in the SAFA after changing its name to West Adelaide and wearing colours of Red, White and Blue in 1887. The modern club was formed originally as "The Natives" and competed in the
1895 SAFA season The 1895 South Australian Football Association season was the 19th season of the top-level Australian rules football competition in South Australia. The 'Port' Natives Club (renamed as West Torrens from 1897) was formed as a new Club by a grou ...
and
1896 SAFA season The 1896 South Australian Football Association season was the 20th season of the top-level Australian rules football competition in South Australia. During the 1896 season a rule was introduced for North Adelaide and the Natives (renamed West T ...
wearing Blue with a gold Hoop. Its initial meetings were held at the President's Office at Grenfell Street in Adelaide. With the introduction of Electoral Districts at a meeting of the SAFA on Monday 26th Oct 1896 at Prince Alfred Hotel the "Port" Natives delegates informed the SAFA that they intend to rename themselves West Torrens. At the Annual General Meeting held on Friday 19 March 1897 at Lady Daly Hotel, Hindmarsh it was passed unanimously that the Club would alter the name from The Natives Football Club to West Torrens Football Club. In its history of almost 100 years, West Torrens won only four premierships; conversely, however, they only slumped to the wooden spoon on six occasions, evidence that they were generally quite competitive. Despite their relative lack of team success, winning only four SANFL Premierships and one Night Premiership in their history (1924, 1933, 1945, 1953 and 1983 (night)), West Torrens boasted some of the best individual players ever to play Australian rules football. Players such as 1946 and 1947 Magarey Medallist, 1953
All-Australian The All-Australian team is an all-star team of Australian rules football in Australia, Australian rules footballers, selected by a panel at the end of each season. It represents a complete team, including an interchange bench, of the best-perf ...
and 1953 premiership captain
Bob Hank Robert William "Bob" Hank (19 June 1923 – 14 June 2012) grew up in and lived in Lockleys and was an Australian rules footballer who played for West Torrens in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL). Career Hank began ...
, triple
Magarey Medal The Magarey Medal is an Australian rules football honour awarded annually since 1898 to the fairest and most brilliant player in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL), as judged by field umpires. The award was created by Will ...
winner (1955, 1958 & 1963), 1956 All-Australian and '53 premiership player
Lindsay Head Lindsay Hudson Head MBE (born 16 September 1935 in North Adelaide, South Australia) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with West Torrens in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL). He was awarded three Magarey M ...
and former Australian Test cricketer
Neil Hawke Neil James Napier Hawke (27 June 1939 – 25 December 2000) was an Australian Test cricketer and leading Australian rules footballer. Early years Born in Cheltenham, South Australia, Hawke quickly developed as a natural all-round sportsman ...
were all star players for the club. The club reached the finals for the last time in 1980 and by 1982 there were calls for West Torrens to merge with another club. In 1990, with the imminent entry of the South Australian-based
Adelaide Crows The Adelaide Crows (officially the Adelaide Football Club) are a professional Australian rules football team based in Adelaide, South Australia. Founded in 1990. The Crows has fielded a men's team in the Australian Football League (AFL) sinc ...
into the national
Australian Football League The Australian Football League (AFL) is the only fully professional competition of Australian rules football. Through the AFL Commission, the AFL also serves as the sport's governing body and is responsible for controlling the laws of the gam ...
(AFL), it was decided that West Torrens and Woodville would amalgamate. In an apt moment, Woodville and West Torrens were drawn to play each other in their respective final games which was played at the Adelaide Oval. The two sides merged after the completion of the 1990 SANFL season and have since participated in the SANFL as the Woodville-West Torrens Eagles.


Awards

*Premierships 4 (1924, 1933, 1945 & 1953) : West Torrens won an unofficial premiership in 1918 while the SANFL was officially disbanded for the duration of World War I. : During World War II, West Torrens merged with
Port Adelaide Football Club Port Adelaide Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Alberton, South Australia, Alberton, South Australia. The club's senior men's team plays in the Australian Football League (AFL), where they are nicknamed ...
and won the 1942 premiership. *Minor premierships 2 (1924, 1963) *Wooden Spoons 6 (1895 1st Season as Natives, 1930, 1941, 1975, 1976, 1986) *SANFL Night premierships: 1 - 1983 *SANFL Reserves premierships: 17 - 1919, 1920, 1922, 1924, 1926, 1927, 1931, 1935, 1941, 1946, 1950, 1953, 1954, 1962, 1968, 1984, 1990 *SANFL Under 19's premierships: 9 - 1936, 1938, 1939, 1941, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1973, 1989 *SANFL Under 17's premierships: 3 - 1953, 1954, 1957 ''* 1983 SANFL Escort Cup Grand Final played at West Torrens home ground Thebarton Oval. The Eagles defeated
South Adelaide The South Adelaide Football Club is an Australian rules football club that competes in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL). Known as the ''Panthers'', their home ground is Flinders University StadiumTom MacKenzie Thomas David MacKenzie (4 October 188228 November 1927) was an Australian rules footballer in the (then) South Australian National Football League, South Australian Football Association (SAFA)/South Australian Football League (SAFL). MacKenzi ...
(1902) *
Dave Low David Low (6 April 1887 – 4 August 1916) was an Australian rules footballer who played with West Torrens in the South Australian Football League (SAFL). Originally from Broken Hill, Low was a defender and debuted for West Torrens in 1910. He ...
(1912) *
John Karney John "Jack" Karney (4 February 1895 – 1986) was an Australian rules footballer who played with West Torrens in the South Australian Football League (SAFL). Karney could play as either a centreman or rover and first appeared for West Torrens ...
(1921)* * Max Pontifex (1932) *
Bob Hank Robert William "Bob" Hank (19 June 1923 – 14 June 2012) grew up in and lived in Lockleys and was an Australian rules footballer who played for West Torrens in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL). Career Hank began ...
(1946 & 1947) *
Lindsay Head Lindsay Hudson Head MBE (born 16 September 1935 in North Adelaide, South Australia) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with West Torrens in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL). He was awarded three Magarey M ...
(1955, 1958 & 1963) ''* In 1998 John Karney, along with Charlie Adams (
Port Adelaide Port Adelaide is a port-side region of Adelaide, approximately northwest of the Adelaide CBD. It is also the namesake of the City of Port Adelaide Enfield council, a suburb, a federal and state electoral division and is the main port for the ...
) and Wat Scott (Norwood) was retrospectively awarded the 1921 Magarey Medal after he was originally in a four way tie with only South Adelaide's 1919 and 1920 Medal winner Dan Moriarty awarded the 1921 Medal.''
SANFL leading goalkickers * John Willis: 85 goals (1952) *
Geoff Kingston Geoff Kingston is a former Australian rules footballer who played for West Torrens in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL). He was inducted into the South Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2008. Born in Melbourne but raise ...
: 78 goals (1961)


Club colours and emblems

*Blue and Gold (1895–1990) : West Torrens was known as the Eagles from the early 1950s until their merging with Woodville.


Home grounds

*Jubilee Oval (1897–1904) * Hindmarsh Oval (1905–21) *
Thebarton Oval Thebarton Oval is a sports ground in Adelaide, South Australia currently used for a variety of sports including Australian rules football. It was the home ground of South Australian National Football League (SANFL) club West Torrens between 192 ...
(1922–89) *
Football Park Football Park, known commercially as AAMI Stadium, was an Australian rules football stadium located in West Lakes, South Australia, West Lakes, a western suburb of Adelaide, the state capital of South Australia, Australia. It was built in 197 ...
(1990)


Famous players

*
Bob Hank Robert William "Bob" Hank (19 June 1923 – 14 June 2012) grew up in and lived in Lockleys and was an Australian rules footballer who played for West Torrens in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL). Career Hank began ...
: The dual Magarey Medallist captained West Torrens for nine seasons and was Club Best & Fairest a record nine times. He was inducted into the
Australian Football Hall of Fame The Australian Football Hall of Fame was established in 1996, the Centenary year of the Australian Football League, to help recognise the contributions made to the sport of Australian rules football by players, umpires, media personalities, coa ...
in 1999. *
Neil Hawke Neil James Napier Hawke (27 June 1939 – 25 December 2000) was an Australian Test cricketer and leading Australian rules footballer. Early years Born in Cheltenham, South Australia, Hawke quickly developed as a natural all-round sportsman ...
: The Test cricketer was also a star player with West Torrens following his clearance from
Port Adelaide Port Adelaide is a port-side region of Adelaide, approximately northwest of the Adelaide CBD. It is also the namesake of the City of Port Adelaide Enfield council, a suburb, a federal and state electoral division and is the main port for the ...
*
Lindsay Head Lindsay Hudson Head MBE (born 16 September 1935 in North Adelaide, South Australia) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with West Torrens in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL). He was awarded three Magarey M ...
: The three time Magarey Medallist is also club game record holder with 327 games. He was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 1996. * Bruce Lindsay: Captained West Torrens for seven seasons. At 29 was a member of the inaugural
Adelaide Crows The Adelaide Crows (officially the Adelaide Football Club) are a professional Australian rules football team based in Adelaide, South Australia. Founded in 1990. The Crows has fielded a men's team in the Australian Football League (AFL) sinc ...
squad for the
1991 AFL season The 1991 AFL season was the 95th season of the Australian Football League (AFL), which was known previously as the Victorian Football League until 1989. The season ran from 22 March until 28 September, and comprised a 22-game home-and-away seas ...
. * Michael Long: Won West Torrens Best & Fairest in 1988. Won
Norm Smith Medal The Norm Smith Medal is an Australian rules football award presented annually to the player adjudged the best on ground in the Grand Final of the Australian Football League (AFL). Prior to 1990 the competition was known as the Victorian Football ...
as best on ground playing for
Essendon Essendon may refer to: Australia *Electoral district of Essendon *Electoral district of Essendon and Flemington * Essendon, Victoria **Essendon railway station **Essendon Airport * Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League United Ki ...
in their 1993 AFL Grand Final win over
Carlton Carlton may refer to: People * Carlton (name), a list of those with the given name or surname * Carlton (singer), English soul singer Carlton McCarthy * Carlton, a pen name used by Joseph Caldwell (1773–1835), American educator, Presbyterian ...
. Of Aboriginal descent, Long has become a spokesman for Indigenous Australians and was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2007. *
Bob Shearman Robert Osborne Shearman (14 September 1939 – 27 June 1999) was an Australian rules footballer who played for the Essendon Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL) and for the West Torrens Football Club and Sturt Football Club in t ...
: Went on to captain the
Sturt Football Club The Sturt Football Club, nicknamed The Double Blues, is a semi-professional Australian rules football club based in the suburb of Unley, South Australia, which plays in the South Australian National Football League. Founded in 1901 by the Stur ...
and play in several of their premiership sides. Challenge trophy between Sturt and Woodville-West Torrens Eagles is named after him. *
Neville Roberts Neville P. Roberts (born 6 March 1955) is a former Australian rules footballer who played in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) and Victorian Football League (VFL). He played with West Torrens, Richmond and Norwood. His in ...
: aka "Rocky" Roberts who wore a protective skull cap after an injury, before transferring to Norwood *
Kym Dillon Kym Dillon (born 19 June 1959) is the former sports presenter for Nine News Adelaide. He is also part of the successful sports coverage and football commentary team at FIVEaa. Prior to his media career he played football for SANFL clubs North Ad ...
: Also a breakfast radio announcer and Sports reporter/announcer for Channel 9 Adelaide. * Steven Stretch: One of many SANFL players who were recruited into the VFL in the 1980s, playing for
Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
and
Fitzroy Fitzroy or FitzRoy may refer to: People As a given name *Several members of the Somerset family (Dukes of Beaufort) have this as a middle-name: **FitzRoy Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan (1788–1855) ** Henry Charles FitzRoy Somerset, 8th Duke of Beau ...
. * Matthew Rendell: A 200 cm / 102 kg ruckman who played 79 games for West Torrens before playing 164 games for the
Fitzroy Football Club The Fitzroy Football Club is an Australian rules football club currently competing in the Victorian Amateur Football Association (VAFA). Formed in 1883 to represent the inner-Melbourne municipality of Fitzroy, the club was a member of the Vi ...
in the VFL and winning two best and fairests in 1982/83. He played a further 13 games for the
Brisbane Bears The Brisbane Football Club, nicknamed the Bears, was a professional Australian rules football club based in Queensland on the Gold Coast (relocated to Brisbane in 1993). The club participated in the Victorian/Australian Football League (VFL/ ...
before retiring in 1992. Matthew's two brothers Tim and Steven also played for West Torrens. * Peter Kelly: A former captain who played over 150 games for the Eagles during the 1970s.


Club records

*South Australian Premiers: 4 - 1924, 1933, 1945, 1953 *SANFL Night Premiers (Escort Cup): 1 - 1983 *Record Attendance at
Thebarton Oval Thebarton Oval is a sports ground in Adelaide, South Australia currently used for a variety of sports including Australian rules football. It was the home ground of South Australian National Football League (SANFL) club West Torrens between 192 ...
: 20,832 v Norwood in 1962 *Record Attendance: 48,755 v Norwood at
Adelaide Oval Adelaide Oval is a sports ground in Adelaide, South Australia, located in the parklands between the city centre and North Adelaide. The venue is predominantly used for cricket and Australian rules football, but has also played host to rugby ...
, 1948 SANFL Grand Final *Most Games: 327 by
Lindsay Head Lindsay Hudson Head MBE (born 16 September 1935 in North Adelaide, South Australia) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with West Torrens in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL). He was awarded three Magarey M ...
(1952–70) *Most Goals in a Season: 85 by John Willis in 1952 *Highest Score: 34.15 (219) v
South Adelaide The South Adelaide Football Club is an Australian rules football club that competes in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL). Known as the ''Panthers'', their home ground is Flinders University StadiumAdelaide Oval Adelaide Oval is a sports ground in Adelaide, South Australia, located in the parklands between the city centre and North Adelaide. The venue is predominantly used for cricket and Australian rules football, but has also played host to rugby ...
, Round 14, 1950 * Magarey Medallists:
Tom MacKenzie Thomas David MacKenzie (4 October 188228 November 1927) was an Australian rules footballer in the (then) South Australian National Football League, South Australian Football Association (SAFA)/South Australian Football League (SAFL). MacKenzi ...
(1902),
Dave Low David Low (6 April 1887 – 4 August 1916) was an Australian rules footballer who played with West Torrens in the South Australian Football League (SAFL). Originally from Broken Hill, Low was a defender and debuted for West Torrens in 1910. He ...
(1912),
John Karney John "Jack" Karney (4 February 1895 – 1986) was an Australian rules footballer who played with West Torrens in the South Australian Football League (SAFL). Karney could play as either a centreman or rover and first appeared for West Torrens ...
(1921), Max Pontifex (1932),
Bob Hank Robert William "Bob" Hank (19 June 1923 – 14 June 2012) grew up in and lived in Lockleys and was an Australian rules footballer who played for West Torrens in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL). Career Hank began ...
(1946 & 1947),
Lindsay Head Lindsay Hudson Head MBE (born 16 September 1935 in North Adelaide, South Australia) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with West Torrens in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL). He was awarded three Magarey M ...
(1955, 1958 & 1963) * All-Australians:
Bob Hank Robert William "Bob" Hank (19 June 1923 – 14 June 2012) grew up in and lived in Lockleys and was an Australian rules footballer who played for West Torrens in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL). Career Hank began ...
(1953),
Lindsay Head Lindsay Hudson Head MBE (born 16 September 1935 in North Adelaide, South Australia) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with West Torrens in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL). He was awarded three Magarey M ...
(1956),
Geoff Kingston Geoff Kingston is a former Australian rules footballer who played for West Torrens in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL). He was inducted into the South Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2008. Born in Melbourne but raise ...
(1961),
Bob Shearman Robert Osborne Shearman (14 September 1939 – 27 June 1999) was an Australian rules footballer who played for the Essendon Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL) and for the West Torrens Football Club and Sturt Football Club in t ...
(1961)


References


External links


Full Points Footy History of West Torrens Football ClubTalking Footy South Australia
{{South Australian National Football League Former South Australian National Football League clubs Australian rules football clubs in South Australia 1894 establishments in Australia 1990 disestablishments in Australia Australian rules football clubs established in 1894 Australian rules football clubs disestablished in 1990