It was at the Adelaide Oval that Port Adelaide (sporting it's two-year-old guernsey of black and white bars beneath a black ‘bib’) took on the ‘city’ team South Adelaide.
Much had changed in the 30 years since the club had been established - more in fact than in the 110 years between that historic victory and today.
The South Australian Football Association (now the SANFL) decided to count behinds on the scoreboard, the rules were closely matched to those in play across the Victorian border and many of the familiar teams we know today - North, Norwood, West, Sturt and West Torrens - were all firmly established.
Over 14,000 spectators turned out to the Adelaide Oval to see the match between the Portonians and the blue and whites at the end of 1903.
While the famous ‘Magpie’ nickname hadn’t yet caught on (the club was better known as the ‘seasiders’) there were signs of an early ‘Port Adelaide’ spirit in this team - that famous Magpie spirit of never giving up and of the players fully applying themselves to the task of training and ruthless play.
South had played indifferently throughout the year; they won the unwinnables, and lost the unloseables.
Port Adelaide on the other hand was undefeated from late May until the end of August to claim the minor premiership.
Port kicked towards the cathedral end first and trailed early, with South Adelaide controlling the play to register two goals from four scoring shots and carry a slender lead into the quarter time break.
It was here that Port Adelaide rallied and held South to just one behind for the quarter, while kicking 3.3 of its own against the breeze.
Kicking with the wind in the third term Port Adelaide again launched a dominant offensive, but was unable to capitalise on its control of the play - converting just one goal for the term, but managing to hold a comfortable two-goal lead.
Despite South proving dangerous in the final quarter, Port managed to hold the challengers at bay to register just its fourth premiership.
Port kicked towards the cathedral end first and trailed early, with South Adelaide controlling the play to register two goals from four scoring shots and carry a slender lead into the quarter time break.
It was here that Port Adelaide rallied and held South to just one behind for the quarter, while kicking 3.3 of its own against the breeze.
Kicking with the wind in the third term Port Adelaide again launched a dominant offensive, but was unable to capitalise on its control of the play - converting just one goal for the term, but managing to hold a comfortable two-goal lead.
Despite South proving dangerous in the final quarter, Port managed to hold the challengers at bay to register just its fourth premiership.
The win was also the club's first from a final match at the Adelaide Oval and first in the famous prison bar guernsey after previously winning flags in maroon and pink jumpers.
As history tells us, there would be plenty more to come, like in 1959 when the club clinched a famous and unparalleled record…
1903 South Australian Football Association Challenge Match
PORT ADELAIDE 2.0 5.3 6.4 6.6 (42)
SOUTH ADELAIDE 2.2 2.3 4.4 5.5 (35)
As history tells us, there would be plenty more to come, like in 1959 when the club clinched a famous and unparalleled record…
1903 South Australian Football Association Challenge Match
PORT ADELAIDE 2.0 5.3 6.4 6.6 (42)
SOUTH ADELAIDE 2.2 2.3 4.4 5.5 (35)
Adelaide Oval
