The 1983 South Australian National Football League season was the 104th, since 1877, of 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 governing body for the sport. Originally formed as the ...

(SANFL) Australian rules football competition. The season commenced on Saturday 2 April 1983, and concluded on Saturday 1 October 1983 with the SANFL

Grand Final Primarily in Australian sports, a grand final (sometimes colloquially abbreviated to "grannie") is a game that decides a sports league's premiership (or championship) winning team, i.e. the conclusive game of a finals (or play-off) series. Sy ...

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 ...

with defeating by 34 points to claim their eighth premiership and first since 1961.

Escort Cup

Concurrently with the early rounds of the premiership season, the SANFL also ran the Escort Cup night competition with games usually being played mid-week. The Grand Final of the Cup, played under lights at the

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 Football Clu ...

, saw win their first competition since they won the 1953 SANFL Grand Final when they defeated 7.15 (57) to 5.7 (37). With

having lights installed by the

1984 SANFL season The 1984 South Australian National Football League season was the 105th season of the top-level Australian rules football competition in South Australia. Norwood finished 5th on the ladder but won all four of its finals, to win the premiership ...

, this would be the final time that the night competition would be held at the suburban grounds of Thebarton and

Norwood Oval Norwood Oval (currently known as Coopers Stadium due to sponsorship from the Adelaide-based Coopers Brewery) is a suburban oval in the western end of Norwood, an inner eastern suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. It is owned by Norwood, Payn ...

's. From 1984 all night competition games would be held at the league's headquarters. Night football would not return to suburban grounds until the early 2000s when some home games were scheduled to be held under lights at Norwood Oval.

Premiership season

Highlights of the season fixture include: * A 22-round home and away competition * A Grand Final rematch between and , to be played on 25 April (

Anzac Day , image = Dawn service gnangarra 03.jpg , caption = Anzac Day Dawn Service at Kings Park, Western Australia, 25 April 2009, 94th anniversary. , observedby = Australia Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Cook Islands New ...

) at

* also hosted on Anzac Day at the

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 ...

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Round 4

Round 5

Round 6

Round 7

State of Origin Game

Round 8

Round 9

Round 10

State Game

Round 11

Round 12

Round 13

Round 14

Round 15

Round 16

Round 17

Round 18

Round 19

Round 20

Round 21

Round 22

Ladder

Finals series

Elimination Final

Qualifying Final

First Semi Final

Second Semi Final

Preliminary Final

Grand Final

Awards and premiers

Awards

* The

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 Willia ...

(awarded to the best and fairest player in the home and away season) was won by

Tony Antrobus Anthony John Antrobus (born 8 April 1962) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the North Adelaide Roosters in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) and had stints with Essendon and St Kilda in the Victorian Fo ...

of , who polled 35 votes. * The

Ken Farmer Medal The Ken Farmer Medal is named in honour of the Australian rules footballer, North Adelaide Football Club full forward Ken Farmer. The medal is awarded to the South Australian Football League The South Australian National Football League, or ...

(awarded to the leading goalkicker in the home and away season) was won by

Rick Davies Richard Davies (born 22 July 1944) is an English musician, singer and songwriter best known as founder, vocalist and keyboardist of the rock band Supertramp. Davies was its only constant member, and composed some of the band's best known songs ...

of . He kicked 151 goals in the 1983 home and away season. * were the league minor premiers, finishing top of the ladder at the end of the home and away season with 18 wins and 4 losses. It was the club's 2nd minor premiership in the SANFL.

Premiers

* were the League premiers, defeating by 34 points. * were the Reserves premiers, defeating

Leading Goal Kickers

() – 151 (SANFL record) *

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 ...

() – 111 (first Norwood player to kick 100 goals in an SANFL season) *

Grenville Dietrich Grenville Dietrich (born 5 March 1960) is a retired Australian Rules football player who played for the North Adelaide and West Torrens football clubs in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) between 1982 and 1988. Early lif ...

() – 109 *

Roger Luders Roger Gordon Luders is a retired Australian Rules Football player who played his entire league career with the West Adelaide Football Club in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) from 1978 until his retirement in 1987. When pla ...

() – 105 (first West Adelaide player to kick 100 goals in an SANFL season)

Notes

References

''
1983 SANFL League season
'' {{SANFL seasons South Australian National Football League seasons

SANFL 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 governing body for the sport. Originally formed as the ...