Struggling Aldinga Sharks finally beat Morphett Vale – 67 years after their most recent win over the Emus

ROBERT Menzies was Prime Minister and the Korean War was being fought the last time Aldinga Sharks beat Morphett Vale in an A-grade match before Saturday. [Watch video of their team song]

ROBERT Menzies was Australia’s Prime Minister, the Korean War was being fought and Dragnet had just premiered on TV the last time Aldinga beat Morphett Vale in an A-grade top-tier match before Saturday.

But the Sharks finally ended their winless drought against the Emus, which had stretched back to May 12, 1951, with an 11.10 (76) to 7.13 (55) home victory at the weekend.

Aldinga president Danny Wilde said Saturday’s result – also the club’s first win in 2018 – brought a smile to the faces of Sharks members, who had endured many thrashings by Morphett Vale in recent seasons.

In 2004, the Emus beat the Sharks 54.26 (350) to 3.1 (19), which was the second-biggest SFL score at the time – behind Morphett Vale’s 56.20 against Aldinga in 1981.

Aldinga president Danny Wilde, pictured watching the Sharks play Morphett Vale in 2014 with club supporter Trevor McKee. Picture: Calum Robertson.

“It was great,” Wilde said.

“A lot of people were coming to me saying ‘if we win this, is this history?’

“I’m going ‘yeah, we haven’t beaten them in a long time’.

“Some people thought 40 years but I knew it’d be more than that.”

Aldinga and Morphett Vale were in different divisions between the Sharks’ reformation in 1977 and the SFL going to one tier in 2001.

The Sharks did not field a team from 1952-77 because it did not have enough players.

They have languished near the bottom of the competition over the past decade, winning a wooden spoon in 2012 and gaining national media attention in 2014 when ex-Hawthorn star Shane Crawford played a one-off game for the battling club.

Brownlow Medallist Shane Crawford plays for Aldinga against O’Sullivans Beach/Lonsdale in 2014. Picture: Tait Schmaal.

Morphett Vale has been one of the league’s traditional powerhouses over the past decade but is struggling and winless this season.

Sharks coach Damian Smith said it was an amazing feeling to finally break through for a victory this year after losses of 136, 99, 161, 56 and 100 points to start the season.

“The boys had the belief to get the job done,’’ Smith said.

“It was a nervous time among the coaches as it was a real arm-wrestle early in the last quarter.

Aldinga coach Damian Smith, pictured during the 2015 season. Picture: Tait Schmaal.

“Then we kicked a goal and gained the momentum to kick three goals.

“It is obviously a long time since we have beaten them and we all know they are not the same as before but these little boxes can be ticked off.

“We are heading in the right direction.’’

Nicholas Scanlan, Mathew Beinke and Corey Mathewson were best for Aldinga.

Tim Carratt kicked three goals.

Jack Glazbrook, Adam Rigg and Daniel Bode worked hard for the Emus.