The story of Old Ignatians and Scotch Old Collegians’ 1981 amateur league “phantom match”
It was described as “the match won in the bar” between two Adelaide footy clubs that made national news in 1981. But what really happened on that cold August day 38 years ago? Plus more in the One-Percenters column.
- Fail ale: Player, water boy banned for midgame beer
- Two late thrillers define division one finals spots
Welcome to One-Percenters – a wrap of some of the quirky talking points from the round in the Adelaide Footy League.
Each edition we will bring you eight or so titbits from the latest weekend – they might be eye-catching results, milestones, comebacks, big wins, broken droughts or inspiring stories.
If you have heard about something quirky in the Adelaide Footy League, email us your suggestions or photos to patrick.keam@news.com.au
THE FOOTY MATCH THAT NEVER HAPPENED
It has been dubbed by some as the “phantom match” and the infamous 1981 game between Old Ignatians and Scotch Old Collegians is one of the greatest tales in Adelaide amateur football folklore.
On paper, the C grade fixture on August 8 at St Ignatius College appeared like any other match.
Scores were lodged – with Iggies having won 18.17 (125) to 10.7 (67) – goal kickers recorded and votes given out.
But 16 days later it was revealed that not a player from either side ever stepped foot on the field that day.
Last Saturday, August 24, was the 38th anniversary of that day when the players, coaches and officials from both clubs knew the jig was up.
The front page of now defunct Adelaide tabloid The News read: “Footy scandal as teams fix score”.
It told a scene of the two teams and umpires at the pub instead of on the muddy footy field.
Stephen White, a player and team manager for Scotch at the time, says that is not quite the truth.
“It’s certainly an infamous story,” says White.
“It had been a very wet winter and it was absolutely pouring with rain, it was a pig of the day. The teams didn’t have anything to play for and were light on for players.
“I think it all started as a bit of a joke, something like ‘it’s hardly worth playing the game’.”
With a fine from the amateur league looming for a forfeit, the joke quickly grew legs.
Scotch player/coach Ross Bourne and his Old Ignatians counterpart Peter Kelly reportedly got together with the umpire to fill out the scorecard.
“It was suggested that everyone then went back to the pub and kicked on with great frivolity, but that never happened,” White says.
Both sides thought they had gotten away with the ruse before the story leaked to league headquarters and Bourne and Kelly were called in to explain themselves to the tribunal.
They were each suspended until July of the next year, both clubs were fined and premiership points and percentage were stripped.
The story was then picked up by The News and circulated in newspapers across the country.
White believes they came undone when the league realised Iggies and Scotch had submitted a crisp, dry scorecard when other umpires’ from that day would have resembled paper-mache.
How the “phantom match” was exposed and whether the two teams spent the day at the pub can draw different answers, depending on who you speak to.
One thing is for sure however, according to White.
“When you look back, it was a dumb thing to do, it was very stupid,” he says.
“The events of this day get raised about this time of the year almost on an annual basis.”
Can you shed any more light on this or any other local footy story? Email patrick.keam@news.com.au
THE LEAGUE’S MOST DYNAMIC DUO?
They’ve been a regular feature in this column and Payneham Norwood Union pair Alex Forster and Liam Davis keep giving us reasons to do so.
The Falcons forwards are hard to go past as the Adelaide Footy League’s most dynamic duo.
On Saturday, Forster and Davis both booted five goals as PNU rolled Brighton 17.14 (106) to 9.15 (69) in division one’s last minor round.
The pair, both SANFL premiership players at Norwood, have been crucial to Payneham’s brilliant run this season, which has led to them claiming the minor premiership.
Forster has 70 majors on the season with Davis not far behind on 61 as they sit number one and two on the division one goal kicking leaderboard.
Next closest is Rostrevor Old Collegians spearheads Heath Commane and Michael Coad on 48 and 47.
With the Falcons and ROC finishing first and second on the ladder, they would be odds on to meet in the grand final on September 21.
The two duos could put on a show at Thebarton Oval if that is the case. Bring it on we say.
SECOND TIME’S A CHARM
There were four finals matches on the weekend where the teams involved faced off for the second week in a row.
And the strange occurrence worked well for some, but not others.
In division two, Sacred Heart Old Collegians and Athelstone returned to Sacred Heart for their qualifying final after also doing battle in the last minor round.
SHOC won the first fixture by 18 points but it was the Raggies who came out on top when it mattered as they outmuscled the hosts 8.9 (52) to 6.7 (43) on Saturday.
It was a similar case at Largs North Reserve.
North Haven triumphed over Golden Grove in round 18, also by 18 points.
But the Kookaburras turned the tables in their favour on the return bout for the elimination final with a comfortable 17.14 (116) to 8.16 (64) win on Saturday.
In division five, Salisbury stormed into fourth on the ladder by beating Lockleys in the last minor round.
The Demons went to Salisbury with a point to prove however and made amends with a 11.8 (74) to 6.11 (47) triumph in the elimination final at Salisbury Oval
Hectorville and Elizabeth also resumed rivalries in the sixth tier.
Unfortunately for the Eagles they were not able to match the feat of the previous teams as the Hounds won for the second-straight week, 21.19 (145) to 7.4 (46), this time at Daly Oval.
AWARDS SEASON
This Wednesday night the best of the best in the Adelaide Footy League women’s competition will be celebrated at the Dutschke Medal Dinner.
The division one and two medallists will be crowned but on Tuesday the best and fairest for the lower tiers were named.
It was an terrific finish in the division three count as Golden Grove’s Jordan Woodards topped the tally with 32 votes ahead of Broadview’s Katelyn Pope (30) and Old Ignatians’ Kate Harris (25).
Woodards held off a late charge from Pope, also a talented cricketer with the Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash League, as the latter polled eight votes to Woodard’s six in the final three rounds.
Scotch Old Collegians’ Louise Firth took out the division four medal with 20 votes and Zoe Smith prevailed with 19 votes in the fifth tier award.
Melanie Koster from Christies Beach recorded 13 votes to take out the division one reserves medal in a low count while Morphettville Park’s Tessa Kohn triumphed in the under-18 competition.
As for the division one Dutschke Medal, the Sunday Mail ’s Ben Hook wrote on the weekend he expects there will be an absorbing three-way battle between SMOSH West Lakes’ Chloe Forby, Adelaide University’s Stephanie Walker and Angle Vale star Caitlin Teague.
The award is named after Gina Dutschke, the founder of the South Australian Women’s Football League back in 1990.
COUNT ‘EM UP
Speaking on medal counts, plenty of players (if they’re not at training) will have their eyes fixed online this Thursday night for the division three to seven medal results.
The counts, which also include reserves and C grade competitions, previously had their own awards evening but have been changed to an online presentation in recent years.
The division one and two best and fairests will be awarded a the Keith Sims OAM Medal Dinner on Monday, September 9.
Strangely, the league has scheduled the event the same evening as the SANFL’s Magarey Medal.
WHO WANTS IT?
The race to 100 goals in the Adelaide Footy League stalled on the weekend.
Last week we told you about the three contenders all sitting on 90 majors for the season at the conclusion of the minor rounds.
But with none of Andrew Liverton (Kenilworth, division five), Jesse Whinnen (Pulteney, C6) and David Hodges (Adelaide Lutheran, C6) playing on Saturday, the race remains wide open.
Liverton and Hodges both had the week of with their respective sides finishing minor premiers.
Meanwhile, Whinnen didn’t front for the Navy Blues in their first final but his absence may have something to do with heading to Canada for the box lacrosse world championships in September.
patrick.keam@news.com.au