SANFL Classic Clashes: How Norwood defied the odds to become the first SANFL team to win the flag from fifth

In 1984, Norwood created history by becoming the first SANFL team to win the premiership from the elimination final. We catch up with four key participants who explain just how it happened, in Part 2 of our SANFL Classic Clashes video series.

• Part 1: Central’s defender recalls day Glenelg piled on record 49 goals

They said it couldn’t be done, that a team could not win the SANFL premiership from the elimination final.

But they did not count on Norwood’s toughness, spirit, fierce determination and gamebreaking playmakers.

Starting the 1984 season with just one win from their first six games, the Redlegs finished strongly to grab fifth spot and then – playing sudden death football – bravely beat South Adelaide, Central District and Glenelg in the finals but minor premier Port Adelaide was said to be a bridge too far.

But Norwood has never feared its bitter arch rival and heroically rose to the challenge.

“We had a huge belief that our form was good enough, regardless of who we played,’’ said Norwood star and 1981 Magarey Medallist Michael Aish.

“We were match hardened, having had to win so many games late in the season just to make the finals, so we were tired but well prepared and thinking it was very much a 50-50 game.’’

Norwood’s Justin Scanlon shoots out a handball in the 1984 grand final.

The Redlegs signalled their intentions prior to the opening bounce in front of a crowd of 50,271 when rugged full back Craig Balme – brother of coach Neil Balme – started a fight with Port goalkicking great Tim Evans.

The remarkable incident, which took place during the singing of the national anthem, sparked a series of melees and set the tone for what would be one of the fiercest contests between the powerhouse clubs.

“Tim was a prover performer, a premiership player, an absolute gun, and Craig decided to do whatever he could within the rules to try to put him off his game,’’ said star Norwood goalkicker Neville “Rocky’’ Roberts.

“Craig was relentless, he wouldn’t give it up, and eventually Tim cracked and a fight broke out.’’

Port Adelaide’s Greg Anderson (left) and Steve Curtis at the club last week, reflecting on the 1984 grand final loss to Norwood. Picture: Brenton Edwards

The big dust up unsettled the Magpies and Norwood got the early jump with the breeze, kicking four goals to one in the opening quarter to lead by 19 points.

“We were calmer than Port early,’’ said Roberts.

“We had survived a lot of pressure just to get to the grand final and there’s no doubt what happened with Balme and Evans did unsettle them and they gave away a couple of free kicks which cost them goals.’’

Magpies wingman Greg Anderson, who was 18 at the time, admitted his side lost its cool and paid a heavy price on the scoreboard.

“They rattled us and it cost us a couple of goals,’’ said Anderson.

The Redlegs extended their advantage to a game-high 25 points early in the second term before Port, as expected, hit back hard.

With half-forward Stephen “Bomber’’ Clifford on fire, it kicked seven goals with the wind in the second quarter to draw to within four points at the long break.

At three quarter-time, the Magpies had claimed the lead and appeared destined to win their fifth flag in eight years.

But Norwood had other ideas.

Inspired by a spectacular mark running back with the flight of the ball into oncoming traffic from Jack Oatey Medallist Keith Thomas late in the third term, the Redlegs proved unbreakable.

Port Adelaide’s Tim Evans (left) and Norwood’s Craig Balme come to blows in the 1984 grand final.

Norwood’s Neville Roberts (left) hugs coach Neil Balme after the final siren.

“It was a super mark and certainly lifted me,’’ Roberts said.

Port defender Steve Curtis thought his side, having weathered the early storm, would run over Norwood in the final term.

“Because they’d come from fifth and had played every week, whereas we were fresh, but as it turned out it was the other way around,’’ he said.

Aish bounced and carried the ball the best part of 80m down the outer wing before setting Thomas up with an opportunity to produce a tremendous snap goal from the pocket, giving his team a four-point lead during a tense final term.

Port regained the lead through Evans but when wingman Duncan Fosdike and Roberts, for his sixth major, goaled, Norwood had pulled off the supposedly impossible, winning by nine points.

“There’s not a great deal of love lost between the two clubs, there’s a great deal of respect, but it’s well known that we are arch rivals, so to knock them off in a grand final was extra sweet, especially coming from fifth,’’ Aish said. “It was very special, one of the great wins.’’

The only SANFL team to since emulate Norwood’s feat was North Adelaide in 2018.