South Gawler Football Club

The South Gawler Football Club is a country Australian rules football club, founded by James Fitzgerald in the Gawler South area of the town of Gawler, South Australia, in 1889. The Lions, who wear royal blue and white stripes, currently compete in the Barossa Light & Gawler Football Association. Their club and oval today situated at Eldred Riggs Reserve, Evanston, in Gawler.

History
On the evening of Thursday 21st March 1889, a meeting of people interested in the formation of a football club at Gawler South was held at the Mill Inn (that site today the corner of Seventh Street and Main North Road, just before the Murray Street Bridge). About 30 persons were present, with Fitzgerald elected to the chair. He explained the object of the meeting was to form a junior club in the locality for now, to join a senior association likely to be formed in Gawler in the near future; to then thereby "...increase interest in the game by endeavouring to get more matches on for juniors, so that by practice some useful players could be brought out". Fitzgerald was elected captain, George Sanderson vice captain, and Tom Willett would be the first secretary. The colors decided on were red-and-blue with white bands. Although by 1890 Gawler South had changed their colours to blue and white.

On Saturday 30th March 1889, the first opening intraclub match of the new club was played at Para Para, starting at 3pm with 40 players turning out on a warm day. The first official competition game was against the Salisbury Football Club on 20th April 1889 at Salisbury. The final scores were Gawler South 2.7 defeating Salisbury 1.2. The goal scorers for Souths were Fitzgerald and Arthurs, who were also amongst the best players. Gawler South then became an inaugural member of the Gawler Junior Football Association (which eventually became the Gawler Football Association) formed on Tuesday 23rd April 1889 by delegates from the following three clubs - South, (Gawler) Centrals and Willaston. The GFA was renamed to the Gawler and Districts Football League in 1953.

The Lions (often also nicknamed "Southies") have produced some champion footballers, many who have played senior football in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) and the Australian Football League (AFL) as well as representing South Australia. Sam Butler became South Gawler's first fully professional footballer with the AFL's West Coast Eagles in 2004 and a member of the Eagles' 2006 Premiership team. Defender Yves Sibenaler Jr played in seven SANFL Premierships (2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010) for Central District, while Alan Obst (a 2007 Premiership player also with the Bulldogs) was listed with AFL clubs Adelaide and North Melbourne. During the twentieth century, Walter "Winky" Price (a triple premiership player with West Adelaide), Ron May (who was at North Adelaide between 1924 and 1933; and a league premiership player in 1930), Lawrie Rusby (who played 172 league games for South Adelaide including premierships in 1935 and 1941) and Irishman Robin Mulholland (112 games for Central District) also represented South Australia in State-of-Origin during celebrated careers in the SANFL. While Stephen Officer played for South Melbourne in the Victorian Football League between 1971 and 1975.

According to a number of forums covering country Australian Rules football, South Gawler is possibly one of the most successful football clubs in Australia. Following the 2023 BLGFA title, with 39 first-grade premierships recorded and verified, discussion since 2008 suggests that the Lions have accumulated the second-most premierships in South Australia and are the equal-sixth winningest Australian Rules club in Australia.

While success at senior level had initially eluded them in the new century, South Gawler remained buoyant with their junior development programs continuing to consistently produce success. The club's Junior Colts won the flag in 2012 and 2015, while the Senior Colts' completed a hat-trick of premierships from 2009 to 2011, again in 2013 and most recently were crowned back-to-back premiers again in 2019 and 2020.

In 2017, women's football began with the BLGW so South created the Lionesses – first entering a senior team in the following 2018 season. Despite humble origins, several excellent talents emerged; including Tegan Nottle – who was selected on the wing for state country in that inaugural season. And in 2022, Captain-Coach Aisha Thomas won the Lionesses' first ever Association best and fairest. In season 2023, the Under 16 Girls team would claim the club's first ever BLGW premiership (at any level) within only five years.

In 2021 the Lions finally broke their longest senior men's premiership drought (since 1993) in the club's 135-year history. After 28 years (an interim during which they finished runners up in 1996, 2014 and 2020) South came back from a 57 point deficit halfway through the second quarter to overturn arch-rivals Willaston by one goal in the 2021 Grand Final at Elliott Goodger Park. The Lions at last would claim their fourth BLGFA title and 38th senior premiership. It is one of the greatest comeback victories in SA country football Grand Final history, and quite likely the greatest turnaround in any BLGFA final ever. 2021 was further punctuated by the club winning the first ever inaugural BLGFA Under 13s premiership for a new junior grade, while the Reserves were gallant runners-up.

Season 2022 saw both the A Grade and Reserves make the Grand Final once again, however with a reversal of fortunes. While the second senior team were crowned Premiers; their first title since 2012, the A Grade who had dominated all season to be favourites were upset by Nuriootpa.

In 2023, at their fourth Grand Final in a row, the A Grade achieved redemption – rebounding after a 1 point defeat by Nuriootpa in the First Semi Final to then overcome the Tigers by 12 points in the Grand Final, before a record crowd at Lyndoch Oval. South Gawler's 39th senior men's title since 1889. While the Reserves and Under 13s were upset in their Grand Finals after finishing top at the end of the minor round.

Premierships
Gawler Football Association

1891, 1893, 1894, 1899, 1901, 1902, 1906, 1907, 1909, 1910, 1911, 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1927, 1929, 1931, 1932, 1934, 1952

Gawler and District Football League

1954, 1955, 1960

Adelaide Plains Football League

1961

Gawler and District Football League

1963, 1967, 1969, 1970, 1974, 1979, 1986

Barossa, Light and Gawler Football Association

1990, 1992, 1993, 2021, 2023

Life Members
1891 – J. Fitzgerald, T.H. Willett

1934 – A. Sweeney, C.A. Rau, E. Higgins

1947 – E. Mahoney, H. Freeman, G. Mahoney, R. Byrne

1953 – P. Giles, F. Hutchins

1954 – W.T. Causby

1958 – A.C. Nottle, G.E. Nottle

1960 – S.N. Edmonds, H.J. Smith

1961 – H.C. Adams, R.B. Gordon, R.F. Martin

1965 – R.J. Argent, G.S. Shannon, B. Nottle, G. Newberry, R.J. Shannon, J.A. Gleeson

1966 – R. Symes, J.W. Nottle

1968 – M.V. Heinrich, K.M. Jones, C. Freak Jnr, D.H. Freak

1969 – D.A. Clark, T. Stockton, T.E. Gleeson, R.J. Riggs, R.J. Charnstrom, B.P. O'Donoghue

1970 – B. Long

1971 – D.S. Rolton, Mrs D.R. McDonald, Mrs C.J. Clark

1972 – Mrs M. Mahoney, B. Deuter, I. McDonald, J.L.P. O'Reilly

1973 – E. Officer

1975 – P.J.W. Gevers, W.W. Isgar

1978 – R.E. Officer, G. Hurst

1979 – E.P. Alwood

1980 – A.H. Russell, J.T. Symes

1982 – Mrs D.J. Symes

1985 – A.P. Jenkins, G.P. Short

1986 – L.G. Clark

1989 – M.K. O'Reilly, K.P. O'Reilly

1992 – X. Sibenaler

1993 – R.J. Hutchins

1998 – C. Bloffwitch, Z. Okunieff

2003 – Mrs L. Officer, P. Montgomerie, Ms M. Wohlstadt

2004 – R.J. O'Donoghue

2005 – J.F. Daly, D.C. Ellis

2009 – R. Ahrens

2010 – P. Bain

2012 – K. Bevis

2014 – K. Barker, G. Barker

2015 – Mrs. J. Hewett

2016 – G. Davies

2018 – D. Barker, C. Hurst

2019 – G. Schultz, D. Cash

2023 – W.F. Paternoster, L. McVicar, J. Callander, S. Rolton, G. McCollum, D. Kiryk, J. Costa, K. Hewett

State of Origin Footballers
Peter Swift – South Adelaide, South Australia

Cecil Adcock – South Adelaide, South Australia

Charlie Waters – South Adelaide, South Australia

E.H. Cockram – South Adelaide, South Australia

"Winky" Price – West Adelaide, South Australia

Lawrie Rusby – South Adelaide, South Australia

Robin Mulholland – Central District, South Australia

VFL / AFL League Footballers
Stephen Officer – South Melbourne

Sam Butler – Central District, West Coast, East Perth, Perth

Alan Obst – Central District, Adelaide, North Melbourne

SANFL League Footballers
Jimmy Fitzgerald – Gawler (1887 - 1890 SAFA)

George Sanderson – Gawler (1887 - 1890 SAFA)

Fred May – South Adelaide

Toby Arthur – South Adelaide

Sid Coles – North Adelaide

Doug Thomson – Sturt

Tom Doherty – South Adelaide

Tom Woods – North Adelaide

Fred Rusby – North Adelaide

Eddie Henwood – South Adelaide

G.A. Titus – Norwood

Wally Ayling – North Adelaide

Perce Crump – South Adelaide, Norwood

Howard Abbott – Port Adelaide

Ron May – North Adelaide

Arthur Lamb – North Adelaide

Jim Wainwright – North Adelaide

Bruce Causby – Sturt

John Nottle – Sturt

Bob Edmonds – Central District

Yves Sibenaler – Central District

Anton Noack – Central District

Kym Harrison – Woodville

Chris Hurst – Central District

Gary Sutton – Central District

Aaron Bevis – Central District

Kane Officer – Central District

Yves M. Sibenaler – Central District

Brodie Hudson – Central District

Paul Marschall – Central District, Adelaide

Marcus Barreau – Central District

Jordan Tippins – Central District

Steve Burton – Adelaide

Expatriate SANFL / WAFL / VFL League Footballers
Dick Shirley – West Torrens

Barry Walker – West Torrens

Kevin Webber – Central District

Peter Burford – Sturt

Alf Skuse – South Adelaide

Mick Daly – Central District

Lyndon Fairclough – Central District

Mark Maloney – Central District

Ken Russell – Central District

Bing Munn – West Adelaide

Clayton Pethick – North Adelaide

Darryl Moss – Glenelg

James Fuller – South Adelaide / Woodville

Graham Schultz – South Adelaide / Central District

Peter Beythien – Central District

Steven Riley – Central District

Brendan Little – North Adelaide / Central District

David Bubner – Central District

Peter Hart – North Adelaide

Malcolm McGrath – Central District

Tano Barilla – Central District

Joe Trimboli – Central District

Garth Newton – Woodville

Ian Dettman – Woodville

Lindsay Nicholls – North Adelaide / Norwood

Steven Hann – North Adelaide / Port Adelaide

Gavin Chaplin – West Perth / Central District

Scott Norton – Central District

Robert Fraser – Central District

Nick Prokopec – Central District / West Adelaide

Heath Lawry – Williamstown (Collingwood) / Central District

Aaron Bayliss – West Adelaide

Matt Lutze – West Adelaide

Chris Musolino – Central District

Chad O'Sullivan – Central District / North Adelaide

Jackson Press – Woodville-West Torrens

Dean Cutting – Central District

Jack Osborn – Adelaide / Sturt

Domenic Costanzo – Adelaide

Josh Wittwer – Adelaide

Expatriate SANFLW League Footballers
Aisha Thomas – Central District

South Australia State Country Footballers
1986 – Brett Riggs

1994 – Eddie Schwerdt

1995 – Eddie Schwerdt

2022 – Patrick White

2022 – Steve Burton

2022 – Flynn Pisani

2023 – Patrick White

2023 – Flynn Pisani

South Australia State Country Footballers (Women's)
2019 – Tegan Nottle

South Australia State Under-age Footballers
1951 – Brenton Nottle

1985 – Brett Riggs

1989 – Darren Joyce

1997 – Aaron Bevis

2003 – Sam Butler

2005 – Alan Obst

Association Best and Fairest
Gawler Football Association

1912 Mail Medal – Winky Price

1923 P.J. Broderick Medal – H. Bentley / A.R. May

1927 P.J. Broderick Medal – P. Baldwin

1936 Mail Medal – Eddie Mahoney

1937 Mail Medal – Eddie Mahoney

1938 Mail Medal – Eddie Mahoney

1941 W. Wiles Trophy – M. Williams

1947 Page Trophy – Bob Gordon

1948 Page Trophy – Bob Gordon

Gawler and District Football League

1954 Mail Trophy – Stan Edmonds

1957 Mail Trophy – John Nottle

1963 Mail Trophy – Dean Clark

1970 Mail Trophy – Xavier Sibenaler

1975 Mail Trophy – Mick Daly

1976 Mail Trophy – Kym Stoddard

1983 Bunyip Medal – Graham Schultz

Barossa, Light and Gawler Football Association

1989 Linke and Mail Medals – Eddie Schwerdt

1992 Linke and Mail Medals – Eddie Schwerdt

1995 Linke and Mail Medals – Eddie Schwerdt

2002 Linke and Mail Medals – Ben Halliday

2022 Schluter Medal – Steve Burton

2023 Schluter and Mail Medals – Steve Burton

BLGW

2022 Central District Football Club BLGW Trophy – Aisha Thomas

Ten Year Players
Charlie Nottle

George Nottle

Fred Rusby

Charlie Riggs

Lawrie Rusby

Eddie Mahoney

Ron May

Alan Pearce

Ted Alwood

Eddie Rau

Robert Argent

Brian Congdon

Doug Freak

John Hutchins

Brenton Nottle

Len Nottle

Tom Symes

Victor Sergejevs

Graham Shrubsole

Craig Argent

Stephen Rolton

Simon Head

Shane Riggs

Darren Bloffwitch

Jamahl Butler

Adrian Brown

Martin Bartholomew

Barry Deuter

Tom Gleeson

Kevin Jones

Maurice Martin

Barry Klose

Colin Power

Graham Shannon

William Wright

Garry Barker

George Scotland

Gary McCollum

Robert Copson

Shane O’Donoghue

Shaun Fulton

William Beckmann

Stan Edmonds

Dennis Grigg

Anthony Pilichiewicz

Robert Martin

Gerald Newberry

Xavier Sibenaler

Grant O’Reilly

Peter Bain

Jeffrey Brown

Allan Brookes

Scott McDonald

Craig Fowler

Andrew Bevis

Denis Heinrich

Des Clark

Brian Freak

Harold Heinrich

Brian Long

Alan McDonald

Robert O’Donoghue

Ross Rigney

Keith Trenowden

Rod Smith

James Callander

Matthew Walker

Eddie Schwerdt

Darren Joyce

Lee Makris

Damien Ellis

Robert Charnstrom

Claude Freak Jr

Max Heinrich

Norman Khan

Ian McDonald

David Rolton

Zenon Okunieff

Robert Officer

Robert Sutton

Ron Riggs

Kevin Hewett

Peter Joyce

Andrew Springbett

Garry James

Craig Hiskins

Christopher Hurst

Steven Nicolai

Matthew Rana

Brenton Craig

Tyson Gordon

Tim Clift

Sam Montgomerie

Jonathan Costa

Jake McVicar

Lachlan Hewett

Ben Greatorex

Aaron Bevis

Jacob Ahern

Clayton Cameron

Matthew Daly

Tyson Bowden

Alex Hansen

Jackson Dare

Nathan Bartsch

Daniel Goulding

Scott Evans