The 1869 South Australian football season was the first year of interclub football in the colony of South Australia. In Adelaide, prior to the establishment of the South Australian Football Association (SAFA) in April 1877, the football season was largely a series of independent club matches and challenge games rather than an organized league season. The unaffiliated era was from 1869 to 1876. The Old Adelaide Football Club, formed in 1860, was the leading club in Adelaide during the 1860s.
Major Adelaide and Metropolitan Clubs
Adelaide Port Suburban (Woodville) (formed 1868)
Other Adelaide Clubs North Adelaide St Peter's Collegiate
Country Clubs Gawler Kapunda (formed 5 August 1869) Mount Gambier Penola Football Club (formed 1865)
Early History and Rules Australian rules football began in Melbourne in 1858, however from 1860 to 1872 the Adelaide club played what appears to be a game a cross between association football and rugby using a round ball. Adelaide played intraclub and interclub football in South Australia until 1873, when it had disputes with Kensington Football Club and Port Adelaide Football Club over standardizing the rules.
At a meeting of the Adelaide Football Club held at Lloyd's Coffee Booms on Wednesday 7th April 1869, with about a dozen members present, the rules were considered and amended in several instances, the most material alteration being that in future the ball should be kicked over instead of under the crossbar of the goal.
Metropolitan football matches
April 17
May 1
May 15
May 22
May 29
June 26
July 17
July 24
July 31
August 6
August 28
September 11
Unofficial Ladder
Summary of Results - North Adelaide v St Peter's Collegiate
References