BIO
Wartime Competition 1942 - 1944
Norwood-North games : 18
Norwood-North goals : 1
Myer Solomon was a young South Adelaide forward who, granted a permit to play for Norwood-North in the World War II competition, enjoyed premiership success in 1943 and 1944.
Myer represented Prince Alfred College at football, tennis, rowing and athletics in 1938. He played football with Sturt-South in 1942 and switched to Norwood-North in 1943.
He performed well both in attack and defence that year, winning the club trophy for most consistent player. Norwood-North stormed home in the major round, defeating Sturt-South 21.20 to 19.14 in the first semi-final and West-Glenelg 18.17 to 12.11 in the preliminary final. In a gripping grand final, Norwood-North trailed Port-Torrens early but finished strongly for a 21-point victory, 12.10 to 8.13, before 36,400 spectators at Adelaide Oval. Myer held down his half-back flank and was high in the best players.
When these teams met again in the 1944 grand final, Myer was one of 12 Norwood-North premiership players available for the rematch. He had recovered from a gashed finger and was named 19th man. It was a gruelling affair before a crowd of nearly 30,000. Norwood-North led by 13 points at quarter time but barely a goal separated the teams for most of the match. Rain fell at half-time. When Norwood-North key forward James Reilly left the ground with a recurrent injury in the third quarter, Myer moved from the bench to a forward pocket. Norwood-North led by one point at lemons and hung on to beat an inaccurate opponent by six points, 9.7 to 7.13.
Myer Solomon completed his football career with three league games with South Adelaide in 1945. He began there in an exhibition game against Carlton in 1938 and he played eight matches with Sturt-South in 1942.
Myer owned the family business Solomon Carpets, at one stage the biggest carpet retailer in Australia and the supplier of carpet for Parliament House, Canberra. Myer was a Rotarian for 40 years.
P. Robins, G. Adams January 2025