The year we won our eighth premiership

PREMIERS 1888

Season Review

In a remarkable season, Norwood won back to back premierships, as well as becoming Champions of Australia.
 
Managing to keep almost the entire list from 1887, never had Norwood shown better form than in 1888, when long kicking and speed were key components of its game.
 
The South Australian Football Association competition consisted of  Adelaide, Gawler Albion, Medindie, North Adelaide, Norwood, Port Adelaide and South Adelaide.
 
 Norwood played 17 matches, winning 14, drawing 2, and losing 1. It kicked 127 goals, conceding 38.
 
"Topsy" Waldron continued to lead the side astutely and Charlie Woods was the Association's leading goalkicker with 29 goals.
 
Better players for 1888 included  Ossie Bertram, G.Coombe, J.Daly (rated best player in the competition), W.Dixon,  Alf  Grayson, J.McGaffin (recruited from West Adelaide), George McKee, Henry Rischbieth, Jim Shaw, Charlie and Jack Woods
 
 In fact, the club had nine players in "The Observer" team of the year.
 
 At the end of the SAFA season, Norwood played three matches against the Victorian champions South Melbourne on the Kensington Oval, to decide the Champions of Australia. The "red-and-blues" won all three encounters :
8.12 - 4.10 ; 6.8 - 2.11 ; 6.4 - 4.15.
 
Robert and Ossie Bertram, Daly, Dixon, Grayson, Shaw, and Waldron, were all prominent contributors to the club's success in the series.
 
 In a particularly busy year, Norwood had earlier also travelled to Victoria in May, playing games against Carlton (MCG), Port Melbourne, Geelong and Ballarat.  On its return, it played against Essendon, and defeated a touring English Rugby team on the Adelaide Oval.
 
 Source : The South Australian Advertiser 22/10/1888; Register 16/10/1888
 

Page prepared by R Cialini Aug 2012 date</h2">

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