Adelaide will play its last AFL game at AAMI Stadium on August 24. In the first of this afc.com.au series, we rewind to the Club’s first season at Football Park.
After 17 seasons as the headquarters of the SANFL, Football Park also became the home of the new Adelaide Football Club at the end of 1990.
The launch of a South Australian team into the AFL competition was arguably the biggest change in the history of football in this state but it didn’t take long for any doubts about its success to wiped away.
Adelaide made a humble start, its small admin team working out of transportable offices at the southern end of Football Park and the playing squad housed in rooms under the Members’ Stand.
But from the moment the Crows started to play games – and an estimated 50,000 fans packed the West Lakes venue for their first trial game against Essendon in late January, 1991 – it was clear that SA football had changed forever.
Adelaide’s first official premiership game at Football Park was on March 22. The Crows, boasting only three players with VFL or AFL experience, were pitted against competition heavyweights Hawthorn, winners of four premierships from six grand finals in the previous seven seasons.
Nearly 45,000 fans watched Adelaide smash the Hawks by 86 points and hype surrounding the new team went into overdrive.
Carlton, captained by SA great Stephen Kernahan, brought the new team back to earth the following week but Football Park’s reputation as a tough venue for visiting teams started to
Adelaide copped some hidings in Melbourne in its first year but it was solid on home turf, securing seven wins from 11 games.
Other highlights of the 1991 season at home included Rod Jameson’s after-the-siren goal to beat Fitzroy by three points, and young ruckman Shaun Rehn’s best afield performance in the last round win over North Melbourne.
Top moment: Adelaide thrashes Hawthorn in the first AFL game at Football Park.
Biggest crowd: 45,684 v West Coast, round 20
1991 Football Park results
1: Adelaide 24.11 (155) defeated Hawthorn 9.15 (69)
2: Adelaide 12.9 (81) lost to Carlton 15.14 (104)
3: Adelaide 19.14 (128) defeated Footscray 14.13 (97)
4: Adelaide 15.16 (106) defeated Melbourne 10.12 (72)
5: Adelaide 7.8 (50) defeated Fitzroy 7.5 (47)
6: Adelaide 23.18 (156) defeated Brisbane Bears 13.12 (90)
7: Adelaide 16.22 (118) lost to Sydney 19.8 (122)
8: Adelaide 16.12 (108) defeated Essendon 12.9 (81)
9: Adelaide 11.14 (80) lost to West Coast 14.11 (95)
10: Adelaide 12.9 (81) lost to St Kilda 20.12 (132)
11: Adelaide 28.12 (180) defeated North Melbourne 16.11 (107)
