DonDynamite
Club Legend
Undefeated in the league on a rampant run to a premiership. Defeated a composite side of all the other teams in the league. Defeated VFL premiers Carlton to be declared Champions Of Australia.
Here's to the first truly great (and arguably the greatest) Magpies side.
Port Adelaide's 1914 team (L-R): Back: A.J. Maynard, W.I.Boon, J.C.Dunn, C.A. Anderson, H.V. Pope, J.C. Watson; Middle: F.J. Magor, J. Middleton, W.H. Oliver (vice-captain), J.W. Londrigan, J. Ashley, J.W. Robertson, A. McFarlane; Front: S. Hosking, H. Eaton, A. Congear, A. Chaplin, W. R. Drummond
http://www.portadelaidefc.com.au/ne...rospective-port-adelaides-indestructible-team
Here's to the first truly great (and arguably the greatest) Magpies side.
Port Adelaide's 1914 team (L-R): Back: A.J. Maynard, W.I.Boon, J.C.Dunn, C.A. Anderson, H.V. Pope, J.C. Watson; Middle: F.J. Magor, J. Middleton, W.H. Oliver (vice-captain), J.W. Londrigan, J. Ashley, J.W. Robertson, A. McFarlane; Front: S. Hosking, H. Eaton, A. Congear, A. Chaplin, W. R. Drummond
http://www.portadelaidefc.com.au/ne...rospective-port-adelaides-indestructible-team
2014 marks a significant milestone in the history of the Port Adelaide Football Club - the year it celebrates its historic undefeated 1914 season.
Port Adelaide’s indestructibles came, saw and conquered all year under the leadership of captain and John William Londrigan.
Not only did they finish atop the ladder after the minor round and prevail over North Adelaide in the then-South Australian Football League Grand Final, but also against a combined state team and the Carlton Football Club to be declared the Champions of the Commonwealth.
With the nation on the brink of war, the Magpies’ own warriors won a total of 16 games for the year with its highest score a 19.17 (131) performance leading to an 81-point victory over traditional rival Norwood at Alberton and it’s worst performance a 21-point win over North Adelaide at the Adelaide Oval.
Port Adelaide’s grand victories over North Adelaide and Carlton and took place at the Adelaide Oval, while the match against the combined state team was held on the Jubilee Oval near Wayville.
It’s success, as with most of Port Adelaide’s dominance throughout various periods in the 20th century, was down to stability.
In the League competition, the Magpies were only changed on four occasions, with the best 18 hitting the field for ten games throughout the year.
The Magpies consigned the Roosters to the lowest score in a League grand final - 1.8 (14) - a losing score again replicated 75 years later when Port Adelaide stormed to victory over North in the 1989 SANFL Grand Final.
But the plaudits didn’t end with the premiership and significant state wins.
It was the first time in South Australian history that a team scored 1,000 winning points for the minor round.
John Ashley, a Port local, was award the Magarey Medal for his exploits on the field during the minor round while centre half hackman John William Robertson was awarded the Referee Medal for the best player in the national carnival. Ashley was also named best and fairest ahead of William Drummond.
John Dunn was the club and League leading goal kicker with 33 to his name.
Ashley, Robertson, Angelo Congear, Frances James Magor, Alexander McFarlane, Harold Oliver and Joseph Charles Watson represented the club in the state team, while fourteen players of the club were considered for selection overall.
The state team finished second in the Australian Football Carnival behind Victoria and ahead of Western Australia, New South Wales, Tasmania and Queensland.
Patrick Crowley won the ‘Reserves’ Magarey Medal as the best and fairest player from the seconds competition, although the ‘B’ team was unable to clinch a premiership of its own.
Watson would enlist in the Australian Army in Cheltenham that year and, as part of the 10th Infantry Battalion, would die from wounds sustained in France in 1917.