The Southern Ports Football League was an Australian rules football competition in the Limestone Coast region of South Australia, Australia. The competition ran from 1928 until 1965.
History The Southern Ports Football Association started in 1928 featuring Robe, Kingston and Mount Benson. Beachport and Lucindale would join in 1936, Lucindale would win 3 premierships in a row before the league went into recess for World War II
The league returned in 1946 but Mount Benson went into recess and Lucindale left to the Kowree Naracoorte, however the Lucindale B side played the season in the Southern Ports. The Kingston side would split into Kingston North and Kingston South but still operate as the one club. However, in 1950 the clubs would become separate entities, Kingston North would be renamed Rovers and Kingston South became Ramblers. Ramblers would alter their name to Port Caroline Ramblers to represent the early history of Kingston. Reedy Creek joined in 1948 which would create a five team competition.
In the later years of the league, player numbers became an issue with sixteen players per side. In 1965 Reedy Creek merged with Rovers, the league had four sides for only one season as the Southern Ports disbanded in 1966. Robe joined the Mid South Eastern, the Kingston sides merged to join the Kowree Naracoorte and Beachport folded.
Clubs Final Season 1965 ClubJumperNicknameHome GroundFormer LeagueEst.Years in compSPFL Senior PremiershipsFateTotalYearsBeachportEaglesBeachport Cricket Oval, BeachportMSEFL19061936–1946, 1948–196521958, 1959Moved to Mid South Eastern FL in 1947, returned in 1948, folded in 1966Port Caroline RamblersKnown as Kingston South until 1949Gall Park Oval, Kingston SE–19471947–196541950, 1952, 1960, 1961Merged with Rovers United to form Kingston in Kowree Naracoorte FL in 1966RobeRoostersRobe Oval, Robe–19281928–1965121931, 1932, 1933, 1948, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965Moved to Mid South Eastern FL in 1966Rovers UnitedGall Park Oval, Kingston SE and Reedy Creek Oval, Reedy Creek–19651965 0 -Merged with Port Caroline to form Kingston in Kowree Naracoorte FL in 1966 Previous Clubs ClubJumperNicknameHome GroundFormer LeagueEst.Years in compSPFL Senior PremiershipsFate Total YearsKingstonGall Park Oval, Kingston SE–18931928–194631928, 1929, 1930Split into Kingston North and Kingston South in 1947LucindaleKangaroosLucindale Oval, LucindaleNFA18951936–194031937, 1938, 1939Moved to Kowree Naracoorte FL in 1946 Lucindale BKangaroosLucindale Oval, LucindaleNFA18951946 0 -Rejoined Lucindale in 1947Mount BensonMount Benson Station, Mount Benson–c.19001928–1940 0 -Folded after WW2 recess in 1946Reedy CreekCreeksReedy Creek Oval, Reedy Creek–19481948–19640 -Merged with Rovers to form Rovers United in 1965RoversKnown as Kingston North until 1949TigersGall Park Oval, Kingston SE–19471947–1964 2 1947, 1949Merged with Reedy Creek to form Rovers United in 1965 Notes
References