The Southern Metropolitan Football League (SMFL) was an Australian rules football competition based in the southern suburbs of Adelaide, South Australia until it folded at the end of the 1986 season. It first formed in 1912 as the Sturt Football Association, and during its history was also known as the Mid-Southern Football Association (1920-1930), Glenelg District Football Association (1931–1949), Glenelg-South-West District Football Association (1950–1966) and Glenelg-South Adelaide Football Association (1967–1983), before finally being named Southern Metropolitan Football League (1984–1986).
The association first affiliated with the South Australian Football League in 1921. In 1927, the association made a special request to the SAFL for financial assistance.
Collapse
The remaining clubs at the end of the 1986 season were distributed in 1987 as follows: Joined SAFA – Brighton, Mitchell Park Joined Hills Football League – Blackwood Joined Southern Football League - Marion, Morphettville Park, Plympton Joined Central District Football Association – Ovingham Merged and joined SAAFL - Camden (merged with Greek FC)
Member Clubs
Clubs in Bold indicate teams playing in the final season (1986)
Premierships
Sturt Football Association
Mid-Southern Football Association
Glenelg District Football Association
Glenelg-South-West District Football Association
Glenelg-South Adelaide Football Association
Southern Metropolitan Football League
H.S. Rugless Medallists
The H.S. Rugless Medal was awarded to the player adjudged the Fairest and Most Brilliant in the competition. During the Sturt Football Association years (1912–19) it was known as the Thomas Medal.
Thomas Medal
1912
1913
1914 – Jack Rowlands (Blackwood) 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919
H.S. Rugless Medal (A1) 1920 1921 1922 – Mick Martin (Reynella) 1923 1924 – Bob Chapman (Blackwood) 1925 – William Hender (Blackwood) 1926 – Purdie (Sturt) 1927 – A. "Pop" Williams (Goodwood) 1928 – A. "Pop" Williams (Goodwood) 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 – F. Whitford (Brighton) - 24 votes 1934 1935 – R. McNamara (Camden) 1936 – W. Egan (Sturt) 1937 – Clarrie Radford (Blackwood) – 40 votes 1938 – F. Alcock (Reynella) 1939 – tied C. Brown (Sturt) & N. S. Gunn (Reynella) – 34 votes 1940 – F. Alcock (Reynella) 1941 – N. Edwards (Sturt) 1942 – C. Brooker (Plympton) 1943 1944 – G. Cox (Sturt-Brighton) 1945 – K. Rohrig (Edwardstown) 1946 – B. Woollard (Brighton-Seacliff) 1947 – R. (Bob) Ryan (Reynella) 1948 – Mel Brock (Camden) 1949 – Harold Partridge (Sturt) 1950 – Max Chambers (Sturt) 1951 1952 – Alan Naulty (South Adelaide Ramblers) 1953 1954 – P. Partridge (Sturt) 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 – Garry Bonner (Blackwood) 1968 – J. Cook (Marion) 1969 – J. Cook (Marion) 1970 – Ian Winton (Morphettville Park) 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 – John Cloonan (Morphettville Park) 1977 1978 – Robbie Magarey (Blackwood) 1979 1980 1981 – I. Hine (Marion) 1982 – Brad Mesecke (Morphettville Park) 1983 – J. Carracher (Brighton) 1984 – Brad Mesecke (Morphettville Park) 1985 – Chris Prior (Blackwood) 1986 – Brad Mesecke (Morphettville Park)
J.C. Morrow Medal (A2) In 1936 the Morrow Medal was established for the fairest and most brilliant player in the then B-Grade competition.