Fos Williams recognised admired and respected the VFL game

[Port Adelaide 1870]

Foster Neil Williams, Not only admired, but firmly respected the style of Game that eminated from Victoria.

Fos believed that to achieve true greatness one should strive to emulate and exceed those one sees as of high standing.

In the late 40's and very early 50's SANFL football was played with a finesse and skill rarely seen, the magnificent talent and flair that eminated from South Australia was poetry in motion.

Fos believed the Vics superiority came from their low down hard at the Ball approach, Brilliant Leg Power from playing in such adverse conditions.

Fos then took on the simple task of investing in the PAFC what he saw were admirable qualities in the Victorian Style of play and approach...

Port Adelaide were full of hard nut players and this only reaffirmed what they had already been applying for the last 70 or so years....

It was in the late 1950's that Fos Williams first mooted a National Football comp that would involve the best clubs from around Australia.

Port Adelaide Proved there mettle against Victorian Powerhouse of the 1950's in several End of Season Premiers matches against arguably one of the best ever teams and eras of VFL football ..Melbourne from the 1950's Games were played against Geelong as well with Port Adelaide showing their Style of Play was easily the match of the best Victoria could dish out.

The Great Norm Smith said , this Port Adelaide team could easily successfully take its part in the VFL .


The Port Adelaide football club of the Fos Williams era was a club
that had a tradition built on solidarity, a small turnover of players and administrators. Solidarity that breeds tradition and success.

Quote by Geoff Kingston all Australian wrote in 1981.

"Tradition"....the word means an iherited attitude; an unwritten code of law; of behaviour.Football Clubs have been using and abusing it for a hundred years.

"At Port Adelaide everyone must learn it;must know and understand the code of behaviour that is expected. It is a harsh code, tough and brutal"

Kingston went on to say Port Adelaide's form of tradition had nothing to do with intellect and little to do with football ability. It just gets you by osmosis. and while it strengthens the character of the individual, it is the character of the club that survives the individual....

Fos Williams used all at his finger tips to continue to bring Port Adelaide to the Forefront of Australian football...even the strengths, no...especially the strengths of great Victorian Clubs.....

PA1870

 

[The Ewok]

Regional League Board

 

[Port Adelaide 1870]

Originally posted by The Ewok
Regional League Board

No Port Adelaide Football club in context of its play against and rise to the AFL..not relevant to the regional board.

PA1870

 

[My North]

played in the 1930's and 40's for Port Adelaide in the SANFL so yeah regional board.

 

[screech]

It belongs here as much as pre-1990 vfl talk does

 

[Wrath]

Like who gives a flying heck about all these past South Aussie guys, get over it dude.

Wrath

 

[Paralowiepower]

Fos Williams

what a great man he was.
Port Adelaide fans will never forget the man that made our club great.

 

[JMAC5]

Originally posted by screech
It belongs here as much as pre-1990 vfl talk does

Wrong, the VFL evolved into the AFL

No SANFL clubs in the AFL, I see the Power, not Port Adelaide Magpies

 

[Paralowiepower]

Originally posted by JMAC5
Wrong, the VFL evolved into the AFL

No SANFL clubs in the AFL, I see the Power, not Port Adelaide Magpies

You **** head he played for Port Adelaide Football Club, not the Port Adelaide Magpies Football Club.

Dont comment on things you know nothing about.

 

[Asgardian]

Originally posted by JMAC5
Take it to the regional board bitch

Careful about telling others what to do Lee, or haven't you learned your lesson yet?

Try commenting without abusing

 

[Paralowiepower]

Originally posted by JMAC5
Oh dear Asgardian has revealed me!!! Whatever shall I do??

what about getting a life?

 

[Asgardian]

Originally posted by JMAC5
Oh dear Asgardian has revealed me!!! Whatever shall I do??

Have you been on Mars?

Everyone already knew it was you, so I wasn't revealling anything to anyone.

I see you still delight in name calling, how soon will it be before you resort to accusing others of child abuse again?

 

[JMAC5]

Originally posted by Asgardian
Have you been on Mars?

Everyone already knew it was you, so I wasn't revealling anything to anyone.

I see you still delight in name calling, how soon will it be before you resort to accusing others of child abuse again?

Oh really did they? JMAC5 and McCartney5 the same person? who would have guessed?

I delight in people taking all this so seriously

 

[JMAC5]

Originally posted by Paralowiepower
Maybe you should stick with wrestling cause you know heck all about football

Because I said the Power and the Magpies were different clubs? I know nothing, I must leave now

 

[Port Adelaide 1870]

Originally posted by My North
played in the 1930's and 40's for Port Adelaide in the SANFL so yeah regional board.

No one has bothered to read what I have said ?
All the reponses have nothing to do with the thread..

Please leave your responses to the music board as there is simply no cohesive discussion put forward by some of these inane replies.

Foster Neil Williams played for the Port Adelaide Football Club in the 1950's....

PA1870

 

[jacqui9]

Originally posted by Port Adelaide 1870
No one has bothered to read what I have said ?
All the reponses have nothing to do with the thread..

Please leave your responses to the music board as there is simply no cohesive discussion put forward by some of these inane replies.

Foster Neil Williams played for the Port Adelaide Football Club in the 1950's....

PA1870

Well if everyone is going to respond this way, why bother posting silly threads about players who did not play one game at the elite level of the competition. Seriously, only do this to wind people up. Whatever happens, people are never going to regard the Port Magpies as an elite team in an elite competition. Give up cose you are not going to win the debates created.

 

[Port Adelaide 1870]

Originally posted by jacqui9
Well if everyone is going to respond this way, why bother posting silly threads about players who did not play one game at the elite level of the competition. Seriously, only do this to wind people up. Whatever happens, people are never going to regard the Port Magpies as an elite team in an elite competition. Give up cose you are not going to win the debates created.

Firstly Jacqui..why the antagonism ? this is not debate? It is a Historical piece that in no instance invites debate ?

Secondly, at no Point are the Port Magpies mentioned, this Historical insight Only brings into referance the Port Adelaide Football Club , playing at the elite level in the 1950's.

Decades prior to a National Elite competition evolving, but in an era when Victoria, WA and SA had comparably equivalent state competitions, where those competitions were the Elite in their respective states.

I confine my perspectives on the Port Magpies football club to the regional boards.

There are many people with little or no understanding of the History of the Port Adelaide Football Club, as this a democratic forum that allows a wide range of postings, I rather enjoy sharing the Historical contribution Port has made to Australian Football and also know there are many that like to have light shed as to the reasons that Port were finally admitted to the AFL.

PA1870

 

[Ausgard]

Originally posted by Port Adelaide 1870
Secondly, at no Point are the Port Magpies mentioned, this Historical insight Only brings into referance the Port Adelaide Football Club , playing at the elite level in the 1950's.

Yeah but thats just being dumb

Its like the Carlton team sponsoring that NSL club or whatever and people saying "Soccer Player John Smith plays for the Carlton Football club" with no mention of whether its the Carlton blues or the carlton whatever they were in the NSL.

If someone said they played for Port Adeliade in the 1950's you gotta have a bit of a clue in thinking that they were actually talking about the SANFL

The Magpies and the Power are seperate. Now from a Port Adelaide supporters perspective this might not be the case but for the supporters of 15 other clubs its a fact and there is no real way to argue it because we both know we are right.

jacqui9 is right - you won't convince anyone in thinking that the SANFL is anything more than a regional comp.

A Prime example is Wally Lewis. a Rugby league player who refused to play in the NSWRL comp because he wanted to stay in QLD. Then the Brisbane Bronco's were formed and he played for them in a national comp very similar to the nationalisation of the VFL. He was an elite player of exceptional skill (much like a few SANFL greats) BUT no one ever dreams of calling the QLDRL an elite competition compared to the NSWRL which became the ARL and then the NRL after super league.

Wally Lewis was really only great because he got the chance to play and dominate the Elite competition of the time. Other players who did not take that chance from the SANFL will always have that slight question mark regardless of how well they probably would have done in the VFL because the comp was seen to be the number 1 in the country

 

[Dave]

Originally posted by Port Adelaide 1870
Decades prior to a National Elite competition evolving, but in an era when Victoria, WA and SA had comparably equivalent state competitions,

The point you miss is that few accept your premise that the leagues were compareable and that he played at the elite level.

 

[Port Adelaide 1870]

Originally posted by Dave
The point you miss is that few accept your premise that the leagues were compareable and that he played at the elite level.

Dave,
That is not the case in my experience, nearly every well versed West Australian and South Australian I have met that grew up through out the 20 th Century saw the respective states Competitions as the Elite level in those states...The comparisons were always made.

PA1870

 

[Port Adelaide 1870]

Originally posted by Ausgard
Yeah but thats just being dumb

No it isnt.

Its like the Carlton team sponsoring that NSL club or whatever and people saying "Soccer Player John Smith plays for the Carlton Football club" with no mention of whether its the Carlton blues or the carlton whatever they were in the NSL.

It has nothing to do with Club sponsorship or Soccer ?
The Carlton Football Club is the Carlton Football Club, it is the same club that played in the VFA that now plays in the AFL...

The same as when a referance is made to the Port Adelaide Football Club it is about the Port Adelaide Football Club.
Jacqui was making referance to the Port Magpies Football club, I must assume she has mixed the two clubs up.


If someone said they played for Port Adeliade in the 1950's you gotta have a bit of a clue in thinking that they were actually talking about the SANFL


I am not arguing this point with you. I am merely giving you the benefit of a Historical insight into the History of the Port Adelaide Football club that now plays in the AFL and the impact it had on the game of Australian rules prior to the advent of the AFL.



The Magpies and the Power are seperate. Now from a Port Adelaide supporters perspective this might not be the case but for the supporters of 15 other clubs its a fact and there is no real way to argue it because we both know we are right.

Once again I am not debating what you mistakenly believe. I am Helping you and those that are not aware of the History of the PAFC prior to its leaving the SANFL to join the AFL. Is your understanding one of a Football Historian and member of the PAFC. are you aware of the PAFC .AFL bd and its subsequent inclusion in the AFL...Well you must on the latter, I am endeavouring to assist those that have an Interest in Football History, understand the the People and events of the Story of the PAFC.

jacqui9 is right - you won't convince anyone in thinking that the SANFL is anything more than a regional comp.

I am not trying to do that ? I cant understand how you perceive this? the SANFL is..ISa regional comp, so is the WAFL and so was the VFL, prior to the AFL...what is your point ?
I am not arguing about that .

Jaqcui made referances to the Port Magpies Football Club a SANFL club in what is now a Feeder league SANFL, a club that was formed in 1996 to take the place of the Port Adelaide Football Club, that Fos Williams played for and is now in the AFL



I know little about the two state Rugby comps. My background is in the History of the Premier State leagues that once played alongside each other the WAFL/VFL/SANFL..

I am not making statements about the greatnes of Fos Williams compared to Victorias regional greats..

READ MY POST Corecctly, prior to Posting..

I am assisting those unaware about Port Adelaides History, get some understanding of the Club in the AFL

PA1870


A Prime example is Wally Lewis. a Rugby league player who refused to play in the NSWRL comp because he wanted to stay in QLD. Then the Brisbane Bronco's were formed and he played for them in a national comp very similar to the nationalisation of the VFL. He was an elite player of exceptional skill (much like a few SANFL greats) BUT no one ever dreams of calling the QLDRL an elite competition compared to the NSWRL which became the ARL and then the NRL after super league.

Wally Lewis was really only great because he got the chance to play and dominate the Elite competition of the time.



Other players who did not take that chance from the SANFL will always have that slight question mark regardless of how well they probably would have done in the VFL because the comp was seen to be the number 1 in the country

Before the Advent of the AFL and especially from the 70's back the standard of the SANFL was sufficently high to retain the basically every Elite player , administrator and Official, there was no need to move to the regional VFL as the standard was played at a similar level in SA.. It is not disputed that the VFL ultimately proved itself the superior league, However at any given time in their histories, the clubs that fashioned the top part of the SANFL were as competitive as the top VFL clubs and a comparitive nature could be made between all Three mainland league WAFL/VFL/SANFL..

 

[Dave]

Originally posted by Port Adelaide 1870
Dave,
That is not the case in my experience, nearly every well versed West Australian and South Australian I have met that grew up through out the 20 th Century saw the respective states Competitions as the Elite level in those states...The comparisons were always made.

Ok, my apolagies. Very few people in this state accept that the leagues were comparable.

 

[screech]

Originally posted by Ausgard
Yeah but thats just being dumb

Its like the Carlton team sponsoring that NSL club or whatever and people saying "Soccer Player John Smith plays for the Carlton Football club" with no mention of whether its the Carlton blues or the carlton whatever they were in the NSL.

If someone said they played for Port Adeliade in the 1950's you gotta have a bit of a clue in thinking that they were actually talking about the SANFL

The Magpies and the Power are seperate. Now from a Port Adelaide supporters perspective this might not be the case but for the supporters of 15 other clubs its a fact and there is no real way to argue it because we both know we are right.

jacqui9 is right - you won't convince anyone in thinking that the SANFL is anything more than a regional comp.

A Prime example is Wally Lewis. a Rugby league player who refused to play in the NSWRL comp because he wanted to stay in QLD. Then the Brisbane Bronco's were formed and he played for them in a national comp very similar to the nationalisation of the VFL. He was an elite player of exceptional skill (much like a few SANFL greats) BUT no one ever dreams of calling the QLDRL an elite competition compared to the NSWRL which became the ARL and then the NRL after super league.

Wally Lewis was really only great because he got the chance to play and dominate the Elite competition of the time. Other players who did not take that chance from the SANFL will always have that slight question mark regardless of how well they probably would have done in the VFL because the comp was seen to be the number 1 in the country

How about when those so-called questionalble players played state footy

Sorry the VFL was not the No1 comp, the interstate clashes were

 

[screech]

Originally posted by Port Adelaide 1870
jacqui9 is right - you won't convince anyone in thinking that the SANFL is anything more than a regional comp.

I am not trying to do that ? I cant understand how you perceive this? the SANFL is..ISa regional comp, so is the WAFL and so was the VFL, prior to the AFL...what is your point ?
I am not arguing about that .

[/B]

About time somebody made sense

 

[Ausgard]

Originally posted by Port Adelaide 1870
I am not trying to do that ? I cant understand how you perceive this? the SANFL is..ISa regional comp, so is the WAFL and so was the VFL, prior to the AFL...what is your point ?
I am not arguing about that .

READ MY POST Corecctly, prior to Posting..

I am assisting those unaware about Port Adelaides History, get some understanding of the Club in the AFL

PA1870
[/B]

Hmm I suppose I could argue that I was actually talking about the point that I had quoted but I think I actually got confused between this Thread and the Barrie Robran thread.

Sorry about that.

Fortunately I can get back into the swing of things with Mr Screechy below

Originally posted by screech
How about when those so-called questionalble players played state footy

Sorry the VFL was not the No1 comp, the interstate clashes were

Oh yes - I see - 1 match a year is a competition

So the NRL State of Origin is the Number one Competion rather than NRL?

The NFL Pro Bowl rather than Superbowl / NFL regular season


Sorry Screech - You're a Goose