NFC History Committee 2023 Highlights

New Norwood FC Museum

Planning is well under way to convert the former Mayor’s Parlour in the western stand into a purpose built museum. Architect Tom Doull from Architecture That! has presented an innovative concept plan which will tell the story of the Norwood Football Club and showcase its extensive collection of historic objects, images and video. It is anticipated that construction of The Redlegs Museum will commence shortly, with a planned opening later in the year.

Norwood’s first home ground

Research undertaken at the City of Adelaide Archives has confirmed the location of the club’s first home ground, from 1878 to 1882, in the East Parklands. Letters on file in the archives show that in 1880 the club, along with the East Adelaide Cricket Club, applied for fencing to be erected around the East Parklands ground. A subsequent, detailed plan locates the ground just east of the corner of Bartels Road and East Terrace. The location corresponds to the sports ground currently used by Christian Brothers College in what is know as King Rodney Park. Digital copies of letters, the fencing plan and an 1885 plan for a changing shed at the ground have been acquired for the collection. 

Museum Treasures

Following a digitisation grant from the History Trust of South Australia, a Museum Treasures page has been created on the Redlegs Museum website. The high quality photographs present a history of the Norwood Football Club in objects, ranging from the original 1878 club Minute Book to the boots worn by Matt Panos in the 2022 Grand Final.

Redlegs Museum Website

Profiles of 63 players were added to the website bringing the number of completed biographies to 1331, of the 1544 players who have represented the club at league level since 1878. Of the 365 players listed from 1878 to 1906, only 35 profiles remain to be completed. Images of 1,475 players are attached to their profiles leaving just 69 players for whom photographs have not been located. This year over 300 action photographs were also added to player profiles.

Records and photographs for players who have represented the club in the SANFL Women and the SANFL Wheelchair competitions can be accessed on the website.

J J Woods Medallions

The committee was fortunate to acquire three medallions that had belonged to John Joseph Woods, which honour his contribution to the game at a national, state and local level.

J J Woods played from 1882 to 1892, which included six premierships. He went on to become a leading club and SANFL administrator. A NFC Life Member and Hall of Fame inductee, Woods Street and the Woods Medal are named after him.

A gold ‘Australasian Football Council Honorary Life Member’ medallion presented to Woods  in 1914

A voided gold ‘SANFL Ltd’ monogrammed fob, probably awarded during Wood’s term as either SANFL deputy vice chairman from 1923 -1952 or as a NFC league delegate from 1902 – 1922.

A red-and-blue enamelled brass Norwood Football Club badge, undated but likely to be late 19th century

The Long Gallery

Images of some of the club’s outstanding player action shots were selected for a permanent exhibition in the long tunnel underneath the western grandstands. Forty two enlarged photographs have been mounted along the tunnel walls and  has been named The Long Gallery

St Peters Exhibition

The committee collaborated with the St Peters Cultural Heritage Centre to host the Beyond the Bleachers exhibition at the St Peters Town Hall during April and May as part of celebrations held during AFL Gather Round. The exhibition, featuring objects, photographs and video from the club’s collection, was curated by Jacquelyne Ladner from the Cultural Heritage Centre.

History Committee members

Graeme Adams

Chris Brown

Reonaldo Cialini

Michael Coligan

Dee Cox

Rob Crompton

Wynton Heading (Chair)

Stephen Jones

Chris Lane

Trevor Mather

Bryan Ridge

Phil Robins

Marie Walsh

Robert Walsh

Roger Woodcock