Kangaroo Island

The population of Kangaroo Island is just under 4,500 and it is testament to the popularity of the game that the KIFL can field five teams. While clubs from mainland South Australia from towns with similar populations field one team and bring in imports from outside, Kangaroo Island maintains four grades of football with their five clubs.

Football on Kangaroo Island can be traced back to 1889 when people in the Dudley district played a game. Kingscote were formed in 1908 and played their first match against a team called Waybacks, who were possibly an early incarnation of Wisanger. Although a team named Centrals began playing in 1908 wearing blue and white, Wisanger were not officially formed until 1911. A team named Muston made their first appearance in 1922 playing their games at Kiowie oval. Penneshaw also fielded a team for the first time in 1922.

A premiership table appeared for the first time in the local paper in 1922. An association had not yet been formed but it was displayed merely as a point of interest for Kangaroo Island football followers. Results from games played by Kingscote, Wisanger, Muston and Penneshaw were published in the Courier and a win loss table maintained to show who was the most successful team during the year.

The Wisanger Football Club tendered a farewell dance to Mr E J Wakelin and family in July 1926. The dance had followed a match played between Wisanger and Kingscote in honour of the Wakelin brothers who would play their last match before heading to Kimba. The Wakelin’s had lived at Cygnet River for 12 years and the brothers would be greatly missed by their teammates.

In 1934, an association was formed with Kingscote, Wisanger and Dudley providing teams. A grand final was played between Kingscote and Wisanger as Dudley struggled to play out the season, especially the away games. The depression affected KI football greatly in the 1930s with teams struggling to fill the required numbers for matches.

During WWII, the locals would challenge the sailors from visiting warships to football matches. An association, albeit unofficial, was formed in 1947 and a team from the new soldier settlement at Parndana was included. The Kangaroo Island Football Association was officially formed in 1950.

The 1966 season was a watershed moment in Kangaroo Island football history when the association acted to arrest the increasing lack of interest and the decline in standards. The association made the unprecedented move to form two grades of football, A and B grade. In making this decision, it was hoped to enhance the growth and development of KI football. To ensure the move would be successful the association needed to drop from 5 teams to 4, which saw the Nepean Bay club fold. Most of Nepean Bay’s players went to Kingscote but quite a few joined Wisanger.

Harvey Huxtable broke his leg playing for Wisanger during a game in 1966. Complications arose from the injury and it became necessary to have Harvey flown to Adelaide where he had his leg amputated. Harvey who had a wife and one year old daughter, said he had the ball and was tackled falling awkwardly and felt his leg break underneath him. A few years later Harvey took up the role of secretary for the Wisanger Football Club.

Kangaroo Island qualified in the B division for the 1970 Caltex Country Championship and were successful defeating the Southern league. Dudley United who had dropped out of the A grade in 1970 were refused entry when they attempted to return in 1971. Dudley United would not return to A grade until 1977. Western Districts joined the league in 1970 and were winless in their first two seasons until winning their first game in the 1971 first semi final against Parndana. Unfortunately, the fairy tale ended when they lost the preliminary final by 115 points.

In 1988 Kangaroo Island combined with Great Southern to play a match against Tatiara in the opening round of the Escort Cup. The combined side lost by 3 points with KI’s David Florance high up in the best players. In 1997 those two teams played off for a place in the Lovelock Shield with KI unsuccessful. Association matches were played spasmodically against Southern Yorke Peninsula and Yorke Valley.

Due to their location Kangaroo Island have found it difficult to compete at interleague level. In recent times they have contested the Mortlock Shield in Port Lincoln, from 1990-1996 and from 2010-2016. Unfortunately they have never finished better than fourth, the logistics and availability of players always impeding their chances to perform at their best and they didn’t go to Port Lincoln in 2017.

From 1992 to 1998, Kangaroo Island played an annual match against the Great Southern leagues under 23 team. In seven matches Kangaroo Island won the first meeting, Great Southern the second and then the Islanders won the closest of all the matches by 10 points. Since that game the Great Southern under 23s won four games in a row. In 1999, Kangaroo Island took on a full strength Great Southern team and were belted by 99 points.