Following their relatively successful season in 1902, Strathalbyn entered into season 1903 with the Hills Association with confidence and expectation.
The players were warned that “Practice and training will have to be strictly followed up as management desires, in the interest of the game in this town, to make a big effort to come out at the top of the list”.
Ted Hocking was, fittingly, appointed as the SFC Captain for its first season in the Hills Association and the local paper “The Southern Argus” first published the “placed” side selected for the first match against Mt Barker.
Strathalbyn had a relatively successful start to the season on the field, winning five of the eight matches in which it participated.
However, off the field, all was not well, as committee infighting and then complaints to the Association about Strathalbyn supporter behaviour, would indicate.
To top it off, in a match against Mt Barker, a disputed disallowed goal to Strathalbyn, resulted in an appeal to the Association. The appeal was dismissed and the SFC took a most indignant view of proceedings and were “Honour bound to immediately withdraw from the Association”.
Strathalbyn reverted to challenge match football for the remainder of 1903 and also for 1904 and 1905 seasons.
Football fell away alarmingly in this time and it became obvious that, for development of the game in the town, they must swallow their pride and return to Association football.
Strathalbyn rejoined the Hills Association in 1906 and enjoyed a relatively successful season in reaching the Grand Final but were well beaten by Hahndorf in the deciding match.
After disappointing seasons in 1907 and 1908, followed by a surprise loss to Onkaparinga in the 1909 Grand Final, to the relief of all, Strathalbyn won their inaugural Premiership in defeating Star Central (Littlehampton / Nairne) in 1910.
Back to back Premierships were achieved when they soundly defeated Onkaparinga in the 1911 decider, unfortunately followed by Grand Final losses to Onkaparinga in 1912 and Mt Barker in 1913.
Season 1913 saw the election of Mr. James (Jas) Bell to the office of President of the SFC (previously Vice President for 5 years), a position he was to fill until 1930, making him the longest serving President in the history of the club.
Despite the return of “The Old Master”, Tom Fallon, season 1914 saw SFC eliminated in the First Semi Final and with the onset of World War 1, competition football was abandoned until after the conclusion of the war, although photographs showing the SFC team in 1916 and SFC Juniors in 1917 indicate that football continued to be played, albeit spasmodically.
With the cessation of the hostilities of WW 1, life in Strathalbyn, as with the rest of the country, slowly returned to normal and Mr. Jas Bell, as President of the SFC, soon called a meeting to re form the football club in readiness for the 1919 season.
Success was immediate with back to back Premierships in 1919 and 1920 but also with Grand Final losses in 1921, 1922 and 1923.
Back to back Premierships followed again in 1924 and 1925.
Strathalbyn won the 1925 Grand Final when Arthur (Duke) Wellington scored an amazing goal with a kick back over his head in the final minute of the match to give Strathalbyn victory by just one point.
The SFC had now played in 7 consecutive Grand Finals from 1919 to 1925 for 4 Premierships, an outstanding achievement.
Season 1926 saw this exceptional run of success come to an end when they were eliminated in the First Semi Final by Murray Bridge Rovers
They made the Grand Final in 1927, losing to Mt Barker, however they gained revenge, by scoring a comfortable victory over Mt Barker to take out the Premiership again in 1928.
In 1929, with the loss of a few key players, they were again eliminated in the First Semi Final.
The period from 1919 to 1929 for the SFC was their most successful, in the number of Premierships won, and the reason for that is obvious.
During that time a number of great players emerged, many of whom went on to play SANFL football in Adelaide.
Ken Bell began his stellar career in 1915 but on his return after WW1, he left a lasting impression on all who saw him play. Many approaches were made to lure him to the SANFL, however he resisted them all.
Testament to his greatness was the fact that in 1946, the Hills Association named their Best and Fairest Award “The Ken Bell Trophy”.
Another outstanding player was Richard (Dick) Westley, Captain in 1923, who went on to play for Norwood.
Westley won the Howard Medal (Hills Association Best and Fairest Award) in 1923 and thus became the first SFC player to win such an award.
Other outstanding players were Ken Semple, had a short stint with West Torrens and Cecil Jarvis spent several seasons at South Adelaide while Harold (King) Thredgold, Lance (Toey) Watson, Reg Montgomery, Mark Lunney, Glen Joy and Ted Brown also excelled.
1929 was the year that saw the beginning of the Great Depression and, the many issues that this created for everyday life throughout Australia, forced the abandonment of the Hills Association for 1930.
SFC HFA (1903 to 1929)
SFC A GRADE & RESERVES PREMIERSHIPS
A GRADE STRATHALBYN ROVERS
1910 I926
1911
1919
1920
1924
1925
1928
HOWARD MEDALLIST
1923 R.H. (Dick) WESTLEY
1930 GREAT SOUTHERN FOOTBALL ASSOC.
With the Hills Association in recess for season 1930, the Strathalbyn Football Club joined the Great Southern Football Association.
The kindred clubs being Encounter Bay, Goolwa, Port Elliot and Victor Harbour.
An immediate problem arose, as Strathalbyn club colours were red and white which would clash with Encounter Bay who also utilised those colours.
For season 1930 SFC had to adopt a different club guernsey, ironically Blue and Gold.
Encounter Bay changed its club colours to Blue and Gold in 1954 when it amalgamated with the Valley Football Club to become the Bay-Valley Rovers.
The club name reverted to Encounter Bay in 1957 but their Blue and Gold uniform was retained.
Strathalbyn lost its first two matches in these alien colours but had quite a successful season and defeated Port Elliot to reach the Grand Final.
They had lost to Victor Harbour three times during the minor round and were beaten again in the Grand Final by 40 points.
With the ongoing Great Depression, shortage of finance was a major issue and to keep travel costs to a minimum, the decision was made to join the Hills Central Association in 1931, even though the Hills Association had re formed.
SFC OFFICIALS 1903 to 1930
Patron President Secretary Captain Vice Captain
1903 C.M.R. Dumas/ J.W. Elliott C.G. Wylie E.J. Hocking C.H. Wylie
L. Von Doussa
1904 C.M.R. Dumas/ J.J. Edmonds P. Coonan O. Bruce C.H. Wylie
L. Von Doussa
1905 Sir J.L. Stirling J.J. Edmonds G.M. Pereira T.H. Fallon N.R. Nicholls
1906 Sir J.L. Stirling J.J. Edmonds G.M. Pereira H.P. Tonkin J.G. Pallant
1907 Dr. H.H. Formby W. Johnston/ E.W. Brown N.R. Nicholls P. Coonan
C.L.A. Wyatt
1908 Dr. H.H. Formby C.L.A. Wyatt R.J. Buchanan N.R. Nicholls P. Coonan
1909 Dr. H.H. Formby C.L.A. Wyatt R.J. Buchanan J. Caldwell G.D. Jones
1910 Sir J.L. Stirling C.L.A. Wyatt S.G. Prosser J. Caldwell H. Allen
1911 Sir J.L. Stirling C.L.A. Wyatt S.D. Bruce J. Caldwell L.B.Rankine
1912 Sir J.L. Stirling C.L.A. Wyatt L.B. Rankine J. Caldwell R.M. Tucker
1913 Sir J.L. Stirling J. Bell R.H. Gooch J. Caldwell R.M. Tucker
1914Sir J.L. Stirling J. Bell R.H. Gooch T.H. Fallon J. Caldwell
1915 Sir J.L. Stirling J. Bell R.H. Gooch H.A.G.J. Thredgold J. Caldwell
1916 to 1918 Football abandoned due to World War 1.
1919Sir J.L. Stirling J. Bell J.L. RaggattH.A.G.J. Thredgold N.D. Richardson
1920 Sir J.L. Stirling J. Bell K.D. Bell N.D. Richardson E.W. Brown
1921 Sir J.L. Stirling J. Bell K.D. Bell E.W. Brown H.A.G.J. Thredgold
1922 Sir J.L. Stirling J. Bell R.H. Gooch C.G. Jarvis K.D. Bell
1923 Sir J.L. Stirling J. Bell F. Virgo R.H. Westley K.D. Bell
1924 Sir J.L. Stirling J.Bell H. Allen L. Hawke K.D. Bell
1925 Sir J.L. Stirling J. Bell H. Allen L. Hawke R. Bennett
1926 Sir J.L. Stirling J. Bell H. Allen R. Bennett R.G. Montgomery
1927 Sir J.L. Stirling J. Bell H. Allen A. Wellington K.D. Bell
1928 Sir J.L. Stirling J. Bell H. Allen J.L. Raggatt/ L.N. Watson
M. Lunney
1929 Sir J.L. Stirling J. Bell H. Allen H. Manuel L.N. Watson
1930 Sir J.L. Stirling J. Bell J.L. Raggatt L.N. Watson K.H. Semple