Brian Adamson
Brian Ronald Adamson is a former Australian rules footballer who played for West Perth in the West Australian National Football League (WANFL) and Norwood in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL). Playing primarily as a centre-half forward, he was part of West Perth's 1975 premiership team and featured in Norwood's one‑point win in the 1978 SANFL Grand Final.[1][2]
Early career
[edit]Adamson made his WAFL senior debut for West Perth in 1975 and played in their Grand Final victory that year.[1] He became a key forward for the team and finished as the club's leading goalkicker in 1977.[2]
Norwood (1978–1979)
[edit]Before the 1978 season, Adamson transferred to Norwood following a landmark legal dispute in the Supreme Court that upheld his right to move across state borders—a decision regarded as a restraint-of-trade case in the football context.[3]
He debuted for Norwood in Round 15, 1978, and went on to play 20 league games, kicking 50 goals across the 1978 and 1979 seasons.[1] In the 1978 SANFL Grand Final—played in Norwood's centenary year before a crowd of 50,867—he kicked five goals as Norwood overcame Sturt by a point in one of SANFL's most dramatic comebacks.[4]
Return to West Perth and retirement
[edit]Adamson returned to West Perth in 1980 and again led the club's goalkicking in 1981.[2] He continued to play in the WAFL until retiring midway through the 1985 season due to injury,[5] finishing with 120 WAFL games, plus two state games and five NFL or NFC games.[6]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "Brian Adamson". Redlegs Museum.
- ^ a b c "Brian Adamson profile". WAFL Online.
- ^ "Case Notes (restraint of trade)" (PDF). austli.edu.au.
- ^ "Centenary Year Miracle - the year we won our 24th premiership". Redlegs Museum.
- ^ "Addo Retires". Westside Football. 7 (11): 2. 6 June 1985.
- ^ "WAFL FootyFacts - ADAMSON, Brian Ronald". waflfootyfacts.net. Retrieved 2025-10-04.
External links
[edit]- Brian Adamson at AustralianFootball.com
- Brian Adamson's WAFL playing statistics at WAFLFootyFacts.net
