[1] It was the 89th annual Grand Final of the South Australian National Football League, staged to determine the premiers of the 1990 SANFL season.

The match, attended by 50,589 spectators, was won by Port Adelaide by a margin of 15 points, marking that club's thirtieth premiership victory.

The SANFL had officially resisted entering an Adelaide-based team in the AFL for the next three years, but Port Adelaide's attempted entry had forced their hand.

Port Adelaide full forward Scott Hodges who won the 1990 Magarey Medal, went into the match 4 goals off the all-time record of 151, set by Sturt's Rick Davies in 1983.

Port Adelaide won the coin toss and chose to kick to the Southern End of Football Park in the first quarter.

At the following centre bounce Glenelg captain Chris McDermott gave away a free kick that resulted in a quick mark and goal by Wayne Mahney from outside 50.

Glenelg won the third centre bounce and Rod Jameson kicked a bouncer along the ground from 30 metres out to register the Tigers first goal of the day.

Both sides were unable to obtain control of the ball until Paul Hallahan broke away from a centre contest and kicked a low dart to first year player Matthew Liptak who converted for Glenelg's second goal.

The umpires subsequently awarded a free kick to David Marshall and the ball proceed to travel up and down the ground before going out of bounds along the western wing.

To end the quarter John Fidge started to overpower Ben Harris kicking two goals in succession to help Glenelg enter the break with a three-point lead.

Apart from Jack (John Cahill) and the players there are a couple of individuals out there who are responsible for that and make sure you enjoy tonight because the good times will not happen again.

"These twenty blokes, everyone whose helped us, are sensational people and all the views that you have read in the press the one thing that really matters is that there will always be a Port Adelaide Football Club.