The first recorded game of any "football" in South Australia was that of 'Caid' played in Thebarton by people of the local Irish community in 1843 to celebrate St Patrick's Day.

In 1844, there was debate amongst the South Australian Legislative Council whether it be allowed that "foot-ball" be played on Sundays, with arguments against preferring the quiet worship of God.

[9] On Wednesday 22 March 1876, a meeting of the South Adelaide Football Club, which had formed the previous year, was held at the Arab Steed Hotel.

Dissatisfaction was expressed relative to the rules by which matches were conducted last season, and the Secretary was instructed to communicate with the various Clubs in order to arrange for regulations.

[10] A meeting of those interested in football was held at the Prince Alfred Hotel on Thursday evening, July 20, to consider the question of a uniform code of rules to be adopted by the various Clubs.

He was extremely pleased to see so large an attendance, as it augured well for a revival of the manly game, which, owing to what he considered a foolish modification of what were known as the old Adelaide rules, had sadly degenerated.

The chief alterations in the game as hitherto played in Adelaide are the dispensing with the cross bar and top rope in favour of two upright posts of unlimited height, and the substitution of an oval football for the round one.

[11] In 1877, following an initial meeting called by Richard Twopeny on Thursday 19 April 1877 at Prince Alfred Hotel [12] delegates from 13 of South Australia's football clubs met to develop a uniform set of rules and establish a governing body.

The South Australian Football Association was formed at a meeting called at the Prince Alfred Hotel in King William Street, Adelaide[13] on 30 April 1877,[14] and adopted rules similar to those used in Victoria upon the urging of Charles Cameron Kingston.

A total of 4 games were also played by Adelaide and Woodville when they were hosted twice each by the country clubs Gawler and Kapunda on public holidays but these weren't counted in the premiership table at the end of the season.

[17] In 1878, a brand new club Norwood was formed following the entire collapse of Woodville by a number of former players and it joined the Association for the season.

[22] In 1882 - The first general meeting of the committee of the Junior Football Association was held at the Prince Alfred Hotel on Monday evening, March 27.

[43] At a meeting held on Monday 8 May 1899 with a large number of delegates present the Secretary was instructed to write to the Gawler and Port Pirie Associations to inform them that their applications to join the SAFA would not be entertained this year as purely electorate football was being tried.

[44] In mid to late 1900 there was growing interest to form a senior club in the Sturt Electoral District based around Unley to join the SAFA.

The Constitution of the Association allowed up to eight teams based on the State's Electoral Districts and the competition expanded to seven teams when a new football club Sturt formed by the local cricket club joined the Association in 1901 to fill the zone based on the Electoral District of Sturt, but it performed poorly initially, finishing last in its first four seasons.

On 2 December 1912, the Gawler Football Association was granted admission to the league to fill the zone based on the vacant 8th Electoral District Barossa.

[47] On 3 March 1913 it was confirmed the team would be called Gawler and its colors were registered as follows: Black jersey with pink hoop, white knickers and black-and-pink hose.

[48] However, just before the start of the 1913 season the association notified the league in writing that it had to withdraw due to loss of prominent players from their district and the depressed condition of the sport locally.

The University Club, the 1911 and 1912 premiers of the South Australian Amateur Football League (SAAFL), applied to fill the vacancy created by Gawler's withdrawal but was turned down by a unanimous vote of the delegates.

The SANFL continued normal competition for the first few years of World War II, but from 1942 to 1944 for 3 seasons the clubs merged on a geographical basis.

A resurgent Sturt under coach Jack Oatey won five straight premierships from 1966 to 1970, sharing a fierce rivalry with Port Adelaide whom they met in four consecutive Grand Finals from 1965–1968.

In 1976, Sturt defeated Grand Final favourites Port Adelaide by 41 points in front of a record ticketed Football Park crowd of 66,897.

Only Collingwood (1979, 1980 & 1981), Melbourne (1988) and Geelong under first year expat coach and former Woodville player Malcolm Blight (1989) would reach a VFL grand final.

The tradition of painting the colours of the premier and runners-up was maintained at the Hindley Street premises of SA Brewing until its closure in 1980,[56] before transferring to the Thebarton site,[60][57] which was rebadged "West End".

Norwood defeated arch-rivals Port Adelaide Magpies by 4 points in the 2014 Grand Final to secure their 30th Flag and 3rd in a row (2012–2014) for the first time since 1887–89.

[citation needed] This was the last time that the top two teams' colours were painted on the West End brewery's chimney, before that site's closure.

Named after North Adelaide and South Australia's most prolific goal-kicker Ken Farmer who ended his SANFL career with a still record 1,417 goals, the medal was introduced in 1981 after Farmer's death, with Port Adelaide's Tim Evans winning the inaugural award; Evans kicked 993 goals in premiership matches for the Magpies between 1975 and 1986.

In the same year, the Fos Williams Medal was also commissioned to recognise the standout performer for South Australia in interstate football, the first of which was awarded to Peter Carey of Glenelg.

[92] The Bob Quinn Medal is awarded to the player voted best afield in the Anzac Day matches between the Grand Finalists of the previous year.

The inaugural class of 2002 saw 113 inductees into the Hall of Fame and included such greats as Russell Ebert, Ken Farmer, Barrie Robran, Malcolm Blight, Fos Williams, Brian Faehse, Lindsay Head, Neil Kerley, Rick Davies and Jack Oatey.