The club's lack of success was unparalleled in the Victorian Football League (VFL) or West Australian Football League (WAFL) with the club receiving 9 wooden spoons, including 6 times in succession 1980-1985, in 27 years whilst only making the finals 3 times without a grand final appearance.

The highlights of this apprenticeship were Bob Simunsen's successive Seconds Magarey Medal wins in 1961 and 1962.

Woodville's most successful player was Malcolm Blight, who won the SANFL's Magarey Medal and gained selection in the All Australian team in 1972.

He would later play for North Melbourne Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL), winning the Brownlow Medal in 1978 and joining a select group of players who had won the highest individual honour in both the (SANFL) and (VFL) competitions.

From there the team started to gel and by 1986 was considered an outside chance of obtaining their first league premiership, but finished 3rd after losing to eventual premiers Glenelg in the Preliminary Final.

Blight stood down at the end of 1987 and was replaced by Port Adelaide Football Club legend and four time Magarey Medallist Russell Ebert.

"Zip Zap" as he was known, made his league debut with Woodville in 1969 and was playing his 325th game for the club.