1998 SFL season

The 1998 Southern Football League (SFL) premiership season was an Australian rules football competition staged across Southern Tasmania, Australia, over twenty (20) roster rounds and seven (7) finals series matches (one finals match was a draw which required a replay) between 4 April and 26 September 1998.

There were a number of changes to the league as from this season.
During the Summer period the STFL absorbed the Huon Football Association (1883-1997) and its remaining member clubs and brought them into the league, the STFL then became known simply as the SFL.
Cygnet, a thirty one time Huon FA premiership winner which had participated in the HFA since 1906 and had been known as the Magpies and worn a black and white playing strip since that time were required to change to an alternate playing strip and emblem owing to a clash with already established club, Claremont.
Cygnet became known as "The Port" and adopted the Port Adelaide AFL playing strip of silver, teal, black and white.
Kermandie, a twenty three time Huon FA premiership winner (formed in 1887) were known as the Robins and wore a red and blue playing strip for their entire tenure but owing to a clash with already established club, Brighton, adopted the emblem "Bushrangers" and wore a navy blue, red and gold Adelaide Crows-style AFL playing uniform.
Huonville Lions were an amalgamation of the former Huonville Football Club (nicknamed the Bulldogs) formed in 1887, a six time Huon FA premiership winner and nearby Franklin Football Club (nicknamed the Lions) a fifteen time Huon FA premiership winner also formed in 1887.
The new club would wear a mixture of both Huonville and Franklin's playing colours with a gold Lion on the chest.
Hobart Football Club (nicknamed the Tigers), a nine time Tasmanian Football League premiership title winner along with one Tasmanian State Premiership, established in 1944, had their playing license cancelled by the TFL in 1997 due to the club's poor onfield plight and crippling financial problems.
Owing to a clash with Kingston, the club were forced to adopt an alternate playing uniform and colours, which they ultimately decided on an all gold strip with a simple black "HFC" monogram on the chest, they did not adopt a nickname of any sort (despite the Buffaloes, the Panthers being touted as two examples) for another seven years.
Lachlan Football Club (formed circa 1907/08), a member of the league since its inception, were still unable to garner enough players to remain competitive in the league and went out of business in late 1997.
The Grand Final played between Brighton and Cygnet on Saturday, 19 September resulted in a thrilling 10.8 (68) draw between The Two sides.
Cygnet led by 42-points in the second quarter before heavy showers fell throughout the second half turning the match into a slog, Cygnet still led by a point with moments remaining before Brighton were able to soccer through a behind to tie the scores.
As a result, the league hastily convened a meeting to decide when to replay the match, it was agreed that the replay would take place the following Saturday (26 September) at 12 Noon (the match was dubbed as "High Noon") as this was also the 1998 AFL Grand Final day.

Brighton won the replay by 66 points in a controversial match which saw a large number of unsavoury incidents and several reports, there was further controversy prior to the match when rugged Brighton player Rodney Fielding, who had been reported and suspended for three matches from an incident arising from the drawn grand final was given permission by the SFL executive to play in the grand final replay despite howls of protest by the Cygnet club, Fielding was to be reported twice and sent off the field during the replay.

Participating Clubs

• Brighton Football Club
• Channel Football Club
• Claremont Football Club
• Cygnet Football Club
• Hobart Football Club
• Huonville Lions Football Club
• Kermandie Football Club
• Kingston Football Club
• Lauderdale Football Club
• Lindisfarne Football Club
• Sorell Football Club

1998 SFL Club Coaches

• Byron Howard Jr (Brighton)
• Raymond Becker (Channel)
• Graeme Fox (Claremont)
• Wayne Lamb (Cygnet)
• Ray O'Rourke (Hobart)
• Rodney Lovell (Huonville Lions)
• Rodney Kean (Kermandie)
• Leigh McConnon (Kingston)
• Leigh Franklin (Lauderdale)
• Darren Kaye (Lindisfarne)
• Garry Williamson (Sorell)

STFL Leading Goalkickers (Roster Season)

• Michael Darcy (Cygnet) – 119
• Jason Elmer (Channel) – 91
• Craig Horne (Claremont) – 65
• Rodney Lovell (Huonville Lions) – 59
• Byron Howard Jr (Brighton) – 55
• Andrew Beveridge (Channel) – 48

SFL Reserves Leading Goalkicker

• Richard Scott (Brighton) – 56

SFL Under-18's Leading Goalkicker

• Jonathon Bowring (Brighton) – 106

Medal Winners

• Andrew Beveridge (Channel) – Hodgman Medal (Seniors).
• Matthew Coulson (Lauderdale) – Johnston Medal (Reserves)
• Peter Cross (Sorell) – STFL Medal (Under-18's)

SFL Reserves Grand Final

Huonville Lions 13.10 (88) d Brighton 8.10 (58) at KGV Football Park.

SFL Under-18s Grand Final

Brighton 16.9 (105) d Claremont 9.5 (59) at KGV Football Park.

Representative Match

1998 SFL Ladder

Round 1

(Saturday, 4 April 1998)
Sorell 20.17 (137) d Lindisfarne 3.4 (22) at Pembroke Park.
Brighton 17.23 (125) d Lauderdale 4.3 (27) at Pontville Oval.
Channel 16.17 (113) d Cygnet 11.12 (78) at Cygnet Oval.
Huonville Lions 24.17 (161) d Kermandie 9.5 (59) at Kermandie Oval.
Kingston 15.17 (107) d Claremont 11.12 (78) at Kingston Beach Oval.
Bye: Hobart.

Round 2

(Saturday, 11 April 1998)
Kingston 15.17 (107) d Hobart 13.12 (90) at TCA Ground.
Channel 30.24 (204) d Kermandie 3.12 (30) at Snug Park.
Brighton 35.26 (236) d Lindisfarne 9.3 (57) at Anzac Park.
Cygnet 19.10 (124) d Lauderdale 8.9 (57) at Lauderdale Oval.
Claremont 16.19 (115) d Sorell 9.6 (60) at Abbotsfield Park.
Bye: Huonville Lions.

Round 3

(Saturday, 18 April 1998)
Brighton 17.10 (112) d Claremont 8.11 (59) at Pontville Oval.
Cygnet 22.14 (146) d Lindisfarne 4.8 (32) at Cygnet Oval.
Channel 16.8 (104) d Sorell 15.13 (103) at Pembroke Park.
Kingston 12.18 (90) d Lauderdale 13.9 (87) at Kingston Beach Oval.
Huonville Lions 16.17 (113) d Hobart 6.13 (49) at Huonville Recreation Ground.
Bye: Kermandie.

Round 4

(Sunday, 26 April 1998)
Cygnet 9.12 (66) d Hobart 3.9 (27) at TCA Ground.
Channel 12.5 (77) d Kingston 8.10 (58) at Snug Park.
Brighton 23.25 (163) d Kermandie 8.6 (54) at Kermandie Oval.
Sorell 17.12 (114) d Lauderdale 3.6 (24) at Pembroke Park.
Claremont 21.6 (132) d Huonville Lions 10.12 (72) at Abbotsfield Park.
Bye: Lindisfarne.

Round 5

(Saturday, 2 May 1998)
Channel 31.16 (202) d Lindisfarne 5.8 (38) at Anzac Park.
Sorell 15.11 (101) d Hobart 11.13 (79) at Pembroke Park.
Claremont 15.19 (109) d Cygnet 13.11 (89) at Cygnet Oval.
Brighton 23.14 (152) d Huonville Lions 12.10 (82) at Huonville Recreation Ground.
Kingston 30.26 (206) d Kermandie 6.9 (45) at Kingston Beach Oval.
Bye: Lauderdale.

Round 6

(Saturday, 9 May 1998)
Cygnet 38.16 (244) d Kermandie 4.10 (34) at Kermandie Oval.
Hobart 21.31 (157) d Lindisfarne 6.7 (43) at TCA Ground.
Brighton 17.16 (118) d Sorell 8.10 (58) at Pontville Oval.
Channel 12.9 (81) d Claremont 5.9 (39) at Snug Park.
Lauderdale 12.17 (89) d Huonville Lions 6.7 (43) at Lauderdale Oval.
Bye: Kingston.

Round 7

(Saturday, 16 & Sunday, 17 May 1998)
Channel 23.22 (160) d Hobart 12.7 (79) at Snug Park.
Claremont 30.19 (199) d Lindisfarne 7.4 (46) at Anzac Park.
Lauderdale 16.15 (111) d Kermandie 16.9 (105) at Kermandie Oval.
Brighton 26.27 (183) d Kingston 14.10 (94) at Kingston Beach Oval.
Huonville Lions 13.17 (95) d Sorell 11.12 (78) at Huonville Recreation Ground.* (Sunday)
Bye: Cygnet.
Note: The Huonville Lions v Sorell match was played as a curtain-raiser to the Southern Cats v Glenorchy TFL match at Huonville which drew an attendance of 2,038 spectators.

Round 8

(Saturday, 23 May 1998)
Channel 13.6 (84) d Brighton 11.13 (79) at Snug Park.
Hobart 15.8 (98) d Lauderdale 10.8 (68) at TCA Ground.
Sorell 25.17 (167) d Kermandie 4.7 (31) at Pembroke Park.
Cygnet 14.11 (95) d Kingston 8.13 (61) at Kingston Beach Oval.
Huonville Lions 20.20 (140) d Lindisfarne 6.7 (43) at Huonville Recreation Ground.
Bye: Claremont.

Round 9

(Saturday, 30 May 1998)
Sorell 11.9 (75) d Cygnet 9.11 (65) at Cygnet Oval.
Lindisfarne 13.11 (89) d Kermandie 8.9 (57) at Kermandie Oval.
Channel 9.19 (73) d Lauderdale 6.5 (41) at Lauderdale Oval.
Claremont 17.12 (114) d Hobart 7.14 (56) at Abbotsfield Park.
Huonville Lions 17.13 (115) d Kingston 9.13 (67) at Huonville Recreation Ground.
Bye: Brighton.

Round 10

(Saturday, 13 June 1998)
Hobart 21.21 (147) d Kermandie 5.7 (37) at TCA Ground.
Brighton 21.15 (141) d Cygnet 17.14 (116) at Pontville Oval.
Kingston 21.23 (149) d Lindisfarne 8.14 (62) at Anzac Park.
Channel 19.17 (131) d Huonville Lions 12.9 (81) at Huonville Recreation Ground.
Claremont 20.16 (136) d Lauderdale 8.4 (52) at Abbotsfield Park.
Bye: Sorell.

Round 11

(Saturday, 20 June 1998)
Sorell 12.6 (78) dw Kingston 11.12 (78) at Pembroke Park.
Brighton 19.13 (127) d Hobart 8.7 (55) at Pontville Oval.
Cygnet 17.13 (115) d Huonville Lions 9.14 (68) at Cygnet Oval.
Claremont 21.22 (148) d Kermandie 7.4 (46) at Abbotsfield Park.
Lauderdale 18.16 (124) d Lindisfarne 8.8 (56) at Lauderdale Oval.* (Night)
Bye: Channel.
Note: Lauderdale hosted Lindisfarne for their first official night match at Lauderdale which drew 1,020 spectators.

Round 12

(Saturday, 27 June 1998)
Cygnet 11.10 (76) d Channel 11.6 (72) at Snug Park.
Brighton 21.17 (143) d Lauderdale 10.7 (67) at Lauderdale Oval.
Sorell 26.13 (169) d Lindisfarne 14.12 (96) at Anzac Park.
Huonville Lions 21.12 (138) d Kermandie 7.8 (50) at Kermandie Oval.
Kingston 19.14 (128) d Claremont 12.9 (81) at Abbotsfield Park.
Bye: Hobart.

Round 13

(Saturday, 4 July 1998)
Brighton 23.35 (173) d Lindisfarne 6.3 (39) at Pontville Oval.
Cygnet 14.14 (98) d Lauderdale 7.11 (53) at Cygnet Oval.
Sorell 15.8 (98) d Claremont 11.14 (80) at Pembroke Park.
Channel 37.10 (232) d Kermandie 8.8 (56) at Kermandie Oval.
Kingston 16.9 (105) d Hobart 3.13 (31) at Kingston Beach Oval.
Bye: Huonville Lions.

Round 14

(Saturday, 11 July 1998)
Kingston 14.13 (97) d Lauderdale 10.8 (68) at Lauderdale Oval.
Cygnet 16.21 (117) d Lindisfarne 5.4 (34) at Anzac Park.
Huonville Lions 19.17 (131) d Hobart 8.14 (62) at TCA Ground.
Brighton 11.9 (75) d Claremont 10.9 (69) at Abbotsfield Park.
Bye: Kermandie, Channel & Sorell.

Round 15

(Saturday, 18 July 1998)
Brighton 24.17 (161) d Kermandie 8.6 (54) at Pontville Oval.
Sorell 21.15 (141) d Lauderdale 8.8 (56) at Lauderdale Oval.
Cygnet 30.14 (194) d Hobart 14.9 (93) at Cygnet Oval.
Channel 18.13 (121) d Kingston 12.14 (86) at Kingston Beach Oval.
Claremont 17.14 (116) d Huonville Lions 13.7 (85) at Huonville Recreation Ground.
Bye: Lindisfarne.

Round 16

(Saturday, 25 July 1998)
Sorell 19.12 (126) d Hobart 13.11 (89) at TCA Ground.
Channel 30.16 (196) d Lindisfarne 12.8 (80) at Snug Park.
Kingston 26.17 (173) d Kermandie 5.7 (37) at Kermandie Oval.
Brighton 25.10 (160) d Huonville Lions 9.6 (60) at Pontville Oval.
Cygnet 17.8 (110) d Claremont 16.8 (104) at Abbotsfield Park.
Bye: Lauderdale.

Round 17

(Saturday, 1 August 1998)
Brighton 14.17 (101) d Sorell 7.5 (47) at Pembroke Park.
Hobart 12.13 (85) d Lindisfarne 11.15 (81) at Anzac Park.
Cygnet 25.26 (176) d Kermandie 1.2 (8) at Cygnet Oval.
Channel 28.17 (185) d Claremont 10.5 (65) at Snug Park.
Huonville Lions 17.10 (112) d Lauderdale 8.7 (55) at Huonville Recreation Ground.
Bye: Kingston.

Round 18

(Saturday, 8 August 1998)
Channel 22.14 (146) d Hobart 8.5 (53) at TCA Ground.
Lauderdale 26.17 (173) d Kermandie 12.12 (84) at Lauderdale Oval.
Claremont 24.13 (157) d Lindisfarne 8.16 (64) at Abbotsfield Park.
Brighton 23.11 (149) d Kingston 13.8 (86) at Kingston Beach Oval.
Huonville Lions 14.13 (97) d Sorell 6.11 (47) at Huonville Recreation Ground.
Bye: Cygnet.

Round 19

(Saturday, 15 August 1998)
Cygnet 13.14 (92) d Kingston 8.12 (60) at Cygnet Oval.
Brighton 11.14 (80) d Channel 5.13 (43) at Pontville Oval.
Lauderdale 13.12 (90) d Hobart 9.10 (64) at Lauderdale Oval.
Sorell 33.18 (216) d Kermandie 4.9 (33) at Kermandie Oval.
Huonville Lions 23.22 (160) d Lindisfarne 10.8 (68) at Anzac Park.
Bye: Claremont.

Round 20

(Saturday, 22 August 1998)
Channel 15.20 (110) d Lauderdale 7.7 (49) at Snug Park.
Claremont 16.15 (111) d Hobart 13.16 (94) at TCA Ground.
Kermandie 13.13 (91) d Lindisfarne 11.14 (80) at Anzac Park.
Cygnet 14.14 (98) d Sorell 7.11 (53) at Pembroke Park.
Kingston 14.9 (93) d Huonville Lions 10.10 (70) at Huonville Recreation Ground.
Byr: Brighton.

Elimination Final

(Sunday, 30 August 1998)
Kingston: 2.2 (14) | 8.3 (51) | 10.5 (65) | 14.9 (93)
Sorell: 4.1 (25) | 5.3 (33) | 6.5 (41) | 8.6 (54)
Attendance: N/A at Pontville Oval.

Qualifying Final

(Saturday, 29 August 1998)
Cygnet: 1.2 (8) | 2.4 (16) | 7.7 (49) | 10.9 (69)
Channel: 6.1 (37) | 7.2 (44) | 8.2 (50) | 9.2 (56)
Attendance: N/A at Huonville Recreation Ground.

First Semi Final

(Sunday, 6 September 1998)
Kingston: 4.5 (29) | 4.7 (31) | 7.9 (51) | 9.11 (65)
Channel: 2.2 (14) | 7.6 (48) | 8.8 (56) | 9.9 (63)
Attendance: N/A at Huonville Recreation Ground.

Second Semi Final

(Saturday, 5 September 1998)
Brighton: 6.5 (41) | 13.7 (85) | 16.7 (103) | 17.9 (111)
Cygnet: 2.1 (13) | 2.3 (15) | 7.6 (48) | 8.7 (55)
Attendance: N/A at Pontville Oval.

Preliminary Final

(Saturday, 12 September 1998)
Cygnet: 1.3 (9) | 5.4 (34) | 12.5 (77) | 14.8 (92)
Kingston: 3.1 (19) | 5.5 (35) | 7.5 (47) | 9.10 (64)
Attendance: N/A at Huonville Recreation Ground.

Grand Final

(Saturday, 19 September 1998)
Brighton: 2.3 (15) | 8.6 (54) | 9.6 (60) | 10.8 (68)
Cygnet: 9.3 (57) | 10.5 (65) | 10.6 (66) | 10.8 (68)
Attendance: 2,300 at KGV Football Park.

Grand Final Replay

(Saturday, 26 September 1998)
Brighton: 2.10 (22) | 5.15 (45) | 7.20 (62) | 14.24 (108)
Cygnet: 0.3 (3) | 1.6 (12) | 5.8 (38) | 5.12 (42)
Attendance: 1,970 at KGV Football Park.

Sources: All scores and statistics courtesy of the Hobart Mercury and Huon News newspaper publications.

External links

• Official website
• Old Huon-FM SFL Footy Show website