Former players who were named on the prestigious list came from right across the state including Naracoorte and even Albany in Western Australia.

The selectors and key speakers were Doug Henderson who spoke of the period 1909-1954, Warren Combe gave an insight to the 1955-1975 era and Keith Nutt talked about the 1976-2009 players on the list of 100 before departing the lectern with a few metres of cable and the microphone accidentally in tow. It took a while to restore the PA system but the show went ahead anyway and it was a thoroughly enjoyable evening.

The first 25 inductees were presented by Community Football Board director Rob Kerin while the remaining blocks of 25 were each presented by NAFA patron Peter Kitschke, Community Football Board chairman David Shipway and North Adelaide Football Club representative Wayne Jeffries. Other guests included North Eastern Football League president and Central Zone director Graeme Wandel and award-winning NEFL secretary Marlene Kleinig.

NAFA president Graham ‘Spud’ McKay said a lot of thought and hard work had gone into bringing the idea to fruition. “Originally we thought about picking just a team of the century which would have been too hard to do,” McKay said. “Then we went down the line of three different sides from three era’s but we also thought that was a bit hard because you are going to have people overlap so then finally we went about it this way. I’d actually seen this idea elsewhere and I thought it was a good way to acknowledge more people by having a hundred champions in a hundred years and that’s how it came about.”

An unexpected highlight was the awarding of NAFA life membership to president Spud McKay. He was genuinely taken aback at the announcement and said the award should go to his wife Anne who had been a constant source of support and inspiration during his time in the chair.

100 champions for 100 years:

Bruce Agars, Crystal Brook, centre half forward, ruck. Brian Amey, Laura, Ruckman, full forward. Brian Arbon, Crystal Brook, centre, on-baller. Shane Arbon, Crystal Brook, on-baller. Don Ballantyne, Gladstone, centre, centre half forward. Dustin Berryman, BMW, full back. David Boulton, Jamestown Appila, Jamestown-Peterborough, centre, on-baller. Andrew Bowley, Broughton Mundoora, centre half forward. Lachlan Bowman, Orroroo, centre half back, centre half forward. Scott Brand, Laura/Wirrabara, Southern Flinders, half back flank or forward. Jamie Brown, Gladstone Comb, Rocky River, Southern Flinders, centre. Andrew Byerlee, Orroroo, half back. Ron Carlson, Laura, ruckman. Grant Chapman, Orroroo, centre, centre half forward. Robert Charlton, Caltowie, Georgetown Cal. Rover. Ron Clancy, Laura, rover or half forward. Rodney Clifford, Broughton Mundoora, back pocket. Matthew Coates, Crystal Brook, centre half back. Jack Cockburn, Georgetown, ruck or forward. Ian Collins, Booleroo centre, centre half back or centre half forward. Graham Combe, Crystal Brook, full forward, full back, ruck rover. Warren Combe, Laura, back flanker, centre. Jason Cousins, Crysal Brook, on-baller. Bruce Curtis, Caltowie, Jamestown, ruckman. Matthew Dignan, Orroroo, centre, ruck rover, centre half forward. Justin Duffy, Orroroo, centre half forward, full forward. Kevin Duffy, Orroroo, ruck rover. Stewart Everett, Crystal Brook, full back. Colin Ferme, Broughton Mundoora, centre, on-baller.Phillip Fisher, Orroroo, centre. Peter Flower, Peterborough, centre. Graham Ford, Orroroo, rover. Peter Francis, Laura Wirrabara, Jamestown Appila, Jamestown-Peterborough, centre, wingman. Kym Fromm, Orroroo, full forward. Mark Fuller, Laura Wirrabara, Southern Flinders, ruckman, centre half back. Matthew Gale, Broughton Mundoora, ruck, full forward. Dennis Ganley, Jamestown Appila, centre half forward, full forward, ruck. Reg Gum, Crystal Brook, centre. Greg Hanckel, Peterborough, Jamestown Appila, wing, half forward flanker. Charlie Hartwig, Caltowie, centre half forward, ruckman. Neil Haren, Caltowie, rover. Damien Harris, Gladstone Comm. Rocky River, Southern Flinders, centre, on-baller. Garry Harris, Gladstone, centre half forward. Roger Harris, Gladstone, full forward. Cletus Hayes, Wirrabara, ruckman. Damien Head, Crystal Brook, ruckman. Allan Hewett, Crystal Brook, forward, on-baller. Jim Higgins, Booleroo Centre, on-baller. Frank Hoffman, Jamestown, ruck rover. Len Holland, Caltowie, ruckman, full forward. Mark Horner, Broughton Mundoora, goal kicking forward. Kym Ireland, Broughton Mundoora, half back flank, on-baller. Maurice Karger, Laura, centre half back. Peter Kerr, Booleroo Centre, centre. John Kitschke, Jamestown, ruckman. Peter Kitschke, Jamestown, Jamestown Appila, centre, ruck rover. Garry Koch, Booleroo Centre, Orroroo, centre. Robert Koch, Orrorroo, Booleroo Centre, BMW, ruckman. Anthony Kotz, Laura Wirrabara, centre, rover. Russell Kupsch, Jamestown, Crystal Brook, on-baller. Vin Landers, Gladstone, centre. Barry Lang, Georgetown/Caltowie, Gladstone Comm, ruckman, centre half back. Don Lang, Georgetown, ruckman. Bruce Lehmann, Georgetown, ruck rover, centre half back. Trevor Lloyd, Gladstone, centre half forward, full forward, ruckman. Harry Lowe, Laura, full back. Andy McCallum, Wilmington/Melrose, BMW, rover. Grant McCallum, Wilmington/Melrose, BMW, centre half forward. Chris McCauley, Orroroo, ruckman. Steven Merkel, Crystal Brook, wingman. Andrew Milne, Laura/Wirrabara, BMW, on-baller. David Newbold, Crystal Brook, ruckman. Bernie Noonan, Gladstone, centre half forward. John (Spider) Noonan, Georgetown, wing or rover. Ken Noonan, Georgetown, centre. Keith Nutt, Orroroo, centre, half back flank. Tony Nutt, Orroroo, centre half back. Jim O’Shaunessy, Crystal Brook, centre half back. Peter O’Shaunnessy, Crystal Brook, Peterborough, centre half back, back pocket. Frank Page, Georgetown, centre, forward. Graham Pavy, Crystal Brook, centre or half back flank. Lin Pearsons, Crystal Brook, ruckman. Rev. Red Wing Perry, Crystal Brook, full forward. Max Read, Gladstone, full forward, Merv Read, Gladstone, ruckman or backman. Peter Reid, Orroroo, on-baller. Dennis Russell, Peterborough, centre half forward. Paul Rynne, Jamestown Appila, centre, ruck rover. W F (Bill) Sanders, Georgetown, full back. Daniel Schuppan, Jamestown-Peterborough, ruck rover, half back flank. Peter Sims, Broughton Mundoora, centre, ruck rover. Keith Slade, Orroroo, rover. Brian Smith, Laura, Laura Wirrabara, centre half back. Stan Steele, Peterborough, Laura, full back, on-baller. Ken Steinborner, Gladstone, full forward. Barry Thompson, Laura, centre. Bevin Venning, Crystal Brook, centre, centre half back. Darryl Venning, Crystal Brook, Jamestown Appila, centre, wing. Len Wellington, Georgetown, centre half forward. Brett Woolford, Laura Wirrabara, centre.

Northern Areas snapshot:

Teams represented in the NAFA during the past 100 years.

Booleroo Centre 1979-1990. BMW (Booleroo, Melrose, Wilmington 1991-present. Broughton Mundoora 1984-present. Caltowie 1932-47, 1951-58, 1960-63. Crystal Brook 1909-31, 1934-present. Georgetown 1914-15, 1923-63. Georgetown Caltowie 1964-71. Gladstone 1909-71. Gladstone Combine (Gladstone, Georgetown Caltowie) 1972-2000. Jamestown 1909-1971. Jamestown Appila 1972-2002. Jamestown Peterborough 2003-present. Laura 1909-11, 1914-15, 1919-29, 1932-71. Laura Wirrabara 1972-2001. Orroroo 1972-present. Peterborough 1962-2002. Port Broughton 1981-83. Port Germein 1961-63, 1966-70. Rock River (Gladstone Combine) 2001. Southern Flinders (Rocky River, Laura Wirrabara) 2002-present. Stone Hut 1933-36. SunnyBrae (Yongala, Terowie) 1971-. Terowie 1962-70. Warnertown 1957-71, 1981-94. Wilmington Melrose 1980-90. Wirrabara 1931-67. Yongala 1962-70.

Associations within the current Northern Areas feeder area and the teams in each.

Belalie Football Association: Belalie North, Belgala (Bel Nth Yongala), Canowie Belt, Jamestown B, Mannanarie, Peterborough Imperials, Pekina, Tarcowie, Terowie, Warriers (High School), Yarcowie, Yatina, Yatina Mannanarie, Yongala.

Broughton Football Association: Brinkworth, Brinkworth Yacka, Clements Gap, Gulnare, Gulnare Redhill, Koolunga, Koolunga Yacka, Merriton, Mundoora, Mundoora Wokurna, Narridy, Port Broughton, Redhill, Snowtown, Wandearah, Warnertown, Whyte Cliffs, Yacka.

Broughton Central Football Association: Clements Gap, Merriton, Narridy, Redhill.

Bundaleer Football Association: Georgetown, Jamestown B, Spalding, Washpool.

Flinders Football Association: Appila Yarrowie, Booleroo Centre, Laura, Melrose, Melrose Willowie, Murraytown, Orroroo, Pekina, Port Germein, Quorn, Stone Hut, Tarcowie, Wilmington, Wilmington United (Melrose Willowie, Wilmington), Wirrabara.

Golden Vale Football Association: Belalie North, Canowie Belt, Terowie, Yarcowie, Yongala.

Jamestown Football Association: High School, Mannanarie, Ramblers, Rovers, Warriers.

Mount Lock Football Association: Appila Yarowie, Caltowie, Mannanarie, Pekina, Tarcowie.

Mt Remarkable Football Association: Booleroo Centre, Melrose, Wilmington, Imperials (Wilmington), Rovers (Wilmington).

North Eastern (Peterborough) Football Association: Belalie, Burges (Petersburg), Imperials (Warriers, Excelsiors), Mannanarie, Pekina, Ramblers, Railways, Redferns, Rovers (St Anacletus), St Anacletus, Towns (Imperials, Warriors), Terowie, United, Warriors.

North Western Football Association: Clements Gap, Crystal Brook Foxhunters, Lower Broughton.

Olary Ridges Football Association: Dawson, Erskine, Nackara, Oodlawirra.

Orroroo Football Association: Emus (Ramblers Rovers), Kangaroos, Morchard, Pekina, Tarcowie, Warriors.

Rocky River Football Association: Crystal Brook B, Merriton, Redhill, Wandearah.

Willochara Football Association: Hammond, Melrose, Pekina, Wilmington (Imperials Rovers), Willowie.

Yackamoorundie Football Association: Georgetown, Gulnare, Koolunga, Narridy, North Spalding, South Spalding, Spalding, Yacka.