The 1898 SAFA season was the 22nd edition of the top level of Australian Rules football to be played in South Australia. South Adelaide went on to record its 7th premiership.
In 1898, the SAFA competition consisted of six teams of 20 on-the-field players each. Electoral zoning of clubs introduced in 1897, which meant that a player was assigned to a club based on his residential address on the South Australian Electoral roll, was still being phased in.
The season was divided into two rounds of 7 games each. The older senior strong clubs South Adelaide, Port Adelaide and Norwood were programmed to play each other twice and the newer clubs North Adelaide, West Torrens and West Adelaide once only.
The three newer clubs were programmed to play each other twice and the older clubs once only.
The 1st Round resulted in a 3 way tie between the 3 strongest oldest clubs - South Adelaide, Port Adelaide and Norwood. Each had won and lost one game each other.
In the 2nd Round, South Adelaide remained undefeated winning all 7 games and thus became the "Minor Premier".
As a result The Football Association decided that Port Adelaide and Norwood should play to decide which of the two was to meet South Adelaide for the premiership.
1st Round
1st Round Adelaide Oval.â May 7, South v. North ; 14, South v. West ; 21, Port v. South ; 28, North v. West ; 30, Port v. Norwood ; <br> June 4, North v. West Torrens ; 11, South v. Norwood ; 18, North v. West Torrens ; 20, Port v. South; 25, South v. Norwood ; <br> July 2, Essendon (intercolonial) ; 9, Port v. Norwood.
1st Round Jubilee Oval.â May 7, Norwood v. West ; 14, Norwood v. West Torrens ; 21, Norwood v. North ; 28, South v. West Torrens ; <br> June 4, Port v. West ; 11, North v. West ; 25, West v. West Torrens ;
2nd Round
Second round Adelaide Oval â July 16, Port v. South ; 23, South v. Norwood ; 30, Port v. Norwood ; <br> August 6, Fitzroy (Intercolonial) ; 13, South v. West Torrens ; 20, Port v. Norwood ; 27, Port v. South ; <br> September 1, South v. Norwood ; 3, Port v. West.
Second Round Jubilee Oval. â July 9, North v. West Torrens ; 16, Norwood v. North ; '23, North v. West ; 30, South v. West ;<br> August 13, Norwood v. West ; 20, South v. North ; 27, North v. West.
Note: Minor Round <br> North Adelaide, West Adelaide and West Torrens played each other 4 times, whilst they only played twice against Norwood, Port Adelaide and South Adelaide. <br> Norwood, Port Adelaide and South Adelaide played each other 4 times and the other 3 clubs twice. <br>Therefore, each club played 14 minor round games.