The 1983 South Australian National Football League season was the 104th, since 1877, of the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) Australian rules football competition.
The season commenced on Saturday 2 April 1983, and concluded on Saturday 1 October 1983 with the SANFL Grand Final at Football Park with West Adelaide defeating Sturt by 34 points to claim their eighth premiership and first since 1961.
Escort Cup
Concurrently with the early rounds of the premiership season, the SANFL also ran the Escort Cup night competition with games usually being played mid-week. The Grand Final of the Cup, played under lights at the Thebarton Oval, saw West Torrens win their first competition since they won the 1953 SANFL Grand Final when they defeated South Adelaide 7.15 (57) to 5.7 (37).
With Football Park having lights installed by the 1984 SANFL season, this would be the final time that the night competition would be held at the suburban grounds of Thebarton and Norwood Oval's. From 1984 all night competition games would be held at the league's headquarters. Night football would not return to suburban grounds until the early 2000s when some Norwood home games were scheduled to be held under lights at Norwood Oval.
The Ken Farmer Medal (awarded to the leading goalkicker in the home and away season) was won by Rick Davies of Sturt. He kicked 151 goals in the 1983 home and away season.
West Adelaide were the league minor premiers, finishing top of the ladder at the end of the home and away season with 18 wins and 4 losses. It was the club's 2nd minor premiership in the SANFL.
