ing ▁an ▁u mp ire ▁– ▁fifth ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 0 , ▁West ▁Ad ela ide ▁sl ump ed ▁badly ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 1 ▁to ▁last ▁with ▁only ▁two ▁wins ▁before ▁b oun cing ▁back ▁to ▁fifth ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 2 ▁only ▁half ▁a ▁game ▁from ▁the ▁final s . ▁Despite ▁Ben net ts ' ▁return , ▁they ▁finished ▁win less ▁for ▁the ▁third ▁time ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 3 ▁but ▁were ▁ter rib ly ▁un l ucky ▁in ▁losing ▁five ▁games ▁by ▁a ▁goal ▁or ▁less ▁They ▁recovered ▁to ▁win ▁eight ▁games ▁and ▁draw ▁one ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 4 , ▁but ▁between ▁ 1 9 3 5 ▁and ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁were ▁never ▁higher ▁than ▁sevent h ▁in ▁an ▁eight - team ▁competition ▁and ▁overall ▁won ▁only ▁ 2 6 ▁and ▁drew ▁one ▁of ▁ 1 0 2 ▁games . ▁An ▁unexpected ▁ 1 1 2 - point ▁thr ash ing ▁of ▁North ▁Ad ela ide ▁in ▁their ▁last ▁game ▁of ▁ 1 9 4 0 , ▁however , ▁proved ▁a ▁true ▁o men ▁of ▁what ▁was ▁to ▁come ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 1 . ▁The ▁Blo ods ▁carried ▁all ▁before ▁them ▁early ▁in ▁the ▁season ▁and ▁after ▁ten ▁games ▁had ▁suffered ▁only ▁a ▁draw ▁and ▁two ▁narrow ▁losses . ▁A ▁sl ump ▁en su ed ▁before ▁the ▁club ▁required ▁to ▁finish ▁third ▁and ▁beat ▁Port ▁Ad ela ide ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁semi ▁before ▁St urt ▁knock ed ▁the ▁in