| 1981 SANFL season | |
|---|---|
| Teams | 10 |
| Premiers | Port Adelaide 27th premiership |
| Minor premiers | Glenelg 3rd minor premiership |
| Magarey Medallist | Michael Aish Norwood (41 votes) |
| Ken Farmer Medallist | Tim Evans Port Adelaide (98 Goals) |
| Attendance | |
| Matches played | 116 |
| Total attendance | 1,087,854 (9,378 per match) |
| Highest | 52,659 (Grand Final, Port Adelaide vs. Glenelg) |
The 1981 South Australian National Football League season was the 102nd season of the top-level Australian rules football competition in South Australia.