 Adelaide finished third out of seven teams in each of the next three seasons, also playing matches against the visiting Victorian Football Association (VFA) premiers in 1887, winning nine goals to three, and against a visiting British team in 1888, winning six goals to three.After the triumphs of 1886 and 1887, very poor management led to the defection of many of the key members of the 1886 premiership team.By the 1890s, the club was the chopping block of the SAFA, and struggled to field a team.