1934 WANFL season

Last updated

1934 WAFL season
Teams8
Premiers West Perth
6th premiership
Minor premiers East Fremantle
21st minor premiership
Sandover Medallist Sammy Clarke (Claremont-Cottesloe) [1]
Bernie Naylor Medallist George Doig (East Fremantle)
Matches played88
  1933
1935  

The 1934 WANFL season was the 50th season of the various incarnations of the Western Australian National Football League. Following upon numerous unsuccessful attempts to revive Midland Junction during the 1920s, [2] Bassendean-based Swan Districts were admitted to the competition. The black and whites were more competitive than previous new clubs owing to the presence of a number of players with previous WANFL experience, [3] including Fred Sweetapple from West Perth, captain-coach "Judda" Bee from East Fremantle and Nigel Gorn from South Fremantle, but after five promising campaigns were to endure nineteen open-age seasons without once winning as many matches as they lost. [3]

Contents

The 1934 season saw the only finals success during the inter-war period for Perth, who became known as 'Victoria Park' for this season and the following as the Redlegs planned to develop a new oval at Raphael Park. Because Parliament failed to pass an Act to allow the club to acquire Raphael Park, however, Perth reverted to their old name two seasons later. [4] Subiaco, after a stirring run to the 1933 Grand Final, fell to their worst season since 1922 due to the loss of Westy Gilbert and major injuries to Bill Brophy, Bill Bant, Lloyd Strack, Norm Stehn, Les Mills and Syd Briggs, whilst West Perth under the coaching of ex-Maroon Johnny Leonard were to win a second flag in three seasons over East Fremantle. [5] Old Easts won a seventh successive minor premiership [a] but gave a surprisingly poor display in the Grand Final.

The 1934 season is most famous, however, for the unprecedented goalkicking success, despite some exceptionally wet Saturdays, [6] of spearheads George Doig and Ted Tyson, both of whom completely smashed previous WANFL goalkicking records. In the end, despite neither achieving much on a windy day in the Grand Final, Doig finished with 152 goals and Tyson with 143, tallies not bettered until Bernie Naylor did so in the early 1950s.

Clubs

ClubCoachCaptainBest and fairestLeading goalkicker
Claremont-Cottesloe "Nugget" Gepp
Pat Rodriguez
Keith Hough Sammy Clarke Albert Skinner (40)
East Fremantle Carlisle Jarvis Carlisle Jarvis Carlisle Jarvis George Doig (152)
East Perth Jerry Dolan Jerry Dolan Herbie Screaigh Herbie Screaigh (34)
South Fremantle Ron Edgar Ron Edgar J Ditchburn
Subiaco Arthur GreenG. SmithG. Smith
John Bowe
Jack Jennings (92)
Swan Districts "Judder" Bee "Judder" Bee George Krepp Nigel Gorn (45) [7]
Victoria Park William Truscott Hedley Hungerford Albert Gook (83)
West Perth Johnny Leonard Don Marinko Ted Tyson (143)

Home-and-away season

Round 1

Round 1
Saturday, 28 April (2:45 pm) East Fremantle 16.23 (119)def. Swan Districts 16.6 (102) Fremantle Oval [8]
Saturday, 28 April (2:45 pm) Subiaco 10.14 (74)def. by South Fremantle 17.14 (116) Subiaco Oval [9]
Saturday, 28 April (2:45 pm) Claremont-Cottesloe 5.13 (43)def. by East Perth 14.13 (97) Claremont Oval [10]
Saturday, 28 April (2:45 pm) Victoria Park 10.13 (73)def. by West Perth 15.19 (109) WACA Ground [11]

Swan Districts made their debut in the league, losing by 17 points to East Fremantle, with George Doig kicking eight goals.

Round 2 (Labour Day)

Round 2
Saturday, 5 May (2:45 pm) Swan Districts 19.9 (123)def. Subiaco 10.14 (74) Bassendean Oval [12]
Saturday, 5 May (2:45 pm) Victoria Park 15.17 (107)def. Claremont-Cottesloe 11.12 (78) WACA Ground [13]
Saturday, 5 May (2:45 pm) East Fremantle 20.21 (141)def. South Fremantle 7.9 (51) Fremantle Oval [14]
Monday, 7 May (2:45 pm) East Perth 11.11 (77)def. West Perth 5.13 (43) Perth Oval [15]

Swan Districts won their first WANFL game, which was also the first game played at Bassendean Oval.

Round 3

Round 3
Saturday 12 May (2:45 pm) Subiaco 10.7 (67)def. by East Fremantle 18.15 (123) Subiaco Oval [16]
Saturday 12 May (2:45 pm) East Perth 8.18 (66)def. by Victoria Park 11.16 (82) Perth Oval [17]
Saturday 12 May (2:45 pm) South Fremantle 12.18 (90)def. by Swan Districts 16.10 (106) Fremantle Oval [18]
Saturday 12 May (2:45 pm) West Perth 13.17 (95)def. Claremont-Cottesloe 9.13 (67) Leederville Oval [19]

George Doig kicks another nine goals, whilst Victoria Park hangs on against East Perth despite not goalling in the final term.

Round 4

Round 4
Saturday 19 May (2:45 pm) Victoria Park 27.20 (182)def. Swan Districts 9.10 (64) WACA [20]
Saturday 19 May (2:45 pm) South Fremantle 12.15 (87)def. East Perth 11.18 (84) Fremantle Oval [21]
Saturday 19 May (2:45 pm) West Perth 14.13 (97)def. East Fremantle 6.12 (48) Leederville Oval [22]
Saturday 19 May (2:45 pm) Subiaco 20.23 (143)def. Claremont-Cottesloe 5.10 (40) Subiaco Oval [23]
  • Victoria Park fall two points shy of the current record WA(N)FL score set in 1916. [24] Gook kicks eight goals for his first major WANFL performance and veteran Johnston six from a half-forward flank.
  • West Perth play superbly in a preview of the Grand Final, with George Doig held to two goals.

Round 5

Round 5
Saturday 26 May (2:45 pm) West Perth 10.24 (84)def. Subiaco 11.15 (81) Leederville Oval [25]
Saturday 26 May (2:45 pm) Swan Districts 12.15 (87)def. by East Perth 13.17 (95) Bassendean Oval [26]
Saturday 26 May (2:45 pm) Victoria Park 14.13 (97)def. South Fremantle 10.10 (70) WACA [27]
Saturday 26 May (2:45 pm) East Fremantle 16.23 (119)def. Claremont-Cottesloe 4.8 (32) Fremantle Oval [28]

An inaccurate West Perth overhauls Subiaco, already leaving the 1933 grand finalists in danger of moving out of the running.

Round 6

Round 6
Saturday 2 June (2:45 pm) West Perth 20.16 (136)def. Swan Districts 10.14 (74) Leederville Oval [29]
Saturday 2 June (2:45 pm) East Fremantle 12.12 (84)def. Victoria Park 9.15 (69) Fremantle Oval [30]
Saturday 2 June (2:45 pm) Claremont-Cottesloe 11.11 (77)def. by South Fremantle 11.13 (79) Claremont Oval [31]
Saturday 2 June (2:45 pm) East Perth 14.15 (99)def. Subiaco 9.8 (62) Perth Oval [32]
  • Tyson kicks thirteen goals in slippery conditions to give the newcomers their third straight loss, whilst East Fremantle end Victoria Park’s run of four wins in a row.
  • Jerry Dolan, who had transferred to the Royals after ten seasons with East Fremantle, returns as a player as East Perth downs Subiaco.

Round 7 (Foundation Day)

Round 7
Monday 4 June (2:45 pm) South Fremantle 18.12 (120)def. by West Perth 16.25 (121) Fremantle Oval [33]
Monday 4 June (2:45 pm) Victoria Park 15.13 (103)def. Subiaco 11.10 (76) WACA [34]
Monday 4 June (2:45 pm) Claremont-Cottesloe 20.19 (139)def. Swan Districts 15.15 (105) Claremont Oval [35]
Monday 4 June (2:45 pm) East Perth 8.4 (52)def. by East Fremantle 16.11 (107) Perth Oval [36]
  • A Rainoldi behind after the bell gives the Cardinals a sixth win, and their only win with two fewer goals. [37]
  • Skinner kicks ten as a Claremont-Cottesloe team minus Keith Hough and Neilson wins its first game of the season.

Round 8

Round 8
Saturday 9 June (2:45 pm) South Fremantle 9.12 (66)def. by Subiaco 11.14 (80) Fremantle Oval [38]
Saturday 9 June (2:45 pm) East Perth 14.13 (97)def. Claremont-Cottesloe 9.8 (62) Perth Oval [39]
Saturday 9 June (2:45 pm) West Perth 9.11 (65)def. by Victoria Park 15.10 (100) Leederville Oval [40]
Saturday 9 June (2:45 pm) Swan Districts 10.5 (65)def. by East Fremantle 13.11 (89) Bassendean Oval [41]
  • Victoria Park play their best game for many years in extremely wet conditions with two-day rainfall of 97 millimetres (3.82 in) [42] to outplay the leaders with a superb first half of 9.6 (60) to 2.8 (20).
  • Despite the wet conditions, George Doig maintains his amazing average of eight goals per game.

Round 9

Round 9
Saturday 16 June (2:45 pm) Subiaco 16.17 (113)def. Swan Districts 10.15 (75) Subiaco Oval [43]
Saturday 16 June (2:45 pm) West Perth 19.7 (121)def. East Perth 13.15 (93) Leederville Oval [44]
Saturday 16 June (2:45 pm) Claremont-Cottesloe 8.14 (62)def. by Victoria Park 17.22 (124) Claremont Oval [45]
Saturday 16 June (2:45 pm) South Fremantle 10.10 (70)def. by East Fremantle 13.22 (100) Fremantle Oval [46]

Round 10

Round 10
Saturday 23 June (2:45 pm) Claremont-Cottesloe 7.7 (49)def. by West Perth 20.18 (138) Claremont Oval [47]
Saturday 23 June (2:45 pm) Swan Districts 8.14 (62)def. by South Fremantle 13.18 (96) Bassendean Oval [48]
Saturday 23 June (2:45 pm) Victoria Park 12.13 (85)def. by East Perth 13.21 (99) WACA [49]
Saturday 23 June (2:45 pm) East Fremantle 12.19 (91)def. Subiaco 7.6 (48) Fremantle Oval [50]
  • East Perth makes an amazing recovery after being forty-one points behind during the first quarter, still a club record. [51]
  • Ted Tyson kicks eleven goals for the Cardinals.
  • Old Easts storm home against Subiaco after being outplayed in the first half.

Round 11

Round 11
Saturday 30 June (2:45 pm) East Perth 15.11 (101)def. South Fremantle 5.17 (47) Perth Oval [52]
Saturday 30 June (2:45 pm) East Fremantle 13.22 (100)def. West Perth 6.3 (39) Fremantle Oval [53]
Saturday 30 June (2:45 pm) Swan Districts 6.8 (44)def. by Victoria Park 13.15 (93) Bassendean Oval [54]
Saturday 30 June (2:45 pm) Claremont-Cottesloe 7.10 (52)def. by Subiaco 11.14 (80) Claremont Oval [55]
  • Swan Districts took the field with only seventeen men against Victoria Park before the injured Krepp and Mosey strip, but still kick their lowest three-quarter time score until 1946 and fifth-lowest on record.
  • East Fremantle play superbly in awful conditions with 71 millimetres (2.80 in) [42] over two days. Tyson is kept to one goal by Woods, whilst the Cardinals cannot cover injuries to key defender Tetley and rover Rainoldi.

Round 12

Round 12
Saturday 7 July (2:45 pm) Subiaco 13.12 (90)def. West Perth 10.15 (75) Subiaco Oval [56]
Saturday 7 July (2:45 pm) Claremont-Cottesloe 4.5 (29)def. by East Fremantle 12.13 (85) Claremont Oval [57]
Saturday 7 July (2:45 pm) South Fremantle 10.17 (77)def. Victoria Park 9.17 (71) Fremantle Oval [58]
Saturday 7 July (2:45 pm) East Perth 12.14 (86)def. Swan Districts 12.8 (80) Perth Oval [59]
  • Claremont-Cottesloe’s score, on a waterlogged ground after another 50.5 millimetres (1.99 in) of steady rain during the previous four days [60] remains its lowest-ever against East Fremantle. [61]
  • A severely depleted West Perth produce an amazing comeback from 13.11 (89) to 3.8 (26) down at three-quarter time to be only 14 points down with five minutes to go before the Maroons – who had not entered attack all quarter – steady.

First interstate match

First interstate match
Saturday, 14 July (2:45 pm) Western Australia def. South Australia Perth Oval (crowd: 12,000 (approx.)) [62]
7.0 (42)
12.3 (75)
13.4 (82)
 15.7 (97)
Q1
Q2
Q3
 Final
0.2 (2)
1.5 (11)
6.5 (41)
 7.9 (51)
Umpires: Frank Collins
George Doig 6, Anderson 3, Screaigh 2, Merson 2, Daily, McGlinnGoals Farmer 3, Hooper 2, Hender, Parry
Anderson (best on ground), Clarke, Guhl, Taylor, George Doig, Bowe, ScreaighBestDermody, Sallis, Taylor, Parry, Hooper, Hender

In conditions which shocked the South Australians as Adelaide had been experiencing extremely dry weather and dust storms, [63] Western Australia’s extraordinary accuracy with a slippery ball – 11.0 (66) to late in the second quarter – ensures the locals an untroubled victory in the first interstate match played in Perth since 1929. [62]

Second interstate match

Second interstate match
Tuesday, 17 July (2:45 pm) Western Australia def. by South Australia Leederville Oval (crowd: 10,000 (approx.)) [64]
5.2 (32)
8.4 (52)
12.9 (81)
 14.14 (98)
Q1
Q2
Q3
 Final
4.6 (30)
6.11 (47)
10.15 (75)
 14.19 (103)
Umpires: Frank Collins
George Doig 7, Anderson 2, Merson, Forbes, Ditchburn, ScreaighGoalsFarmer 4, Hooper 3, Pontifex 2, Hender 2, Munro 2, Walter
Daily, George Doig, Shepherd, Clarke, Fitzgerald, BoothBestDermody (best on ground), Hooper, Burton, Allington, Jarvis, Sallis
Walsh (knee)Injuries

In conditions totally different from the rainy Saturday, [60] South Australia produce an impressive display to win after being narrowly behind most of the afternoon.

Round 13

Round 13
Saturday 21 July (2:45 pm) South Fremantle 19.8 (122)def. Claremont-Cottesloe 9.13 (67) Fremantle Oval [65]
Saturday 21 July (2:45 pm) Subiaco 16.11 (107)def. by East Perth 15.18 (108) Subiaco Oval [66]
Saturday 21 July (2:45 pm) Swan Districts 10.21 (81)def. West Perth 10.11 (71) Bassendean Oval [67]
Saturday 21 July (2:45 pm) Victoria Park 8.7 (55)def. East Fremantle 6.15 (51) WACA [68]

In a close match of low standard due to the absence of interstate players such as George Doig, Gook, Jarvis, Shepherd, McGlinn and Fitzgerald, Victoria Park move with their narrow win and West Perth’s surprise loss to second position.

Round 14

Round 14
Saturday 28 July (2:45 pm) East Fremantle 11.12 (78)def. East Perth 6.8 (44) Fremantle Oval [69]
Saturday 28 July (2:45 pm) Swan Districts 8.15 (63)def. Claremont-Cottesloe 7.8 (50) Bassendean Oval [70]
Saturday 28 July (2:45 pm) Subiaco 10.3 (63)def. by Victoria Park 16.16 (112) Subiaco Oval [71]
Saturday 28 July (2:45 pm) West Perth 10.12 (72)def. South Fremantle 7.3 (45) Leederville Oval [72]
  • East Fremantle again show their superiority in heavy rain with an 8.5 (53) to 2.4 (16) second half.
  • West Perth, with Tyson injured, outplay South Fremantle after a hard-fought first half.

Round 15

Round 15
Saturday 4 August (2:45 pm) East Fremantle 18.11 (119)def. Swan Districts 12.14 (86) Fremantle Oval [73]
Saturday 4 August (2:45 pm) Subiaco 18.16 (124)def. South Fremantle 18.14 (122) Subiaco Oval [74]
Saturday 4 August (2:45 pm) East Perth 18.22 (130)def. Claremont-Cottesloe 13.9 (87) Perth Oval [75]
Saturday 4 August (2:45 pm) Victoria Park 12.7 (79)def. by West Perth 11.14 (80) WACA [76]

West Perth win with a brilliant torpedo punt from McGarry after the bell.

Round 16

Round 16
Saturday 11 August (2:45 pm) West Perth 19.16 (130)def. East Perth 10.17 (77) Leederville Oval [77]
Saturday 11 August (2:45 pm) South Fremantle 13.12 (90)def. by East Fremantle 14.11 (95) Fremantle Oval [78]
Saturday 11 August (2:45 pm) Swan Districts 21.14 (140)def. Subiaco 16.13 (109) Bassendean Oval [79]
Saturday 11 August (2:45 pm) Claremont-Cottesloe 7.12 (54)def. by Victoria Park 20.18 (138) Claremont Oval [80]

George Doig kicks his hundredth goal in third quarter, but East Fremantle stops to a walk and just holds on.

Round 17

Round 17
Saturday 18 August (2:45 pm) Swan Districts 17.13 (115)def. South Fremantle 10.14 (74) Bassendean Oval [81]
Saturday 18 August (2:45 pm) East Fremantle 14.16 (100)def. Subiaco 5.11 (41) Fremantle Oval [82]
Saturday 18 August (2:45 pm) East Perth 16.14 (110)def. Victoria Park 15.11 (101) Perth Oval [83]
Saturday 18 August (2:45 pm) West Perth 27.10 (172)def. Claremont-Cottesloe 6.9 (45) Leederville Oval [84]

Ted Tyson kicked fifteen goals, at the time a WA(N)FL record. [85] In doing so, he reaches the hundred as the Cardinals inflict Claremont-Cottesloe’s biggest loss until 1952 and still their fourth-biggest ever. [86]

Round 18

Round 18
Saturday 25 August (2:45 pm) West Perth 6.13 (49)def. by East Fremantle 9.16 (70) Leederville Oval [87]
Saturday 25 August (2:45 pm) Victoria Park 7.13 (55)def. by Swan Districts 10.13 (73) WACA [88]
Saturday 25 August (2:45 pm) South Fremantle 17.23 (125)def. East Perth 12.14 (86) Fremantle Oval [89]
Saturday 25 August (2:45 pm) Subiaco 17.16 (118)def. Claremont-Cottesloe 7.16 (58) Subiaco Oval [90]

On another wet Saturday, [6] [91] East Fremantle comfortably account for West Perth even with George Doig only kicking one goal six. The final four is settled with three rounds remaining, and Old Easts seal an unprecedented seventh successive minor premiership. [a]

Round 19

Round 19
Saturday 1 September (2:45 pm) East Fremantle 22.15 (147)def. Claremont-Cottesloe 5.7 (37) Fremantle Oval [92]
Saturday 1 September (2:45 pm) Subiaco 11.7 (73)def. by West Perth 19.18 (132) Subiaco Oval [93]
Saturday 1 September (2:45 pm) Swan Districts 10.10 (70)def. by East Perth 15.19 (109) Bassendean Oval [94]
Saturday 1 September (2:45 pm) Victoria Park 22.25 (157)def. South Fremantle 12.11 (83) WACA [95]
  • George Doig beats Tyson’s record against the Tigers, kicking nineteen of twenty-two goals against that same club, who were handicapped by full-back Batt having an injured hand. [92] It remained a WANFL record until 1953 [b] when Bernie Naylor set the current record of 23 against Subiaco.
  • Albert Gook kicks seven as Victoria Park lead 19.22 (136) to 6.10 (46) at the last change before easing off.

Round 20

Round 20
Saturday 8 September (2:45 pm) Claremont-Cottesloe 16.7 (103)def. by South Fremantle 22.20 (152) Claremont Oval [96]
Saturday 8 September (2:45 pm) East Fremantle 20.15 (135)def. Victoria Park 11.8 (74) Fremantle Oval [97]
Saturday 8 September (2:45 pm) Subiaco 12.13 (85)drew with East Perth 11.19 (85) Subiaco Oval [98]
Saturday 8 September (2:45 pm) West Perth 21.18 (144)def. Swan Districts 13.13 (91) Leederville Oval [99]

East Fremantle kick 17.12 (114) to 5.4 (34) after quarter-time, with George Doig kicking another thirteen goals. In the process Old Easts seal the finals matchups by depriving Victoria Park of any chance to take second position.

Round 21

Round 21
Saturday 15 September (2:45 pm) Claremont-Cottesloe 17.14 (116)def. Swan Districts 11.10 (76) Claremont Oval [100]
Saturday 15 September (2:45 pm) East Perth 13.12 (90)def. East Fremantle 6.11 (47) Perth Oval [101]
Saturday 15 September (2:45 pm) South Fremantle 16.7 (103)def. by West Perth 19.8 (122) Fremantle Oval [102]
Saturday 15 September (2:45 pm) Victoria Park 15.21 (111)def. Subiaco 16.14 (110) WACA [103]
  • Speed on a firmer ground gives East Perth an excellent win over East Fremantle.
  • Claremont-Cottesloe end a run of thirteen straight losses.

Ladder

1934 ladder
PosTeamPldWLDPFPAPPPts
1 East Fremantle 21183020481287159.172
2 West Perth (P)21156021221636129.760
3 East Perth 21137118851763106.954
4 Victoria Park 21138020681653125.152
5 South Fremantle 2181301885205591.732
6 Subiaco 2171311827201590.730
7 Swan Districts 2171401782216882.228
8 Claremont-Cottesloe 2121901347238756.48
Source: WAFL Footy Facts
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) percentage; 3) number of points for.
(P) Premiers

Finals

First semi-final

First semi-final
Saturday, 22 September (2:45 pm) East Perth 9.13 (67)def. by Victoria Park 13.13 (91) Leederville Oval (crowd: 6,954) [104]

This was Victoria Park’s first finals win since 1915 when known by their more familiar name of 'Perth', which they reverted to before their next senior finals appearance in 1947.

Second semi-final

Second semi-final
Saturday, 29 September (2:45 pm) East Fremantle 15.13 (103)def. West Perth 7.7 (49) Perth Oval (crowd: 10,748) [105]

Preliminary final

Preliminary final
Saturday, 6 October (2:45 pm) West Perth 9.14 (68)def. Victoria Park 4.9 (33) Perth Oval (crowd: 8,519) [106]

Despite the absence of "Checker" O‘Keefe, West Perth crush the Victoria Park attack, with Flemming holding Gook scoreless.

Grand Final

1934 WANFL Grand Final
Saturday, 13 October (2:45 pm) East Fremantle def. by West Perth Perth Oval (crowd: 10,464) [107]
2.2 (14)
3.3 (21)
5.6 (36)
 5.9 (39)
Q1
Q2
Q3
 Final
1.3 (9)
4.5 (29)
8.7 (55)
 11.7 (73)
Umpires: G. Gannon
George Doig 3, Reynolds, McGlinnGoalsMcDiarmid 2, Tyson 2, Anderson 2, Rainoldi 2, Ford, Green, Kenna
Woods, N. Doig, C. Doig, McGlinn, C. JamesBestMcDiarmid (best on ground), O‘Keefe, Kenna, Green, Anderson, Morgan
W. James for striking O‘Keefe
W. James for striking Morgan
ReportsMorgan for striking W. James

In a dour struggle, West Perth are unexpectedly far too good for Old Easts, who are saved from a worse thrashing only by full back Dave Woods, who restricts Ted Tyson to 2.2 and kicks brilliantly.

Notes

a The nearest comparable feat would be Melbourne's six straight minor premierships between 1955 and 1960 or Port Adelaide's six minor premierships with a combined total of ten minor round losses between 1909 and 1915.
b Equalled by George Moloney in 1940 and Naylor in 1952.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Claremont Football Club</span> WAFL Australian rules football club

The Claremont Football Club, nicknamed Tigers, is an Australian rules football club based in Claremont, Western Australia, that currently plays in the West Australian Football League (WAFL) and WAFL Women's (WAFLW). Its official colours are navy blue and gold. Formed as the "Cottesloe Beach Football Club" in 1906, the club entering the WAFL in 1925 as the "Claremont-Cottesloe Football Club"', changing its name to the present in 1935. Claremont have won 12 senior men's premierships since entering the competition, including most recently the 2011 and 2012 premierships.

The 1933 WANFL season was the 49th season of the Western Australian National Football League in its various incarnations. It was the last year of a seven-team senior competition, and saw George Doig, during the second semi-final, become the first player to kick one hundred goals in a season.

The 1932 WANFL season was the 48th season of the Western Australian National Football League. The premiership was won by West Perth for the first time since 1905. The Cardinals’ win ended both a run of four consecutive premierships by East Fremantle, which won its fifth of seven successive minor premierships but lost both finals it played to be eliminated in the preliminary final, and West Perth's longest premiership drought in its history. West Perth's win was highlighted by the success of champion full forward Ted Tyson, who headed the goalkicking with eighty-four goals including a record eight in the Grand Final[a]. Tyson went on to kick an unprecedented 1,203 goals during a twelve-season career with the Cardinals, but their rise from winning only six matches in 1931 was due to the development of second-year defender Max Tetley, the discovery of a third pre-war Cardinal stalwart in Norm McDiarmid,[b] brother of star ruckman Jack, plus further outstanding youngsters Jim Morgan and Bob Dalziell.

The 1931 WANFL season was the 47th season of the Western Australian National Football League and the first under that moniker, having been called the West Australian Football League (WAFL) until 1930.

The 1930 WAFL season was the 46th season of the West Australian Football League in its various incarnations, and the last before it changed its name to the ‘Western Australian National Football League’. The season saw East Fremantle win the premiership for the third consecutive season, marking the second time that the club had achieved the feat; the club was never seriously challenged as the best team except during the interstate break and achieved the unusual feat of being the only club with a percentage of over 100.[a] Jerry Dolan said in retrospect that East Fremantle's 1930 team was the greatest he had ever played in or coached – including even the unbeaten team of 1946.

The 1929 WAFL season was the 45th season of the West Australian Football League in its various incarnations.

The 1935 WANFL season was the 51st season of the Western Australian National Football League. The season saw West Perth win the premiership under the coaching of Johnny Leonard; it was the only time in West Perth's history that it won consecutive premierships, preceding a brief but exceptionally steep decline that saw the Cardinals four years later suffer the equal longest losing streak in WA(N)FL history.

The 1936 WANFL season was the 52nd season of the Western Australian National Football League. The most conspicuous features were the rise of Claremont to their first finals appearance since entering the WAFL ten years beforehand after having won only forty of its first 183 games, and the thrilling finals series in which East Perth rose to their first premiership for nine years after holding on to a thrilling struggle for fourth position where all eight clubs were in the running well into August, then winning two finals by a solitary point. In the process the Royals set a record for the most losses by an eventual premiership club in major Australian Rules leagues,[a] but won their last open-age premiership until 1956. The Royals overcame much adversity to win the premiership, including a crippling injury toll and a schedule modified to allow them to tour Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania between 4 July and the first week of August.

The 1928 WAFL season was the 44th season of the West Australian Football League. The most notable event of the season occurred off the field on Monday, 11 June, when champion East Perth coach Phil Matson was killed in a truck crash at Nedlands after being thrown into a telegraph post. The Royals under the coaching of Paddy Hebbard did manage to reach a challenge final against minor premiers East Fremantle, but were beaten and suffered an abrupt fall to a clear last the following season.

The 1937 WANFL season was the 53rd season of the Western Australian National Football League. The season saw numerous notable highlights, including:

  1. Five players[a] kicked 100 goals, a number equalled in the major leagues of VFL/AFL, VFA/VFL, or SANFL, only in the 1939 VFA season.[b]
  2. Frank "Scranno" Jenkins won the Sandover Medal in his debut season of senior football with a record high under the 3-2-1 voting system of 34 votes.
  3. In the second round, East Fremantle broke their own 21-year-old record for the highest score in league history.
  4. East Perth drew three games in one season, a feat equalled in major Australian Rules Leagues only by VFA club Moorabbin in 1958 and West Perth in 1960. The Royals could easily have drawn a fourth game but for crowd acclamation preventing umpires from hearing the bell against Subiaco on Foundation Day. No senior Australian Rules team at any level is known to have tied four matches in a season, but Geelong’s Under-19s did so in 1971.
  5. Swan Districts, with Ted Holdsworth kicking at least six goals in each of the first ten games, reached their first finals series in only their fourth WANFL season. Holdsworth was to reach his 100 goals in two fewer games than George Doig took in his 152-goal 1934 season, but concussion and a broken hand eliminated the prospect of a new record.

The 1927 WAFL season was the 43rd season of the West Australian Football League. It saw the last premiership of the East Perth dynasty dating back to the end of World War I, as mastermind coach Phil Matson was to be killed in a truck crash the following year and the Royals were to fall to a clear last in 1929 as most of their champions retired. Despite opening their permanent home ground at Claremont Oval, newcomers Claremont-Cottesloe showed little improvement on their debut season and again won only a single game. The most notable change in fortunes was from South Fremantle, who had their first season with more wins than losses since their last premiership in 1917, and extended Matson's Royals in the grand final.

The 1973 WANFL season was the 89th season of the Western Australian National Football League. It is most famous for Subiaco breaking the longest premiership drought in the history of the competition, winning for the first time since 1924 after having been a chopping block for most of the middle third of the century. Under the coaching of former St Kilda champion Ross Smith, the Lions, as they became christened in July, bounced back from two disappointing seasons to lose only two of their final sixteen home-and-away games for their first minor premiership since 1935, then in a low-scoring Grand Final comfortably defeated a much more hardened West Perth team.

The 1938 WANFL season was the 54th season of the Western Australian National Football League, and saw Claremont, under champion coach Johnny Leonard who had transferred from West Perth, win its first premiership after losing two Grand Finals and drawing the first one this season. The blue and golds were to win the following two premierships before a long period near the foot of the ladder after Claremont Oval was gutted by a fire in 1944.

The 1926 WAFL season was the 42nd season of senior football in Perth, Western Australia.

The 1939 WANFL season was the 55th season of the various incarnations of the Western Australian National Football League. It is best known for West Perth's record losing streak of twenty-seven matches up to the fifteenth round, an ignominy equalled by Peel Thunder in their formative years but never actually beaten. The Cardinals finished with the worst record since Midland Junction lost all twelve games in 1917, and were the first WANFL team with only one victory for twelve seasons. In their only win, champion forward Ted Tyson became the first West Australian to kick over one thousand goals and he just failed to replicate his 1938 feat of leading the goalkicking for a bottom club. Subiaco, despite a second Sandover win from Haydn Bunton won only three matches, and Swan Districts, affected by the loss of star goalkicker Ted Holdsworth to Kalgoorlie, began a long period as a cellar-dweller with a fall to sixth.

The 1940 WANFL season was the 56th season of the various incarnations of the Western Australian National Football League. It saw Claremont win its third consecutive premiership, but its last before returning to the status of cellar-dweller it occupied during its first decade in the WA(N)FL – between 1943 and 1978 Claremont played finals only five times for one premiership. South Fremantle, after a lean period in the middle 1930s, displaced perennial power clubs East Fremantle and East Perth as the Tigers’ Grand Final opponent, and established some of the basis, in spite of three disastrous wartime under-age seasons, for the club's fabled dynasty after the war.

The 1941 WANFL season was the 57th season of the various incarnations of the Western Australian National Football League. Owing to the drain of players to military service in World War II, the league was forced to suspend the reserves competition until 1946, and ultimately this was to be the last season of senior football in Perth until 1945 as the supply of available players became smaller and smaller and the Japanese military threatened northern Western Australia.

The 1944 WANFL season was the 60th season of the various incarnations of the Western Australian National Football League. Consequent upon the improved fortunes of the Allies in the Pacific War, the league's decision to restrict football to those under nineteen as of 1 October become somewhat controversial, but the WANFL after much debate during the early weeks of the season decided it would not raise the age limit or even as West Perth suggested allow four 1943 players over the limit to play. This meant that a large number of players who had been mainstays in the 1942 and 1943 seasons were no longer eligible to play, and as in 1943 a number of players still eligible were erratically available due to service in the war.

The 1946 WANFL season was the 62nd season of senior football in Perth, Western Australia.

The 1947 WANFL season was the 63rd season of senior football in Perth, Western Australia. With the background of war completely removed, 1947 saw the WANFL begin a golden age of growth dominated by the two Fremantle clubs, West Perth and Perth, who made the league for the following nine seasons a de facto hierarchy led by South Fremantle and West Perth, who respectively won 128 and 121 of their 159 home-and-away matches between 1947 and 1954. Zones with vastly different populations and large unzoned areas allowed these more successful and financially secure clubs to monopolise the leading player talent.

References

  1. "Follower" (pseudonymous author); 'Fairest and Best Player – Sandover Medal to Clarke; Jarvis Finishes Second and Davey Third' – The West Australian , Tuesday, 18 September 1934, p. 9
  2. East, Alan (2005); From Redlegs to Demons: A History of the Perth Football Club from 1899; pp. 42-43
  3. 1 2 Devaney, John; Full Points Footy’s WA Football Companion, pp. 291-292 ISBN   9780955689710
  4. East (2005); From Redlegs to Demons; p. 58
  5. Spillman, Ken; Diehards: The Story of the Subiaco Football Club 1896-1945; pp. 132-135 ISBN   0646358340
  6. 1 2 'News and Notes – A Wet Year'; The West Australian, 27 August 1934, p. 12
  7. Swan Districts Leading Goalkickers (archived)
  8. 'New Club’s Fine Effort – East Fremantle Hard-Pressed'; The West Australian , 30 April 1934, p. 14
  9. 'Pace and team-Work – South Fremantle’s Decisive Win'; The West Australian, 30 April 1934, p. 14
  10. 'An Impressive Victory – East Perth Beats Claremont-Cottesloe'; The West Australian, 30 April 1934, p. 14
  11. 'West Perth’s Fine System – Good Win from Victoria Park'; The West Australian, 30 April 1934, p. 14
  12. 'Swan Districts' First Win – Subiaco Overwhelmed in Last Quarter'; The West Australian, 8 May 1934, p. 10
  13. 'Balance and Pace – Victoria Park’s Success'; The West Australian, 8 May 1934, p. 10
  14. 'Stamina and Team-Work – East Fremantle’s Easy Win'; The West Australian, 8 May 1934, p. 10
  15. 'A Vigorous Game – East Perth Beats West Perth'; The West Australian, 8 May 1934, p. 10
  16. 'Excellent Team-Work – East Fremantle Wins Easily'; The West Australian, 14 May 1934, p. 11
  17. 'Brilliant High Marking – Victoria Park beats East Perth'; The West Australian, 14 May 1934, p. 11
  18. 'A Convincing Victory – Swan Districts' Second Win'; The West Australian, 14 May 1934, p. 11
  19. 'A Spirited Contest – West Perth’s Last Quarter Effort'; The West Australian, 14 May 1934, p. 11
  20. 'Victoria Park Brilliant: Swan Districts Badly Beaten'; The West Australian, 21 May 1934, p. 14
  21. 'An Exciting Finish – South Fremantle’s Three-Point Win'; The West Australian, 21 May 1934, p. 14
  22. 'All-Round Strength – West Perth’s Convincing Victory'; The West Australian, 21 May 1934, p. 14
  23. 'A Dull Game; Subiaco Overwhelms Claremont'; The West Australian, 21 May 1934, p. 14
  24. "West Australian Football League: Highest Scores". Archived from the original on 24 December 2013. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  25. 'Thrilling Last Quarter – West Perth’s Narrow Victory'; The West Australian, 28 May 1934, p. 14
  26. 'A Stirring Contest – East Perth Beats Swan Districts'; The West Australian, 28 May 1934, p. 14
  27. 'Victoria Park Wins Again: South Fremantle Outclassed'; The West Australian, 28 May 1934, p. 14
  28. 'A Runaway Win – East Fremantle Scores Heavily'; The West Australian, 28 May 1934, p. 14
  29. 'Tyson Scores Heavily – West Perth Beat Swan Districts'; The West Australian, 4 June 1934, p. 11
  30. 'Victoria Park Beaten: East Fremantle’s 15-Point Win'; The West Australian, 4 June 1934, p. 11
  31. 'A Narrow Victory – Claremont Presses South Fremantle'; The West Australian, 4 June 1934, p. 11
  32. 'East Perth’s Convincing Win – Dolan Makes a Reappearance'; The West Australian, 4 June 1934, p. 11
  33. 'Last Kick Brings Success – West Perth’s Narrow Victory'; The West Australian, 5 June 1934, p. 20
  34. 'A Keen Contest – Victoria Park Defeats Subiaco'; The West Australian, 5 June 1934, p. 20
  35. 'Claremont’s First Win: Skinner Kicks 10 Goals'; The West Australian, 5 June 1934, p. 20
  36. 'Team-Work and Pace – East Fremantle’s Easy Victory; The West Australian, 5 June 1934, p. 20'
  37. "WAFL Footy Facts: West Perth – Wins with Less Goals". Archived from the original on 17 October 2013. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
  38. 'Subiaco’s Superiority: South Fremantle Defeated'; The West Australian, 11 June 1934, p. 10
  39. 'Won in Last Quarter – Claremont-Cottesloe Fight Hard'; The West Australian, 11 June 1934, p. 10
  40. 'A Meritorious Victory – Victoria Park’s Great First Half'; The West Australian, 11 June 1934, p. 10
  41. 'East Fremantle Extended – Swan Districts' Fine Recovery'; The West Australian, 11 June 1934, p. 10
  42. 1 2 Perth Regional Office (009034) June 1934 rainfall
  43. 'Subiaco’s Strong Finish: Swan Districts Again Defeated'; The West Australian, 18 June 1934, p. 8
  44. 'West Perth Improves – Good Recovery by East Perth'; The West Australian, 18 June 1934, p. 8
  45. 'Victoria Park Wins Again – Courageous Play by Losing Team'; The West Australian, 18 June 1934, p. 8
  46. 'Inaccurate Kicking – East Fremantle Finishes Well'; The West Australian, 18 June 1934, p. 8
  47. 'West Perth’s Big Margin – E. Tyson Kicks 11 Goals'; The West Australian, 25 June 1934, p.
  48. 'A Last Quarter Effort – South Fremantle Beats Swan Districts'; The West Australian, 25 June 1934, p.
  49. 'A Grim Struggle – East Perth’s Good Win'; The West Australian, 25 June 1934, p.
  50. 'Won in the Last Half – Subiaco Beaten by East Fremantle'; The West Australian, 25 June 1934, p.
  51. WAFL Footy Facts: East Perth – Won From First Quarter Deficit Archived 2013-10-17 at the Wayback Machine
  52. 'East Perth in Form – South Fremantle Soundly Beaten'; The West Australian, 2 July 1934, p. 6
  53. 'West Perth Outclassed: East Fremantle Win by 7.19'; The West Australian, 2 July 1934, p. 6
  54. 'A Comfortable Victory – Swan Districts Team Depleted'; The West Australian, 2 July 1934, p. 6
  55. 'Subiaco Finishes Well – Claremont-Cottesloe Defeated'; The West Australian, 2 July 1934, p. 6
  56. 'Exciting Last Quarter – Subiaco Defeats West Perth'; The West Australian, 9 July 1934, p. 14
  57. 'An Easy Win – East Fremantle Beats Claremont'; The West Australian, 9 July 1934, p. 14
  58. 'Victoria Park’s Defeat – A Hard-Fought Match'; The West Australian, 9 July 1934, p. 14
  59. 'A Last-Minute Victory – Swan Districts Unlucky'; The West Australian, 9 July 1934, p. 14
  60. 1 2 Perth Regional Office (009034) July 1934 rainfall
  61. Claremont: Lowest Scores
  62. 1 2 Potter, Harry; 'W.A. Scores Convincing Victory in Interstate Match'; The Daily News , 14 July 1934, p. 4
  63. 'Dust in Winter: South Australian Experience'; The Sunday Times , 15 July 1934, p. 1
  64. 'Interstate Football – South Australia Wins; A Stirring Struggle: Five Points to Spare'; in The West Australian, 18 July 1934, p. 18
  65. 'Claremont Outplayed: Easy Win for South Fremantle'; The West Australian, 23 July 1934, p. 11
  66. 'A One-Point Win – East Perth Defeats Subiaco'; The West Australian, 23 July 1934, p. 11
  67. 'A Strong Finish – Swan Districts Beat West Perth'; The West Australian, 23 July 1934, p. 11
  68. 'A Narrow Victory – Victoria Park Wins Poor Game'; The West Australian, 23 July 1934, p. 11
  69. 'A Strong Recovery – East Fremantle’s Good Win'; The West Australian; 30 July 1934, p. 16
  70. 'A Poor Game – Swan Districts Defeat Claremont'; The West Australian; 30 July 1934, p. 16
  71. 'Victoria Park Wins: Weakened Subiaco Side Outplayed'; The West Australian; 30 July 1934, p. 16
  72. 'South Fremantle Outplayed: West Perth Win Hard-Fought Game'; The West Australian; 30 July 1934, p. 16
  73. 'Understanding in Attack – East Fremantle Finishes Strongly'; The West Australian, 6 August 1934, p. 14
  74. 'Brilliant and Exciting – Subiaco Defeats South Fremantle'; The West Australian, 6 August 1934, p. 14
  75. 'An Interesting Game – Claremont Extends East Perth'; The West Australian, 6 August 1934, p. 14
  76. 'Won after the Bell – West Perth’s One-Point Victory'; The West Australian, 6 August 1934, p. 14
  77. 'A Decisive Victory – West Perth Wins by 53 Points'; The West Australian, 13 August 1934, p. 14
  78. 'East Fremantle’s Close Call: South Fremantle Fights Hard'; The West Australian, 13 August 1934, p. 14
  79. 'Subiaco Outplayed: Swan Districts' Good Form'; The West Australian, 13 August 1934, p. 14
  80. 'Pace and Team-Work – Victoria Park Overwhelms Claremont'; The West Australian, 13 August 1934, p. 14
  81. 'Swan Districts' Win – Rough Game at Bassendean'; The West Australian, 20 August 1934, p. 12
  82. 'Subiaco Badly Beaten: East Fremantle’s Fifteenth Win'; The West Australian, 20 August 1934, p. 12
  83. 'East Perth Improves – Exciting Match Won by Nine Points'; The West Australian, 20 August 1934, p. 12
  84. 'West Perth’s Huge Score – Brilliant Play at Leederville'; The West Australian, 20 August 1934, p. 12
  85. 'League Football – Victoria Park Fails; West Perth Now Second; E. Tyson Kicks 15 Goals'; The West Australian Monday, 20 August 1934, p. 12
  86. Claremont: Biggest Losses
  87. 'Consistency and Team Work – East Fremantle Beats West Perth'; The West Australian, 27 August 1934, p. 14
  88. 'Pace and Vigour – Swan Districts' Impressive Win'; The West Australian, 27 August 1934, p. 14
  89. 'Strong Finishing Effort – South Fremantle Beats East Perth'; The West Australian, 27 August 1934, p. 14
  90. 'Subiaco Wins by 60 Points: Claremont-Cottesloe Overwhelmed'; The West Australian, 27 August 1934, p. 14
  91. Perth Regional Office (009034) August 1934 rainfall
  92. 1 2 'New Goal-Kicking Record: G. Doig’s Success at Fremantle'; The West Australian, 3 September 1934, p. 14
  93. 'West Perth Brilliant: Subiaco Beaten in Good Match'; The West Australian, 3 September 1934, p. 14
  94. 'Won in Last Quarter – East Perth’s Strong Finish'; The West Australian, 3 September 1934, p. 14
  95. 'Victoria Park Improves – South Fremantle Outclassed'; The West Australian, 3 September 1934, p. 14
  96. 'Heavy Scoring at Claremont – South Fremantle’s Easy Win'; The West Australian, 10 September 1934, p. 11
  97. 'Victoria Park Weakens: East Fremantle’s Decisive Win'; The West Australian, 10 September 1934, p. 11
  98. 'An Exciting Finish – East Perth and Subiaco Draw'; The West Australian, 10 September 1934, p. 11
  99. 'Swan Districts Beaten: West Perth Wins Comfortably'; The West Australian, 10 September 1934, p. 11
  100. 'Claremont-Cottesloe Wins: Second Victory of the Season'; The West Australian, 17 September 1934, p. 6
  101. 'East Fremantle Beaten: Good Display by East Perth'; The West Australian, 17 September 1934, p. 6
  102. 'West Perth in Form: South Fremantle Beaten Convincingly'; The West Australian, 17 September 1934, p. 6
  103. 'Victoria Park’s Success: Subiaco Narrowly Defeated'; The West Australian, 17 September 1934, p. 6
  104. 'First Semi-Final – Victoria Park and East Perth Opposed; Redlegs Impressive in First Half'; The Sunday Times; 23 September 1934, p. 1
  105. 'Second Semi-Final – Big Crowd Witness Fixture; Premiers Establish Early Lead'; The Sunday Times, 30 September 1934, p. 7
  106. 'League Final – West Perth and Victoria Park Meet; A Closely-Contested First Half'; The Sunday Times, 7 October 1934, p. 4
  107. 'Football Grand Final – West Perth Premiers: A Decisive Victory; East Fremantle Outplayed'; in The West Australian, 15 October 1934, p. 16