1939 WANFL season

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1939 WAFL season
Teams8
Premiers Claremont
2nd premiership
Minor premiers Claremont
2nd minor premiership
Sandover Medallist Haydn Bunton, Sr. (Subiaco)
Bernie Naylor Medallist Albert Gook (Perth)
Matches played84
←  1938
1940  →

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. [1] 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. [2] 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 (in spite of several problematic leg injuries) won only three matches, and Swan Districts, affected by the loss of star goalkicker Ted Holdsworth to Kalgoorlie, [3] began a long period as a cellar-dweller with a fall to sixth.

Contents

Claremont, with captain George Moloney returning to the goalfront from the centre, won their second consecutive premiership despite the loss of many key players in the week before the Grand Final, whilst East Fremantle and East Perth remained firmly entrenched in the top and had a neck-and-neck battle late in the season for the double chance. Perth and South Fremantle, both of whom had had long periods in the wilderness, fought an exciting battle for the last place in the top four that ended with the red and whites winning by the narrowest of margins, in the process providing a basis for the club's dynasty following World War II, which began on the weekend of the penultimate round.

Two key rule changes were made in the WANFL and nationally in 1939. The holding the ball rule was altered to eliminate the provision for a player to drop the ball when tackled, meaning that a player was forced to either kick or handpass the ball when tackled to avoid conceding a free kick; and, the boundary throw-in was reintroduced whenever the ball went out of bounds, except when put out deliberately, instead of a free kick being awarded against the last player to touch the ball, as had been the case since 1925. [4]

Home-and-away season

Round 1

Round 1
Saturday, 22 April (2:45 pm) Claremont 17.15 (117)def. East Fremantle 11.13 (79) Claremont Oval [5]
Saturday, 22 April (2:45 pm) West Perth 11.17 (83)def. by Subiaco 12.17 (89) Leederville Oval [6]
Saturday, 22 April (2:45 pm) South Fremantle 15.19 (109)def. Swan Districts 12.12 (84) Fremantle Oval [7]
Saturday, 22 April (2:45 pm) Perth 9.11 (65)def. by East Perth 14.9 (93) WACA [8]

Claremont unfurls its first pennant with a convincing win over an inexperienced Old Easts side lacking George Doig, who was unsure whether he would play more football because of his work as a florist. [9]

Round 2 (Labour Day)

Round 2
Saturday, 29 April (2:45 pm) South Fremantle 21.12 (138)def. East Fremantle 11.13 (79) Fremantle Oval [10]
Saturday, 29 April (2:45 pm) West Perth 7.8 (50)def. by Perth 22.17 (149) Leederville Oval [11]
Saturday, 29 April (2:45 pm) Swan Districts 7.14 (56)def. by Claremont 18.13 (121) Bassendean Oval [12]
Monday, 1 May (2:45 pm) Subiaco 12.8 (80)def. by East Perth 12.15 (87) Subiaco Oval [13]
  • Gook’s sixteen goals is easily a match record for Perth, with the next best thirteen by Murray Couper and Allan Evans. [14]
  • Claremont’s 11.7 (73) in the last quarter remains the equal most points ever scored in a final quarter at Bassendean. [15]

Round 3

Round 3
Saturday, 6 May (2:45 pm) Perth 13.12 (90)def. Subiaco 10.20 (80) WACA [16]
Saturday, 6 May (2:45 pm) East Perth 16.9 (105)def. West Perth 9.15 (69) Perth Oval [17]
Saturday, 6 May (2:45 pm) Claremont 15.15 (105)def. South Fremantle 9.13 (67) Claremont Oval [18]
Saturday, 6 May (2:45 pm) East Fremantle 18.20 (128)def. Swan Districts 12.6 (78) Fremantle Oval [19]
  • With George Doig rescinding his retirement, East Fremantle win their first game of the year against the still-winless Swans.
  • Claremont end South Fremantle’s strong start with a convincing win due to Reeves’ ruck dominance and their ability to counter South’s handball.

Round 4

Round 4
Saturday, 13 May (2:45 pm) South Fremantle 14.11 (95)def. by Perth 16.19 (115) Fremantle Oval [20]
Saturday, 13 May (2:45 pm) Swan Districts 8.12 (60)def. by East Perth 18.13 (121) Bassendean Oval [21]
Saturday, 13 May (2:45 pm) West Perth 11.12 (78)def. by East Fremantle 20.20 (140) Leederville Oval [22]
Saturday, 13 May (2:45 pm) Subiaco 12.8 (80)def. by Claremont 19.11 (125) Subiaco Oval [23]
  • West Perth suffer their sixteenth consecutive defeat, the worst run the WA(N)FL since Midland Junction lost their last nineteen matches in 1916 and 1917, though Perth went 22 games without a win in 1922 and 1923.
  • Bunton kicks seven goals for Subiaco with a painful leg injury that prevents him roving but the Maroons are no match for unbeaten Claremont.
  • Austin Gardiner kicks ten goals for East Perth as their 1938 first semi-final opponents, without Holdsworth, remain winless ahead of only West Perth.

Round 5

Round 5
Saturday, 20 May (2:45 pm) Perth 18.10 (118)def. Swan Districts 12.12 (84) WACA [24]
Saturday, 20 May (2:45 pm) Claremont 13.16 (94)def. West Perth 13.11 (89) Claremont Oval [25]
Saturday, 20 May (2:45 pm) East Fremantle 25.9 (159)def. Subiaco 9.13 (67) Fremantle Oval [26]
Saturday, 20 May (2:45 pm) East Perth 10.17 (77)def. South Fremantle 9.9 (63) Perth Oval [27]
  • Claremont have a lucky escape against the Cardinals in a match it was suspected they treated lightly: a fine mark from Sammy Clarke saves them.
  • George Doig, after two modest matches, kicks eleven goals as Old Easts show they have fully recovered from a poor start with a crushing win over the Maroons.

Round 6

Round 6
Saturday, 27 May (2:45 pm) Swan Districts 10.10 (70)def. Subiaco 8.14 (62) Bassendean Oval [28]
Saturday, 27 May (2:45 pm) East Fremantle 15.21 (111)def. Perth 12.11 (83) Fremantle Oval [29]
Saturday, 27 May (2:45 pm) East Perth 15.13 (103)def. Claremont 12.11 (83) Perth Oval [30]
Saturday, 27 May (2:45 pm) West Perth 11.7 (73)def. by South Fremantle 16.16 (112) Leederville Oval [31]

East Perth win the battle of the remaining unbeaten clubs to go clear top with an outstanding display led by the defence of Starr.

Round 7

Round 7
Saturday, 3 June (2:45 pm) Subiaco 15.16 (106)def. West Perth 13.9 (87) Subiaco Oval [32]
Saturday, 3 June (2:45 pm) Swan Districts 13.23 (101)def. South Fremantle 15.10 (100) Bassendean Oval [33]
Saturday, 3 June (2:45 pm) East Fremantle 10.8 (68)def. by Claremont 16.18 (114) Fremantle Oval [34]
Saturday, 3 June (2:45 pm) Perth 13.11 (89)def. East Perth 11.12 (78) Perth Oval [35]

Weakened by the absence with injury of “Scranno” Jenkins and Neal Lewington, South Fremantle unexpectedly fade out in the second half against lowly Swan Districts.

Round 8

Round 8
Saturday, 10 June (2:45 pm) East Fremantle 19.14 (128)def. East Perth 13.15 (93) Fremantle Oval [36]
Saturday, 10 June (2:45 pm) Perth 13.11 (89)def. by Claremont 20.13 (133) WACA [37]
Saturday, 10 June (2:45 pm) Subiaco 13.14 (92)def. by South Fremantle 22.21 (153) Subiaco Oval [38]
Saturday, 10 June (2:45 pm) West Perth 14.14 (98)def. by Swan Districts 15.12 (102) Leederville Oval [39]

Swan Districts’ narrow escape was to be their last win at Leederville until August 11 of 1956. The intervening 23-game streak is the longest losing streak by any WA(N)FL club at an opposition ground. [40]

Round 9

Round 9
Saturday, 17 June (2:45 pm) South Fremantle 18.14 (122)def. East Fremantle 14.18 (102) Fremantle Oval [41]
Saturday, 17 June (2:45 pm) Claremont 16.13 (109)def. Swan Districts 12.17 (89) Claremont Oval [42]
Saturday, 17 June (2:45 pm) East Perth 25.18 (168)def. Subiaco 13.12 (90) Perth Oval [43]
Saturday, 17 June (2:45 pm) Perth 21.16 (142)def. West Perth 11.4 (70) WACA [44]
  • On the Sunday, Claremont were beaten 15.12 (102) to 17.19 (121) by a Goldfields team in Kalgoorlie, after being 53 points down at half-time. [45] The Tigers were to tour Broken Hill during the following weeks. [46]
  • Despite a very heavy ground from 56.1 millimetres (2.21 in) of rain over four days, [47] Bert Gook kicks ten goals to move to 62 for the season.

Round 10 (Foundation Day)

Round 10
Monday, 5 June (2:45 pm) Subiaco 12.14 (86)def. by Claremont 14.7 (91) Subiaco Oval [48]
Saturday, 1 July (2:45 pm) East Fremantle 22.26 (158)def. West Perth 7.11 (53) Fremantle Oval [49]
Saturday, 1 July (2:45 pm) Perth 11.9 (75)def. by South Fremantle 10.18 (78) WACA [50]
Saturday, 1 July (2:45 pm) East Perth 9.12 (66)def. Swan Districts 4.11 (35) Perth Oval [51]
  • A depleted Claremont team are saved from losing to seventh-placed Subiaco by that team’s inaccuracy in the closing stages.
  • Despite a rare spell of fine weather during an extremely wet winter throughout southern Australia, [52] Swan Districts kick their lowest score to date in the WANFL, [53] not goalling between quarter-time and time-on in the last quarter.

Round 11

Round 11
Saturday, 8 July (2:45 pm) Swan Districts 3.9 (27)def. by East Fremantle 7.17 (59) Bassendean Oval [54]
Saturday, 8 July (2:45 pm) West Perth 9.13 (67)def. by East Perth 17.23 (125) Leederville Oval [55]
Saturday, 8 July (2:45 pm) South Fremantle 13.16 (94)def. Claremont 11.9 (75) Fremantle Oval [56]
Saturday, 8 July (2:45 pm) Subiaco 7.16 (58)def. by Perth 12.17 (89) Subiaco Oval [57]
  • In heavy rain, [58] Swan Districts kick their lowest score for the second successive match [53] and still their lowest against East Fremantle. [59]
  • Perth full-back Austin Robertson, Sr. uses the now-obsolete place kick into the wind and manages kicks over fifty metres, which give the Redlegs a comfortable win.

Round 12

Round 12
Saturday, 15 July (2:45 pm) Swan Districts 9.13 (67)def. Perth 7.8 (50) Bassendean Oval [60]
Saturday, 15 July (2:45 pm) South Fremantle 13.9 (87)def. by East Perth 19.16 (130) Fremantle Oval [61]
Saturday, 15 July (2:45 pm) West Perth 4.14 (38)def. by Claremont 21.11 (137) Leederville Oval [62]
Saturday, 15 July (2:45 pm) Subiaco 7.15 (57)def. by East Fremantle 17.11 (113) Subiaco Oval [63]
  • West Perth equal Subiaco’s 1902-03 record of 24 consecutive defeats [1] with a crushing loss in a game where they dominated territorially for long periods but nonetheless had only 2.14 (26) to 10.5 (65) on the beard at three-quarter time, before Claremont doubled its own score in the rain in the last.
  • A depleted Swan Districts, with five regulars out, surprises Perth in a match where the Redlegs fail to adapt when the rain comes after quarter-time.

Round 13

Round 13
Saturday, 22 July (2:45 pm) Perth 10.18 (78)def. by East Fremantle 12.8 (80) WACA [64]
Saturday, 22 July (2:45 pm) South Fremantle 23.18 (156)def. West Perth 17.12 (114) Fremantle Oval [65]
Saturday, 22 July (2:45 pm) Subiaco 15.10 (100)def. Swan Districts 9.17 (71) Subiaco Oval [66]
Saturday, 22 July (2:45 pm) Claremont 18.11 (119)def. East Perth 14.9 (93) Claremont Oval [67]
  • Ted Tyson kicks eleven goals, including a brilliant “soccer” kick over his head regarded as the best WANFL goal of the year, but cannot stop the Cardinals from establishing a new record for most consecutive losses.
  • On a WACA ground that could not dry out after rain totalling 425.4 millimetres (16.75 in) over the previous five weeks, Perth’s wayward kicking (3.12 to 3.3 at half-time) loses them a critical match and pushes them to fifth, where they would stay for the rest of the season.

Round 14

Round 14
Saturday, 29 July (2:45 pm) Swan Districts 23.20 (158)def. West Perth 10.9 (69) Bassendean Oval [68]
Saturday, 29 July (2:45 pm) East Perth 7.16 (58)def. by East Fremantle 10.11 (71) Perth Oval [69]
Saturday, 29 July (2:45 pm) South Fremantle 15.14 (104)def. Subiaco 9.10 (64) Fremantle Oval [70]
Saturday, 29 July (2:45 pm) Claremont 13.12 (90)def. Perth 11.8 (74) Claremont Oval [71]
  • For a second consecutive week, East Fremantle win a vital match through their opponent’s inaccuracy, as East Perth kick 0.7 (7) to 3.1 (19) with the wind in the second quarter.
  • Perth’s loss and South Fremantle’s win leaves the Redlegs two games out of the four.
  • Despite continuing persistent rain, Swan Districts record what would remain their biggest open-age win until 1961 and their biggest over the Cardinals until 1975. [72] Much-travelled forward Clem Rosewarne kicks eight.

Round 15

Round 15
Saturday, 5 August (2:45 pm) South Fremantle 8.15 (63)def. by East Fremantle 14.20 (104) Fremantle Oval (crowd: 6000) [73]
Saturday, 5 August (2:45 pm) Swan Districts 13.12 (90)def. by Claremont 18.8 (116) Bassendean Oval [74]
Saturday, 5 August (2:45 pm) East Perth 18.16 (124)def. Subiaco 10.15 (75) Perth Oval [75]
Saturday, 5 August (2:45 pm) West Perth 11.14 (80)def. by Perth 12.19 (91) Leederville Oval [76]

Round 16

Round 16
Saturday, 12 August (2:45 pm) Swan Districts 14.14 (98)def. South Fremantle 12.14 (86) Bassendean Oval [77]
Saturday, 12 August (2:45 pm) Perth 5.12 (42)def. by East Perth 12.22 (94) WACA [78]
Saturday, 12 August (2:45 pm) Subiaco 12.15 (87)def. by West Perth 14.21 (105) Subiaco Oval [79]
Saturday, 12 August (2:45 pm) East Fremantle 15.18 (108)def. Claremont 13.4 (82) Fremantle Oval [80]
  • West Perth record their first win since defeating Perth by 41 points on Foundation Day, 1938. With nine goals, Ted Tyson becomes the first WANFL player to kick one thousand goals and only the third in major Australian Rules leagues after Gordon Coventry and Ken Farmer. A subscription fund was opened for him following the accomplishment of this feat.

Round 17

Round 17
Saturday, 19 August (2:45 pm) West Perth 8.4 (52)def. by East Perth 15.19 (109) Leederville Oval [81]
Saturday, 19 August (2:45 pm) Claremont 13.12 (90)def. by South Fremantle 14.15 (99) Claremont Oval [82]
Saturday, 19 August (2:45 pm) Subiaco 5.11 (41)def. by Perth 9.17 (71) Subiaco Oval [83]
Saturday, 19 August (2:45 pm) East Fremantle 12.6 (78)def. Swan Districts 8.17 (65) Fremantle Oval [84]
  • South Fremantle hold fourth place by a game with a superb comeback in incessant heavy rain after being thirteen points down at half-time.
  • On a day that became extremely wet after quarter-time, Tyson in his 189th match is goalless [85] for only the second time, and East Perth return to top position.

Round 18

Round 18
Saturday, 26 August (2:45 pm) East Fremantle 11.22 (88)def. West Perth 6.8 (44) Fremantle Oval [86]
Saturday, 26 August (2:45 pm) Claremont 17.17 (119)def. Subiaco 8.6 (54) Claremont Oval [87]
Saturday, 26 August (2:45 pm) Perth 9.11 (65)def. South Fremantle 7.15 (57) WACA [88]
Saturday, 26 August (2:45 pm) East Perth 9.15 (69)def. Swan Districts 6.3 (39) Perth Oval [89]

With a fighting win in shocking conditions, Perth recapture South Fremantle’s place in the top four.

Round 19

Round 19
Saturday, 2 September (2:45 pm) Swan Districts 10.7 (67)def. by Perth 15.6 (96) Bassendean Oval [90]
Saturday, 2 September (2:45 pm) South Fremantle 16.12 (108)def. East Perth 12.13 (85) Fremantle Oval [91]
Saturday, 2 September (2:45 pm) Subiaco 10.14 (74)def. by East Fremantle 15.14 (104) Subiaco Oval [92]
Saturday, 2 September (2:45 pm) Claremont 29.19 (193)def. West Perth 14.10 (94) Claremont Oval [93]
  • South Fremantle’s win over East Perth, with Chandler returning to his 1938 form in front of goals, maintains their chance of a first finals berth since 1932.
  • Gook kicks his hundredth goal as Perth maintain by 1.4 percent their place in the top four.
  • Claremont kick the highest score in senior WANFL history to this point, beating East Fremantle’s 28.23 (191) against South Fremantle in 1937. [94]
  • The Tigers’ 14.4 (88) in the third quarter was a record for any quarter in the WANFL to that point, and was not broken until 1953 in open-age competition. [95]

Round 20

Round 20
Saturday, 9 September (2:45 pm) West Perth 9.7 (61)def. by South Fremantle 20.28 (148) Leederville Oval [96]
Saturday, 9 September (2:45 pm) East Perth 10.15 (75)def. by Claremont 13.9 (87) Perth Oval [97]
Saturday, 9 September (2:45 pm) Perth 10.19 (79)def. East Fremantle 4.9 (33) WACA [98]
Saturday, 9 September (2:45 pm) Swan Districts 21.10 (136)def. Subiaco 20.11 (131) Bassendean Oval [99]
  • South Fremantle’s 10.10 (70) in the last quarter enables them to overtake Perth for the last place in the four. Tyson kicks eight of West’s nine goals to finish two behind Gook – despite his club winning only one match.
  • Perth’s speed and superb defence provide a gallant effort to hold fourth place that misses by 0.3 percent.
  • Against Claremont, East Perth fail to take advantage of East Fremantle’s loss and miss the double chance by a game.

Ladder

1939 ladder
PosTeamPldWLDPFPAPPPts
1 Claremont (P)20164022001625135.464
2 East Fremantle 20155019901570126.860
3 East Perth 20146019531509129.456
4 South Fremantle 20128020391789114.048
5 Perth 20128017501539113.748
6 Swan Districts 2071301577188683.628
7 Subiaco 2031701573214973.212
8 West Perth 2011901474248959.24
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, 16 September (2:45 pm) East Perth 17.10 (112)def. South Fremantle 14.9 (93) Subiaco Oval (crowd: 11,006)

East Perth take advantage of a weakening wind in the last quarter to hold out South Fremantle in the latter’s first final for seven seasons. [100]

Second semi-final

Second semi-final
Saturday, 23 September (2:45 pm) Claremont 9.14 (68)def. by East Fremantle 15.15 (105) Subiaco Oval (crowd: 9,411)

East Fremantle, without several leading players, cause a surprise by convincingly beating a Claremont side weakened by the absence of George Moloney. The game is close for three quarters before Old Easts kick 7.1 (43) to 1.7 (13) in the last quarter amid expectations they would tire. [101]

Preliminary final

Preliminary final
Saturday, 30 September (2:45 pm) Claremont 10.17 (77)def. East Perth 11.5 (71) Subiaco Oval [102]

A vicious game with two reports comes alive in the last quarter, sees Claremont fight back to win narrowly.

Grand final

1939 WANFL Grand Final
Saturday, 7 October (2:45 pm) East Fremantle def. by Claremont Subiaco Oval [103]
5.4 (34)
7.7 (49)
10.8 (68)
11.10 (76)		Q1
Q2
Q3
Final		2.2 (14)
8.7 (55)
12.10 (82)
14.11 (95)		Umpires: George Owens
George Doig 6, Sanford, McGlinn, Wendt, Ebbs, KingsburyGoalsHeusler 3, Baker 3, Bermingham 2, George Moloney 2, Hooper 2, Gibson, Reeves
Seubert, George Doig, Sanford, Jack Clark, McGlinn, BriggsBestO‘Neill (best on ground), Heusler, Sammy Clarke, Julian, Reeves, Kenworthy
InjuriesSerjeant (broken jaw)
Lovegrove (ankle)

Despite the absence of Compton (suspended), Reid and Edmeades, and injuries to skipper George Moloney and Lovegrove, Claremont convincingly win their second premiership with a brilliant third quarter into the wind.

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  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.

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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 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 1970 WANFL season was the 86th season of the Western Australian National Football League. After four years of dominance by the three Perth clubs, 1970 saw 1969 wooden spooners South Fremantle, aided by a tough pre-season training program under coach “Hassa” Mann and the arrival of Len Clark and John O‘Reilly from the VFL, rise to take their first premiership since the 1947–1954 dynasty. The Bulldogs upset Perth in two finals in wet conditions, while 1969 premiers West Perth fell to sixth with only ten victories: indeed this was the first season since 1955 with East Perth that legendary ruckman “Polly” Farmer had played for a team that missed the finals. The Cardinals were affected by the loss of John Wynne to Norwood, backup ruckmen Brian Sampson and Neil Evans to retirement and Greg Astbury to a major stomach problem, plus a dispute over Bill Valli, whose clearance to Collingwood was refused by the WANFL and the club's severe lack of depth in its reserves. Of the lower sides from previous seasons, in addition to South Fremantle's surprise flag Claremont showed major improvement due to such young players as Moss, winning more games than in any season since 1965, and would have done much better but for long-term injuries to rover Bruce Duperouzel and centre half-forward Lindsay Carroll in the second half of the season, when they fell out of the four after looking like a second semi-final berth.

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 1969 WANFL season was the 85th season of the Western Australian National Football League. It saw continued dominance by the three Perth clubs and Subiaco, who occupied the top half of the ladder constantly from the fourth round onwards, and finished four games clear of the other four clubs, who were all in a “rebuilding” mode with varying success – late in the season both Swan Districts and Claremont fielded some of the youngest teams in the competition's history, whilst the Tigers, who fielded thirteen first-year players including Graham Moss, Russell Reynolds and Bruce Duperouzel, began disastrously but four wins in five games paved the way to impressive record from 1970 to 1972. Among the top four, Perth failed to achieve a fourth consecutive premiership[a] that at one point looked very much in their grasp due to the overwork of Barry Cable which robbed him of some brilliance, early-season injuries to key players Iseger and Page and a couple of surprising losses to lower clubs, whilst East Perth, who won consistently without being impressive for most of the season, failed for the fourth time in as many seasons in the Grand Final, this time to West Perth and in a much more decisive manner than any of their Perth defeats.

The 1942 WANFL season was the 58th season of the Western Australian National Football League. Whilst the previous two seasons had been increasingly affected by the drift of players to the services, the 1941/1942 off-season saw the Imperial Japanese Navy and air force move into the north of Western Australia, bombing many northwestern settlements.

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. 1 2 "WAFL Footy Facts: Consecutive Games Lost". Archived from the original on 15 April 2014. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  2. ↑ "WAFL Footy Facts: Worst Home-and-away Season Record". Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  3. ↑ ‘Football: Holdsworth for ‘Fields’; The Daily News , 10 January 1939, p. 8
  4. ↑ "Throw-pass attacked". Camperdown Chronicle. Camperdown, VIC. 5 November 1938. p. 4.
  5. ↑ ‘Claremont’s Strength: East Fremantle Well Beaten’; The West Australian, 24 April 1939, p. 17
  6. ↑ ‘Subiaco’s Narrow Win – Several Promising New Players’; The West Australian, 24 April 1939, p. 17
  7. ↑ ‘Third Quarter Rally – South Fremantle’s Success’; The West Australian, 24 April 1939, p. 17
  8. ↑ ‘Strong Finishing Effort – East Perth Outstays Perth’; The West Australian, 24 April 1939, p. 17
  9. ↑ ‘Flowers First’; Mirror, 8 April 1939, p. 22
  10. ↑ ‘Accurate Shooting: South Fremantle’s Success’; The West Australian, 1 May 1939, p. 12
  11. ↑ ‘Sixteen Goals to Gook: West Perth Severely Beaten by Perth’; The West Australian, 1 May 1939, p. 12
  12. ↑ ‘Claremont’s Strong Finish: Swan Districts Overwhelmed’; The West Australian, 1 May 1939, p. 12
  13. ↑ ‘Seven Points to Spare – East Perth’s Tussle at Subiaco’; The West Australian, 1 May 1939, p. 12
  14. ↑ East, Alan (2005); From Redlegs to Demons : A History of the Perth Football Club from 1899; p. 215
  15. ↑ WAFL Footy Facts: Bassendean Oval Archived September 21, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
  16. ↑ ‘Superior Forward Play – Perth Narrowly Defeats Subiaco’; The West Australian, 8 May 1939, p. 17
  17. ↑ ‘East Perth Untroubled: Winning Lead in First Term’; The West Australian, 8 May 1939, p. 17
  18. ↑ ‘Claremont’s Strength: South Fremantle Well Beaten’; The West Australian, 8 May 1939, p. 17
  19. ↑ ‘An Improved Showing – East Fremantle’s First Success’; The West Australian, 8 May 1939, p. 17
  20. ↑ ‘Perth’s Strength: South Fremantle Outclassed’; The West Australian, 15 May 1939, p. 16
  21. ↑ ‘East Perth’s Good Form – Swan Districts Fights Hard’; The West Australian, 15 May 1939, p. 16
  22. ↑ ‘A Runaway Victory – East Fremantle’s Attractive Display’; The West Australian, 15 May 1939, p. 16
  23. ↑ ‘Claremont Wins Easily – Subiaco’s Lost Chances’; The West Australian, 15 May 1939, p. 16
  24. ↑ ‘Perth Wins Again: Ten Goals to Gook’; The West Australian, 22 May 1939, p. 17
  25. ↑ ‘West Perth’s Fine Showing – Claremont Hard-Pressed’; The West Australian, 22 May 1939, p. 17
  26. ↑ ‘Goal Front Accuracy: East Fremantle’s Big Score’; The West Australian, 22 May 1939, p. 17
  27. ↑ ‘East Perth Successful: South Fremantle’s Belated Rally’; The West Australian, 22 May 1939, p. 17
  28. ↑ ‘Match Won in First Half: Swan Districts’ Initial Success’; The West Australian, 29 May 1939, p. 16
  29. ↑ ‘Thrilling Last Quarter – East Fremantle Finishes Strongly’; The West Australian, 29 May 1939, p. 16
  30. ↑ ‘East Perth’s System: Brilliant Win from Claremont’; The West Australian, 29 May 1939, p. 16
  31. ↑ ‘West Perth Outplayed: Victory for South Fremantle’; The West Australian, 29 May 1939, p. 16
  32. ↑ ‘Subiaco’s Experiments: Good Victory over West Perth’; The West Australian, 5 June 1939, p. 11
  33. ↑ ‘Hard-Fought Match – Swan Districts’ Great Recovery’; The West Australian, 5 June 1939, p. 11
  34. ↑ ‘Claremont’s Superiority: East Fremantle’s Poor Showing’; The West Australian, 5 June 1939, p. 11
  35. ↑ ‘East Perth’s First Loss: Perth’s Outstanding Ruck Work’; The West Australian, 29 May 1939, p. 16
  36. ↑ ‘East Perth Beaten: East Fremantle’s Fine Display’; The West Australian, 12 June 1939, p. 17
  37. ↑ ‘Heavy Blow to Perth: Weakened Claremont Side Triumphs’; The West Australian, 12 June 1939, p. 17
  38. ↑ ‘Ten Goals in a Quarter – South Fremantle Overwhelm subiaco’; The West Australian, 12 June 1939, p. 17
  39. ↑ ‘Swan Districts Anxious: Plucky Effort by West Perth’; The West Australian, 12 June 1939, p. 17
  40. ↑ WAFL Footy Facts: Leederville Oval Archived 2013-09-21 at the Wayback Machine
  41. ↑ ‘Brilliant First Quarter: South Fremantle’s Success’; The West Australian, 19 June 1939, p. 16
  42. ↑ ‘Strong Defence Work: Claremont Defeats Swan Districts’; The West Australian, 19 June 1939, p. 16
  43. ↑ ‘Goal Scoring Made Easy – East Perth Overwhelms Subiaco’; The West Australian, 19 June 1939, p. 16
  44. ↑ ‘Beaten by 72 Points: West Perth Outclassed by Perth’; The West Australian, 19 June 1939, p. 16
  45. ↑ ‘Claremont’s Failure: Goldfields Superior in First Half’; The West Australian, 19 June 1939, p. 16
  46. ↑ See ‘League Football – State Players Chosen; Hutchinson Captain – Matches Against Victoria’; The West Australian, 19 June 1939, p. 16
  47. ↑ Perth Regional Office (009034) June 1939 rainfall
  48. ↑ ‘A Shock to Claremont; Chances Missed by Subiaco’; The West Australian, 6 June 1939, p. 17
  49. ↑ ‘West Perth Outclassed: East Fremantle’s Big Score’; The West Australian, 3 July 1939, p. 21
  50. ↑ ‘Brilliant Rally Fails – South Fremantle’s Three-Point Win’; The West Australian, 3 July 1939, p. 21
  51. ↑ ‘A Desultory Game – East Perth Defeats Swan Districts’; The West Australian, 3 July 1939, p. 21
  52. ↑ Australian Rainfall Deciles: 1 June to 31 August 1939
  53. 1 2 Swan Districts: Lowest Scores
  54. ↑ ‘Low-Scoring Game – Swan Districts Fail Badly’; The West Australian, 10 July 1939, p. 16
  55. ↑ ‘Superior Combination – East Perth’s 58-Point Victory’; The West Australian, 10 July 1939, p. 16
  56. ↑ ‘South Fremantle’s Pace: Unlucky day for Claremont’; The West Australian, 10 July 1939, p. 16
  57. ↑ ‘Subiaco Beaten Again: Perth too Strong in Second Half’; The West Australian, 10 July 1939, p. 16
  58. ↑ Perth Regional Office (009034) July 1939 rainfall
  59. ↑ "WAFL Footy Facts: Swan Districts vs Each Opponent". Archived from the original on 30 September 2013. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  60. ↑ ‘Surprise at Bassendean: Swan Districts Beats Perth’; The West Australian, 17 July 1939, p. 19
  61. ↑ ‘South Fremantle Fails – Fierce Game against East Perth’; The West Australian, 17 July 1939, p. 19
  62. ↑ ‘Victory by 99 Points: Claremont’s All-Round Strength’; The West Australian, 17 July 1939, p. 19
  63. ↑ ‘Goal Front Accuracy – East Fremantle’s Easy Win’; The West Australian, 17 July 1939, p. 19
  64. ↑ ‘Better Forward Work – East Fremantle’s Narrow Victory’; The West Australian, 24 July 1939, p. 16
  65. ↑ ‘Tyson’s Eleven Goals; West Perth Easily Beaten’; The West Australian, 24 July 1939, p. 16
  66. ↑ ‘Subiaco’s Strong Finish: 29-Point Win from Swan Districts’; The West Australian, 24 July 1939, p. 16
  67. ↑ ‘A Convincing Performance: East Perth Fails at Claremont’; The West Australian, 24 July 1939, p. 16
  68. ↑ ‘West Perth Outclassed: Swan Districts’ Heavy Scoring’; The West Australian, 31 July 1939, p. 17
  69. ↑ ‘East Perth Kicks Poorly – Notable Victory for East Fremantle’; The West Australian, 31 July 1939, p. 17
  70. ↑ ‘A Strong Finish – South Fremantle‘s Success’; The West Australian, 31 July 1939, p. 17
  71. ↑ ‘Claremont Not Extended: Disjointed Play by Perth’; The West Australian, 31 July 1939, p. 17
  72. ↑ Swan Districts: Biggest Wins
  73. ↑ ‘East Fremantle’s Pace: A 41-Point Victory’; The West Australian, 7 August 1939, p. 18
  74. ↑ ‘Claremont Wins Again – Interesting Game at Bassendean’; The West Australian, 7 August 1939, p. 18
  75. ↑ ‘A Disappointing Match – East Perth Beats Subiaco Easily’; The West Australian, 7 August 1939, p. 18
  76. ↑ ‘Perth Unimpressive – Small Margin Over West Perth’; The West Australian, 7 August 1939, p. 18
  77. ↑ ‘A Belated Effort – South Fremantle Fails’; The West Australian, 14 August 1939, p. 18
  78. ↑ ‘Perth Kicks Badly: Easy Win for East Perth’; The West Australian, 14 August 1939, p. 18
  79. ↑ ‘West Perth’s First Victory – Improved Form at Subiaco’; The West Australian, 14 August 1939, p. 18
  80. ↑ ‘Claremont Easily Beaten: Fine Display by East Fremantle’; The West Australian, 14 August 1939, p. 18
  81. ↑ ‘East Perth’s Adaptability: Comfortable Victory over West Perth’; The West Australian, 21 August 1939, p. 15
  82. ↑ ‘An Even Struggle – South Fremantle Beats Claremont’; The West Australian, 21 August 1939, p. 15
  83. ↑ ‘Perth’s Good Second Half: 30-Point Win from Subiaco’; The West Australian, 21 August 1939, p. 15
  84. ↑ ‘Goal-Front Accuracy – East Fremantle’s Success’; The West Australian, 21 August 1939, p. 15
  85. ↑ “Follower” (pseudonymous author); ‘East Perth Now First; South Fremantle Improves’; The West Australian, 21 August 1939, p.15
  86. ↑ ‘West Perth Defeated – East Fremantle’s Poor Kicking’; The West Australian, 28 August 1939, p. 15
  87. ↑ ‘Claremont’s Powerful Burst: Runaway Victory over Subiaco’; The West Australian, 28 August 1939, p. 15
  88. ↑ ‘Perth’s Great Finish: South Fremantle Beaten’; The West Australian, 28 August 1939, p. 15
  89. ↑ ‘Swan Districts Outclassed: East Perth Superior in Drab Game’; The West Australian, 28 August 1939, p. 15
  90. ↑ ‘Perth Win Keen Match’; The Sunday Times , 3 September 1939, p. 13
  91. ↑ ‘East Perth Outpointed by South; Large Crowd Sees Brilliant Port Game’; The Sunday Times, 3 September 1939, p. 13
  92. ↑ ‘Weakened Old East’s Good Win’; The Sunday Times, 3 September 1939, p. 13
  93. ↑ ‘Monts Run Up Record Score’; The Sunday Times, 3 September 1939, p. 13
  94. ↑ "WAFL Footy Facts: All Records". Archived from the original on 2 December 2013. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  95. ↑ "WAFL Footy Facts: Quarters and Halves". Archived from the original on 4 November 2013. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  96. ↑ ‘South Fremantle Enter Final Four: Overwhelming Win at Leederville’; The Sunday Times, 10 September 1939, p. 15
  97. ↑ ‘Claremont Head the List’; The Sunday Times, 10 September 1939, p. 15
  98. ↑ ‘Big Win to Perth’; The Sunday Times, 10 September 1939, p. 15
  99. ↑ ‘Narrow Victory for Swans’; The Sunday Times, 10 September 1939, p. 15
  100. ↑ “LEAGUE FOOTBALL. EAST PERTH’S SUCCESS. South Fremantle Fights Hard.”; The West Australian, 18 September 1939; p. 12
  101. ↑ “Football Semi-Final – East Fremantle’s Rally: Claremont Beaten by 37 Points.”; The West Australian, 25 September 1939, p. 5
  102. ↑ ‘Football Final – Claremont’s Victory; Fierce Play and Fighting’; The West Australian, 2 October 1939; p. 3
  103. ↑ Potter, Harry; ‘Claremont Win Grand Final Against Great Odds’; The Daily News, 7 October 1939; p. 4S
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