1979 WAFL season | |
---|---|
Teams | 8 |
Premiers | East Fremantle 25th premiership |
Minor premiers | Claremont 5th minor premiership |
Sandover Medallist | Phil Kelly (East Perth) |
Bernie Naylor Medallist | Kevin Taylor (East Fremantle) |
Matches played | 88 |
The 1979 WANFL season was the 95th season of the West Australian National Football League in its various incarnations, and the last of forty-nine (including three under-age wartime seasons) under that moniker.
The season set many records for high scoring due to the still-ongoing drying of Perth's climate [1] [2] and the new “interchange’ rule. The all-time record aggregate score of 60.18 (378) was set in the third last round between Swan Districts and Subiaco [3] and has never been approached since. However, the overall average score of 112.52 points per team per game was not nearly so high as in the following few years under the ‘WAFL’ moniker.
A major highlight of the 1979 season was the all-time record attendance for local West Australian football of 52,781 in the Grand Final, [4] beating narrowly the previous record of 52,322 set in the 1975 decider. [5]
The 1979 season was a critical turning point in the fortunes of many WANFL clubs. Perth, who had been a powerhouse ever since the end of World War II, winning six premierships and playing in the finals during twenty-four of the preceding thirty-two seasons, underwent a long-term decline that has seen the play in the finals since only in 1986, 1991 and 1997, and take the wooden spoon on seven occasions as opposed to none between 1936 and 1980. With the loss of a number of veterans and major coaching problems which culminated in the resignation of newcomer Percy Johnson for former premiership mentor Graham Campbell, West Perth, also a power club of the WANFL during the third-of-a-century before 1979, declined to their worst record since 1939 with only four wins. The Cardinals (latterly the Falcons) were to remain battlers until the middle 1990s when they moved to Arena Joondalup. On the other hand, the 1979 season saw Claremont and Swan Districts begin revivals after years near the bottom of the ladder that would see them dominate the competition during the 1980s.
Round 1 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 31 March | West Perth 15.16 (106) | def. | Subiaco 13.14 (92) | Leederville Oval (crowd: 8105) | |
Saturday, 31 March | Perth 18.12 (120) | def. by | South Fremantle 17.21 (123) | Lathlain Park (crowd: 10508) | |
Saturday, 31 March | East Perth 11.13 (79) | def. by | Claremont 14.13 (97) | Perth Oval (crowd: 14976) | |
Saturday, 31 March | East Fremantle 18.10 (118) | def. | Swan Districts 11.13 (79) | East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 9230) | |
|
Round 2 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 7 April | South Fremantle 17.19 (121) | def. | West Perth 11.10 (76) | Fremantle Oval (crowd: 11637) | |
Saturday, 7 April | Swan Districts 17.15 (117) | def. by | East Perth 21.8 (134) | Bassendean Oval (crowd: 10930) | |
Saturday, 7 April | Subiaco 11.9 (75) | def. by | Perth 19.20 (134) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 5684) | |
Saturday, 7 April | Claremont 15.11 (101) | def. by | East Fremantle 21.17 (143) | Claremont Oval (crowd: 11978) | |
Round 3 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 14 April | East Perth 29.22 (196) | def. | Subiaco 6.11 (47) | Perth Oval (crowd: 8528) | |
Saturday, 14 April | East Fremantle 17.18 (120) | def. | South Fremantle 14.19 (103) | East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 21317) | |
Monday, 16 April | Perth 11.8 (74) | def. by | Swan Districts 11.12 (78) | Lathlain Park (crowd: 11046) | |
Monday, 16 April | Claremont 19.25 (139) | def. | West Perth 5.12 (42) | Claremont Oval (crowd: 11284) | |
|
Round 4 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 21 April | Subiaco 9.11 (65) | def. by | South Fremantle 20.28 (148) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 5606) | |
Saturday, 21 April | West Perth 14.15 (99) | def. by | Perth 16.11 (107) | Leederville Oval (crowd: 8786) | |
Saturday, 21 April | Swan Districts 15.21 (111) | def. by | Claremont 17.15 (117) | Bassendean Oval (crowd: 11080) | |
Saturday, 21 April | East Fremantle 9.16 (70) | def. | East Perth 8.10 (58) | East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 14676) | |
Round 5 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 28 April | Swan Districts 31.16 (202) | def. | Subiaco 11.12 (78) | Bassendean Oval (crowd: 6872) | |
Saturday, 28 April | East Perth 19.15 (129) | def. | Perth 13.13 (91) | Perth Oval (crowd: 12427) | |
Saturday, 28 April | Claremont 18.12 (120) | def. by | South Fremantle 20.24 (144) | Claremont Oval (crowd: 12640) | |
Saturday, 28 April | East Fremantle 18.24 (132) | def. | West Perth 17.12 (114) | East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 7930) | |
With skipper Stan Nowotny and the Narkle brothers killing Subiaco (who had lost their last four matches by 446 points) and their reserves winning equally easily, Swan Districts confirm they would be much more formidable than in 1978 and 1977. [11] |
Round 6 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 5 May | West Perth 19.13 (127) | def. by | Swan Districts 21.14 (140) | Leederville Oval (crowd: 11318) | |
Saturday, 5 May | South Fremantle 20.20 (140) | def. | East Perth 11.18 (84) | Fremantle Oval (crowd: 14129) | |
Saturday, 5 May | Subiaco 17.11 (113) | def. | Claremont 17.9 (111) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 5476) | |
Saturday, 5 May | Perth 15.18 (108) | def. | East Fremantle 13.12 (90) | Lathlain Park (crowd: 11427) | |
|
Round 7 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 12 May | Swan Districts 11.20 (86) | def. by | South Fremantle 21.14 (140) | Bassendean Oval (crowd: 15,170) | |
Saturday, 12 May | East Perth 21.18 (144) | def. | West Perth 7.10 (52) | Perth Oval (crowd: 11532) | |
Saturday, 12 May | Claremont 17.12 (114) | def. | Perth 7.11 (53) | Claremont Oval (crowd: 8765) | |
Saturday, 12 May | East Fremantle 27.21 (183) | def. | Subiaco 8.9 (57) | East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 5610) | |
|
Round 8 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 19 May | Subiaco 18.12 (120) | def. | West Perth 13.17 (95) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 5310) | |
Saturday, 19 May | South Fremantle 13.15 (93) | def. by | Perth 16.15 (111) | Fremantle Oval (crowd: 8297) | |
Saturday, 19 May | Claremont 18.14 (122) | def. | East Perth 9.16 (70) | Claremont Oval (crowd: 9871) | |
Saturday, 19 May | Swan Districts 20.20 (140) | def. by | East Fremantle 22.16 (148) | Bassendean Oval (crowd: 6985) | |
|
Round 9 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 26 May | West Perth 8.13 (61) | def. by | South Fremantle 28.19 (187) | Leederville Oval (crowd: 8273) | |
Saturday, 26 May | East Perth 14.12 (96) | def. by | Swan Districts 18.14 (122) | Perth Oval (crowd: 11870) | |
Saturday, 26 May | Perth 22.23 (155) | def. | Subiaco 9.7 (61) | Lathlain Park (crowd: 8072) | |
Saturday, 26 May | East Fremantle 17.18 (120) | def. by | Claremont 21.14 (140) | East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 12382) | |
|
Round 10 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 2 June | Swan Districts 15.14 (104) | def. | Perth 10.17 (77) | Bassendean Oval (crowd: 12287) | |
Saturday, 2 June | West Perth 13.16 (94) | def. by | Claremont 16.10 (106) | Leederville Oval (crowd: 8762) | |
Monday, 4 June | Subiaco 9.12 (66) | def. by | East Perth 16.21 (117) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 8213) | |
Monday, 4 June | South Fremantle 20.30 (150) | def. | East Fremantle 20.15 (135) | Fremantle Oval (crowd: 22399) | |
High-scoring Foundation Day derby sees inaccurate Bulldogs come from behind to win with 11.7 (73) to 5.4 (34) last quarter and acquire premiership favouritism in front of a record Fremantle Oval attendance – despite East Fremantle being seriously affected by injuries. [20] |
Round 11 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 9 June | South Fremantle 27.22 (184) | def. | Subiaco 19.17 (131) | Fremantle Oval (crowd: 4724) | |
Saturday, 9 June | Perth 25.12 (162) | def. | West Perth 12.15 (87) | Lathlain Park (crowd: 8297) | |
Saturday, 9 June | Claremont 17.15 (117) | def. | Swan Districts 12.17 (89) | Claremont Oval (crowd: 11575) | |
Saturday, 9 June | East Perth 25.8 (158) | def. | East Fremantle 18.12 (120) | Perth Oval (crowd: 10368) | |
|
Round 12 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 16 June | Subiaco 4.12 (36) | def. by | Swan Districts 21.26 (152) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 4639) | |
Saturday, 16 June | Perth 6.10 (46) | def. by | East Perth 10.21 (81) | Lathlain Park (crowd: 8537) | |
Saturday, 16 June | South Fremantle 16.13 (109) | def. | Claremont 10.10 (70) | Fremantle Oval (crowd: 11897) | [24] |
Saturday, 16 June | West Perth 12.16 (88) | def. | East Fremantle 10.11 (71) | Leederville Oval (crowd: 5243) | |
|
Round 13 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 23 June | Swan Districts 13.20 (98) | def. by | West Perth 15.9 (99) | Bassendean Oval (crowd: 8237) | |
Saturday, 23 June | East Perth 16.19 (115) | def. | South Fremantle 11.16 (82) | Perth Oval (crowd: 13876) | |
Saturday, 23 June | Claremont 23.11 (149) | def. | Subiaco 17.21 (123) | Claremont Oval (crowd: 5061) | |
Saturday, 23 June | East Fremantle 22.14 (146) | def. | Perth 16.11 (107) | East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 6692) | |
|
Round 14 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 30 June | South Fremantle 19.22 (136) | def. | Swan Districts 18.17 (125) | Fremantle Oval (crowd: 11106) | |
Saturday, 30 June | West Perth 12.11 (83) | def. by | East Perth 12.19 (91) | Leederville Oval (crowd: 12898) | |
Saturday, 30 June | Perth 16.14 (110) | def. by | Claremont 21.11 (137) | Lathlain Park (crowd: 8948) | |
Saturday, 30 June | Subiaco 17.11 (113) | def. by | East Fremantle 17.25 (127) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 4976) | |
|
Round 15 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 14 July | West Perth 19.17 (131) | def. | Subiaco 15.7 (97) | Leederville Oval (crowd: 5136) | |
Saturday, 14 July | Perth 9.10 (64) | def. by | South Fremantle 17.10 (112) | Lathlain Park (crowd: 8000) | |
Saturday, 14 July | East Perth 16.16 (112) | def. by | Claremont 17.13 (115) | Perth Oval (crowd: 11979) | |
Saturday, 14 July | East Fremantle 19.21 (135) | def. | Swan Districts 7.11 (53) | East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 6880) | |
|
Round 16 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 21 July | South Fremantle 18.17 (125) | def. | West Perth 14.17 (101) | Fremantle Oval (crowd: 9828) | |
Saturday, 21 July | Swan Districts 18.18 (126) | def. by | East Perth 24.15 (159) | Bassendean Oval (crowd: 9937) | |
Saturday, 21 July | Subiaco 11.23 (89) | def. by | Perth 14.12 (96) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 3599) | |
Saturday, 21 July | Claremont 24.19 (163) | def. | East Fremantle 10.17 (77) | Claremont Oval (crowd: 11197) | |
1976 leading goalkicker Norm Uncle returns after a long period of disappointment to kick nine goals three behinds as Claremont, after losing Moss and Jimmy Krakouer, run over Old Easts in the second half. [34] |
Round 17 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 28 July | Perth 15.15 (105) | def. by | Swan Districts 23.14 (152) | Lathlain Park (crowd: 5972) | |
Saturday, 28 July | East Perth 17.16 (118) | def. by | Subiaco 18.21 (129) | Perth Oval (crowd: 5940) | |
Saturday, 28 July | Claremont 21.16 (142) | def. | West Perth 12.14 (86) | Claremont Oval (crowd: 8429) | |
Saturday, 28 July | South Fremantle 17.17 (119) | def. by | East Fremantle 20.22 (142) | Fremantle Oval (crowd: 13127) | |
Subiaco record upset win with 8.8 (56) to 1.1 (7) opening quarter, and hold on despite kicking 5.11 (41) in the third. |
Round 18 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 4 August | Subiaco 12.13 (85) | def. by | South Fremantle 21.12 (138) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 6193) | |
Saturday, 4 August | West Perth 10.16 (76) | def. by | Perth 23.13 (151) | Leederville Oval (crowd: 5857) | |
Saturday, 4 August | Swan Districts 24.12 (156) | def. | Claremont 15.19 (109) | Bassendean Oval (crowd: 10927) | |
Saturday, 4 August | East Fremantle 13.15 (93) | def. by | East Perth 31.10 (196) | East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 11219) | |
|
Round 19 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 11 August | Swan Districts 40.11 (251) | def. | Subiaco 20.7 (127) | Bassendean Oval (crowd: 6990) | |
Saturday, 11 August | East Perth 23.18 (156) | def. | Perth 13.18 (96) | Perth Oval (crowd: 16167) | |
Saturday, 11 August | Claremont 18.19 (127) | def. | South Fremantle 12.12 (84) | Claremont Oval (crowd: 14098) | |
Saturday, 11 August | East Fremantle 32.23 (215) | def. | West Perth 19.12 (126) | East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 5228) | |
|
Round 20 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 18 August | West Perth 10.8 (68) | def. by | Swan Districts 20.22 (142) | Leederville Oval (crowd: 4730) | |
Saturday, 18 August | South Fremantle 8.10 (58) | def. | East Perth 7.10 (52) | Fremantle Oval (crowd: 10072) | |
Saturday, 18 August | Subiaco 19.9 (123) | def. by | Claremont 20.11 (131) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 4201) | |
Saturday, 18 August | Perth 8.16 (64) | def. by | East Fremantle 11.6 (72) | Lathlain Park (crowd: 4059) | |
|
Round 21 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 25 August | Swan Districts 22.18 (150) | def. | South Fremantle 14.8 (92) | Bassendean Oval (crowd: 14189) | |
Saturday, 25 August | East Perth 14.11 (95) | def. | West Perth 11.15 (81) | Perth Oval (crowd: 8059) | |
Saturday, 25 August | Claremont 35.8 (218) | def. | Perth 14.15 (99) | Claremont Oval (crowd: 8146) | |
Saturday, 25 August | East Fremantle 25.16 (166) | def. | Subiaco 13.8 (86) | East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 5712) | |
|
Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | D | PF | PA | PP | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Claremont | 21 | 16 | 5 | 0 | 2645 | 2137 | 123.8 | 64 |
2 | South Fremantle | 21 | 15 | 6 | 0 | 2588 | 2140 | 120.9 | 60 |
3 | East Fremantle (P) | 21 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 2623 | 2323 | 112.9 | 56 |
4 | East Perth | 21 | 13 | 8 | 0 | 2440 | 1953 | 124.9 | 52 |
5 | Swan Districts | 21 | 11 | 10 | 0 | 2673 | 2292 | 116.6 | 44 |
6 | Perth | 21 | 8 | 13 | 0 | 2130 | 2292 | 92.9 | 32 |
7 | West Perth | 21 | 4 | 17 | 0 | 1892 | 2677 | 70.7 | 16 |
8 | Subiaco | 21 | 3 | 18 | 0 | 1913 | 3090 | 61.9 | 12 |
First semi-final | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 1 September | East Fremantle 19.14 (128) | def. | East Perth 18.18 (126) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 30,236) | |
East Fremantle coach Bradley Smith makes a number of surprise moves that overhaul his former club in Cable’s last senior match. [43] |
Second semi-final | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 8 September | Claremont 14.19 (103) | def. by | South Fremantle 17.21 (123) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 32,046) | |
Noel Carter makes an unexpected comeback from injury, and with Michael beating Moss, South Fremantle make a surprising rebound from their Swan Districts loss, [44] leaving Claremont as the team with injury worries. [45] |
Preliminary final | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 15 September | Claremont 15.17 (107) | def. by | East Fremantle 19.20 (134) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 26,469) | |
1979 WANFL Grand Final | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 22 September | South Fremantle | def. by | East Fremantle | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 52,781) | |
4.5 (29) 8.10 (58) 14.14 (98) 16.16 (112) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 3.5 (23) 10.13 (73) 13.16 (94) 21.19 (145) | Umpires: Ross Capes, John Morris Simpson Medal: Kevin Taylor (East Fremantle) | ||
Bauskis 5, Vigona 3, Morley 3, Mountain 2 Rioli, Carter, Haddow | Goals | Taylor 7, Turco 4, Thompson 4, Buhagiar 3, Judge, Sims, Sewell | |||
Mountain, Michael, Bauskis, Morley, Cavanagh, Rioli | Best | Buhagiar, Peake, Taylor, D Green, S Green, Carrott | |||
The 1986 WAFL season was the 102nd season of the various incarnations of the West Australian Football League. It was the last season before the introduction of the West Coast Eagles in the VFL which would relegate the WAFL to a second-level league from 1987, and already all WAFL clubs were in severe financial difficulties as attendances were stagnant at best since 1970 and the financial power of wealthy VFL clubs drew most top players away and left below-market transfer fees as WAFL clubs' inadequate main income source.
The 1987 WAFL season was the 103rd season of the West Australian Football League in its various iterations. This season saw a Western Australia-based team, West Coast, that was one of two interstate teams to make their debut in the Victorian Football League (VFL), which had profound effects on the WAFL competition. The Eagles took away thirty-five of the competition's best players, severely reducing attendances and club revenue, the latter of which was further affected by the payment of the Eagles’ licence fee to the VFL. The WAFL budgeted for a 30 percent decline in attendances, but the observed decline was over fifty percent, and they were also hit by Channel Seven telecasting the Round 17 Hawthorn versus Footscray match, breaching agreements to not telecast non-Eagles VFL matches to Perth.
The 1985 WAFL season was the 101st season of the West Australian Football League and its various incarnations. The season opened on 30 March and concluded on 21 September with the 1985 WAFL Grand Final contested between East Fremantle and Subiaco.
The 1984 WAFL season was the 100th season of the West Australian Football League and its various incarnations. The season opened on 31 March and concluded on 22 September with the 1984 WAFL Grand Final contested between East Fremantle and Swan Districts.
The 1983 WAFL season was the 99th season of the West Australian Football League in its various incarnations. The season opened on 31 March and concluded on 17 September with the 1983 WAFL Grand Final contested between Claremont and Swan Districts.
The 1982 WAFL season was the 98th season of the West Australian Football League and its various incarnations. The season opened on 27 March 1982 and concluded on 18 September 1982 with the 1982 WAFL Grand Final contested between Claremont and Swan Districts. Under the coaching of John Todd, Swans won the 1982, 1983 and 1984 premierships before the financial lure of the VFL deprived it one by one of the stars of this period. The black and whites’ win was marred a little, however, by their decision to play a virtual reserve grade lineup against Richmond in an Escort Cup quarter-final after the game was postponed twice[a] and the VFL Tigers refused to play the match at Subiaco Oval on a Monday afternoon – Richmond won 33.16 (214) to 4.4 (28) and Swan Districts were suspended from the competition until 1985, despite the WAFL approving of their decision after Todd argued it was normal practice among VFL clubs to play reserves players in the Escort Cup.
The 1981 WAFL season was the 97th season of the West Australian Football League in its various incarnations. The season opened on 11 April and concluded on 3 October with the 1981 WAFL Grand Final between Claremont and South Fremantle. It was the last WAFL season to begin in April and end in October; from 1982 the league shifted the schedule of the season forward by a week and in later years by another.
The 1980 WAFL season was the 96th season of the West Australian Football League in its various incarnations.
The 1978 WANFL season was the 94th season of the Western Australian National Football League in its various incarnations, and the second-last under that moniker.
The 1977 WANFL season was the 93rd season of the Western Australian National Football League in its various incarnations. It followed on from the previous season's high scoring to set another record for the highest average score in WANFL history at 109.57 points per team per game, which was to be broken substantially in the following few years due to the introduction of the interchange rule allowing for a faster game with less exhausted players. 1977 was in fact that last WA(N)FL season with no score of over 200 points until 1988.
The 1976 WANFL season was the 92nd season of the Western Australian National Football League in its various incarnations.
The 1975 WANFL season was the 91st season of senior Australian rules football in Perth and the forty-fifth as the “Western Australian National Football League”. The season saw West Perth, after unexpectedly falling to last in 1974, rise under former Fitzroy coach Graham Campbell to a remarkable premiership win over South Fremantle by a record 104 points in front of what was then the biggest WANFL crowd on record and has since been only exceeded by the 1979 Grand Final. The Bulldogs, apart from Claremont the least successful WANFL club between 1957 and 1974, rose with arrival of Aboriginal stars Stephen Michael and Maurice Rioli to their first finals appearance in five years and began their greatest era since their golden days of the middle 1950s. With East Perth, revitalised after injuries affected their 1974 campaign, and the inconsistent but at times incomparable Swan Districts, they comprised a top four that remained unchanged for the final fourteen rounds.
The 1974 WAFL season was the 90th season of the various incarnations of senior football in Perth and the forty-fourth as the "Western Australian National Football League". It continued the fluctuating fortunes of clubs that had been part and parcel of the league since 1970, with East Perth, the most consistent player in the competition for eight years, missing finals participation for the only time in seventeen seasons between 1966 and 1982 due largely to injuries to key defenders Gary Malarkey, who missed the second half of the season, and Ken McAullay who did not play at all. West Perth fell from runners-up to their worst season since 1939, largely owing to the loss of 1973 leading goalkicker Phil Smith which left a gaping hole in their attack.
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 1972 WANFL season was the 88th season of the various incarnations of the Western Australian National Football League. It saw East Perth, after five Grand Final losses in six seasons and a frustrating seven since their last premiership in 1959, break the drought against a Claremont team that had achieved its first minor premiership since Johnny Leonard’s days, despite kicking into the wind after winning the toss.
The 1971 WANFL season was the 87th season of the various incarnations of the Western Australian National Football League, and the forty-first under that moniker.
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 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 1968 WANFL season was the 84th season of senior football in Perth, Western Australia. It saw Perth, after having won only two premierships in its first sixty-six seasons, win its third consecutive flag under captain-coach Mal Atwell and champion rover Barry Cable – all three Grand Finals having been won against East Perth with Cable taking the Simpson Medal.
The 1967 WANFL season was the 83rd season of the various incarnations of the Western Australian National Football League. Its most salient feature was the decline of East Fremantle, the league's most successful club, to its worst season since its inaugural 1898 season. Old Easts – having during the first two-thirds of the century never won fewer than ten matches in a season – won only seven and finished second-last after looking set for a still-worse record during the first fifteen rounds. Their appointed captain-coach Bert Thornley resigned after twelve matches due to the club's bad form and his desire to play for Carlton in 1968. The blue and whites suffered severely from a bad run of injuries and form lapses amongst senior players like Sorrell, Spriggs, Rogers and Casserly, plus a serious weakness in attack due to the loss of Bob Johnson. Despite regaining Austin Robertson and acquiring Johnson, Subiaco continued their disastrous form of late 1966 for their worst season since 1953, as the loss of Slater and injuries to Brian Sarre left them decrepit in the ruck and defence.