1979 WANFL season

Last updated

1979 WAFL season
Teams8
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 played88
  1978
1980 (WAFL) 

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.

Contents

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.

Home-and-away season

Round 1

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)
  • Perth just fail to clinch game after being behind almost all match against the Bulldogs.
  • West Perth produce a brilliant third quarter burst to win after looking out of the match at half-time. [6]

Round 2

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

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)
  • A record East Fremantle Oval crowd sees Old Easts come from behind as defenders Crouch and Green along with the following division take complete control. [7]
  • East Perth record their biggest win in open-age WANFL football, narrowly beating their 147-point win over Claremont [8]
  • Perth coach Ken Armstrong complains about the tactics of rival John Todd after Ron Boucher shatters the jaw of key Demon ruckman and former Simpson Medallist Wim Rosbender without any penalty. [9]
  • With Phil Krakouer kicking eight goals including Claremont’s first five, and West Perth’s forward line decrepit, the Cardinals enter a severe crisis with a number of injuries. [10]

Round 4

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

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

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)
  • The recruitment of South Fremantle wingman Alan Rose and former East Fremantle player Glen Durnthaler, along with coach Douge blanketing Tiger centre half-back Ken Hunter, toughens Subiaco after their recent disasters to a thrilling first victory. [12]
  • Injured ruck-rover Gerard Neesham shows courage to lead a final Swan fightback in a fluctuating match. [13]

Round 7

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)
  • Moving himself to centre half-forward, Claremont’s champion ruckman and captain-coach Graham Moss dominates but Perth’s inexperience ruck leads critics to question the viability of the move. [14]
  • Archie Duda returns for his first game to combine with Paul Arnold for eleven goals and complement a dominating midfield performance by the previously uncertain reigning premiers. [15]

Round 8

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)
  • Claremont confirm East Perth’s popular premiership favouritism as misplaced via a convincing win with Moss continuing to dominate at centre-half forward and former defender Barry Beecroft doing all that was required in the ruck. [16]
  • Swan Districts lose despite a 9.10 (64) second quarter and kick their highest losing score until 1982 [17]
  • The return of defender John Dimmer and Dennis Blair allows a still-understrength Subiaco to drop the aging Cardinals to last position. [18]

Round 9

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)
  • South Fremantle dominate over an inept Cardinal team setting numerous records: [19]
    • West Perth’s worst loss, beating 112 points against Perth from 1977.
    • The Cardinals’ biggest loss at Leederville Oval, beating 89 points against Swan Districts on 12 July 1965
    • The club sacked its coach the following Monday in favour of old mentor Campbell.

Round 10 (Foundation Day)

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

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)
  • West Perth record their tenth consecutive loss, their worst sequence since their record 27-game streak in 1938 and 1939. [21]
  • Despite a comfortable win with Ray Bauskis kicking a career-best 13.4 (82), South Fremantle coach Mal Brown becomes very upset at a “gutless” final quarter where South kicks only 2.0 (12) to Subiaco’s 7.8 (50). [22]
  • An unexpected move of brilliant rover-forward Phil Krakouer to defence shuts out the young Swan Districts centreline after Swans get within eight points of the Tigers. Krakouer has an amazing 32 kicks and eight handballs. [23]

Round 12

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)
  • Former coach Campbell’s emphasis on hard work and dedication allows West Perth to end their worst losing run for 40 years and second-worst ever. [25]
  • East Perth consolidate their place in the top four with a convincing wet-weather repeat of the 1978 Grand Final. [26]

Round 12

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)
  • Imaginative use of handball by East Perth’s defenders blunts a South Fremantle attack that had averaged 136 points per match and also set up most Royal goals in an impressive victory for the 1978 premiers. [27]
  • Rod Alderton, West Perth’s leading goalkicker in 1978, kicks three of seven last-quarter goals in a twenty-minute burst to pip an inaccurate Swan Districts who had led all day but just failed with a late comeback. [28]

Round 13

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)
  • Although the establish a three-game gap between fourth and fifth, poor defence nearly costs South Fremantle the match, as previously out-of-sorts Simon Beasley kicks nine after being dropped but recalled when Mark Olsen is declared unfit with a calf strain. [29]
  • Moss returns to the ruck to drive Claremont form 31 points down at half-time to a superb win, with Jimmy Krakouer superb in support. [30]
  • East Perth kick 3.1 to 2.3 into the breeze to deny Cardinals a third straight victory.

Round 15

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)
  • East Fremantle return to their early-season form by crushing Swans on a windy day, finishing with 6.4 (40) to 1.3 (9) into a strong breeze. [31]
  • Claremont show that the traditional “college boy” tag [32] with a fighting win – again led by Moss and the Krakouers – after East Perth score 9.3 (57) with the wind in the third quarter. [33]

Round 16

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

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

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)
  • East Perth set a record for the highest score against East Fremantle, kicking 18.4 (112) in the first half as the celebration of Barry Cable’s 400th game seems to arrive a week too soon as their centreline led by Larry Kickett overwhelms the blue and whites. [35]
  • Old Easts had only three goalkickers (Thomson 6, Taylor 5, Buhagiar 2).

Round 19

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)
  • Record aggregate score at Bassendean, with Mark Olsen kicking thirteen and Gary Buckenara nine from an amazing 27 kicks and 17 marks [36] for Subiaco [37]
  • Aggregate score at East Fremantle third highest on record, with eight more scoring shots than at Bassendean. Taylor kicked nine for Old Easts. [37]
  • Barry Cable plays his 400th senior game and celebrates with a win over his former club.

Round 20

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)
  • Bulldogs secure double chance via an efficient display with the wind in the first quarter [38] in the wettest and lowest-scoring game of the season [39]
  • Subiaco’s failure to hold on in an exceptional quality game against Claremont assures that team of the double chance and the Lions of the wooden spoon. [40]

Round 21

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)
  • Jimmy Krakouer, cleared of fighting with Lion Durnthaler during the previous game, kicks nine goals and leads a devastating midfield that clinches the minor premiership. [41]
  • Injuries to Noel Carter and Basil Campbell show up the jitters that had derailed several recent South Fremantle premiership attempts. [42]

Ladder

1979 ladder
PosTeamPldWLDPFPAPPPts
1 Claremont 21165026452137123.864
2 South Fremantle 21156025882140120.960
3 East Fremantle (P)21147026232323112.956
4 East Perth 21138024401953124.952
5 Swan Districts 211110026732292116.644
6 Perth 2181302130229292.932
7 West Perth 2141701892267770.716
8 Subiaco 2131801913309061.912
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, 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

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

Preliminary final
Saturday, 15 September Claremont 15.17 (107)def. by East Fremantle 19.20 (134) Subiaco Oval (crowd: 26,469)
  • Six goals in the first quarter into the wind ensure East Fremantle make the Grand Final and Claremont become the first minor premier to miss the Grand Final since Perth in 1963. [46]
  • Claremont’s attempt to improve its forward line by displacing Old Easts’ Doug Green fails. [47]

Grand Final

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, HaddowGoalsTaylor 7, Turco 4, Thompson 4, Buhagiar 3, Judge, Sims, Sewell
Mountain, Michael, Bauskis, Morley, Cavanagh, RioliBestBuhagiar, Peake, Taylor, D Green, S Green, Carrott

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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.

References

  1. See Indian Ocean Climate Initiative: Stage 3: Summary for Policymakers
  2. Monthly Rainfall for Perth Regional Office; Monthly Rainfall for Perth Metro (Mount Lawley)
  3. "WAFL Footy Facts: Highest Combined Scores". Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 19 August 2013.
  4. Devaney, John; Full Points Footy’s WA Football Companion; p. 12. ISBN   978-0-9556897-1-0
  5. Devaney; Full Points Footy’s WA Football Companion; pp. 126-129
  6. East, Alan; ‘West Perth are Versatile’; The West Australian , 2 April 1979, p. 66
  7. Christian, Geoff; ‘East F‘tle Are Glomour Team’; The West Australian, 16 April 1979, p. 68
  8. East Perth: Biggest Wins
  9. Hopkins, Colin; ‘Perth Chief Blasts Swans on Their Tactics’; The West Australian, 17 April 1979, p. 104
  10. Christian, Geoff; ‘Moss, Krakouers Get Claremont Going’; The West Australian, 17 April 1979, p. 102
  11. Carew-Reid, Andrew; ‘Swans Turn It On’; The West Australian, 30 April 1979; p. 58
  12. Carew-Reid, Andrew; ‘Douge Leads the Way’; The West Australian, 7 May 1979, p. 74
  13. Casellas, Ken; ‘The Neesham Spirit Rubs Off on Swans’; The West Australian, 7 May 1979, p. 74
  14. Casellas, Ken; ‘Can Moss Afford the Luxury’; The West Australian 14 May 1979, p. 62
  15. Carew-Reid, Andrew; ‘East Perth Are Putting It Together’; The West Australian 14 May 1979, p. 62
  16. Hopkins, Colin; ‘East Perth Are Overrated’; The West Australian, 21 May 1979, p. 71
  17. "WAFL Footy Facts: Swan Districts Highest Losing Scores". Archived from the original on 28 September 2013. Retrieved 19 August 2013.
  18. Christian, Geoff; ‘Subiaco Should Not Be Taken Lightly’; The West Australian, 21 May 1979, p. 71
  19. Christian, Geoff; ‘West Perth Can’t Get Any Worse’; The West Australian, 28 May 1979, p. 57
  20. Christian, Geoff; ‘Record Crowd Sees South Win Seesaw Derby’; The West Australian, 5 June 1979, p. 104
  21. "WAFL Footy Facts: West Perth – Consecutive Games Lost". Archived from the original on 7 January 2014. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
  22. Carew-Reid, Andrew; ‘South Let Subiaco In’; The West Australian; 11 June 1979; p. 73
  23. Casellas, Ken; ‘Phil Krakouer Shows a New Side of His Game’; The West Australian, 11 June 1979, p. 73
  24. Christian, Geoff; ‘South Have That All-Star Quality’; The West Australian, 18 June 1979, p. 62
  25. Carew-Reid, Andrew; ‘Campbell Tries an Old Ploy’; The West Australian, 18 June 1979, p. 62
  26. Hopkins, Colin; ‘East Perth Revel in the Wet’; The West Australian, 18 June 1979, p. 63
  27. Casellas, Ken; ‘East Perth Finds an Antidote for South’; The West Australian, 25 June 1979, p. 87
  28. Carew-Reid, Andrew; ‘Alderton’s Spur to Victory’; The West Australian; 25 June 1979, p. 86
  29. Casellas, Ken; ‘South Need to Look at Defence’; The West Australian, 2 July 1979, p. 64
  30. Carew-Reid, Andrew; ‘What Would Claremont Do without Moss?’; The West Australian, 2 July 1979, p. 65
  31. Christian, Geoff; ‘Swans Have Their Dream Shattered’; The West Australian, 16 July 1979, p. 70
  32. See Club Biography: Claremont
  33. Casellas, Ken; ‘Claremont Capitalise on Errors’; The West Australian, 16 July 1979, p. 70
  34. ‘Uncle “Returns” with a Vengeance’; The West Australian, 23 July 1979, p. 83
  35. Christian, Geoff; ‘East Perth Aim at Another Snatch-Grab’; The West Australian, 6 August 1979, p. 68
  36. See Carew-Reid, Andrew; ‘Swans Should Kick Themselves’; The West Australian, 13 August 1979, p. 67
  37. 1 2 "WAFL Footy Facts: Round 19, 1979". Archived from the original on 30 September 2013. Retrieved 19 August 2013.
  38. Christian, Geoff; ‘South Save Best for Right Time’; The West Australian, 20 August 1979, p. 82
  39. Perth Regional Office August 1979 rainfall
  40. Hopkins, Colin; ‘Subiaco Show They Can Be Competitive’; The West Australian; 20 August 1979, p. 82
  41. Casellas, Ken; ‘Claremont Not a One-Man Band’; The West Australian, 27 August 1979, p. 86
  42. Christian, Geoff; ‘Brown Must Come Up With Something’; The West Australian, 27 August 1979, p. 80
  43. Christian, Geoff; ‘East Fremantle Are Well in the Running’; The West Australian; 3 September 1979, p. 92
  44. Christian, Geoff; ‘Michael, Carter the Heroes’; The West Australian, 10 September 1979, p. 76
  45. Christian, Geoff; ‘Injuries Are Big Worry for Claremont’; The West Australian, 10 September 1979, p. 76
  46. Christian, Geoff; ‘East F‘tle Seize the Initiative’; The West Australian, 17 September 1979, p. 74
  47. Carew-Reid, Andrew; ‘Claremont Now Look to 1980’; The West Australian, 17 September 1979, p. 76