1986 WAFL season

Last updated

1986 WAFL season
Teams8
Premiers Subiaco
6th premiership
Minor premiers Subiaco
7th minor premiership
Sandover Medallist Mark Bairstow (South Fremantle)
Bernie Naylor Medallist Mick Rea (Perth)
Attendance
Matches played88
Total attendance731,709 (8,315 per match)
  1985
1987  

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 [1] 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 [2] as WAFL clubs' inadequate main income source.

Contents

There was also controversy over an attempt to play the Round 7 match between West Perth and Claremont on Mother's Day (11 May) which was vigorously opposed by young families, and the game was played on the Saturday, [3] and the WAFL admitted mid-season that changes to its schedules with more matches in major rural centres and matches at night at the WACA [a] were needed to counter the competition's dwindling appeal. [4] WAFL chairman Roy Annear initially proposed to play two games a season in large towns like Geraldton, Bunbury and Kalgoorlie, [4] although in modern times games in rural areas have been spread out to smaller centres at a lower frequency.

On the field, 1986 saw financially crippled Perth, [5] whose reserves had in 1985 made the Demons’ first finals appearance in any grade since 1978, [6] [7] build upon this under Mal Brown to reach the preliminary final. The loss of players to the VFL, however, prevented Perth building upon this in subsequent seasons and they have remained almost continuously a cellar-dweller since. East Fremantle and Subiaco, clearly the best teams in 1985, were even more dominant in 1986, though there was an unexpected end when hot favourites East Fremantle were thrashed in the Grand Final. Claremont, disappointing in 1984 and 1985, were spectacular early in 1986 before injuries to key players and form lapses saw a catastrophic fall from second with seven straight defeats. [8]

Swan Districts, who had achieved a mini-dynasty from 1980 to 1984 with 88 wins from 118 matches, declined from third to their fourteenth wooden spoon, as injuries to key players and loss of form by veteran Kevin Taylor [9] [10] could only rarely be covered. South Fremantle, possessing the severest financial problems in the WAFL, also suffered from clouds over Don Haddow's coaching future [11] and disputes with the Fremantle Council over Fremantle Oval producing proposals the Bulldogs move to a multi-sport stadium in Cockburn. [12] The Bulldogs suffered their worst season since 1972 and held no opponent under 100 points until the closing round.

Clubs

ClubCoachCaptainBest and fairestLeading goalkicker
Claremont Graham Moss Steve Malaxos Darrell Panizza John Scott (72)
East Fremantle Ron Alexander Brian Peake Paul Harding Colin Waterson (64)
East Perth Greg Brehaut (sacked after Round 7)
Gerard McNeill
Kevin Bryant (retired after Round 10)
Russell Sparks
Craig Starcevich Phil Bradmore (40)
Perth Mal Brown Robert Wiley Robert Wiley Mick Rea (90)
South Fremantle Don Haddow Mark Bairstow Mark Bairstow Craig Edwards (52)
Subiaco Haydn Bunton, Jr. Neil Taylor Laurie Keene Stephen Sells (74)
Swan Districts John Todd Don Langsford Peter Sartori Don Holmes (37)
West Perth John Wynne Les Fong Dan Foley Dan Foley (46)

Home-and-away season

Round 1 (Easter weekend)

Round 1
Saturday, 29 March Perth 13.15 (93)drew with West Perth 13.15 (93) Lathlain Park (crowd: 8121) [13]
Saturday, 29 March East Fremantle 12.11 (83)def. by Subiaco 18.9 (117) East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 10118) [14]
Monday, 31 March East Perth 22.12 (144)def. by Swan Districts 21.20 (146) Perth Oval (crowd: 10405)
Monday, 31 March Claremont 33.18 (216)def. South Fremantle 10.9 (69) Claremont Oval (crowd: 7855)
  • Swan Districts’ comeback from 52 points behind at half-time to win was a WA(N)FL record and equaled Collingwood's 1970 record against St. Kilda. [15] Former East Fremantle rover Kevin Taylor led the Swans‘ comeback with 25 kicks, 13 marks and 5.4 (34). [16]
  • Claremont recorded their highest score and biggest win over South Fremantle, [17] as the Tigers’ brilliant centreline led by the returning Steve Malaxos decimated the Bulldogs. [18]

Round 2

Round 2
Saturday, 5 April Subiaco 28.20 (188)def. East Perth 11.7 (73) Subiaco Oval (crowd: 8818) [19]
Saturday, 5 April Swan Districts 17.12 (114)def. by Claremont 22.12 (144) Bassendean Oval (crowd: 9614)
Saturday, 5 April West Perth 17.17 (119)def. by East Fremantle 18.17 (125) Leederville Oval (crowd: 8824) [20]
Sunday, 6 April Perth 18.13 (121)def. South Fremantle 15.19 (109) Rushton Park (crowd: 7147)
  • Eight goals from John Scott – who had played most of 1985 at full-back – gave Claremont a second strong victory to suggest a Tigers rebound from a poor 1985. [21]
  • Subiaco, by scoring 12.4 (76) to 1.1 (7), achieved the largest margin at quarter-time in open-age WA(N)FL football, though it was beaten in the underage 1944 season. [22]
  • For the first time, the WAFL played a match at Rushton Park, Mandurah – from 1997 to become the home of ninth Westar Rules/WAFL club Peel Thunder.

Round 3

Round 3
Saturday, 12 April South Fremantle 22.17 (149)def. West Perth 20.10 (130) Fremantle Oval (crowd: 6827) [23]
Saturday, 12 April Subiaco 26.21 (177)def. Perth 16.14 (110) Subiaco Oval (crowd: 8430)
Saturday, 12 April Claremont 20.17 (137)def. by East Perth 21.14 (140) Claremont Oval (crowd: 6021)
Saturday, 12 April Swan Districts 14.16 (100)def. by East Fremantle 26.16 (172) Bassendean Oval (crowd: 7807)
  • Despite eight goals from Rea and the loss of Phil Scott before the game and Neil Taylor after quarter-time, Subiaco's ability to rove to the Demon rucks gave them a convincing victory. [24]
  • East Perth narrowly avoided a second fadeout defeat as they nearly failed to hold onto a 51-point lead during the middle of the second quarter, thanks to veteran Kevin Bryant's steadiness. [25]

Round 4

Round 4
Saturday, 19 April West Perth 20.16 (136)def. Swan Districts 15.12 (102) Leederville Oval (crowd: 8203) [26]
Saturday, 19 April Subiaco 26.13 (169)def. South Fremantle 18.21 (129) Subiaco Oval (crowd: 8571)
Saturday, 19 April Perth 20.8 (128)def. Claremont 14.12 (96) Lathlain Park (crowd: 6477) [27]
Saturday, 19 April East Perth 20.13 (133)def. by East Fremantle 24.5 (149) Perth Oval (crowd: 6988) [28]

After having won only 27 matches between 1980 and 1985, Perth claimed a prized scalp as they exploited Claremont's weakness at centre half-forward, whilst Craig Smith added to his reputation as a WAFL “tagger” by shutting down Malaxos. [5]

Round 5 (Anzac Day)

Round 5
Friday, 25 April West Perth 14.17 (101)def. by East Perth 15.18 (108) Subiaco Oval (crowd: 17529)
Saturday, 26 April Perth 22.8 (140)def. Swan Districts 21.13 (139) Lathlain Park (crowd: 7659)
Saturday, 26 April Claremont 18.17 (125)def. Subiaco 9.15 (69) Claremont Oval (crowd: 9050)
Saturday, 26 April East Fremantle 27.15 (177)def. South Fremantle 16.21 (117) East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 11005)
  • Despite losing their two top rovers, East Perth, with deputy rover Keith Wynne scoring 5.2 (32) and Starcevich controlling the ruck, hold the initiative for three quarters despite six goals from Dan Foley – four in a third quarter when West Perth looked like running away with the match. [29]
  • 9.2 (56) from Chris Stainowsky allows Perth to come back from 44 points behind to a thrilling victory, after Swan Districts played almost flawless football in the first half. [30]
  • Claremont's gamble to play David O‘Connell at centre half-forward due to the suspension of Scott and concede a ruck advantage to Subiaco paid off as the fleet-footed Mitchell, Peter Davidson and Panizza ran Subiaco off their feet on the ball and O‘Connell kicked five goals to end the Lions’ unbeaten record. [31]

Round 6

Round 6
Saturday, 3 May West Perth 17.6 (108)def. by Subiaco 25.20 (170) Leederville Oval (crowd: 8217)
Saturday, 3 May South Fremantle 10.9 (69)def. by Swan Districts 25.15 (165) Fremantle Oval (crowd: 6174) [11]
Saturday, 3 May Perth 18.17 (125)def. East Perth 15.12 (102) Subiaco Oval (crowd: 8215)
Saturday, 3 May Claremont 21.14 (140)def. East Fremantle 12.11 (83) Claremont Oval (crowd: 8505)
  • Perth, kept in the match by unheralded wingmen Joe Sanostefano and Glen Moir, came back to run over the Royals as their forward trio of Rea, Ryder and Stasinowsky took charge with seven last-quarter goals between them. [32]
  • Another brilliant display by Malaxos and Mitchell drove Claremont to an outstanding victory, showing their Subiaco victory as no fluke. At one point Mitchell, being treated by a trainer for a calf injury, ran off and made a handball that produced a goal with the next kick. [33]

Round 7

Round 7
Saturday, 10 May Swan Districts 16.10 (106)def. by Subiaco 16.13 (109) Bassendean Oval (crowd: 7390)
Saturday, 10 May East Perth 15.18 (108)def. by South Fremantle 17.25 (127) Perth Oval (crowd: 4622) [34]
Saturday, 10 May West Perth 20.11 (131)def. Claremont 19.14 (128) Leederville Oval (crowd: 5885)
Saturday, 10 May East Fremantle 26.16 (172)def. Perth 12.9 (81) East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 7112) [35]
  • Peter Sartori at centre half-forward leads a nine-goal last quarter that nearly produces a remarkable comeback before Warren Dean kicks the winner for Subiaco with thirty seconds remaining. [36]
  • In a last quarter that ran thirty-eight minutes, after veteran George Michalczyk was carried from the field because of a concussion. West Perth came back to steal the match with 7.4 (46) to 0.3 (3) as the Bewick brothers, Foley, Greg Evans, Peter Menaglio and John Gastev suddenly slipped into action as Claremont stopped to a walk. [37]

Round 8

Round 8
Saturday, 17 May West Perth 19.11 (125)def. Perth 14.17 (101) Leederville Oval (crowd: 6993) [38]
Saturday, 17 May Swan Districts 23.21 (159)def. East Perth 12.12 (84) Bassendean Oval (crowd: 8081)
Saturday, 17 May South Fremantle 9.12 (66)def. by Claremont 25.17 (167) Fremantle Oval (crowd: 5920) [39]
Saturday, 17 May Subiaco 21.11 (137)def. East Fremantle 16.16 (112) Subiaco Oval (crowd: 11640) [40]
  • A second win for Subiaco over their 1985 conquerors was marred by the investigation of Shark rover David Bushell for pushing Subiaco trainer Barry Winzer. It was not reported by any umpire, but Winzer suffered major injuries to his cheek, left knee, chest and neck and Bushell was suspended for five matches on 28 May. [41]
  • The return from injury of veteran strongman Garry Sidebottom allowed Swan Districts to form a combination reminiscent of their 1982/83/84 premiership days, as he and Holmes combined for fourteen goals, leaving Swans six points from fourth with a strong percentage. [42]

Round 9

Round 9
Saturday, 24 May Perth 23.15 (153)def. South Fremantle 15.14 (104) Leederville Oval (crowd: 5928) [43]
Saturday, 24 May East Perth 10.18 (78)def. by Subiaco 23.15 (153) Perth Oval (crowd: 6158) [44]
Saturday, 24 May Claremont 16.32 (128)def. Swan Districts 9.10 (64) Claremont Oval (crowd: 10298)
Saturday, 24 May East Fremantle 21.20 (146)def. West Perth 10.18 (78) East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 7142) [45]

Claremont's 32 behinds was the most in a match at Claremont Oval, [46] but it was the Tiger defence led by Guy McKenna, Larry Kickett and Geoff Miles that dominated, holding a powerful Swan attack to 2.5 (17) in the first half in perfect conditions. [10]

Round 10 (Foundation Day)

Round 10
Saturday, 31 May Swan Districts 15.15 (105)def. by Perth 21.18 (144) Bassendean Oval (crowd: 10218) [47]
Saturday, 31 May West Perth 22.18 (150)def. East Perth 14.13 (97) Leederville Oval (crowd: 8127) [48]
Monday, 2 June Subiaco 14.26 (110)def. Claremont 7.20 (62) Subiaco Oval (crowd: 21088)
Monday, 2 June South Fremantle 8.10 (58)def. by East Fremantle 23.14 (152) Fremantle Oval (crowd: 9275) [49]
  • Superb tagging of Malaxos and Mitchell permitted the Lions to hold Claremont to ten behinds in the second half, as the return of Scott forced Tiger forward David O‘Connell away from centre half-forward. [50]
  • East Fremantle recorded its biggest open-age victory over its derby rivals, [b] surpassing a 90-point margin from 1934. [51]

Round 11

Round 11
Saturday, 7 June West Perth 20.16 (136)def. Swan Districts 19.13 (127) Subiaco Oval (crowd: 8294)
Saturday, 7 June South Fremantle 12.9 (81)def. by Subiaco 25.14 (164) Fremantle Oval (crowd: 4320)
Saturday, 7 June Claremont 23.13 (151)def. Perth 14.16 (100) Claremont Oval (crowd: 7670)
Saturday, 7 June East Perth 15.13 (103)def. by East Fremantle 24.19 (163) Perth Oval (crowd: 4880) [52]
  • Without Rea and with the previously problematic Tiger attack back at its best, Perth suffered a convincing defeat despite being only seven points behind late in the second quarter. [53]
  • An unexpected move of Paul Mifka onto Sartori at half-time saved West Perth from a loss that would have looked embarrassing later, as he matched the big Swan's mobility whilst Phil Bradmore dominated at the other end. [54]

Round 12

Round 12
Saturday, 14 June West Perth 17.14 (116)def. South Fremantle 16.14 (110) Leederville Oval (crowd: 4130)
Saturday, 14 June Perth 15.13 (103)def. by Subiaco 19.12 (126) Lathlain Park (crowd: 4771) [55]
Saturday, 14 June East Perth 11.13 (79)def. by Claremont 19.11 (125) Subiaco Oval (crowd: 4295)
Saturday, 14 June East Fremantle 21.15 (141)def. Swan Districts 14.13 (97) East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 4519) [56]

South Fremantle produced their best effort to date, with Edwards and Bairstow outstanding – but a third-quarter lapse allowed the Falcons to win and enter the four for the first time in 1986. [57]

Round 13

Round 13
Saturday, 21 June Subiaco 27.18 (180)def. Swan Districts 12.8 (80) Subiaco Oval (crowd: 8002) [58]
Saturday, 21 June South Fremantle 15.16 (106)def. East Perth 14.17 (101) Fremantle Oval (crowd: 4781) [59]
Saturday, 21 June Claremont 13.26 (104)def. by West Perth 16.13 (109) Claremont Oval (crowd: 8807)
Saturday, 21 June Perth 19.10 (124)def. East Fremantle 12.14 (86) Lathlain Park (crowd: 7218)
  • Perth ended a sequence of nineteen consecutive scores over 100 by East Fremantle against them, the most such consecutive scores by one club against another. [60] The Demons’ feeling they could upset the depleted Sharks – without Brennan and Neesham as well as Bushell – was justified as the Sharks were never in the hunt apart from a third-quarter burst. [61]
  • West Perth again won a thriller over the Tigers – this time holding on after scoring 7.5 (47) 0.3 (3) in thirty minutes centres around three-quarter time. [62] Derek Kickett and Goulding both scored 1.5 (11) for the inaccurate Tigers, who lost Steve Malaxos to a knee injury for the rest of the home-and-away season.

Round 14

Round 14
Saturday, 28 June Swan Districts 16.20 (116)def. South Fremantle 12.13 (85) Bassendean Oval (crowd: 3861) [63]
Saturday, 28 June East Perth 17.14 (116)def. by Perth 20.14 (134) Perth Oval (crowd: 4212) [64]
Saturday, 28 June East Fremantle 12.18 (90)def. by Claremont 16.18 (114) East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 6414)
Sunday, 29 June Subiaco 14.15 (99)def. West Perth 7.11 (53) Kalgoorlie (crowd: 7139) [65]
  • Claremont's ability to absorb East Fremantle's physical pressure ensured it takes second position from the Sharks, whose play possessed courage but no planning or method. [66]
  • Superb displays by Brian Taylor, Laurie Keene and the Lions’ defence, plus five goals by Phil Scott, placed Subiaco four wins clear at the top, and left West Perth a game from fourth.
  • This was the first WAFL match in Kalgoorlie, and the attendance, given the showery weather during travel to the game by rail, [67] was higher than any previous figure for a football match in rural WA and produced a gate of $30,500, or $3,500 higher than the WAFL target. [68]

Round 15

Round 15
Saturday, 5 July Perth 20.18 (138)def. West Perth 6.15 (51) Lathlain Park (crowd: 9031)
Saturday, 5 July East Perth 17.20 (122)def. Swan Districts 13.6 (84) Perth Oval (crowd: 4837) [69]
Saturday, 12 July Claremont 15.12 (102)def. South Fremantle 12.17 (89) Subiaco Oval (crowd: 5630) [70]
Saturday, 12 July East Fremantle 17.13 (115)def. Subiaco 14.16 (100) East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 10298)
  • Despite Perth coach Brown being charged with misconduct, the Demons crushed West Perth in slippery conditions [71] to be temporarily second as Wiley – in the unfamiliar role of centreman – plus Barich and Santostefano took advantage of the Falcons’ lack of commitment. [72]
  • East Perth end a sequence of twenty games conceding over 100 points, which broke Perth's previous record of nineteen in 1982 and 1983, and still stands. [73]
  • Subiaco's run of eight wins ended on a violently windy afternoon as the Lions were not able to goal against the wind until sixteen minutes into the final quarter, whilst Peake – after his State-of-Origin heroics at full-forward – and Waterson scored eleven between them. [74]

State of Origin match

Western Australia vs Victoria
Tuesday, 8 July (1:45 pm) Western Australia def. Victoria Subiaco Oval (crowd: 39863) [75]
4.4 (28)
9.5 (59)
15.10 (100)
21.11 (137)
Q1
Q2
Q3
Final
4.5 (29)
7.7 (49)
12.10 (82)
20.14 (134)
Umpires: Johnson (WA), Castle (VIC)
Simpson Medal: Brad Hardie
Television broadcast: ABC1
Peake 7.2
Buckenara 5.2
MacNish 3.1
Rioli 2.1
Michael Mitchell 2.0
Baker, Wilson 1.1
Blackwell, Hardie 0.1
Goals5.4 Weightman
5.2 Royal
4.2 Taylor
3.1 Brereton
1.0 Alvin, Bews, Healy

This match has often been regarded as the greatest State of Origin match ever played. [76]

Round 16

Round 16
Saturday, 19 July South Fremantle 23.15 (153)def. Perth 19.10 (124) Fremantle Oval (crowd: 5202) [77]
Saturday, 19 July Subiaco 13.22 (100)def. East Perth 12.8 (80) Subiaco Oval (crowd: 6711) [78]
Saturday, 19 July Swan Districts 17.9 (111)def. Claremont 16.11 (107) Bassendean Oval (crowd: 4995)
Saturday, 19 July West Perth 9.13 (67)def. by East Fremantle 15.17 (107) Leederville Oval (crowd: 6680)

Returns to form by Taylor and Kimberley allowed Swans to grasp an exciting last-minute victory after having been fifteen points behind with ten minutes remaining in an always-close match. [79]

Round 17

Round 17
Saturday, 26 July Perth 20.16 (136)def. Swan Districts 20.14 (134) Subiaco Oval (crowd: 6011)
Saturday, 26 July East Perth 14.12 (96)def. West Perth 11.6 (72) Perth Oval (crowd: 6111) [80]
Saturday, 26 July Claremont 13.10 (88)def. by Subiaco 13.22 (100) Claremont Oval (crowd: 8504)
Saturday, 26 July East Fremantle 29.21 (195)def. South Fremantle 9.5 (59) East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 8622) [81]
  • 33 kicks, sixteen handballs and four goals by Gerard Neesham was regarded as the finest individual performance of the season, and led East Fremantle to a second record open-age win over South. [b] Darren Bennett, in his first match for 1986, kicked five goals.
  • Veteran Wiley, who had shown superb skills tackling and in attack, denied lowly Swan Districts a late victory in a brilliant match via an amazing low smother where he dived onto a boot, and then a similar tackle on a Swan defender to allow a crucial goal. [82]

Round 18

Round 18
Saturday, 2 August West Perth 22.16 (148)def. Swan Districts 15.15 (105) Leederville Oval (crowd: 4915) [83]
Saturday, 2 August South Fremantle 17.13 (115)def. Subiaco 15.15 (105) Fremantle Oval (crowd: 4559)
Saturday, 2 August Perth 22.20 (152)def. Claremont 16.11 (107) Lathlain Park (crowd: 7502) [84]
Saturday, 2 August East Perth 17.11 (113)def. by East Fremantle 21.16 (142) Subiaco Oval (crowd: 5435)

South Fremantle provided a huge upset to move off the bottom as the brilliant Bairstow and erratic Winmar (who had been in the reserves during June) plus a surprisingly solid defence held the Lions out all afternoon. [85]

Round 19

Round 19
Saturday, 9 August South Fremantle 24.18 (162)def. West Perth 16.11 (107) Fremantle Oval (crowd: 5872) [86]
Saturday, 9 August Subiaco 11.18 (84)def. by Perth 21.10 (136) Subiaco Oval (crowd: 9802)
Saturday, 9 August Claremont 14.10 (94)def. by East Perth 22.11 (143) Claremont Oval (crowd: 5190)
Saturday, 9 August Swan Districts 13.16 (94)def. by East Fremantle 26.15 (171) Bassendean Oval (crowd: 5444) [87]
  • Rea's power and Ryder's pure speed exploited deficiencies in Subiaco's armour as the Lions did not run hard enough to compete without key defenders Wilkinson and Crutchfield. [88]
  • A 12.3 (75) third quarter – East Perth's highest single-quarter score since 1974 – gave the Royals an easy win over a disappointing Claremont, for whom only 30-kick Daniel Panizza played to potential. [89]

Round 20

Round 20
Saturday, 16 August Swan Districts 12.14 (86)def. by Subiaco 22.22 (154) Bassendean Oval (crowd: 5244)
Saturday, 16 August East Perth 21.18 (144)def. South Fremantle 13.8 (86) Perth Oval (crowd: 6850) [90]
Saturday, 16 August West Perth 18.24 (132)def. Claremont 12.11 (83) Leederville Oval (crowd: 6922 [91] )
Saturday, 16 August East Fremantle 24.16 (160)def. Perth 7.10 (52) East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 9367)
  • A Perth team minus Rea and Watson failed to counter East Fremantle in Peake's three hundredth senior match. Half-forward Peter Wilson was the star, with four goals and numerous electrifying bursts, whilst George Christie was superb in a back pocket. [92]
  • 34 kicks from Neil Taylor and seven goals each from Sells and Breman allowed Subiaco to crush Swans, scoring 14.12 (96) to 1.5 (11) in the first half. Garry Sidebottom ended his career by being crushed by Clint Brown and left the field injured with Swan Districts still goalless twelve minutes into the second quarter. [93]
  • West Perth's convincing win over Claremont was the Tigers’ fifth straight loss and left the former pacesetters in danger of losing their finals berth.
  • South Fremantle equaled East Perth's earlier-season record of conceding 100 points for twenty consecutive games; the streaker later ended in the last round. [73]
  • At the East Perth versus South Fremantle match, the East Perth banner remained on the ground early in the match and produced confusion whereby John Worsfold kicked the ball through the East Perth goal and it was initially registered as a goal to the Royals, then to the Bulldogs – before the correct score of a behind to East Perth was added. [94]

Round 21

Round 21
Saturday, 23 August Subiaco 27.17 (179)def. West Perth 12.9 (81) Subiaco Oval (crowd: 9916)
Saturday, 23 August South Fremantle 21.16 (142)def. Swan Districts 12.12 (84) Fremantle Oval (crowd: 5147) [95]
Saturday, 23 August Perth 16.15 (111)def. by East Perth 21.21 (147) Lathlain Park (crowd: 6910)
Saturday, 23 August Claremont 13.11 (89)def. by East Fremantle 27.14 (176) Claremont Oval (crowd: 5768)
  • Breman, Sells and Dean combined for eighteen goals as Bunton kept all three close to the goal square. An unstoppable centreline and a powerful half-forward line of Georgiades and Langdon, Subiaco denied West Perth's dream of a finals berth in crushing style. [96]
  • A powerhouse display with Bennett scoring 11.6 (72) after missing more than a season with injury allowed East Fremantle to crush an uncommitted Tiger outfit. [97]

Ladder

1986 ladder
PosTeamPldWLDPFPAPPPts
1 Subiaco (P)21174027902004139.268
2 East Fremantle 21165029172092139.464
3 Perth 2112812506253798.850
4 Claremont 211011025072255111.240
5 West Perth 2191112243252988.738
6 East Perth 2171402311265287.128
7 South Fremantle 2171402185291674.928
8 Swan Districts 2151602318279283.020
Source: WAFL Footy Facts
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) percentage; 3) number of points for.
(P) Premiers

Finals series

First semi-final

First semi-final
Saturday, 30 August Perth 24.18 (162)def. Claremont 13.11 (89) Subiaco Oval (crowd: 21,037)

Despite the return of Mitchell and Malaxos, Claremont was uncompetitive against the Demons, who rebounded from two bad losses and never lost control. [98]

Second semi-final

Second semi-final
Saturday, 6 September Subiaco 12.11 (83)def. by East Fremantle 20.13 (133) Subiaco Oval (crowd: 25,535) [99]

East Fremantle's Darren Bennett became the first player to kick ten or more goals in a WA(N)FL final, [100] and made the Sharks red-hot favourites to equal Port Adelaide's 27 flags in the major Australian Rules leagues.

Preliminary final

Preliminary final
Saturday, 13 September Subiaco 26.12 (168)def. Perth 15.7 (97) Subiaco Oval (crowd: 23,503) [101]

Grand Final

1986 WAFL Grand Final
Saturday, 20 September East Fremantle def. by Subiaco Subiaco Oval (crowd: 38,389) [102]
1.2 (8)
3.7 (25)
6.9 (45)
8.13 (61)
Q1
Q2
Q3
Final
6.3 (39)
13.4 (82)
17.8 (110)
19.16 (130)
Umpires: Ken O‘Driscoll, Mike Ball
Simpson Medal: Mark Zanotti (Subiaco)
Bennett 2, Wilson 2, Waterson 2, Green, Mainwaring Goals Breman 4, Keene 3, Sells 3, Macnish 3, Dwayne Lamb 2, Dean, Carpenter, Brian Taylor, Neil Taylor
Harding, Neesham, Rowland, O‘Sullivan, Mainwaring, Wilson, SolinBestZanotti, Dwayne Lamb, P. Lamb, Carpenter, Scott, Featherby, Macnish, Dargie
Peter Wilson by field umpire O‘Driscoll for striking Rod Willett in the third quarterReportsStephen Sells by goal umpire Lester Cox for striking Scott Rowland in the second quarter

Subiaco crushed a powerful East Fremantle side to complete a rags-to-riches story over three seasons under Haydn Bunton, Jr., going from one win in 1982 [c] and four in 1983 to premiers.

Notes

a As of 1986, the WACA had not been used for any WA(N)FL match since Perth ceased playing its home games there at the end of the 1958 season.
b In Round 17 of 1944 East Fremantle beat a winless under-19 South Fremantle team by 201 points.
c Their lone win during 1982 was against East Fremantle.

Related Research Articles

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 1999 Westar Rules season was the 115th season of the various incarnations of the West Australian Football League and the third as “Westar Rules”. It is most notable for the first winless season in open-age Western Australian football since Midland Junction in their final 1917 season lost all twelve of their games, although South Fremantle in the under-19 1944 competition lost all nineteen of their games. Peel Thunder, who at the completion of the season had won only two of their first sixty Westar Rules matches, achieved the equal second-longest winless season in a major Australian Rules league behind SANFL club Sturt in 1995.[a] Although beforehand most critics thought the Thunder would improve on what they did in their first two seasons, late in the season none of the major Westar Rules writers gave them a chance to win even against second-last East Perth at Rushton Park.

The 1994 WAFL season was the 110th season of the West Australian Football League in its various incarnations.

The 1988 WAFL season was the 104th season of the West Australian Football League in its various incarnations.

The 2000 Westar Rules season was the fourth season of ‘Westar Rules’ and the 116th season of the various incarnations of senior football in Perth. It was the last season before the competition's name was changed back to the traditional ‘WAFL’ as it was clear the public had not been attracted by the change. Owing to the Sydney Olympics, Westar Rules shortened the 2000 season from twenty to eighteen matches per club, and retained this eighteen-match season in 2001 and 2002 before going back to the current twenty-match season.

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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 1990 WASFL season was the 106th season of senior Australian rules football in Perth, Western Australia. It saw the league, already realising that the damage from the admission to the VFL of West Coast would be permanent rather than temporary as was hoped in 1986, rebrand itself as the Western Australia State Football League, but the move was unsuccessful and reversed after a single season. The refusal of WASFL clubs to permit an Eagles reserves team in the WASFL and the WAFC's refusal to accept one in the AFL's reserve grade competition led to further problems when Claremont said they would not play West Coast discards in the league team and produced a short-lived draft for such players, whilst at the same time Claremont rejected a proposed draft for the numerous young footballers who came from Perth's private schools but when not boarding lived in rural areas.

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 1992 WAFL season was the 108th season of senior football in Perth, Western Australia. It is most notable for the end of the Claremont dynasty of the previous five seasons, which was pre-season an expected result of losing all but nine of the premiership side to the AFL draft or in two cases retirement. The Tigers, whose guernsey reverted from the gold sash to the CFC monogram, which they wore during their miraculous premiership success in 1964, fell from first with only two losses to avoiding the wooden spoon only by percentage, in the process using fifty-two players in the league team. East Fremantle won their first premiership for seven years after a very disappointing 1991, whilst East Perth, who had been stragglers for the preceding half-decade, made a remarkable rush from fifth position to narrowly miss their first Grand Final since winning the 1978 premiership.

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 1993 WAFL season was the 109th of the various incarnations of the West Australian Football League. It saw an extraordinarily even competition amongst all the teams except Perth, with only three and a half games separating first and seventh and the smallest dispersion of winning percentages in the WAFL since 1921. West Perth's 13 wins and a percentage marginally under 100 is the fewest wins and lowest percentage to take top position in a major Australian Rules league: indeed no team had headed the ladder with a percentage nearly so low at any stage of a season except Hawthorn during May of 1969 and Perth during June and July 1963.

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.

References

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  2. See Denham, Greg and Stocks, Gary; ‘New Draft Puts WAFL Clubs “on Death Row”’; The West Australian , 12 July 1988, pp. 100, 98
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  4. 1 2 Marsh, David; ‘More Games in WA Towns’; The West Australian, 30 June 1986, p. 80
  5. 1 2 Christian, Geoff; ‘Perth on the Move’; The West Australian, 21 April 1986, p. 101
  6. WAFL Reserves Ladder Positions (download)
  7. WAFL Colts Ladder Positions (download)
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  11. 1 2 Marsh, David; ‘Toothless Bulldogs No Match for Swans’; The West Australian, 5 May 1986, p. 101
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