1996 WAFL season

Last updated

1996 WAFL season
Teams8
Premiers Claremont
10th premiership
Minor premiers East Perth
15th minor premiership
Sandover Medallist Jeremy Wasley (Swan Districts)
Bernie Naylor Medallist John Dorotich (South Fremantle)
Matches played88
←  1995
1997 (Westar Rules) →

The 1996 WAFL season was the 112th season of the West Australian Football League in its various incarnations.

Contents

It saw the league at a crisis point with attendances decimated by the rise of the Eagles and newly formed Dockers of the AFL. With serious financial problems for a number of clubs, especially Perth [1] and Swan Districts but also Claremont, East Perth and West Perth, [2] the league intensely debated whether to expand or contract the competition. [3] The upshot was that 1996 would prove the final year of the eight-club competition that had been established with the admission of Swan Districts in 1934.

On the field, 1996 was notable for the decline of 1995 minor premiers Subiaco, who with the decline of top goalkicker Jason Heatley and the loss of other key players to the AFL, [4] declined by thirteen wins, the largest in WAFL history since Claremont after the loss of Graham Moss to Essendon fell from only three losses in 1972 to only four wins in 1973. In the process, the Lions suffered a number of spectacular losses. In contrast, East Perth, after eleven years in the doldrums when they had won only eighty and drawn one of 236 games, rose under the coaching of former Collingwood defender Kevin Worthington to their first minor premiership since 1976 and despite lack of experience, nearly beat Claremont in a thrilling Grand Final. The Tigers, despite being fifth in 1995, won the Emu Export Cup to be early premiership favourites [5] with the power of their lower grades, [6] [7] and despite some lapses ultimately lived up to that label.

The wettest Perth winter since 1974 [8] led to some notable low scoring, with Claremont kicking the second lowest score by an eventual premier team in a major Australian Rules league against Swan Districts and West Perth kicking three or fewer goals in successive games for the first time in 69 open-age seasons.

Home-and-away season

Round 1 (Easter weekend)

Round 1
Saturday, 6 April South Fremantle 19.19 (133)def. West Perth 15.14 (104) Fremantle Oval (crowd: 2468)
Saturday, 6 April Swan Districts 19.14 (128)def. East Fremantle 11.13 (79) Bassendean Oval (crowd: 1968)
Monday, 8 April Perth 11.12 (78)def. by Claremont 26.10 (166) Lathlain Park (crowd: 2318) [5]
Monday, 8 April Subiaco 15.6 (96)def. East Perth 13.12 (90) Subiaco Oval (crowd: 2767) [9]

Swan Districts recover from a terrible first eight minutes where East Fremantle kick four unanswered goals to completely dominate the rest of the game, led by unheralded ruckman Ron skender against the strong Shark rucks. [10]

Round 2

Round 2
Saturday, 13 April East Perth 13.14 (92)def. Swan Districts 12.12 (84) Perth Oval (crowd: 3406)
Saturday, 13 April Claremont 17.8 (110)def. Subiaco 9.6 (60) Claremont Oval (crowd: 1948)
Saturday, 13 April West Perth 12.17 (89)def. Perth 7.11 (53) Arena Joondalup (crowd: 2275). [11]
Saturday, 13 April East Fremantle 17.14 (116)def. South Fremantle 17.10 (112) East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 3027)

A brilliant goal almost on the siren by future Eagle champion Ben Cousins sees East Fremantle win a thriller after the Bulldogs appeared likely to steal the game via four goals in three minutes. [12]

Round 3

Round 3
Saturday, 20 April Perth 16.15 (111)def. East Fremantle 10.10 (70) Lathlain Park (crowd: 1499)
Saturday, 20 April Swan Districts 20.14 (134)def. Subiaco 11.12 (78) Bassendean Oval (crowd: 1920) [13]
Saturday, 20 April Claremont 13.11 (89)def. West Perth 7.15 (57) Claremont Oval (crowd: 1922)
Saturday, 20 April (6:45 pm) South Fremantle 11.11 (77)def. East Perth 11.7 (73) Fremantle Oval (crowd: 2393)
  • South Fremantle win with a goal by Marty Atkins with 23 seconds remaining [14] to complete the Royals’ third consecutive fade-out after a strong start – the Royals were sixteen points ahead eighteen minutes into the last quarter and kicking with a strong wind.
  • Perth half-forward Joe Proctor returns after five seasons of repeated foot fractures to kick six goals and beat four opponents in a major upset over a Shark team that lacked its normal commitment at the ball. [15]

Round 4 (Anzac Day)

Round 4
Thursday, 25 April East Fremantle 13.10 (88)def. West Perth 12.10 (82) East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 3822)
Saturday, 27 April Swan Districts 12.18 (90)def. by Claremont 17.14 (116) Rushton Park, Mandurah (crowd: 1979) [16]
Sunday, 28 April East Perth 22.10 (142)def. Perth 7.5 (47) Perth Oval (crowd: 1990)
Sunday, 28 April Subiaco 12.17 (89)def. South Fremantle 11.18 (84) Subiaco Oval (crowd: 1711)
  • Despite a major concussion, former Claremont full-forward Chris Gerreyn scores eleven goals to confirm East Perth are back as a force. [1]
  • The game between East Fremantle and West Perth sees the smallest total of margins at each change since Round 3 of 1956, [17] with the first three quarters totalling only five points and overall only eleven. [18]
  • With the league considering expansion to the Perth satellite city of Mandurah, [19] a game between 1995 wooden spooner Swan Districts and Claremont is played at the main football ground of Rushton Park. [a]
  • Yet again a South Fremantle match yields a late comeback as Subiaco, led by 22 kicks and thirteen marks from half-forward Andrew Donnelly, are behind almost all match but show traces of their 1995 form in coming back to win at the finish. [20]

Round 5

Round 5
Saturday, 4 May South Fremantle 8.6 (54)def. by Swan Districts 7.14 (56) Rockingham (crowd: 2214)
Saturday, 4 May Claremont 11.14 (80)def. by East Fremantle 16.12 (108) Claremont Oval (crowd: 1567)
Saturday, 4 May West Perth 11.14 (80)def. by East Perth 12.11 (83) Arena Joondalup (crowd: 2617) [21]
Saturday, 4 May Perth 12.12 (84)def. by Subiaco 14.14 (98) Gosnells (crowd: 1597)
  • With the WAFL recommending relocation of struggling Perth to the Hills region, [19] a match is played in the outer suburb of Gosnells. The experiment is never repeated and the relocation failed.
  • Perth lead 8.3 (51) to 3.2 (20) before being overwhelmed. [22]
  • Chris Peel’s hard work in damp and windswept conditions allows swan districts to hold off South Fremantle, who failed to use the wind during the second quarter when the ground was dry. [23]

Round 6

Round 6
Saturday, 11 May South Fremantle 14.16 (100)def. Claremont 14.9 (93) Fremantle Oval (crowd: 1890)
Saturday, 11 May Subiaco 8.5 (53)def. by West Perth 16.19 (115) Subiaco Oval (crowd: 2019) [24]
Saturday, 11 May East Perth 19.11 (125)def. East Fremantle 15.14 (104) Perth Oval (crowd: 2375)
Saturday, 11 May Swan Districts 19.10 (124)def. Perth 10.4 (64) Bassendean Oval (crowd: 2347)
  • The replacement of Greg Wootton by Vance Davison and the comeback at centre half-forward of the injury-plagued ex-star Sumich allows South Fremantle a crucial win in another close match – this time they held off Claremont at the finish. [25]
  • After having to change his jersey due to bleeding following a cut in his knee, Swan Districts’ Rod O‘Neill wears Tony Nesbit’s old number the week after Nesbit died, and his toughness in defence is lavishly praised and a critical part of Swans’ fourth win for 1996. [26]

Round 7

Round 7
Saturday, 18 May West Perth 16.12 (108)def. Swan Districts 12.13 (85) Arena Joondalup (crowd: 2655)
Saturday, 18 May Claremont 7.11 (53)def. by East Perth 16.11 (107) Claremont Oval (crowd: 2231)
Sunday, 19 May Perth 18.13 (121)def. South Fremantle 10.20 (80) Lathlain Park (crowd: 2031)
Sunday, 19 May East Fremantle 16.13 (109)def. Subiaco 13.7 (85) East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 1938)
  • East Perth take top position for the first time in twenty seasons as Paul Peos’ work as a permanent loose man in defence keeps leading goalkicker Joe Smith goalless, and Claremont are extremely weak in attack all along with no multiple goalscorer, [27] although Phil Gilbert does keep the taller and bigger Gerreyn to one goal from a free.
  • Sumich and Dorotich score only 0.5 (5) from seven early shots and with Shane Cable scoring seven as a stand-in full-forward, Perth seize the chance resulted as South score an amazing 1.15 (21) to half-time (their first goal was at the eighteen-minute mark of the second quarter) and never come back. [28]

Round 8

Round 8
Saturday, 25 May Perth 11.7 (73)def. by Claremont 13.13 (91) Lathlain Park (crowd: 1513)
Saturday, 25 May East Fremantle 17.15 (117)def. Swan Districts 15.7 (97) East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 1957) [29]
Saturday, 25 May West Perth 17.15 (117)def. South Fremantle 15.13 (103) Arena Joondalup (crowd: 2417) [30]
Saturday, 25 May East Perth 20.17 (137)def. Subiaco 15.9 (99) Perth Oval (crowd: 2246)

East Perth at one-point lead 20.13 (133) to 5.8 (38) before Subiaco kick last ten goals. [31]

Round 9 (Foundation Day)

Round 9
Saturday, 1 June Swan Districts 13.17 (95)def. by East Perth 16.12 (108) Bassendean Oval (crowd: 3722)
Sunday, 2 June Claremont 22.14 (146)def. Subiaco 9.8 (62) Albany (crowd: 2105) [32]
Monday, 3 June Perth 13.8 (86)def. by West Perth 13.13 (91) Lathlain Park (crowd: 2836)
Monday, 3 June South Fremantle 20.12 (132)def. East Fremantle 10.9 (69) Fremantle Oval (crowd: 7777)
  • East Perth show their premiership credentials with the manner of their fightback against Swan Districts, who led by thirty points and half-time before Turnbull took control in the ruck. [33]
  • One brilliant burst by Troy Wilson where he kicks four goals in ten minutes during the final quarter saves West Perth from a major upset against the tenacious Demons, who previously held an eleven-point lead. [34]

Round 10

Round 10
Saturday, 8 June Subiaco 19.7 (121)def. Swan Districts 16.11 (107) Subiaco Oval (crowd: 1755) [35]
Saturday, 8 June East Perth 16.17 (113)def. South Fremantle 17.5 (107) Perth Oval (crowd: 3408)
Saturday, 8 June West Perth 11.6 (72)def. by Claremont 17.6 (108) Arena Joondalup (crowd: 2514)
Saturday, 8 June East Fremantle 18.14 (122)def. Perth 7.11 (53) East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 1603) [36]

South Fremantle kick an amazing 10.0 (60) to half-time and 14.1 (85) to three-quarter time before their accuracy deserts them slightly – though only a last-minute goal by Betheras denies them a draw with the pacesetter. [37] It was the Bulldogs’ fourth loss by a goal or less for 1996.

Round 11

Round 11
Saturday, 15 June South Fremantle 17.18 (120)def. Subiaco 7.9 (51) Fremantle Oval (crowd: 1643) [38]
Saturday, 15 June Perth 7.9 (51)def. by East Perth 11.14 (80) Lathlain Park (crowd: 1625)
Saturday, 15 June Claremont 1.7 (13)def. by Swan Districts 12.14 (86) Claremont Oval (crowd: 1308) [39]
Saturday, 15 June West Perth 9.9 (63)def. East Fremantle 4.9 (33) Arena Joondalup (crowd: 1262)
  • At the beginning of an uncharacteristically wet spell for modern times in Perth, [40] Claremont kick their second score of 1.7 (13) in two years, equalling their second lowest all time score. The match was played with electric street lights on to aid the players, whilst Claremont were never in the hunt after getting into attack once in the first fifteen minutes.
  • Two teams – Perth and East Fremantle – fail to goal after half-time, but Troy Wilson kicks seven including four in ten minutes on a day where winds blew rain horizontally. [41]

Round 12

Round 12
Saturday, 22 June Swan Districts 28.16 (184)def. South Fremantle 9.10 (64) Bassendean Oval (crowd: 2193) [42]
Saturday, 22 June East Fremantle 18.10 (118)def. Claremont 11.11 (77) East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 1405)
Saturday, 22 June Subiaco 17.8 (110)def. Perth 14.8 (92) Subiaco Oval (crowd: 1243) [43]
Saturday, 22 June East Perth 11.11 (77)def. West Perth 9.6 (60) Perth Oval (crowd: 4522)
  • East Perth emerge winners – owing to Graham and Crough keeping Troy Wilson to two goals – in a match that showed West Perth’s move too Joondalup had not lessened the WAFL’s greatest rivalry. [44]
  • Clive Waterhouse kicks nine goals, seven behinds in Swan Districts’ second successive spectacular win, their biggest over South Fremantle beating a 108-point win from 1964. [45]

Round 13

Round 13
Saturday, 6 July Perth 14.9 (93)def. Swan Districts 11.11 (77) Lathlain Park (crowd: 1892) [46]
Saturday, 6 July East Fremantle 9.8 (62)def. by East Perth 19.9 (123) East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 2341)
Saturday, 6 July Claremont 12.18 (90)def. South Fremantle 7.5 (47) Claremont Oval (crowd: 1616)
Saturday, 6 July West Perth 19.17 (131)def. Subiaco 15.8 (98) Arena Joondalup (crowd: 2211)
  • East Perth record their tenth straight win for their best run since 1961.
  • With nine AFL-listed players, Claremont recover from two bad defeats to push the Bulldogs to two wins from the four, as South Fremantle lack forward support for the well-held Dorotich. [47]
  • 1995 Simpson Medallist Darren Harris bounces back to his best after a serious concussion in the previous match with the Lions, as West Perth kick thirteen of the last seventeen goals to be back in the four. [48]

Round 14

Round 14
Saturday, 13 July East Perth 10.4 (64)def. by Claremont 13.10 (88) Perth Oval (crowd: 3173)
Saturday, 13 July Swan Districts 16.8 (104)def. West Perth 9.10 (64) Bassendean Oval (crowd: 2718) [49]
Saturday, 13 July South Fremantle 14.13 (97)def. Perth 13.14 (92) Fremantle Oval (crowd: 1914)
Saturday, 13 July Subiaco 11.21 (87)def. by East Fremantle 17.9 (111) Subiaco Oval (crowd: 1525)
  • Thirty possessions from rejected midfielder Dean Trovarello leads Claremont to put an end to East Perth’s ten-match winning streak, with coach Daniel Panizza saying a run in the reserves had done Trovarello good. [50]
  • Subiaco kicks eight of their eleven goals in the second quarter. [51]

Round 15

Round 15
Saturday, 20 July Swan Districts 8.14 (62)def. by East Fremantle 16.7 (103) Bassendean Oval (crowd: 2132) [52]
Saturday, 20 July South Fremantle 11.9 (75)def. West Perth 10.11 (71) Fremantle Oval (crowd: 1501)
Saturday, 20 July Subiaco 5.9 (39)def. by East Perth 22.15 (147) Subiaco Oval (crowd: 1886) [53]
Saturday, 20 July Claremont 19.9 (123)def. Perth 6.13 (49) Claremont Oval (crowd: 1279)

Round 16

Round 16
Saturday, 27 July West Perth 3.12 (30)def. by Perth 11.19 (85) Arena Joondalup (crowd: 850)
Saturday, 27 July East Perth 8.12 (60)def. Swan Districts 4.9 (33) Perth Oval (crowd: 1674)
Saturday, 27 July Subiaco 9.15 (69)def. by Claremont 12.11 (83) Subiaco Oval (crowd: 900)
Saturday, 27 July East Fremantle 9.9 (63)def. South Fremantle 8.10 (58) East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 2113) [54]
  • Steady rainfall of 134.6 millimetres (5.30 in) [55] over two weeks – the steadiest in Perth since anthropogenic global warming [56] began to dry the climate – leads to very heavy conditions where bottom team Perth upsets likely finalists West Perth, whose score remains the lowest against the Demons since 1967. [57]
  • The Demons’ skill in gale-force winds and mud via a three-man attack to keep the goals open gives them a 6.1 (37) to 0.2 (2) lead at quarter-time, which West Perth can never claw back. [58]
  • East Perth take advantage of Swan Districts’ early wastefulness with the wind to soundly defeat the black and whites, whose forwards score only 2.4 (16) after quarter-time. [59]

Round 17

Round 17
Saturday, 3 August South Fremantle 8.18 (66)def. by East Perth 12.13 (85) Fremantle Oval (crowd: 2583)
Saturday, 3 August Swan Districts 32.15 (207)def. Subiaco 10.12 (72) Bassendean Oval (crowd: 1707)
Saturday, 3 August Claremont 13.13 (91)def. West Perth 3.6 (24) Claremont Oval (crowd: 1360) [60]
Saturday, 3 August Perth 4.16 (40)def. by East Fremantle 8.10 (58) Lathlain Park (crowd: 1541) [61]
  • West Perth become the first team since East Fremantle in the Preliminary and Grand Finals of 1924 to score three or fewer goals in consecutive open-age WAFL games.
  • In contrast, despite the windy and damp conditions, Swan Districts annihilate Subiaco with thirteen different goalkickers and two ten-goal quarters. [62]

Round 18

Round 18
Saturday, 10 August Subiaco 13.14 (92)def. South Fremantle 11.14 (80) Subiaco Oval (crowd: 1101)
Saturday, 10 August East Fremantle 6.11 (47)def. by West Perth 9.12 (66) East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 1479)
Saturday, 10 August East Perth 5.6 (36)def. by Perth 5.19 (49) Perth Oval (crowd: 1808)
Sunday, 11 August Swan Districts 13.15 (93)def. by Claremont 16.15 (111) Bassendean Oval (crowd: 2453)
  • In very windy conditions with 22.2 millimetres (0.87 in) of rain, [63] East Fremantle kick only one goal in three quarters and top team East Perth not only are beaten by bottom club Perth [64] but lose Scott Loving and Devan Perry to one-match suspensions. [65]
  • West Perth rebound from two previous disasters, adapting well to “arctic” conditions and moving to within percentage of fourth-placed Swan Districts. [66]

Round 19

Round 19
Saturday, 17 August South Fremantle 12.12 (84)def. by Swan Districts 16.13 (109) Fremantle Oval (crowd: 1903)
Saturday, 17 August Claremont 8.7 (55)def. by East Fremantle 10.12 (72) Claremont Oval (crowd: 1651)
Saturday, 17 August Perth 24.16 (160)def. Subiaco 7.4 (46) Lathlain Park (crowd: 1557)
Saturday, 17 August West Perth 12.16 (88)def. East Perth 10.7 (67) Arena Joondalup (crowd: 3276) [67]

Perth move off the bottom of the ladder by thrashing 1995 minor premiers Subiaco, who apart from forwards Macnish and Dan Parker appear totally disinterested, whilst the unknown Craig Shearer kicks eight. [68]

Round 20

Round 20
Saturday, 24 August South Fremantle 12.9 (81)def. Claremont 9.15 (69) Fremantle Oval (crowd: 1628)
Saturday, 24 August Subiaco 4.8 (32)def. by West Perth 15.21 (111) Subiaco Oval (crowd: 1760)
Saturday, 24 August Swan Districts 7.9 (51)def. by Perth 16.6 (102) Bassendean Oval (crowd: 2249)
Saturday, 24 August East Perth 14.12 (96)def. by East Fremantle 15.12 (102) Perth Oval (crowd: 2031) [69]
  • With coach Gary Buckenara announcing his resignation before the match, Subiaco collapse after a competitive opening forty minutes, scoring only 1.6 (12) to 12.10 (82) for the rest of the match and sealing their first wooden spoon since 1982. [70]
  • 6.0 (36) to 2.5 (17) against a strong wind effectively seals Perth’s fourth victory in seven matches and leaves Swans needing a win over the in-form Cardinals to make the four. [71]

Round 21

Round 21
Saturday, 31 August East Fremantle 26.17 (173)def. Subiaco 11.16 (82) East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 1623)
Saturday, 31 August Claremont 12.14 (86)def. East Perth 8.7 (55) Claremont Oval (crowd: 2019) [72]
Saturday, 31 August West Perth 13.18 (96)def. Swan Districts 11.4 (70) Arena Joondalup (crowd: 4671) [73]
Saturday, 31 August Perth 11.11 (77)def. by South Fremantle 18.11 (119) Lathlain Park (crowd: 1726)
  • In an amazing match, Subiaco are 2.12 (24) at three-quarter time but kick 9.4 (58) to 7.3 (45) in a last-quarter shootout, as the Sharks experiment with players in different positions. [74]
  • West Perth comfortably secure a semi-final berth despite inaccuracy over lethargic Swan Districts, whilst in a preview of the Grand Final, Claremont hold East Perth to 0.1 (1) into the wind to claim the double chance.
  • Jon Dorotich breaks Jason Heatley’s 1993 record for the most goals without a behind, as he scores thirteen straight goals from fourteen kicks, capitalising perfectly on ex-Demon Stephen Pears’ dominance of the ruck despite crowd taunts. [75]

Ladder

1996 ladder
PosTeamPldWLDPFPAPPPts
1 East Perth 21147019601566125.256
2 Claremont (P)21147019381565123.856
3 East Fremantle 21147019241814106.156
4 West Perth 211110017191660103.644
5 Swan Districts 21912020761799115.436
6 South Fremantle 2191201873193496.836
7 Perth 2171401660190087.428
8 Subiaco 2161501619253164.024
Source: WAFL Footy Facts
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) percentage; 3) number of points for.
(P) Premiers

Finals

Semi-finals

First semi-final
Sunday, 8 September East Fremantle 18.13 (121)def. West Perth 7.9 (51) Subiaco Oval (crowd: 10,184)

East Fremantle belie their previous poor record against West Perth, completely outclassing the Falcons for three quarters after defender Mellody has an amazing fifteen possessions in the first quarter. [76]

Second semi-final
Sunday, 8 September Claremont 12.18 (90)def. by East Perth 15.6 (96) Subiaco Oval (crowd: 10,184)
  • Since the two semi-finals were played at the same venue on the same day, the attendance figure is the same.
  • Jeff White’s ruck power wins for East Perth via an explosive burst of 4.1 (25) unanswered in fifteen minutes against the inaccurate Tigers. [77]

Preliminary final

Preliminary final
Sunday, 15 September East Fremantle 5.10 (40)def. by Claremont 11.16 (82) Subiaco Oval (crowd: 4,698)

In a very physical man-on-man game in heavy rain and strong winds, Claremont thrashed the Sharks after half-time, kicking 7.10 (52) to a mere 1.3 (9) – including three goals to one behind into a strong breeze in the third quarter. [78]

Grand Final

1996 WAFL Grand Final
Sunday, 22 September East Perth def. by Claremont Subiaco Oval (crowd: 29,771)
3.3 (21)
8.6 (54)
9.8 (62)
 12.12 (84)		Q1
Q2
Q3
 Final		2.0 (12)
7.1 (43)
10.5 (65)
 13.8 (86)		Umpires: Sam Kronja, Wayne French, Adam Binks
Simpson Medal: Todd Ridley (Claremont)
Gerreyn 4, Turnbull 2, Loving 2, Colbung, White, Swan, WorlandGoalsRidley 7, Lewis 4, Pyke, Ferguson
Loving, Faithfull, Miller, Gerreyn, Betharas, TurnbullBestLewis, Pyke, Ridley, Egan, Ferguson, Guard, Edwards
Gerreyn for wrestling Spencer
Fuller (runner) for misconduct		ReportsSpencer for wrestling and striking Gerreyn
Gilbert for attempting to strike Silcock
  • West Coast Eagle veterans Pyke and Lewis possess crucial freshness [79] to permit Claremont to win its fifth premiership in ten years against an East Perth club playing its first Grand Final since 1978. Ridley kicks his goals with a major knee injury [80]
  • In a spiteful game , both clubs were reported for “bringing the game into disrepute”.

Notes

a Rushton Park, also known under a sponsorship deal as Bendigo Bank Stadium, has been the home of ninth Westar Rules/WAFL club Peel Thunder since it formed in 1997.

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The 1989 WAFL season was the 105th season of senior football in Perth. It saw Claremont continue its dominance of the competition with a third successive minor premiership under Gerard Neesham, despite having lost most of their top players of previous seasons to the VFL, and their 1988 conquerors Subiaco fall to third last with a mere six wins – their worst performance since the dark days of 1983 when the club had not played in the finals for nine years and had been wooden spooners four times in eight seasons. Coach Bunton had to promote many young players and knew 1989 was to be a year of rebuilding, though only a second Colts premiership under Eddie Pitter showed Subiaco did possess much resilience.

The 2001 WAFL season was the 117th season of the various incarnations of the West Australian Football League. Following the off-season “Fong Report” by WAFC President Neale Fong which was written as a response to the problems then faced on-and off-field by AFL and domestic football in Western Australia, the league reverted to calling itself the ‘WAFL’ because it was acknowledged ‘Westar Rules’ was painfully contrived and did not reflect the history or traditions of the local game.

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 2002 WAFL season was the 118th season of the West Australian Football League. It saw East Perth, despite the end of the first host club scheme that was thought to have unfairly favoured the Royals, win their third successive premiership for the first hat-trick in the WA(N)FL since Swan Districts between 1982 and 1984. The Swans themselves had a disastrous season as chronic financial troubles, which had plagued the club for almost a decade were combined with disastrous results on the field. The black and whites were within two points of a winless season in the seniors and did little better in the lower grades.

The 1991 WAFL season was the 107th season of the various incarnations of the West Australian Football League. With the West Coast Eagles still pushing attendances down and club finances into the red, the league made further experiments. Following on from the VFL and SANFL it introduced a ‘final five’ to replace the final four in use since 1905, but this did not produce the hoped-for financial benefits and was abandoned after four seasons. A more enduring result of this chance was a ‘double-header’ system of playing finals, whereby the two senior semi-finals were played at Subiaco Oval on the same day, with the first game starting just before noon and the second at the traditional time for playing finals. As a consequence of the double-headers, reserves finals were played at Fremantle Oval and colts at Bassendean.

The 2006 WAFL season was the 122nd season of the various incarnations of the West Australian Football League. Owing to low crowds making the city's traditional big-match venue, Subiaco Oval, uneconomic due to high overheads, the WAFL followed the AFL since 1991 by scheduling finals at the home ground of the club higher on the ladder.

The 2003 WAFL season was the 119th season of the various incarnations of the West Australian Football League. For this season the WAFL reverted briefly to playing its semi-finals as a “double-header”, a policy abandoned for good at the end of the 2005 season, and also reverted to a twenty-game home-and-away season with three byes which has continued to this day.

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 2005 WAFL season was the 121st season of the various incarnations of the West Australian Football League. It saw reigning premiers Subiaco's third consecutive minor premiership, despite the loss of key forward Brad Smith to the West Coast Eagles and knee surgery. Thirty-year-old reserves spearhead Lachlan Oakley proved a perfect replacement and scored eighty goals in his only full season before moving to Victoria and playing with Parkdale Vultures in the VAFA. The Lions were widely tipped to finish the season undefeated with their perceived depth, discipline and motivation, but after suffering only two defeats in the home-and-away season, the Lions collapsed severely in the finals for South Fremantle to claim their first premiership since 1997. The premiership was a wonderful finalé for Toby McGrath, who retired for an army career after the 2004 season, but returned to WA in February and rejoined the Bulldogs to win both the Sandover and Simpson Medals.

The 2004 WAFL season was the 120th season of the various incarnations of the West Australian Football League.

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.

References

  1. 1 2 Lewis, Ross; ‘Gerreyn Refuses To Let Demons off the Hook’; in The Game; p. 11; from The West Australian; 29 April 1996
  2. ↑ East, Alan (2005); From Redlegs to Demons: A History of the Perth Football Club from 1899; p. 165
  3. ↑ See Casey, Kevin (1995); The Tigers’ Tale: the origins and history of the Claremont Football Club; Claremont Football Club; p. 201. ISBN   0646264982
  4. ↑ Lewis, Ross; ‘Falcons Count the Cost’; The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian , 1 April 1996
  5. 1 2 Reid, Russell; ‘Tigers too Strong’; The West Australian, 9 April 1996, p. 65
  6. ↑ WAFL Reserves Ladder Positions (download)
  7. ↑ WAFL Colts Ladder Positions (download)
  8. ↑ Flannery, Tim; The Weather Makers: The History and Future Impact of Climate Change; p. 131 ISBN   0802142923
  9. ↑ Lague, Steve; ‘Lions Hold Royals at Bay in Thriller’; The West Australian, 9 April 1996, p. 65
  10. ↑ Lague, Steve; ‘Swans Rise from Ashes’; The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian, 8 April 1996
  11. ↑ Lewis, Ross; ‘Career Twist for Falcon’; The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian, 15 April 1996
  12. ↑ Lague, Steve; ‘Derby explodes into Action in Dying Minutes’; The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian, 15 April 1996
  13. ↑ Lewis, Ross,; ‘Old Skills Work Well for Greg Walker’; in The Game; p. 11; from The West Australian; 22 April 1996
  14. ↑ Reid, Russell; ‘Bulldogs Storm Home’; in The Game; p. 11; from The West Australian; 22 April 1996
  15. ↑ Casellas, Ken; ‘Proctor sparks Perth Goal Rush’; in The Game; p. 11; from The West Australian; 22 April 1996
  16. ↑ Lague, Steve; ‘Beaten Swans Salvage Praise’; The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian, 29 April 1996
  17. ↑ WAFl Footy Facts: Bassendean Oval Archived September 21, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
  18. ↑ See WAFL Footy Facts: East Fremantle Oval Archived 16 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  19. 1 2 ‘Research Helps WAFL Plan for the Future’ in The Game; p. 11; from The West Australian ; 3 June 1996
  20. ↑ Reid, Russell; ‘Bulldogs Brought to Heel by Lions’; The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian, 29 April 1996
  21. ↑ Lague, Steve; ‘Royals Win in a Thriller’; The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian, 6 May 1996
  22. ↑ ‘Resolute Lions Survive Demons’ Ambush’; in The Game, p. 10; from The West Australian; 6 May 1996
  23. ↑ Lewis, Ross; ‘Peel Paves Way for Swans’; The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian, 6 May 1996
  24. ↑ Casellas, Ken; ‘Rigall Twins Right Mix in Falcons’ Cakewalk’; The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian, 13 May 1996
  25. ↑ Reid, Russell; ‘Todd Pulls Masterstroke’; The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian, 13 May 1996
  26. ↑ Lague, Steve; ‘Nesbit’s Number Fires O‘Neill to Greatness’; The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian, 13 May 1996
  27. ↑ Casellas, Ken; ‘Peos Ploy Dries Up Goals’; The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian, 20 May 1996
  28. ↑ Lague, Steve; ‘Demons Put Bulldogs to the Sword’; The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian, 20 May 1996
  29. ↑ Reid, Russell; ‘Sharks’ Defender Cuts Up Swans’; The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian, 27 May 1996
  30. ↑ Lague, Steve; ‘Mifka Inspires Falcon Win’; The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian, 27 May 1996
  31. ↑ Lewis, Ross; ‘Glum Royals Lament Final Term Fade-Out’; in The Game, p. 12; from The West Australian; 27 May 1996
  32. ↑ Casellas, Ken; ‘Injured Wrist Blow for Lewis’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian; 3 June 1996
  33. ↑ Lague, Steve; ‘Royals’ Rebound All Class’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian; 3 June 1996
  34. ↑ Lague, Steve; ‘Wilson Lifts Falcons’; The West Australian, 4 June 1996, p. 78
  35. ↑ Lague, Steve; ‘Subiaco Turns It Around’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian; 10 June 1996
  36. ↑ Casellas, Ken; ‘Slow but Sure: Bromage Lifts Sharks to Win’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian; 10 June 1996
  37. ↑ Reid, Russell; ‘Dominant Mallis Bids for State Debut’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian; 10 June 1996
  38. ↑ Casellas, Ken; ‘Axed Pears Answers Challenge’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian; 17 June 1996
  39. ↑ Lewis, Ross; ‘Dark Day for Tigers’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian; 17 June 1996
  40. ↑ Perth Metro (009225) June 1996 rainfall
  41. ↑ Lague, Steve; ‘Wilson Blitz Buries Sharks in Tempest’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian, 17 June 1996
  42. ↑ Casellas, Ken; ‘Clark Set for Higher Honours’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian; 24 June 1996
  43. ↑ Lewis, Ross; ‘Heatley in Limbo as Rewards Handed Out’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian; 24 June 1996
  44. ↑ Lague, Steve; ‘Derby Tradition Lives On’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian; 24 June 1996
  45. ↑ "WAFL Footy Facts: Swan Districts v South Fremantle". Archived from the original on 30 September 2013. Retrieved 24 December 2013.
  46. ↑ Reid, Russell; ‘Plucky Rigby Helps Demons to Rare Win’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian; 8 July 1996
  47. ↑ Lewis, Ross; ‘Souped-Up Tigers in Cruise Control’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian; 8 July 1996
  48. ↑ Lague, Steve; ‘Captain courageous Sparks Falcons’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian; 8 July 1996
  49. ↑ Lewis, Ross; ‘Youngsters the Difference for Swans’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian; 15 July 1996
  50. ↑ Reid, Russell; ‘Rejection Brings Out the Tiger in Trovarello’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian; 15 July 1996
  51. ↑ Lague, Steve; ‘Sharks Stay in Finals Hunt’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian; 15 July 1996
  52. ↑ Lague, Steve; ‘Sharks Surge into Safer Waters’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian; 22 July 1996
  53. ↑ Lewis, Ross; ‘Crough Beats Fatigue to Win Ruck Duel’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian; 22 July 1996
  54. ↑ Casellas, Ken; ‘Todd’s Move Backfires’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian; 29 July 1996
  55. ↑ Perth Metro (009225) July 1996 rainfall
  56. ↑ See Indian Ocean Climate Initiative for details
  57. ↑ Perth: Lowest Scores Conceded
  58. ↑ Lewis, Ross; ‘Demons Already Look to Next Season’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian; 29 July 1996
  59. ↑ Lague, Steve; ‘Royals Put a Hand on Minor Trophy’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian; 29 July 1996
  60. ↑ Reid, Russell; ‘Tiger Talent Outguns West Perth’; The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian, 5 August 1996
  61. ↑ Lewis, Ross; ‘Mellody Proves a Point’; The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian, 5 August 1996
  62. ↑ Lague, Steve; ‘Lions Drown in Sea of Swans Goals’; The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian, 5 August 1996
  63. ↑ Perth Metro (009225) August 1996 rainfall
  64. ↑ Lague, Steve; ‘Demons Take Sweet Revenge on Royals’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian, 12 August 1996
  65. ↑ Lague, Steve; ‘East Perth at Low Ebb for Derby Clash’; in The West Australian, 14 August 1996, p. 113
  66. ↑ Reid, Russell; ‘Falcons Keep Finals Hopes Flickering’; The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian, 12 August 1996
  67. ↑ Lague, Steve; ‘Falcons Topple Royals in Finals Run’; The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian, 19 August 1996
  68. ↑ Reid, Russell; ‘Perth Gets Radar Working in Deadly Fashion’; The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian, 19 August 1996
  69. ↑ Lewis, Ross; ‘Bilcich Answers the Call’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian, 26 August 1996
  70. ↑ Casellas, Ken; ‘Fear the Spur for Falcons’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian, 26 August 1996
  71. ↑ Lague, Steve; ‘Perth Shows Swans How It’s Done’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian, 26 August 1996
  72. ↑ Casellas, Ken; ‘Stone Rock Solid for Victorious Claremoent’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian, 2 September 1996
  73. ↑ Lague, Steve; ‘Swooping Falcons Get Best of Swans’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian, 2 September 1996
  74. ↑ Lewis, Ross; ‘Lions Can Roar Next Year, Says Buckenara’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian, 2 September 1996
  75. ↑ Reid, Russell; ‘Taunts Serve Only To Inspire Pears’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian, 2 September 1996
  76. ↑ Reid, Russell; ‘Sharks Snap Up Flagging Falcons’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian, 9 September 1996
  77. ↑ Lague, Steve; ‘White Is Catalyst in Royals’ Revival’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian, 9 September 1996
  78. ↑ Lague, Steve; ‘Rampant Tigers Smother Sharks’; in The Game, p. 10; from The West Australian; 16 September 1996
  79. ↑ Lewis, Ross; ‘AFL Stars Make Final Difference’; in The Game, p. 9 from The West Australian, 23 September 1996
  80. ↑ Reid, Russell; ‘Ridley Played Game with Major Injury’; in The Game, p. 8; from The West Australian; 23 September 1996
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