Cliffhanger at Bassendean
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Swan Districts and South Fremantle faced one another at Bassendean in round 16 1993 while occupying first and second places respectively on the WAFL ladder. Swans had 10 wins from their 15 games, while the Bulldogs had one win fewer. The sides had met one another twice previously during the year, with Swans winning on both occasions, 17.18 (120) to 13.11 (89) at Bassendean in round 2, and 16.5 (101) to 12.19 (91) at Fremantle Oval in round 9. During the first half of the season Swans had looked virtually indomitable, winning their first seven matches in succession, and standing on 9 wins and 2 losses after 11 rounds. Since then, however, the wheels had unceremoniously fallen off, and the side entered this round 16 fixture with just one win to its credit from the previous four games.
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It was a similar story for the Bulldogs, whose 29.23 (197) to 10.9 (69) demolition of Subiaco in round 11 had been their eighth win for the year up to that point. In their four outings since, however, only bottom side Perth had been vanquished, while the round 15 loss to East Perth had been arguably South's most inept performance for the year.
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Swan Districts, having won the toss, are kicking with the aid of a two to three goal breeze in the opening term. Despite the fact that that breeze, hailing as it does from the south-east, is somewhat icy, many spectators are clearly already anticipating the arrival of spring, and are reclining on the surrounding grassy mounds in full-blown picnic mode. Both teams are at close to optimum strength, with the most notable absences being the two skippers, South's Wally Matera, who is suspended, and Swans' Phil Narkle, who has not played since sustaining a serious bout of concussion a couple of months earlier. Matera, who will end up winning the Bulldogs' 1993 fairest and best award, is arguably his side's most important and influential player, while it is probably no coincidence that the onset of Swans' mediocre form coincided with their loss of Narkle.
Most pundits anticipate a close game, and they will not be disappointed. Indeed, it will end up being just about the most exciting match of the 1993 minor round.
1st Quarter
45 secs Steve Richardson runs off his direct opponent Brad Hardie to collect the ball on defensive fifty for the Swans before sinking his boot into a somewhat wobbly flat punt. The ball comes off hands just ahead of centre, and is gathered up by David Ogg, who adroitly dances 'round an opponent before straightening up and goaling from just inside fifty. Swan Districts 1.0; South Fremantle 0.0
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4 mins Hardie of Swans and Flugge of South contest the ball in the air on 25 metres to the right of South's goal, and Hardie is adjudged to have taken Flugge high from behind. From the resultant free kick, Flugge only just makes the distance, but is nevertheless accurate, to bring his team back on level terms. Swan Districts 1.0; South Fremantle 1.0
6 mins The Bulldogs, who have been in the ascendancy over much of the ground, gain their second goal after Russell Williams snatches up the ball right on the fifty metre arc and spears a low pass straight to Brett Spinks on twenty-five. Spinks' kick travels extremely high, but also straight according to the goal umpire, to make the score South Fremantle 2.0; Swan Districts 1.0
16 mins John Clarkson, having gathered the ball in the midst of a dense pack of players on left centre wing, manages to wriggle clear and find sufficient space to enable him to bomb the ball long towards centre half forward. Nineteen year old full forward Scott Cummings gets on the end of the kick after sliding the last two or three metres on hands and knees. From 40 metres out, almost straight in front, his kick perfectly bisects the uprights to restore Swan Districts' narrow advantage. Swan Districts 2.2; South Fremantle 2.0
19 mins An inconclusive ball-up takes place deep in Swan Districts' left forward pocket. The ball, having bounced into the open, is snatched up by Michael Broadbridge who throws it quickly onto his left boot. The kick reaches the goal square where Cummings, one on one with John Porter, exhibits great strength in simultaneously getting clean hands to the ball and sending his opponent clattering to the ground. From 15 metres out directly in front he is never going to miss. Swan Districts 3.2; South Fremantle 2.0
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22 mins Williams collects the ball deep in the left forward pocket and embarks on a run. His first bounce almost sees him lose control of the ball, but he recovers, and, having danced around a couple of opponents, reaches the goal square unmolested, before goaling. Swan Districts 3.2; South Fremantle 3.0
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26 mins Jason Spinks does battle in the air with Swans full back Gower. Both players appear to be giving as much as they are getting, but the umpire picks out a free kick to Spinks who, from 40 metres out, directly in front, fires his team into a 5 point lead. South Fremantle 4.1; Swan Districts 3.3
Swan Districts spend the remainder of the quarter deep in attack, but only manage to add a behind to their score.
QUARTER TIME: South Fremantle 4.1 (25); Swan Districts 3.3 (21)
2nd Quarter
10 mins Russell Williams gets high off the ground to mark uncontested at centre half forward. He then unloads a stupendous torpedo punt that has travelled almost 60 metres by the time it bounces almost on the goal line, and then over for full points. South Fremantle 5.2; Swan Districts 3.4
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16 mins Clarkson careers out of the goal square to collect the ball but, under intense pressure, is forced to handball blindly. The ball travels straight to Turner, who kicks truly with a rapid-fire, around the body left foot snapshot from about 20 metres out, almost straight in front. The Bulldogs are playing with ever increasing confidence and verve, and one can imagine the alarm bells beginning to ring on the Swan Districts coaching bench. South Fremantle 6.2; Swan Districts 3.4
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18 mins Ogg runs through the centre of the ground and handballs over the heads of the approaching swarm of Bulldogs players to Stanley. The Bulldogs half forward flanker bobs and weaves in order to find space, and then sends a low, centering kick towards the goal square. Leading out from full forward, Cummings is first to the ball, which he hugs to his chest, only to spill it almost immediately. However, to hoots of derision from many of the South Fremantle fans in the ground, the umpire judges that Cummings has held the ball long enough to be awarded the mark. His ensuing kick, from a distance of less than 20 metres on the most negligible of angles, is accurate, and Swans pull back to within 10 points. South Fremantle 6.2; Swan Districts 4.4
Swans have been continually winning the ball out of the centre, and their style of play is neat and pleasing to the eye. However, South's tactic of resorting to 'route one' whenever possible has, on balance, proved more effective, with Swans' counter measure of employing a 'proto-flood' every time the Bulldogs threaten proving of only limited efficacy.
22 mins Jason Spinks has somehow managed to elude everybody at centre half forward for South and marks Bottrell's kick easily on his chest before kicking his second goal of the match. South Fremantle 7.3; Swan Districts 4.4
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25 mins From just ahead of centre, Ugle spears a low kick to Stanley, who marks securely midway between half forward left and centre half forward. Stanley's slightly tentative looking kick wobbles towards the goal square where it somehow contrives to elude the hands of everyone in the waiting pack, falling instead into the waiting arms of the unmarked Scott Cummings, who is standing almost on the goal line, and whose fourth goal inevitably ensues. South Fremantle 7.3; Swan Districts 5.5
27 mins The Bulldogs respond with a similar goal of their own as a Brad Collard kick from half forward left comes off hands in the goal square straight to Brett Spinks, who is able to run into an open goal and easily register his third. South Fremantle 8.4; Swan Districts 5.5
29 mins Scott Harvey gathers the ball near centre half forward and pokes a low, seemingly almost half-hearted kick to Travis Edmonds who marks exactly 25 metres from goal, directly in front. He makes no mistake. South Fremantle 8.4; Swan Districts 6.5
The Bulldogs add two further behinds during the final couple of minutes of the term to go in at the long break 13 points to the good, a margin which accurately reflects the crisper, more penetrative nature of their football.
HALF TIME: South Fremantle 8.6 (54); Swan Districts 6.5 (41)
3rd Quarter
The pace is frantic during the opening minutes of the third term, with the play of both sides littered with mistakes. South Fremantle still appear to be favouring a slightly more direct approach than Swans, but the inability of either team to produce cohesive football produces numerous stoppages, and makes it difficult for definite patterns of play to be developed and maintained.
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13 mins At half forward left, a couple of metres in from the boundary, Jason Spinks marks Taylor's crisp pass comfortably on his chest, a kicks truly, albeit that the ball only narrowly avoids contact with the left goal post. It is his second goal of the afternoon, and gives rise to the widest margin to occur during the game, 20 points. South Fremantle 9.8; Swan Districts 6.6
Swans, who are enjoying use of the gradually stiffening breeze for the last time in the match, dominate the remainder of the quarter, but kick badly to add 5 successive behinds.
THREE QUARTER TIME: South Fremantle 9.8 (62); Swan Districts 6.11 (47)
4th Quarter
During the three-quarter time interval both coaches exhort their charges to kick the ball long through the central corridor at every opportunity. For Swans, this will represent a marked departure from the style of play they have tended to adopt so far, with coach Todd opining that, had they not been so indirect, they would probably be well in front by this stage.
2 mins Adhering to John Todd's instructions to a tee, veteran Mike Richardson tears through the centre of the ground and, picking out a fast leading Scott Cummings at centre half forward, hits him on the chest with a perfectly timed 'daisy cutter'. The young full forward makes no mistake to claim his 5th goal. South Fremantle 9.8; Swan Districts 7.11
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3 mins South's response is immediate and telling. Jason Spinks, after marking just to the rear of left centre wing, sends a high, booming kick towards centre half forward where Mark Caputi, despite being opposed by three Swans defenders, displays superb judgement to take a commanding, one grab mark, before rounding things off to perfection by kicking truly. South Fremantle 10.8; Swan Districts 7.11
5 mins Running out from the left back pocket in an attempt to claim the ball, Marty Atkins overruns it, and a fierce scramble for possession develops. Eventually the ball is soccered along the ground towards the goal square where the first player to reach it is David Ogg. Despite being grabbed almost immediately from behind, Ogg just manages to squeeze out a low kick that scuds over the goal line for full points. South Fremantle 10.8; Swan Districts 8.11
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9 mins Matt Stevens, having marked strongly right on the 50 metre arc, midway between centre half forward and half forward right, is taken high, and felled, by Jason Spinks, whereupon the umpire promptly awards a 50 metre penalty. Needless to say, this moves Stevens to within point blank range of goal, and he effortlessly brings the Swans to within a straight kick of their opponents. South Fremantle 10.10; Swan Districts 9.12
13 mins The umpire adjudges that Dean Irving has been illegally shepherded out of a marking contest occurring midway between left centre wing and half forward left for the Bulldogs. Sinking his boot into a mighty 65 metre drop punt - easily the longest kick of the match so far - he propels the ball deep into the grandstand behind the goal, perfectly bisecting the central uprights en route. South Fremantle 11.11; Swan Districts 9.12
The next six minutes of the game see Swans constantly on the attack, but they are only able to bring up a sequence of 3 behinds. The Bulldogs then take over for the ensuing five minutes, but they too only manage to post minor scores.
24 mins Mike Richardson on left centre wing, just inside the boundary, pokes a low left foot kick to John Clarkson, who fails to hold the mark, but recovers quickly to gather the ball off the ground and kick it deep into the left forward pocket, in the direction of a swift moving Troy Ugle. The Swans half forward flanker, who is being closely pursued by two South Fremantle defenders, gets high off the ground, but has the ball punched from his grasp. However, he manages to recover more quickly than his opponents, and after scooping the ball up he kicks around his body with his right foot. The ball floats high across goal and comes down just beyond the goal square, where it is marked powerfully by Jason Ball. The massive 200cm, 104kg Swans player, who is on sojourn from the West Coast Eagles, has no trouble in bringing his team back to within 5 points of the Bulldogs. South Fremantle 11.14; Swan Districts 10.15
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29 mins With the small crowd making as much noise as at an average AFL game, Swans have been attacking persistently and desperately for five minutes. However, the Bulldogs defence, although sometimes stretched to the limit, has performed heroically to keep them out. With the ball about 20 metres from Swan Districts' goal, more or less adjacent to the left point post, Ugle stoops low to collect, and appears to thrust his head into South Fremantle defender John Porter's waiting arms. The incident classically highlights one of the most ambiguous and controversial aspects of the laws of the game, but the umpire is unequivocal, promptly blowing to signal a free to the Swans man. Several South players protest vehemently, but needless to say it is to no avail. As Ugle is moved around onto a 70° angle and readies himself to kick, many of the home supporters cannot bear to watch. However, Ugle is composure personified as he effortlessly 'threads the needle' to give his side the lead for the first time since late in the opening term. The crowd is in uproar as the hero of the moment, grinning almost maniacally like a Cheshire cat, is swamped by ecstatic team mates. Swan Districts 11.15; South Fremantle 11.14
Hardly surprisingly, the last couple of minutes of the game produce increasingly frenzied, desperate football from both sides. However, Swans, with the bulk of the crowd roaring encouragement and support, prove consistently capable of bottling the play up, and so they hang on to record a 1 point win that had looked unlikely for much of the afternoon.
FINAL SCORE: Swan Districts 11.15 (81); South Fremantle 11.14 (80)
Match Summary
1st | 2nd | 3rd | FULL TIME | |
Swan Districts | 3.3 | 6.5 | 6.11 | 11.15.81 |
South Fremantle | 4.1 | 8.6 | 9.8 | 11.14.80 |
BEST
Swan Districts: Edmonds, Cummings, M.Richardson, Ogg, Broadbridge, S.
Richardson
South Fremantle: B.Spinks, Wootton, C.Collard, Fimmano, B.Collard, Williams
GOALS
Swan Districts: Cummings 5; Ogg 2; Ball, Edmonds, Stevens, Ugle
South
Fremantle:
B.Spinks 3; J.Spinks, Williams 2; Caputi, Flugge, Irving, Turner
At Bassendean Oval
Postscript
Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, Swans did not really derive any observable impetus from this result. After scraping home by 2 points against Subiaco in round 17 they managed just one further home and away win for the year, and even managed to lower their colours to eventual wooden spooners Perth. Fortunately for them, however, all the other finals contenders seemed to find the going just as difficult, and Swans' eventual tally of 13 wins was good enough to procure second place on the ladder heading into the finals. Once there, however, they performed disappointingly. In the qualifying final against Claremont, they were never really in contention in going down in the end by 23 points. They began the following week's 1st semi final against Subiaco more impressively, booting 5.1 to 1.6 in the opening term, and still having their noses in front by 5 points at the main break. By three quarter time, however, the Lions had seized the initiative, and Swans ultimately succumbed by 19 points to bring a season that had promised so much early on to a rankly disappointing conclusion.
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Needless to say, however, there were bright spots. Young full forward Scott Cummings emphasised his promise by securing the Ted Holdsworth Memorial Award with 85 goals for the year, while the popular Travis Edmonds was a worthy winner of the club's fairest and best trophy. In the Sandover Medal, Mike Richardson (the runner-up on 25 votes), Edmonds (19), Troy Ugle (16) and John Clarkson (15) all featured prominently, and overall there seemed reasonable grounds for believing that the club was on the right general track, and could be expected to challenge strongly for the premiership within a couple of years.
In the event, several factors conspired to scupper these expectations.
During the summer months, Swans coach John Todd and veteran onballer Mike Richardson had a major difference of opinion which resulted in Richardson walking out on the club. He eventually joined West Perth. Meanwhile, promising full forward Scott Cummings commenced an AFL career with Essendon, and he was never satisfactorily replaced. In 1994, Swans scraped into the finals in 5th place, but then bowed out of contention straight away with an elimination final loss to Subiaco.
Things got much worse in 1995 following the departure of John Todd, who returned to his original club, South Fremantle, as senior coach. Two years later he would steer the Bulldogs to the flag, but by that time Swan Districts' fortunes had plummeted. Under Todd's replacement, Graham Melrose, they managed just 2 wins in 1995 to finish last, and although there was marginal improvement the following year, it would be 2003 before Swans fans could realistically regard their team as boasting genuine premiership credentials.
The Bulldogs' immediate future was scarcely any brighter than Swans'. A meagre tally of just 6 wins in 1994 would see them finish well out of contention for the finals, and although John Todd's return as coach in 1995 elicited marginal improvement (finals participation, and an eventual finish of 4th), the side's mediocre showing the following year seemed to imply that the 'honeymoon' period was well and truly over. All this was forgotten in 1997, however, as South scored one of the most noteworthy premiership triumphs in their history after overcoming arch rivals East Fremantle, which was celebrating its centenary, in a rousing grand final.
The Bulldogs have continued to make sporadic assaults on the WAFL premiership, reaching grand finals in 1999 and 2001, only to lose to West Perth and East Perth respectively, before capturing their twelfth league flag in 2005.
In 1993, the widespread popular perception was that the status of clubs like Swans and South had been diminished by the emergence of a locally-based AFL club, the West Coast Eagles. Within two years there would be further erosion of status - or so it was widely contended - after the arrival on the scene of a second West Australian AFL side, Fremantle. Whether or not you agree with this viewpoint probably depends on your definition of the word 'status'. However, one way in which newcomers like the Eagles and Dockers are clearly inferior to the likes of Swan Districts and South Fremantle is in terms of tradition. All WAFL clubs other than Peel Thunder have traditions deriving from decades of aspiration, frustration, achievement and despair, whereas clubs like West Coast and Fremantle are still fumbling towards the basic sense of identity that is needed before any genuine sense of tradition can develop. Moreover, with games like their round 16 clash in 1993 at Bassendean Oval, Swan Districts and South Fremantle are continuing to build on and enrich both their own unique traditions, and that of the sport of Australian football as a whole. Long may it continue to be so.
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