The 1908 WAFL season in review
×
Right ▼
In all respects the Western Australian Football League can congratulate itself upon the success of the season just closed. Interest in the competition for the premierships was well-maintained from start ta finish, and although the play was not of as high a standard as in some former years, the conduct of the players on the field was exceedingly creditable. This latter result is particularly pleasing in view of the incidents that have occurred elsewhere, notably in Melbourne, where the greater licence allowed by the umpires has brought about more than one disgraceful scene. Players and others who went east with the Jubilee team in August saw some of the Victorian League contests, and they were emphatic in declaring that the conduct of our footballers is far ahead of that of the men in Melbourne. The players here deserve great credit for such a state of things, but it must not be forgotten that an umpire's control of the game has much to do with preventing the incidents that usually lead up to cowardly exhibitions, and that, therefore, we are fortunate in having such capable central umpires as have been seen on the coast during the past few seasons.
The grounds difficulty is now, apparently a thing of the past, and with each new winter the position in that respect should become better still, for fresh grounds, at any rate in the metropolitan area, are continually being brought to the front. Last year the Perth Cricket Ground was closed owing to a dispute between the League and the controllers of that area, but satisfactory arrangements were made this year, and the ground got a very fair share of the matches, although the enthusiasm of Perth supporters of the game was not so intense as to bring about any sensational gate returns. The Fremantle Oval is still far away the best ground for attracting spectators, and while it holds that position, the League cannot justly be blamed for playing the final match there when the contesting teams represent the city and the port.
The Show Ground at Claremont had to be cut out of the arrangements altogether, not because the League objected to it, but because the Royal Agricultural Society considered itself badly treated by being allotted in the first round only seven matches, against seven for the Midland Junction Oval, seven for Mueller Park, and six for the North Fremantle Oval. Where the bad treatment of the Society came in it is difficult to see, particularly as there was a prospect of its ground getting some of the second round of matches, some of the inter-State exhibition contests, some of the semi-finals, and probably the final, as was the case last year. If the Society looks into the matter now it will probably come to the conclusion that its action in closing its ground against the footballers was, in the light of after events, rather injudicious. However, the footballers did not suffer, for there were more than sufficient playing areas available.
×
Center ▼
Of course it is ancient history now that East Fremantle has won the 1908 premiership. The Easts came into competition as far back as 1899. and since then they have either been premiers or runners-up each year, the first position having been attained by them no less than six times. It is remarkable, too, that the premiership and the second honours have, during those ten years, been divided between East Fremantle, West Perth, and Perth, notwithstanding that for the greater portion of the time there have been six teams bidding for the laurels. In the season just closed the Blue and Whites played in 19 matches, and of those they won 16 and lost 3, and had the honour, as befitted their position, of having the greatest number of points (1,004) scored for them, and the least number of points (567) scored against them.
They owe their success to many things, but principally to their strict attention to training, their dogged determination in the fray, their great knowledge of the features that make victory as distinguished from those that merely appeal to the grandstand, the persistency with which they play to each other, and the coolness of their old warriors, such as Tom Wilson, Dolly Christy, Scotty Doig, "Hook" Doig. Beswick, Sweetman, and McIntyre. All these ancients rendered excellent service throughout the winter, and they ably backed up the efforts of Hesketh and Scott (in the ruck), Wrightson, Lee, and Strang (back), Parsons, Honeybone, and Sharpe (on the centre line), and Charlie Doig and others (forward). Charlie Doig was their star performer until he went to Melbourne, where, although he paid strict attention to training, and was one of the quietest men in a well-behaved team, he proved a total failure. The explanation of his non-success in the big engagements in the Victorian capital is to be found in the fact that he had been wound up for too long; and had gone stale.
The Easts tried very few men during the winter, and those they did experiment with did not do anything brilliant, although Hopkins, Barwise, and Robinson, who came from the junior ranks, bid fair to be heard of in good company later on. Of the three defeats suffered by the Easts, two were inflicted by South Fremantle, and the other one by East Perth. The East Fremantle and South teams met four times during the season, the first engagement being on June 6. when the Souths won by 4.12 to 1.10. The next contest between them was on August 1. when the Easts turned the tables by 8.12 to 7.5. On September 5 the old rivals faced each other for the third time, the result being in favour of the Souths by 6.14 to 4.8. A week later the teams met in the semi-finals, and on that occasion victory rested with the Easts by 3.13 to 4.6. The East Perth victory over East Fremantle was achieved on August 29, when the city men scored 7.5 to their opponents' 6.6. The East Perthites can, therefore, proudly claim that they were the only combination outside Fremantle to defeat the premiers of 1908.
How much longer the East Fremantleites are going to stay at or about the head of the tree as a result, chiefly, of the work of men who earned the right to retire years ago, it is difficult to say. Christy and Wilson announced their retirement from active football many years ago, and yet in the final match of this season Christy came to the front as the best man on his side, and Wilson was not far behind him. That is surely a meritorious performance for Christy after 24 consecutive years of senior football.
×
Left ▼
The performances of the Western Australian team in the Jubilee carnival in Melbourne mark a bright spot in the season just closed. Our representatives were generally regarded here as being inferior to those that went East four years ago,but when the facts are properly faced, it will probably be admitted that the general opinion was astray. The leading lights of the 1904 team were Dolph Heinrichs and Rowell, and critics in the West claimed that we had neither a Rowell nor a Heinrichs in the 1908. That claim was right so far as the forward department was concerned, but against it comes the fact that the 1904 team did not have a Matson (back) or a Gravenall (centre). Take Heinrichs and Rowell out of the 1904 team and Matson and Gravenall out of the 1908 team, and who can honestly say that the latter was not as good as the former? Much capital has been made out of the arrangements of the Jubilee fixtures, particularly with respect to the Wests having been pitted against the South Australians seven or eight days after landing in Melbourne. Well, events proved that our men were equal to the task, and, anyhow, when the matter is considered squarely, the arrangement was no worse for our men than it was for many others.
Some of the people in the West declared that our men were the worst treated of the lot so far as the fixtures were concerned; but that was far from being true. The men upon whom the fixtures were hardest were those representing New South Wales. Half of those who played for the mother State came from Sydney, and the other half came from Broken Hill. The contingent from the latter place did not reach Melbourne until a couple of days before the commencement of the carnival, and on top of that they had to take the field in the opening match against New Zealand with precious little knowledge of the style of play of the men from Sydney. The New South Welshmen lost that match simply because they had not had ample opportunity of becoming acquainted with each other before operations began. Subsequent events showed that New Zealand could never have beaten them had they had a few weeks' previous training together.
Our men acquitted themselves splendidly by beating South Australia twice and gaining the position of runners-up in a competition which brought into the field practically the pick of the footballers of Australasia. The Victorians certainly trounced our men with considerable ease, as they did the South Australians, but it must be borne in mind that the bitter climate and the greasy ground were all in favour of the men who were accustomed to such conditions. Western Australia gained a very good advertisement by the achievements of her football representatives in Melbourne this winter.
×
Right ▼
One Eastern writer, in commenting upon the Jubilee carnival, remarked that the surprise of the gathering was the uprising of the men from the West; but why there should have been any surprise in that is somewhat puzzling when anyone acquainted with football should have known that included in the other competing teams were no less than nine men who had made their football reputation, principally, if not entirely, in this State. Victoria included Franks, Kelly, Shea, Bailes, and Goddard; South Australia had Chamberlain and Woollard; New South Wales had Renfrey, and New Zealand had Bond.
The Perths, who were the runners-up for the premiership, played 19 games during the season, and of these they won 14 and lost 5. In the first match of the season they went under to East Fremantle, the scores being:- Easts, 9.6; Perths, 6.8, and they continued to go under in their second and third matches against the Easts. They also lowered their colours once to the South Fremantleites, and once to Midland Junction, but with those their defeats ended. They were always too good for the Wests, but in their three tries against East Fremantle they had to take second place each time, although they always put up a sterling fight. They had numerous good men in their ranks, and with Jack Leckie at their head, they were always skilfully handled. They had, however, too long a tail-too many men who were unable to keep up a full head of steam from start to finish of a hot contest.
×
Left ▼
Opinions may differ as to who was their best man, but this writer does not hesitate to give the palm to Alec Clarke, that veteran follower who has done such remarkably good work for the Red Legs throughout a long stretch of years. Clarke was not given a place in the Jubilee team, but there is no doubt that he would have given an excellent account of himself if he had gone to Melbourne. He was one of the men badly needed on the heavy ground upon which the Australasian championship was decided. Close up to Clarke came Orr, Thompson, and Edwards, who were in the Jubilee contingent, without, however, setting the Yarra on fire, although both Thompson and Orr, in conjunction with "Diver" Dunn in the ruck, performed well in that memorable first match against South Australia. Edwards, like Charlie Doig, had probably gone stale, for he was undoubtedly one of our best back men before he left for the East. Other serviceable players on the side of the Perths were Davey (a champion long-kick who should be heard of in coming seasons), Crase, Reg. Cherry, Cumming, Moffatt, Glowrey, Wilson, Waugh, Winton, Burns, Miller, Leckie (early in the season). Brady (a promising ruck man who came on the scene late in the season and shaped remarkably well), and Southee, The latter was not himself early in the winter, "but towards the end he struck form with a vengeance, some of his flights into the atmosphere, particularly in the final match against East Fremantle, being some of the most brilliant efforts ever seen on a football ground on the coast.
After the Perths in premiership order came the South Fremantleites with 10 wins and eight losses out of 18 games. The career of this team throughout the season was a most perplexing one. In the first match of the season they were defeated by East Perth 6.15 to 6.8, and in the second match they succumbed to West Perth 4.4 to 3.5. On May 23 they met and defeated Perths by 6.12 to 6.3 in what was regarded as one of the finest matches witnessed on the Fremantle Oval for years. They followed this up by romping over Subiaco to the time of 13.13 to 6.6, and then, on June 6, by 4.12 to 1.10, they made East Fremantle bite the dust for the first time during the season. The defeats of Perth and East Fremantle were two very high-class performances, and without doing any bigger things, the Souths appeared to have a great chance of gaining premiership laurels for the first time in their history. A week after drubbing the Easts, however, they were defeated by the Norths by 5.5 to 3.5, who seven days later were accounted for by West Perth 3.10 to 2.8. Souths met the East Fremantleites four times, and on two occasions they came out winners. They were, however, put down by Midland Junction on August 29. the Midlands scoring 8.13 to 4.9. They had some very good men in their uniforms, but somehow or other they lacked consistency, Their principal men were "Diver" Dunn, Mattison, Bromley, Miller, Glenn, Wyatt, Bates, Franklin, Pierce, Goodenough, Coates, and Hancock.
×
Right ▼
Fourth on the list with 8 wins 9 losses and one draw out of 18 matches, the Wests were about as in and out as the Souths, although they were not quite so sensational in their victories. They defeated South Fremantle and North Fremantle twice each, but they went under to the Norths in their third try, under to the Subiacoites once, to the Perths three times, to East Fremantle twice, and to Midland Junction once, and if the Midlands had been well handled on June 18, Wests would have been defeated by them twice. Like the Perths, they had a fairly long tail, and they were not always well captained, for Fred Strickland, although playing exceedingly well, did not control his men as he ought to have done. This was particularly noticeable in the last match against Perth, when a good skipper could have gained the victory for the Wests. About the most serviceable men for the Wests were Bairne, Fred Strickland, Golding (one of the coming goal-kickers), O'Callaghan, McCarthy, Oliver, Jeffrey, Diprose, Everett (before he went to Melbourne), MacNamara, A. A. Strickland (late in the season only), Simmonds, Barnes, Hughes, and Bennett. Hayes, who was brought up from the State school ranks early, in the season, gave promise of great things and then faded away miserably. He may be heard of again when he learns things.
East Perths were out of stride in the early part of the winter, but they started to come with a late run, and until East Fremantle settled their chances on August 15. they looked to be going strong for the premiership. They had the satisfaction, however, of defeating East Fremantle before they retired from the field for the year. They have a fine all-round team of footballers, who, under a captain like Tom Wilson or Jack Leckie, should be capable of great things. Such players as Savage, Sloss, Loughridge, the Hesford quartette, Frank Oliver, Hogan. Andrews, and Co., are fit for any company.
North Fremantle acquired fame as the team that beat the Souths, the defeators of East Fremantle. After that they became known as the hospital team, for they wert unfortunate enough to have somewhere about eight of their men laid up at one time. In Gravenall they had a man who proved himself to be the best centre man in the Jubilee carnival in Melbourne. They made him captain and thus deprived themselves to a great extent of his valuable services, for Gravenall was too conscientious to neglect the control of his men in order to do himself justice as a player.
The Midlands, on their own mud-patch, were always a hard team to beat. Perth, South Fremantle, and West Perth, each found the task too much on one occasion.The men from Railway Town are a splendid lot of footballers, and during the past winter they richly earned their place in senior ranks. Like many another team in the League, they badly want a good captain.
The Subies are once again at the bottom of the list, but then they are accustomed to that pavilion. They finished at the bottom the first season they came up from the juniors, and they have continued the same game ever since. Early in the winter they threatened to shake all the other teams up. They started the football work on May 9 (the second Saturday of the season) by defeating East Perth by 9.5 to 6.8, and to show that this was no fluke they followed it up on the following Saturday by beating West Perth 6.8 to 5.8. Up to the fourth Saturday they were unbeaten, for on the opening day they had played a draw against Midland Junction, and consequently when they were billed to meet the also unbeaten East Fremantleites, a very big crowd journeyed out to Mueller Park to see the contest. The Easts brought all their skill and energies to bear, and at the end of the third quarter the battle was virtually over, and the Subies had gone down never to rise again - for the 1908 season, at any rate. They just lasted long enough to show what might be done by a well-chosen and carefully coached team and then their ambition was satisfied. Such conduct, however, should not satisfy the League, which should seriously consider the matter of sending the Subies back to junior ranks unless reliable evidence of considerable improvement is forthcoming.
The League delegates and officials are to be congratulated upon the manner in which they conducted the business of the football, Mr. R. D. O'Neill, as chairman. was as successful as ever, and Mr. J. J. Simons, that Trojan for work and organisation was capitally placed as secretary. The delegates, too, showed less of that club spirit that has done so much dam-age to football in the past and they have set a worthy example for future delegates to follow.
Footnotes
Title: FOOTBALL THE AUSTRALIAN GAME. REVIEW OF THE 1908 SEASON.
Author : Mark
Publisher : Western Mail (Perth, WA : 1885 1954)
Date :Saturday 10 October 1908 p 37 Article
Link:- http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/37817720/3846976
Comments
This article does not contain any comments.
Login to leave a comment.