George Owens looks back
George ("Staunch") Owens' reminiscences of his playing days bring within their sweep many of the greatest personalities and most thrilling matches, premiership and interstate, within the history of the Australian code.
Owens was in a class apart as an all-rounder in Western Australia and the gallery of past champions of every State must be carefully studied to produce any his superior in versatility and brilliance. The combination was thoroughly tested in the pinnacle of championship company and Owens' lustrous reputation was never dulled.
The weightier responsibilities of a league umpire have succeeded the thrilling and glamorous duels of the past, but there remains an abiding memory of the great allies and rivals with whom the former champion had contact in his playing career.
George Owens got his grounding in football at the East Perth school in 1910 at the age of 10. His talents revealed themselves quickly, for a year later he was selected as a member of the combined schools' team on a visit to Kalgoorlie, managed by the present league secretary (Mr. W. R. Orr). ‘Trotter’ McGuinness, who afterwards roved brilliantly for Fremantle teams, was a member of the side, and Allan Evans, Perth goalsneak later, captained the goldfields team
At 14 he entered junior ranks in the East Perth Ex-Scholars' Club, there meeting Bert Harrold and Charlie Kins who afterwards, like himself, were prominent with East Perth. Up to that period "Staunch" was always used as rover.
Forging to the front he was promoted to league company with East Perth in 1917, being then only 16. Paddy Finlay was captain, and Owens was tried out as a half-forward.
East Perth was mostly composed of juniors, but they won their first engagement that season with Subiaco, then captained by the late Phil Matson, who was destined afterwards to bring East Perth to the top. However, East Perth had a poor season.
The last season "Staunch" Owens stripped with East Perth was 1932, but his regular service ended in 1929. Altogether he made 195 appearances with the club — a record beaten only by Val Sparrow and Jack Guhl.
East Perth's rise
Two men Owens singles out as mainly responsible for East Perth's rise to fame — Mr. Cyril Norton, former secretary and now a number of the Umpires' Board, for his advice to tho young players early and for his efficient administration as secretary from 1915 to 1926, and Phil Matson, who became the coach towards the end of the war and whose strategy was of incalculable value.
"Cyril Norton was like a father to us early, and Matson did the rest," he said. "It was Matson who started me out as a follower. His brilliant qualities as player I will allow others to testify to as they remember him better at his peak. "I cannot recall a better club side than East Perth during their premiership run. In 1933 they went East and beat the two then leading South Australian teams, Norwood and West Adelaide, and St. Kilda beat them by only one point."
Can you guess the match Owens regards as the roughest he has played? Like many others he selects the final of the 1924 carnival between Western Australia and Victoria at Hobart.
Hardest games
He found no game harder than that with Victoria in 1926 in Perth, when Western Australia won by three points.
A match still vivid in his memory is a semi-final, when East Perth met East Fremantle and when Paddy Hebbard, Joe O'Meara and Jack Walsh, three of East Perth's best, were badly injured. They won with 15 men. "I think that is the greatest club effort I can remember," he added.
"Every man has his idol," Owens replied, when asked his opinion of the greatest player he had encountered. "Mine, I think, is Roy Cazaly, whom I should judge to be the best footballer in an all-round sense I have seen. "He never took a run to fly for the ball, going up great heights from a standing position; he kicked with either foot; he was an expert ground player, and brilliant in ruck or placed; in fact he had everything.
One of the greatest of all followers I rucked with or against was Tom Outridge, while none had greater reason than myself to appreciate the worth of such a wonderful shepherder as Albert Western. Of all the half-backs I have tried to beat Arthur Green, of Subiaco, gave me most trouble. He was always hard to overcome.
"Here or elsewhere I have not seen better rovers than Duffy and Leonard, and my vote on half-forward and centre forward would go to Paddy Hebbard and "Bonny" Campbell, respectively. Naturally I saw more of these players, and was better able to appreciate their methods and their skill, but their worth will be generally acknowledged. 'There are so many to try to remember! Could you wish for better men than constituted that great halfback line of West Perth — Boyd, Greig and Gosnell, to mention only three others of my time?
“The best high marks 1 remember in this State were Ernie Riley, of East Fremantle, and Billy Hilton of East Perth, and, beyond our borders, Alec Duncan and Tom Fitzmaurice, of Victoria." Owens figured in more than a score of interstate matches, including, carnival games. He was elected with 25 others to train under Jack Leckie for the 1921 carnival matches in Perth, but broke a collarbone a fortnight before the championships. His first appearance in State colors was in 1923.
Little did the former champion imagine during his playing career or even for some years afterwards that he would still be a conspicuous figure in league football today. He decided to take on umpiring in 1934, and succeeded to such purpose that he secured appointment, to the P.S.A. grade, and umpired all the finals — a job commissioned to the previous season league umpires. Appointed to the league last year, he proved the outstanding umpire, and was tho obvious choice for the big matches, only standing down for those with Victoria, of which J. McMurray (Victoria) was in charge.
“The umpire's job is much the harder because of the responsibility”, Owens says. “The player can make 100 mistakes which are condoned, but the umpire knows all about it if he makes one."
Footnotes
Title: Staunch Owens looks back on famous occasions Publishers: The Daily News (Perth, WA., 1882-1950) Date: Thursday 25 June 1936 (Final Edition), p.7 (Article) Author: Harry Potter (Kudex) Web: http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/85705293
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