Australian Football

Joseph Lawson was arguably the finest full back in Swan Districts’ history. That, at any rate, was the opinion of the men arguably better placed than anyone to make such an assessment – the selectors who installed him in that position for the club’s official ‘Team of the Century’. Between 1955 and 1966 Lawson played a total of 235 WANFL games for Swans, winning a fairest and best award in 1958. These games included the club’s three successive winning Grand Finals of 1961-2-3, in the first two of which Lawson was rated high among the best players.

Captain of his club for part of the 1959 season, Joe Lawson, perhaps surprisingly, made just one interstate appearance for Western Australia during his career. There can be little doubt, however, that overall he was one of the best and most consistent last line defenders in the league.

Author - John Devaney