Australian Football

Allan 'Chubby' Stiles commenced with Perth in 1966 as a rover, but with the likes of Barry Cable, Graham Jenzen and Greg Bennett ahead of him in the pecking order found it hard to make his mark. He was not selected in any of Perth’s three premiership teams under Malcolm Atwell, but his consistently fine form in the reserves was rewarded with consecutive fairest and best awards at that level in 1967-8 plus the 1968 Prendergast Medal. It was only after he was tried in a back pocket that he really came into his own, and indeed he was soon regarded as one of the finest exponents of the position in the state. 

Tough, aggressive and close checking, he made life very difficult indeed for the opposing team's resting rovers. When he retired in 1975 he had played 150 WANFL games for the Demons, plus three for the state highlighted by a Simpson Medal for his performance against South Australia at Subiaco in 1970.

Author - John Devaney