Australian Football

Barry White burst onto the league scene in 1952 when he played in all 23 of South Fremantle’s matches for the year, culminating in the Grand Final defeat of West Perth, in which he lined up on a half forward flank. He went on to enjoy the rare distinction of playing in a premiership team in each of his first three seasons as South triumphed in the 1953 Grand Final against West Perth and again 12 months later at the expense of arch rivals East Fremantle. 

White by that stage had acquired a reputation as one of the best small men in the game, a rating he would reinforce with 16 interstate appearances and 28 goals for Western Australia, including games at both the 1956 Perth and 1958 Melbourne carnivals. His South Fremantle career, which ran from 1952 to 1958 and 1960-1, comprised 160 games in which he registered 284 goals. Consistently effective and damaging, he was perhaps a trifle unfortunate never to claim the club’s fairest and best award, running second in both 1955 and 1957 and third in 1958.

Author - John Devaney