Australian Football

Ross Hutchinson shares with John Todd the distinction of having coached a record three different West Australian league clubs to premierships. Moreover, again like Todd, he was an excellent player, although he lost several of his best years to the war.

Hutchinson joined East Fremantle in 1935 and had a pronounced, immediate impact, winning the Lynn Medal for the club’s fairest and best player both that year and the next. In 1937 he was appointed captain-coach, and promptly steered his side to a flag. Old Easts went into the finals in second place on the ladder with 14 wins and a draw from their 21 matches, and then had to recover from the setback of losing the Second Semi Final to minor premier Claremont by 14 points. This they did in exemplary fashion, overcoming a stern but wayward challenge from East Perth in the Preliminary Final, and then turning the tables on the Tigers on grand final day with a 14.13 (97) to 13.9 (87) win, after Claremont had led by 11 points at the last change. Hutchinson, who had played in the centre in the Grand Final, moved to a half back flank for the premiership decider and was a crucial steadying influence all day.

Remaining at the helm in 1938 and 1939, Hutchinson suffered the disappointment of overseeing consecutive Grand Final losses to Claremont. In 1940, RAAF duties prevented him from playing, and in 1941 he sought a clearance to West Perth, which wanted him as captain-coach, but this was refused. Hutchinson spent the season coaching from the sidelines as the Cardinals overcame his former club in both the Second Semi Final and Grand Final to clinch what would undoubtedly have been an immensely gratifying premiership.

RAAF commitments kept Hutchinson out of the game until 1946, by which time he had been cleared to play with West Perth. However, although the Cardinals fought their way through to the Grand Final, they ultimately found Old Easts to be just a little too strong, and went under by a goal.

In 1947 he took on what proved to be his final coaching challenge when he crossed to South Fremantle, and once more his impact was immediate and considerable. After comfortably topping the ladder going into the finals with 16 wins from 19 games, 2 wins ahead of West Perth, South comfortably outclassed the Cardinals in the Second Semi Final to the tune of 41 points. For the Grand Final re-match between the sides Hutchinson lined up on a half forward flank for his final game of league football, and contributed 2 goals at a vital stage of the match to help steer his side home by 15 points. Overall, it was felt to be one of the side’s poorest performances for the season, but:

South Fremantle’s victory was recognised as a just reward for sound club organisation and teamwork. On the day the team disappointed supporters in that it failed to reveal its usual cohesion and pace, but it redeemed itself by making a strong finishing effort. On the whole, it was a premiership well earned.¹

South repeated their premiership success in 1948 with Hutchinson as non-playing coach, and in 1949, his last season in charge, they ran third. His departure in 1950 to concentrate on his budding political career left football immeasurably the poorer.

There can be no doubt that Ross Hutchinson was one of the all time great coaches in Australian football history. His eight seasons as a coach yielded four premierships, three second places, and one third, for an overall success rate of 72.4% from 176 games. His teams played vibrant, cohesive, team-orientated football that continually established new benchmarks for excellence, and one feels forced to wonder just how successful Hutchinson might have been had not the war deprived him of another potential four or five seasons in top level football.

As a player, Hutchinson was both talented and versatile. He could play with equal effectiveness in the centre, across half back or half forward, or on the ball, but even more so than with his coaching his overall impact and importance were cruelly undermined by war. 

All told, Ross Hutchinson played a total of 128 WANFL games, comprising 93 with Old Easts, 17 with West Perth, and 18 for South Fremantle. He also played interstate football for Western Australia on five occasions.

Hutchinson served for over 27 years in the Western Australian parliament, holding various ministries and the speakership of the Legislative Assembly. He was knighted after retiring from politics for services to Western Australia.

Author - John Devaney