Round 16, 1984 - East Perth FC 19.15 (129) d West Perth FC 18.17 (125), Perth Oval.

Round 16, 1984 – East Perth v West Perth, Perth Oval

This was the second close and exciting finish to West Perth versus East Perth “Perth derbies” during the 1984 home-and-away season. It is often said that Fremantle derbies are usually tough contests regardless of the positions of the two teams on the league ladder. The same could be said for Perth derbies. However, East Perth was in a rebuilding stage in 1984, like South Fremantle, and it only just made the finals series. Although West Perth was in the final-four after the loss in this Round 16 clash it finished the season badly and failed to make the finals. Following West Perth in the 1980s was a disheartening experience as the club often defeated leading teams only to lose games it should have won. In this game Les Fong and Peter Menaglio, as usual, were outstanding for West Perth. Both should be regarded as legendary names across the WAFL today but sadly that does not appear to be the case. Why not a “Les Fong-Robert Wiley” trophy for Perth versus West Perth games? It might make more sense than Stephen Michael-Barry Cable Cup (for Perth versus South Fremantle games) as at least Wiley and Fong actually played against each other and played the same position!

We note in this game West Perth coach Dennis Cometti again playing players out of position. Phil Bradmore was named at centre-half-back rather than in his customary centre-half-forward position while David Marsh’s match report suggests the workmanlike but hardly charismatic ex-Swan Districts defender Graeme Comerford played at centre-half-forward! Craig Nelson was named at centre-half-forward rather than in the ruck. The 1983 Sandover Medallist John Ironmonger remained with East Perth in 1984 and he dominated West Perth’s inexperienced ruckmen Stuart Crole and Ramsay Bogunovich. Craig Nelson does not appear to have played in the ruck although he was in the starting side according to Saturday’s West Australian. The surprise success of country recruit Kim Rogers in the ruck for West Perth in 1985 is one factor which contributed to the club’s finals appearance that year.

However, in this 1984 game, it was the type of game West Perth really should have won if it wanted to play finals football. East Perth was in the rebuilding stage but the club mixed new players with the remains of the 1978 premiership side very well and the club was very competitive in 1984 and never disgraced. In this East Perth team old-hands such as Grant Campbell, Stan Magro, Peter Spencer, and Wayne Otway (the only remaining 1978 premiership player in the team that day) played alongside many exciting young players who would go on to have great careers in the VFL/AFL including Glenn Bartlett, Michael Christian, Richard Dennis (out injured for this game), and the one and only Alex Ishchenko.

The 1984 WAFL season was extremely tightly fought, few teams were uncompetitive, and few teams were far ahead of the pack. Only ten premiership points separated South Fremantle (second) from Claremont (seventh). Leader East Fremantle could hardly have claimed to have dominated the season with 11 wins and 5 losses and a percentage of 110.31% after Round 16. Only one club, South Fremantle, had a percentage exceeding 120% and only last-placed Perth had a percentage below 85% (but a still very respectable 82.16%). Claremont (seventh) had won 7 and lost 9. Even the struggling Demons had won 4 games by Round 16. It is to the credit of past and present WAFL administrators and club leaders that the competition was so evenly poised and it suggests the zoning system was working well at this point. The competition had eight strong, traditional, and well-supported clubs all playing out of their traditional home grounds. This is very unlike the present AFL where of the Victorian clubs only Geelong, Melbourne, and arguably Richmond still plays matches at the traditional home ground.

My 1984 season notes, written during the 1984 season, state:

“East Perth 19.15 d West Perth 18.17. Perth Oval. Michael [Blewett] lost lens at Claisebrook Station. Huge record cheer squad – talked to [West Perth coach Dennis] Cometti before the match. Timeclock wasn’t working – thrilling last quarter. Great games by [John] Gastev and [Derek] Kickett” [underlining in original].

There was a large group of people in the West Perth Cheer Squad that day. It was a fine day and the team was playing the traditional rivals. I think that the cheer squad had its complete contingent of around 15 dedicated members there that day, plus the many hangers-on you would get at away games. It was a happy carnival-like atmosphere as most away games for the group were. Dennis Cometti talked to the group members from across the fence before the match. The group probably had around 10 to 15 red-and-blue flags. It was a “thrilling last quarter”, I wrote in 1984, and the time clock was not working at this stage of the match. I listed John Gastev and Derek Kickett as West Perth’s best two players while David Marsh of The West Australian listed these two as third and fourth best respectively. The West Perth cheer squad members enjoyed the thrilling finish and we were not too distressed to lose the game. A large cheer squad group walked back through the old entrance (now gone) at the south-east corner of the ground and headed back to Claisebrook Station. My season notes record that the joint founder Mike B. lost his contact lens at Claisebrook Station after the match. Group members took a long time looking for it.

Ted "Square" Kilmurray, G. Farmer, Laurie Kennedy.

The whole group took up nearly one carriage on the city-bound train. At Perth station group members split up and the majority of the members went to take their various buses back to the northern suburbs. (This was before the building of the Clarkson train line.) Mike B. and I headed through the city streets to St George’s Terrace to take the Number 105 bus to Booragoon, still holding one giant red-and-blue flag each. Mike and I often met the Perth and Claremont cheer squads in the city-centre in those days and everyone from all groups would exchange friendly greetings and match results much like the Victorian cheer squads of that era used to do at Flinders Street Station. This day in 1984 was a fantastic match in the best tradition of the WAFL Golden Era, played between two traditional rivals with a good atmosphere and on a lovely fine day. Our cheer squad then was one of the largest groups we ever managed to assemble. This day was probably the first when the cheer squad existed in mature form and it was one of its best days. I remember a great atmosphere of camaraderie among the group increased by Dennis Cometti exchanging a conversation with group members before the game. The large Aboriginal pro-East Perth family groups that used to sit under the big trees behind the southern-end goals gave the cheer squad absolutely no problems nor we them. Bassendean Oval in 1985 would not be quite so welcoming.

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Likely line-ups:

(Source: The West Australian, Saturday, 21 July, 1984, p. 189)

East Perth FC

Backs: Magro, Kohlmann, Christian

Half-backs: Fullarton, Bartlett, Sheldon

Centres: Carpenter, Blakely, Solin

Half-forwards: R Sparks, Campbell, D Morgan

Forwards: Ironmonger, Scott, Papotto

Rucks: Ishchenko, Spencer, Otway

Interchange: Cocker, Walsh

In: R Sparks, Ishchenko, Magro, Walsh

Out: K Sparks, Berry, Kavanagh, Dennis (ankle)

West Perth FC

Backs: Dayman, Hendriks, Comerford

Half-backs: O’Brien, Bradmore, J Morgan

Centres: Warwick, Michalczyk, Mifka

Half-forwards: D Kickett, Nelson, Gastev

Forwards: Bogunovich, Simms, Davis

Ruck: Crole, Menaglio, Fong

Interchange: Bell, Mountain

Selections:

KEN CASELLAS: East Perth

DAVID MARSH: West Perth

GARY STOCKS: West Perth

ROBERT WAINWRIGHT: West Perth

TIM GOSSAGE: East Perth

(Source: The West Australian, Saturday, 21 July, 1984, p. 189)

Match results – Saturday 21 July, 1984, Perth Oval

East Perth FC 2.5 9.9 14.12 19.15 (129) d West Perth FC 1.5 7.9 12.12 18.17 (125)

Scorers: EP: R Sparks 4.2, Papotto 3.3, Campbell 3.0, Otway 2.1, Solin 2.0, Scott 1.4, Spencer 1.2, Blakely 1.1, Carpenter 1.0, Ironmonger 1.0, Morgan 0.1, Fullarton 0.1.

WP: D Simms 5.1, Kickett 4.3, Gastev 3.2, Fong 2.0, Hendriks 1.1, Nelson 1.1, Bradmore 1.1, Warwick 1.0, Menaglio 0.3, Comerford 0.3, Mifka 0.1, Forced 0.1.

Weather: Fine, moderate southerly breeze.

(Source: The West Australian, Monday, 23 July, 1984, p. 85)

Attendance: 8,505 (from WAFL Online)

Free kicks: EP: 9, 8, 5, 5 – 27.

WP: 11, 9, 11, 4 – 35.

(Source: The West Australian, Monday, 23 July, 1984, p. 85)

Best players:

1 John Ironmonger (EP) – Was a dominant ruckman throughout. Knocked the ball intelligently, marked strongly and used constructive handball.

2 Peter Menaglio (WP) – A strong and creative ruck-roving performance, with a particularly brilliant second half.

3 Russell Sparks (EP) – An enterprising performance on a half-forward flank where he continually set up attacking moves.

Team rankings:

EP: J Ironmonger 1, R Sparks 2, G Campbell 3, W Otway 4, M Blakely 5, D Morgan 6.

WP: P Menaglio 1, L Fong 2, J Gastev 3, D Kickett 4, P Bradmore 5, D Warwick 6.

(Source: The West Australian, Monday, 23 July, 1984, p. 85)

	P	W	L	D	%	Pts
E FREM**	16	11	5	-	110.31	44
S FREM	16	9	6	1	122.46	38
SwAN D*	16	9	7	-	115.97	36
W PERTH	16	8	7	1	96.29	34
E Perth	16	8	8	-	89.18	32
Subi	16	7	9	-	97.30	28
Clare	16	7	9	-	91.64	28
Perth	16	4	12	-	82.16	16

(Source: The West Australian, Monday, 23 July, 1984, p. 85)

*eventual 1984 WAFL premiers

**eventual 1984 WAFL runners-up

Match analysis:

Phil Bradmore

Quotes from DAVID MARSH:

“East Perth’s rush towards the 1984 final round [KJ note: echoes of 1978] gained momentum at Perth Oval on Saturday when they forced West Perth to stagger and then fall at the end of a contest that was survival of the fittest.

“East Perth, 10 points down late in the final quarter, recovered to win by four points – 19.15 to 18.17.

“It was a magnificent game in which the East Perth players, after appearing on the brink of being over-run by West Perth, showed tremendous character to fight back and snatch this thrilling victory.

“However, West Perth’s bid for success showed plenty of raw courage from a team which finished with only 15 fit men.

“West Perth lost veteran centreman George Michalczyk at the 12-minute mark of the first quarter with a dislocated shoulder, ruckman Ramsay Bogunovich at the six-minute mark of the second quarter with a knee injury, and centre-half-forward Graeme Comerford (elbow), full-back Geoff Hendriks (knee) and back-pocket player Wayne Dayman (ankle) [REST IN PEACE – the author] all carried injuries at the finish.

“Another shadow is over the club with brilliant half-forward Derek Kickett, Brian Perrin and John Morgan facing the tribunal tonight after being reported following separate incidents.

“It was not a happy day for West Perth. It was hard for them to accept the philosophy that the East Perth victory was what football needed to sustain more interest in which clubs will play in the 1984 final round.

Peter Menaglio

“East Perth led 14.12 to 12.12 at three-quarter time, which stemmed from excellent ruck work from John Ironmonger, livewire roving from Wayne Otway and a dominant half-forward line of Russell Sparks, Grant Campbell and David Morgan.

“Strongly built Mark Blakely worked hard in the centre to instigate several forward thrusts for the home side and ruck-rover Peter Spencer played well in patches.

“West Perth’s two best players were ruck-rover Peter Menaglio and rover Les Fong, who covered tremendous ground and were chief kick-getters.

“Fong finished the game with 27 kicks and Menaglio had 22 (with 14 in the second half). They provided West Perth with momentum on the ball and to a certain extent helped to nullify Ironmonger’s dominance in the ruck.

“West Perth’s half-forward flankers John Gastev and [Derek] Kickett were outstanding.

“Dean Warwick and Paul Mifka showed pace on the wings and Doug Simms kicked West Perth’s first four and their sixth goals from full-forward”.

(Source: David Marsh (1984), “East Perth’s rush picks up”, The West Australian, Monday, 23 July, 1984, p. 84)

South-west corner gates, Perth Oval, for Glasgow Celtic versus Perth Glory friendly match, 9 July 2011.

Kick-off for the first-half, Glasgow Celtic versus Perth Glory friendly match, 9 July 2011.

The south-east corner of Perth Oval, Lord Street, 9 July 2011. There used to be an entrance gate here during the 1980s and WAFL football supporters arriving from Claisebrook train station would enter the ground here.

Round 21, 1978 - East Perth FC 11.19 (85) d West Perth FC 11.10 (76), Leederville Oval

A staged fight on the footpath on the way to the massive Perth derby at Leederville

WEST PERTH v EAST PERTH

ROUND 21 (26 AUGUST) 1978

ATTENDANCE: 24,567 (GROUND RECORD)

With East Perth there were certainly dumb-thug elements among the fair-weather army. As an example, when I [aged ten] went with Tim B., an East Perth supporter, to the big West Perth versus East Perth game at Leederville Oval on 26 August 1978, my father lagged behind us as he had to lock up all the car doors manually. As this was happening, Tim B. suggested to me that we stage a mock two-person fight on the footpath. As the mock fight got underway, just as in a cliché-ridden movie, an old panel van drove past Tim B. and me, and the driver shouted out some brain-dead encouragement to the one wearing the East Perth colours. I remember that it was a fine warm day more consistent with the coming spring season than of the winter just ending.

East Perth fan Tim B. in recent years (first left)

This was the last home-and-away game of the 1978 qualifying rounds. West Perth was second before the game whilst East Perth was fifth. A surprise win to East Perth that day, possibly on the back of the vocal support of that club’s large army of “fair-weather fans” on the huge scoreboard bank, saw East Perth reach the final-four and West Perth relegated to the first semi-final. The final score was: East Perth 11.19 (85) defeated West Perth 11.10 (76). On the same day, Claremont was defeated by the minor premiers Perth, 15.17 (107) to 15.6 (96), which saw Claremont drop out of the final-four to be replaced by East Perth. This was somewhat ironic for Perth supporters as East Perth then went on to defeat Perth in the grand-final although a young Peter “The Buzz” Bosustow did manage to score a brilliant seven goals for the losers. In the end East Perth was extremely fortunate to defeat Perth by two points on an atrociously wet grand-final day at Subiaco Oval. As Perth’s history book From Redlegs to Demons makes clear, Perth played the 1978 grand final without two of its key players, full-forward Murray Couper and defender John Quartermaine. If these two players had played and / or the day had been fine and / or Barry Cable and Ian Miller had rejoined Perth rather than joined East Perth at the start of the season then surely Perth would have won three premierships in a row to repeat its remarkable feat of the late-1960s (from pages 21-22 and 69 of the book FUCKING HOSTILE: WEST PERTH FOOTBALL HOOLIGANS 1984-86).

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Match results - Saturday, 26 August, 1978, Leederville Oval

East Perth FC 1.4 5.8 9.13 11.19 (85) d West Perth FC 4.2 6.3 8.7 11.10 (76)

Scorers: EP: Otway 2.3, Arnold 2.,2, Miller 2.0, Cable 1.3, Ray, Duggan 1.2, Michalczyk, Smith 1.0, Hamilton, Kickett 0.2, Kelly 0.1, Forced 0.2.

WP: Alderton 3.1, Ellen, Hendriks 2.1, Valli 1.3, Richards, Fong 1.1, Day 1.0, Clarke, Duckworth 0.1.

Injuries: EP: D Turner (influenza) replaced by R Duggan in selected side. S Curtis (strained ankle ligaments) replaced by W Otway at quarter-time.

Free kicks: EP: 12, 13, 11 ,5 – 41

WP: 11, 8, 11, 6 – 36

Official attendance: 24,567 (from WAFL Online)

Weather: Fine, light south-easterly breeze

(Source: The West Australian, Monday, 28 August, 1978, p. 84)

LO from northern end goals, 6/7/2011

Best players:

1 Geoff Taylor (WP): Continued in brilliant form at full-back where he played with dash and skill.

2. Glenn Robertson (EP): Outstanding on a half-back flank. His speed and ball-handling skills made him a dynamic player.

3 Ian Miller (EP): Strong and effective as a ruck-rover. Again his hand-passing played a big part in the team’s football.

Team rankings:

EP: G Robertson 1, I Miller 2, P Kelly 3, B Cable 4, K Bryant 5, A Hamilton 6.

WP: G Taylor 1, M Washfold 2, I Kent 3, L Richards 4, R Prunster 5, J Duckworth 6.

(Source: The West Australian, Monday, 28 August, 1978, p. 84)

Watch six minutes of this WP v EP (1978) match on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4c130mEJ28

	P	W	L	%	Pts
PERTH	21	15	6	114.06	60
E PERTH	21	13	8	113.37	52
W PERTH	21	13	8	108.50	52
S FREM	21	12	9	114.81	48
Clare	21	12	9	114.71	48
E Frem	21	10	11	104.34	40
Subi	21	5	16	69.39	20
Swan D	21	4	17	75.11	16

(Source: The West Australian, Monday, 28 August, 1978, p. 84)

WAFL Season 1978 leading goal kickers (qualifying rounds): R Bauskis (SF) – 81; M Olsen (SD) – 79; M Couper (P) – 78; A Duda (EP) – 73; R Wiley (P) – 69; J Sewell (EF) – 68; M Malone (S) – 55; P Bosustow (P) – 54; P Krakouer (C) – 52; R Alderton (WP) – 48; T Buhagiar (EF) – 47; N Randall (S) – 47; R Ditchburn (C) – 46; K Judge (EF) – 44; J McKay (SF) 43; J Krakouer (C) – 41; N Carter (SF) – 40.

Match analysis

Quotes from the late GEOFF CHRISTIAN:

“East Perth, relentless rather than brilliant, won a stirring battle of attrition that earned them a nine-point victory over West Perth at Leederville Oval on Saturday.

“History will show that this was one of football’s great qualifying-round games – an action spectacular before a record [Leederville Oval] crowd of 24,567 that provided the frenzied atmosphere normally reserved for grand finals.

Peter Menaglio

“It was a match that refused to die because neither side was in a mood to quit on an afternoon when the winners earned the right to play Perth in the second semi-final.

“West Perth’s early brilliance took them to a 25-point lead after 40 minutes of play. That period was the only time when either side dominated the scoring.

“East Perth’s ability to fight their way out of trouble was typical of their recent football, which has given them seven wins on end.

“In the final analysis, East Perth won because they held an edge on the wings; they finished as winners on the ball; and their defence was slightly more efficient.

“East Perth’s Phil Kelly, WA’s most talented wingman, proved just that on Saturday in a smooth performance that earned him a strategic victory.

“Kelly’s contribution, plus that of co-wingman John McGuire and centreman Larry Kickett gave East Perth a points decision across the middle of the ground.

“It was a narrow but decisive victory [i.e. across the centreline]. West Perth had centreman Barry Day in sound form, but wingmen Peter Menaglio and Ian Logan were below their best.

“West Perth’s best football came early when ruckman John Duckworth started powerfully and effectively; rovers Bill Valli and Les Fong were winners; and ruck-rovers Laurie Richards and Alan Watling provided strong support.

“But this early pattern did not continue after half-time, when East Perth’s roving trio of Barry Cable, Alex Hamilton and Wayne Otway gradually got on top.

“East Perth made good use of changing ruckmen Wayne Duke and Ian McCulloch off the bench and they matched Duckworth, Russell Ellen and Ray Boyanich in the packs.

“Duckworth lacked enough support and Boyanich had a day when little went right for him.

“Ruck-rovers Ian Miller (East Perth) and Richards were both top-class players. Miller was strong and effective on the ground and Richards was brilliant in the air, taking two of the best marks of the season – one in the third term and the other in the last.

“East Perth turned the pre-match loss of half-forward flanker Dean Turner into a profit by replacing him with ruck-rover Rod Duggan.

“This gave them Miller, Duggan, George Michalczyk and John Hayes available for use as ruck-rovers.

“Duggan was a more-than-useful contributor; so was Hayes, especially in the second-half. But Michalczyk’s main function was as a class replacement for back-pocket specialist Steve Curtis for the last three quarters.

“This match will be remembered for the quality of the defensive football of both sides.

“Half-back flanker Glenn Robertson and full-back Kevin Bryant set the standard fr East Perth. It was the quality of East Perth’s back play early that prevented West Perth from being more than 25 points in front.

“Full-back Geoff Taylor was outstanding in the West Perth defence and centre-half-back Mark Washfold provided the surprise of the match.

“It was his best performance in league football. He had 18 kicks and took seven marks.

“West Perth half-back flanker Ross Prunster and back-pocket specialist Ian Kent both produced top-class games.

“But the standard of the defensive play was not matched in attack and both teams finished the game with selection problems in the forward lines.

“The time has come for Archie Duda to return to the East Perth full-forward position. The team’s play across the full-forward line was the least convincing of all divisions.

“West Perth used Geoff Hendriks at full-forward at the start. He finished the game at centre-half-forward and looks the player to start there next Saturday [first semi-final v South Fremantle].

“In a game in which courage was taken for granted, special mention must be made of West Perth ruckman-forward Ben Jager, who sustained a heavy blow to an eye but continued manfully and helped produce his team’s second-last goal.”

(Source: Geoff Christian (1978), “East Perth spell out warning for the finals”, The West Australian, Monday, 28 August, p. 83).

The late GEOFF CHRISTIAN was a remarkable sports-writer who wrote in an excellent, masterful, and charming prose style that few could duplicate today. He could make a Round 13 match between the two bottom-placed clubs played in pouring rain in front of 4,000 people sound as important, exciting, and earth-shattering as the Russian Revolution or the Arab Spring! His genuine enthusiasm for the WAFL and later for West Coast Eagles was authentic, genuine, and infectious.