WAFL Stats

[Spearhead]

Hey Ric, have we ever scored less than the miserable 1.2 over 3 qtrs (1st, 2nd, 4th) before in a Round 1 fixture?

 

[megadeth86]

I have been able to discover the following players with more than 230 games and no best and fairest. There might be extra players from the last 25 years whom I haven't included.

Player | Games | Club/s
\Alan Watling|284|West Perth
\John Hayes|272|East Perth/Claremont/South Fremantle
\Con Regan|262|East Fremantle
\Frank Treasure|254|South Fremantle
\Colin Williams|252|Subiaco
\Norm McDiarmid|247|West Perth
\Tom Mullooly|246|Swan Districts
\Tim Barker|239|Swan Districts
\Don Byfield|239|South Fremantle
\Mal Atwell|236|East Perth/Perth
\Jackie Guhl|234|East Perth
\Ken Bagley|232|Swan Districts
\Percy Johnson|232|East Fremantle/Claremont/Swan Districts

Alan Watling bloody deserved one that's for sure.

 

[megadeth86]

Cameron’s best is 61 hitouts, there have been at least 4 Occassions where players have had more.

The best and really only place for WAFL stats is waflfootyfacts.net - I have more WAFL stats and records than any other source online or offline. Although player stats data is not readily available I have “most hit outs in a game” since 2010 which can be found here - http://waflfootyfacts.net/player/game.php#8.

Check out the about page for more ... http://waflfootyfacts.net/about.php

Cheers Ric
waflfootyfacts.net

Hi Ric, was it you who uploaded details of every match for every WAFL season (with a short summary most weeks) up on Wikipedia? What an amazing job and an excellent resource for those of us who still care.

 

[megadeth86]

Perth, which has struggled for many years, jumped out of the blocks this year winning the first 5 games. And despite its form being patchy since mid-season, it seemed likely that a finals drought of 22 years - dating all the way back to 1997 - would finally end. And for stats fans, a drought-breaking Demons finals appearance would have been in the Elimination Final against West Perth. The Falcons and Demons have not played a finals match since the 1976 first semi final, and have not been in the same finals series since way back in 1978.

Yet somehow, the Demons blew it. A three point loss to lowly Peel Thunder on Saturday had the Demons desperately hoping East Fremantle could upset the West Coast Eagles Reserves on Sunday. Alas, the Sharks were not up to the task and the WCE Reserves - who spent a number of weeks at the bottom of the ladder mid-season - won and therefore made the finals in their first season, consigning Perth to its 22nd straight season out of the finals.

I remember the 1976 first semi-final. I was a 7-year-old West Perth fan. Dad wouldn't take me to the game as he thought I was too young to go to finals' games. it was a sunny day. Mom and Dad were washing the car in the back garden. I was glued to my little pocket radio and wandering in and out of the house. West Perth got a good lead and then gave it up. I remember crying quite a bit.

 

[megadeth86]

This reminds me of 2013 – when Perth also looked like making the finals before a late collapse. In reality, Perth are in a worse situation than in 2013, when both Demon lower grades made the finals, whereas Perth’s two lower grade teams in 2019 had a combined record of 12—20.

What is exceedingly revealing about Perth’s recent history is that in 2014, after starting 3—3 with predictions of better things to come (if my memory serves me correctly), their league team went 2—32 for the remainder of 2014 and 2015, and Perth’s reserves and colts teams collapsed similarly from their 2013 form. Similar patterns were observed in 2004 – although neither Perth lower grade team played finals that season – whereby the Demons went 11—49 between 2005 and 2007.

As to the ultimate cause of the problems that have plagued Perth for four decades and counting, I cannot say I know the answer. I was told several years ago – when I was asking about the extent to which Southern and Eastern European immigration caused the demise of South Melbourne and Fitzroy and threatened the same for North Melbourne and Footscray – that such immigration has had similar effects eroding the traditional supporter base of My (severely limited) knowledge of Perth metropolitan demography and geography suggested to me those WAFL clubs being referred to were Perth and East Fremantle – along with to a lesser extent and at an earlier date South Fremantle.

Immigration-related supporter base erosion, of course, cannot by itself explain Perth’s ineptitude for the past 41 and counting seasons. Neither can a poor country zone in a Wheatbelt affected economically by expansion of the Hadley Cell (circa 800 km poleward since 1964) and resultant constantly declining rainfall and economic position. Given the recent history of West Perth since their move to Joondalup, one could argue that Perth’s management made an irreparable mistake around that time staying at Lathlain. Then there is the question of to what degree Perth’s bad record of the past forty-one seasons is in the modern economic position and sport-wide role of the WAFL self-perpetuating as bad records were not before 1979? For one thing, since 1986 we have almost never observed the rapid turnarounds in performance that happened almost every year in the then-WANFL during the 1960s and 1970s.

I lived for a long time in Kenwick. The whole area along the Armadale train-line is low socioeconomic and people are just struggling to survive in many cases - there may not be the money and inclination to bother to become a WAFL footballer. It is not like in the 1970s when playing WAFL gave reasonable financial returns. Now it is effectively amateur until you get to AFL level so it has raised the bar much, much higher. Young people might not bother anymore. And the inner-eastern suburbs around Victoria Park are gentrified and multicultural. In fact it is multicultural right down to Beckenham these days.

 

[megadeth86]

This reminds me of 2013 – when Perth also looked like making the finals before a late collapse. In reality, Perth are in a worse situation than in 2013, when both Demon lower grades made the finals, whereas Perth’s two lower grade teams in 2019 had a combined record of 12—20.

What is exceedingly revealing about Perth’s recent history is that in 2014, after starting 3—3 with predictions of better things to come (if my memory serves me correctly), their league team went 2—32 for the remainder of 2014 and 2015, and Perth’s reserves and colts teams collapsed similarly from their 2013 form. Similar patterns were observed in 2004 – although neither Perth lower grade team played finals that season – whereby the Demons went 11—49 between 2005 and 2007.

As to the ultimate cause of the problems that have plagued Perth for four decades and counting, I cannot say I know the answer. I was told several years ago – when I was asking about the extent to which Southern and Eastern European immigration caused the demise of South Melbourne and Fitzroy and threatened the same for North Melbourne and Footscray – that such immigration has had similar effects eroding the traditional supporter base of My (severely limited) knowledge of Perth metropolitan demography and geography suggested to me those WAFL clubs being referred to were Perth and East Fremantle – along with to a lesser extent and at an earlier date South Fremantle.

Immigration-related supporter base erosion, of course, cannot by itself explain Perth’s ineptitude for the past 41 and counting seasons. Neither can a poor country zone in a Wheatbelt affected economically by expansion of the Hadley Cell (circa 800 km poleward since 1964) and resultant constantly declining rainfall and economic position. Given the recent history of West Perth since their move to Joondalup, one could argue that Perth’s management made an irreparable mistake around that time staying at Lathlain. Then there is the question of to what degree Perth’s bad record of the past forty-one seasons is in the modern economic position and sport-wide role of the WAFL self-perpetuating as bad records were not before 1979? For one thing, since 1986 we have almost never observed the rapid turnarounds in performance that happened almost every year in the then-WANFL during the 1960s and 1970s.

Many of the Croatians and the Serbians in the South Fremantle zone played Aussie Rules, that's a key difference. In fact someone has prepared a South Fremantle Croatian All Stars Team (check online) and it is a damn magnificent team.

 

[Kwality]

Yeah - I've noticed that one. Great info.

My Father-in-law just lent me his copies of the 1974-1990 WA Football Register (minus 1981), so the amount of info available is mind-boggling.

Digressing, is there a copy of the 1977 Origin game Footy Register in your collection?

 

[Kwality]

Malone kicked 55 goals for Subi in 1978, to head their goalkicking. He also played in their 1973 premiership.

Neil Hawke kicked 114 goals for East Perth in 1959. He lost the best and fairest to Polly Farmer, but headed the league goalkicking and played in a premiership. Also played in East Perth's 1958 premiership.

Keith Slater was Swan Districts' best and fairest in 1956, 1957 and 1960 and won a Simpson Medal in the 1961 Grand Final. He then played in the 1962 and 1963 premierships.

Malone, Hawke & Slater played Test Cricket for Australia Spud was 12th man.

 

[Kwality]

As a regular Subi fan (every week) in those days, some of those years the number of goals Ocker kicked was the closest thing to a win we knew.
Went to South Melbourne for the 1966 season & was runner up in the goalkicking to Teddy Fordham IF my memory serves me well.

 

[Kwality]

Test cricketers who have played senior WAFL football.


Player . . . . . Club . . . . . Span . . . Games Goals
Neil Hawke . . . East Perth . . 1958-1959 . 42 . 157
Mick Malone . . .Subiaco . . . .1970-1978 .103 . 145
Keith Slater . . Swan Districts 1955-1967 .166 . 199
Graeme Wood . . .East Fremantle 1975-1977 . 14 . .13
Tim Zoehrer . . .East Fremantle 1982 . . . . 4 . . 3


Not sure if there may be others.
Slater's span was actually from 1955 to 1958, then 1960 to 1963, then a few more games in 1967.

Slater was captain coach of Subi 64/67. Probably played cricket in England in 59.
Add Graham Marsh to the guys who played league footy (1 game & went back to the farm), Des Hoare too - a hand shake the equal of Teddy Whitten.

Hawkey was a South Australian & played footy for Port before coming to WA. Think all his Test career was whilst representing SA.

 

[Kwality]

Thanks for the info on the Ted Tyson game. You've gotta love the surname Sweetapple.

Born Frederick Sweetapple, Bonny to his friends so my mother told me.

 

[Spearhead]

Slater was captain coach of Subi 64/67. Probably played cricket in England in 59.
Add Graham Marsh to the guys who played league footy (1 game & went back to the farm), Des Hoare too - a hand shake the equal of Teddy Whitten.

Hawkey was a South Australian & played footy for Port before coming to WA. Think all his Test career was whilst representing SA.

Geoff Marsh

WAFL FootyFacts - MARSH, Geoffrey Robert (Geoff)

WAFL player records, Individual WAFL player stats page, career player stats by season, game, opponent and venue

www.waflfootyfacts.net

 

[Kwality]

Geoff Marsh

Mine, yes Swampy, always mixed the names up, Graham is Rods brother & a very successful international golfer & golf course designer. No footy claim to fame.

 

[waflfootyfacts]

Hi Ric, was it you who uploaded details of every match for every WAFL season (with a short summary most weeks) up on Wikipedia? What an amazing job and an excellent resource for those of us who still care.

Hey mate - no it wasn’t me. Ive added links to a few player pages to their profiles on my site, but that’s about as far as i have gone with Wikipedia. Thanks for the feedback, I am assuming you mean for my website, not for what you thought I’d done in Wiki - but whoever did that has done a great job too.

Also in case you missed the announcement I made on socials and on another WAFL topic here, I have recently added all players for all games for EF, EP, P, S & WP for 1955-1964, meaning I now have every player for every game for Claremont and Swans since inception, South Fremantle from 1947 and all other teams from 1955. Plus 1906 and 1931-35 for all teams.

I haven’t add all the jumper numbers, that’s a separate task which I’ll complete over summer.

Team lists for 1955-1964 supplied by Steve Davies, WAFL Historian.

 

[megadeth86]

Hey mate - no it wasn’t me. Ive added links to a few player pages to their profiles on my site, but that’s about as far as i have gone with Wikipedia. Thanks for the feedback, I am assuming you mean for my website, not for what you thought I’d done in Wiki - but whoever did that has done a great job too.

Also in case you missed the announcement I made on socials and on another WAFL topic here, I have recently added all players for all games for EF, EP, P, S & WP for 1955-1964, meaning I now have every player for every game for Claremont and Swans since inception, South Fremantle from 1947 and all other teams from 1955. Plus 1906 and 1931-35 for all teams.

I haven’t add all the jumper numbers, that’s a separate task which I’ll complete over summer.

Team lists for 1955-1964 supplied by Steve Davies, WAFL Historian.

Yes, congratulations to both of you. I'm the author of the book Goodbye Leederville Oval, which is mostly about being a West Perth cheer squad member from 1984-86. I describe some of the key matches of the era and just tries to re-create that lost magical vibe of discussions about WAFL games in school every Monday and teenagers on the trains in WAFL club colours. I'm privileged that I was the last generation to experience that, as I turned 18 in 1986.

Amazon link: Goodbye Leederville Oval: History of West Perth Cheer Squad 1984-86: James, Kieran: Amazon.com.au: Books

If you have time to write a review or promote the book, that would be great.

 

[Mockcockpit]

Yes, congratulations to both of you. I'm the author of the book Goodbye Leederville Oval, which is mostly about being a West Perth cheer squad member from 1984-86. I describe some of the key matches of the era and just tries to re-create that lost magical vibe of discussions about WAFL games in school every Monday and teenagers on the trains in WAFL club colours. I'm privileged that I was the last generation to experience that, as I turned 18 in 1986.

Amazon link: Goodbye Leederville Oval: History of West Perth Cheer Squad 1984-86: James, Kieran: Amazon.com.au: Books

If you have time to write a review or promote the book, that would be great.

I've read parts of that on-line, can't remember where, and thoroughly enjoyed it as we're the same vintage albiet I'm a South Freo supporter. With a flash new stadium and two AFL teams we've gained something I guess but we also undoubtedly lost a lot. I suppose we're ahead now but I sure do miss the golden days of the WAFL.

 

[megadeth86]

I've read parts of that on-line, can't remember where, and thoroughly enjoyed it as we're the same vintage albiet I'm a South Freo supporter. With a flash new stadium and two AFL teams we've gained something I guess but we also undoubtedly lost a lot. I suppose we're ahead now but I sure do miss the golden days of the WAFL.

Yes, I guess the silver lining is South has kept its traditional home-ground and identity unlike West Perth. I also saw that the areas with most Dockers fans is just the old South Freo zone, which makes you think that South could have just taken the AFL spot themselves.

 

[Kwality]

Yes, I guess the silver lining is South has kept its traditional home-ground and identity unlike West Perth. I also saw that the areas with most Dockers fans is just the old South Freo zone, which makes you think that South could have just taken the AFL spot themselves.

Sadly WA fans werent going to support any other WAFL club, its why the Eagles started slowly & havent stopped growing.

A club like West Perth was pro active by moving its home up the coast in the AFL arena & good on them. In AFL terms its no different to the Bombers relocating to Tulla.

 

[megadeth86]

Sadly WA fans werent going to support any other WAFL club, its why the Eagles started slowly & havent stopped growing.

A club like West Perth was pro active by moving its home up the coast in the AFL arena & good on them. In AFL terms its no different to the Bombers relocating to Tulla.

Crowds at West Perth since the shift in home ground are no better than they were at Leederville Oval.

 

[Spearhead]

Crowds at West Perth since the shift in home ground are no better than they were at Leederville Oval.

Mega Without the move to Joondalup WP would not have won 4 Premierships and been a Finals regular over the last 27 years.
Moving up to Joondalup and then receiving the surrounding zone (which has exploded and is one of the best in Australia let alone WA) which was previously Subiaco's (Kingsley, Whitfords, Wanneroo, Ocean Ridge etc) has made the club into an on field force and will be for years to come.
If they stayed at Leederville I have doubts whether they would have won a flag in any grade since 1994 remembering they would still have their old zone of Balcatta, Osborne Park, Mt Hawthorn, Balga etc.

 

[Kwality]

Crowds at West Perth since the shift in home ground are no better than they were at Leederville Oval.

Is that location?

 

[megadeth86]

Is that location?

My point is West Perth's abandonment of its traditional home ground to move 30 kilometres further north didn't increase its average home crowds. The reason i think is because it's too far to travel for many opposition supporters whereas inner-city grounds are not that far away from anybody.

 

[Kwality]

My point is West Perth's abandonment of its traditional home ground to move 30 kilometres further north didn't increase its average home crowds. The reason i think is because it's too far to travel for many opposition supporters whereas inner-city grounds are not that far away from anybody.

Did it reduce crowds is more the point?

Relocating might attract locals, whether that attracts followers is a different issue. In the long term there are more kids up that way than inner city suburbia.
I'm sorry the Subi/Scarboro merger proposal of the mid 60s did not go ahead, but its a different landscape 50+ years on.

 

[megadeth86]

Mega Without the move to Joondalup WP would not have won 4 Premierships and been a Finals regular over the last 27 years.
Moving up to Joondalup and then receiving the surrounding zone (which has exploded and is one of the best in Australia let alone WA) which was previously Subiaco's (Kingsley, Whitfords, Wanneroo, Ocean Ridge etc) has made the club into an on field force and will be for years to come.
If they stayed at Leederville I have doubts whether they would have won a flag in any grade since 1994 remembering they would still have their old zone of Balcatta, Osborne Park, Mt Hawthorn, Balga etc.

All of these are unproveables. People forget that WP came last from 1990-92, but even then had reasonable win-loss records and percentages. They had three bad years - but so did Subiaco and Swan Districts in the 1970s and no-one suggested moving either of those clubs back then. Clubs all go through a natural cycle of rise-and-fall-and rise-again. WP made finals from 1974-78, came third in 1982 and fourth in 1985. So overall the club was a reasonably strong performer from 1975-86 (or at worst we could call them an average performer). Flags could have been won at Leedy after 1993 - it is impossible to disprove that unless we find an alternative universe where West Perth never moved! (I would move to that universe if I could.)

Also, why not take a zone in the far-north but stay at Leedy as Perth Demons have done by keeping their home-ground in the extreme northern corner of their zone?

Alternatively, we can say that the club won premierships but sold its soul, a most unfortunate predicament.

 

[Spearhead]

Mega with WP's country zone then added to their old Leederville based metro zone which I keep track of there is no way in the world you would have won a flag in any grade from 1994 without the move to Joondalup. You do realise that one of the reasons WP moved up there was to gain access to that player rich Northern corridor metro zone? EP have since taken over a large part of that old WP zone and they havent won a flag since 1978 (without WCE alignment help).
And Please let us not forget the WP side (after the 3 Wooden Spoons in succession 1990-92) under Gieschen was full of Victorians/Interstaters he brought over with him Harris, Mildenhall, Freeman, Burns, Lambourn, Nicholls, Edwards, Gravener, R.Smith, Stanley, Reynolds, R.West, T.West, Jukawics etc and good players from other WAFL clubs Jones (SD), Barrows (CL), Dennis (EP), Morphett (EF), Trewhella (SU), Cullen (SU), Rigoll (EP) etc.
I have followed WAFL footy daily for over 40 years and WP were barely treading water at Leederville and are now a near annual certain finalist every year since moving to Joondalup.