1923 WAFL season

The 1923 WAFL season was the 39th season of the West Australian Football League. It saw East Perth set an unequalled WAFL record of five consecutive premierships, which in major Australian Rules leagues has only been beaten by SANFL club Port Adelaide with six straight from 1954 to 1959 and equalled by Sturt between 1966 and 1970. The Royals prevailed after two superb games with East Fremantle, who had had its last two home-and-away games cancelled due to undertaking a tour of Victoria and South Australia.[1]

1923 WAFL season
Teams6
PremiersEast Perth
(5th premiership)
Minor premiersEast Perth
(5th minor premiership)
Matches played47
Bernie Naylor MedallistDenis Coffey (East Fremantle)
Sandover Medallist"Digger" Thomas (East Perth)

The top four teams was unchanged for the third successive season, and tailender Perth looked likely to suffer a winless season before winning its last match – a fate the Redlegs would suffer again in 2000.

Home-and-away season

Round 1
Round 1
Saturday, 12 May (3:00 pm) East Perth 17.8 (110) def. Subiaco 9.14 (68) Perth Oval [2]
Saturday, 12 May (3:00 pm) East Fremantle 5.20 (50) drew with South Fremantle 7.8 (50) Fremantle Oval [2]
Saturday, 12 May (3:00 pm) West Perth 7.17 (59) def. Perth 4.8 (32) Leederville Oval [2]

A brilliant last quarter allows East Perth to unfurl its 1922 pennant with an impressive win after Subiaco, fifth for the previous two seasons, outplayed it in general play for two-quarters.

Round 2
Round 2
Saturday, 19 May (3:00 pm) Subiaco 7.11 (53) def. South Fremantle 4.14 (38) Subiaco Oval [3]
Saturday, 19 May (3:00 pm) East Fremantle 8.11 (59) def. West Perth 5.11 (41) Fremantle Oval [4]
Saturday, 19 May (3:00 pm) Perth 8.11 (59) def. by East Perth 10.15 (75) WACA [5]

Round 3
Round 3
Saturday, 26 May (3:00 pm) Subiaco 6.15 (51) def. by East Fremantle 8.9 (57) Subiaco Oval [6]
Saturday, 26 May (3:00 pm) East Perth 12.16 (88) def. West Perth 5.11 (41) Perth Oval [7]
Saturday, 26 May (3:00 pm) South Fremantle 14.17 (101) def. Perth 14.6 (90) Fremantle Oval [8]

An excellent second quarter allows East Fremantle to remain unbeaten despite kicking only 3.5 (23) for three-quarters.

Round 4
Round 4
Saturday, 2 June (3:00 pm) East Fremantle 7.9 (51) def. by East Perth 10.16 (76) Fremantle Oval [9]
Saturday, 2 June (3:00 pm) West Perth 4.20 (44) def. South Fremantle 5.11 (41) Leederville Oval [10]
Saturday, 2 June (3:00 pm) Perth 8.13 (61) def. by Subiaco 10.12 (72) WACA [11]
  • Despite kicking what remains, in terms of excess of behinds over goals the second most inaccurate score in their history,[12] West Perth manage to overcome South Fremantle.
  • On 9 June, WAFL football was suspended for an interstate match.[13]

Round 5
Round 5
Saturday, 16 June (3:00 pm) Perth 11.4 (70) drew with East Fremantle 10.10 (70) WACA [14]
Saturday, 16 June (3:00 pm) Subiaco 5.15 (45) def. by West Perth 9.9 (63) Subiaco Oval [15]
Saturday, 16 June (3:00 pm) South Fremantle 7.10 (52) def. by East Perth 11.10 (76) Fremantle Oval [16]
  • This would prove the last WA(N)FL (or VFL/AFL) draw at the WACA until East Perth drew with Claremont in 1993
  • The match ended a run of twelve consecutive defeats by Perth, their longest until 1983 – though their 21-game winless streak remains a record.[17]

Round 6
Round 6
Saturday, 23 June (3:00 pm) Subiaco 7.10 (52) def. East Perth 6.11 (47) Subiaco Oval [18]
Saturday, 23 June (3:00 pm) East Fremantle 8.10 (58) def. by South Fremantle 10.15 (75) Fremantle Oval [19]
Saturday, 23 June (3:00 pm) Perth 4.10 (34) def. by West Perth 12.15 (87) WACA [20]

In an "unnecessarily rough" WACA game several casualties had to be treated after the match at the ground and Parkes of West Perth was taken to hospital.

Round 7
Round 7
Saturday, 30 June (3:00 pm) East Perth 10.12 (72) def. Perth 5.7 (37) Perth Oval [21]
Saturday, 30 June (3:00 pm) South Fremantle 5.12 (42) def. Subiaco 5.8 (38) Fremantle Oval [22]
Saturday, 30 June (3:00 pm) West Perth 10.8 (68) def. by East Fremantle 10.9 (69) Leederville Oval [23]

Round 8
Round 8
Saturday, 7 July (3:00 pm) West Perth 9.7 (61) def. by East Perth 11.14 (80) Leederville Oval [24]
Saturday, 7 July (3:00 pm) East Fremantle 9.7 (61) def. Subiaco 6.13 (49) Fremantle Oval [25]
Saturday, 7 July (3:00 pm) Perth 7.8 (50) def. by South Fremantle 7.18 (60) WACA [26]

The Leederville Oval match sees the first use of an electric bell in Australian football.

Round 9
Round 9
Saturday, 14 July (3:00 pm) East Perth 10.9 (69) def. East Fremantle 7.8 (50) Perth Oval [27]
Saturday, 14 July (3:00 pm) South Fremantle 8.11 (59) def. West Perth 8.8 (56) Fremantle Oval [28]
Saturday, 14 July (3:00 pm) Subiaco 8.12 (60) def. Perth 7.6 (48) Subiaco Oval [29]

During the following weekend, Western Australia thrashed South Australia by the score of 13.13 (91) to 4.3 (27).[30]

Round 10
Round 10
Saturday, 28 July (3:00 pm) East Fremantle 16.19 (115) def. Perth 7.7 (49) Fremantle Oval [31]
Saturday, 28 July (3:00 pm) East Perth 7.12 (54) def. by South Fremantle 8.8 (56) Perth Oval [32]
Saturday, 28 July (3:00 pm) West Perth 7.7 (49) def. Subiaco 5.9 (39) Leederville Oval [33]

Round 11
Round 11
Saturday, 4 August (3:00 pm) South Fremantle 9.2 (56) def. by East Fremantle 10.9 (69) Fremantle Oval [34]
Saturday, 4 August (3:00 pm) East Perth 7.10 (52) def. Subiaco 5.7 (37) Perth Oval [35]
Saturday, 4 August (3:00 pm) West Perth 11.12 (78) def. Perth 8.7 (55) Leederville Oval [36]

Round 12
Round 12
Saturday, 11 August (3:00 pm) Perth 6.6 (42) def. by East Perth 9.14 (68) WACA [37]
Saturday, 11 August (3:00 pm) East Fremantle 6.10 (46) def. West Perth 6.8 (44) Fremantle Oval [38]
Saturday, 11 August (3:00 pm) Subiaco 12.10 (82) def. South Fremantle 7.9 (51) Subiaco Oval [39]

After a violent all-in-brawl with the scores level at half-time (for which no reports were made despite most players fighting even after a later inquiry[40]), Subiaco take over for their last win of 1923.

Round 13
Round 13
Saturday, 18 August (3:00 pm) Perth 6.21 (57) def. by South Fremantle 14.22 (106) WACA [41]
Saturday, 18 August (3:00 pm) East Fremantle 6.18 (54) def. Subiaco 6.7 (43) Fremantle Oval [42]
Saturday, 18 August (3:00 pm) West Perth 5.11 (41) def. East Perth 3.14 (32) Leederville Oval [43]

Round 14
Round 14
Saturday, 25 August (3:00 pm) Subiaco 6.8 (44) def. by Perth 6.10 (46) Subiaco Oval [44]
Saturday, 25 August (3:00 pm) South Fremantle 6.10 (46) def. by West Perth 9.7 (61) Fremantle Oval [45]
  • A trip by East Fremantle to Melbourne and Adelaide meant that Old Easts' game with East Perth was never played.
  • On this Saturday East Fremantle lost to 1922 premiers Fitzroy by the score of 9.5 (59) to 11.13 (79).[46]
  • After 21 consecutive winless games, Perth win for the first time since Round 6 of 1922, edging out Subiaco and sealing the top four in doing so. Their win ended the most consecutive winless games in the WAFA/WAFL since the Maroons lost 24 in a row in 1902 and 1903.[47]

Round 15
Round 15
Saturday, 1 September (3:00 pm) South Fremantle 10.11 (71) def. by East Perth 12.14 (86) Fremantle Oval [48]
Saturday, 1 September (3:00 pm) West Perth 10.23 (83) def. Subiaco 11.10 (76) Leederville Oval [49]
  • A trip by East Fremantle to Melbourne and Adelaide meant that Old Easts' game with Perth was never played.
  • On this Saturday East Fremantle lost to second-placed SAFL club Sturt 5.15 (45) to 7.5 (47)[50] and on Wednesday beat seventh-placed Port Adelaide 10.13 (73 to 8.10 (58).[51]

Ladder
1923 ladder
Pos Team Pld W L D PF PA PP Pts
1 East Perth (P) 14 11 3 0 985 718 137.2 44
2 West Perth 15 9 6 0 876 801 109.4 36
3 East Fremantle 13 8 3 2 809 741 109.2 36
4 South Fremantle 15 7 7 1 904 924 97.8 30
5 Subiaco 15 5 10 0 809 862 93.9 20
6 Perth 14 1 12 1 730 1067 68.4 6
Source: WAFL Footy Facts
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) percentage; 3) number of points for.
(P) Premiers.

Finals

First semi-final
First semi-final
Saturday, 15 September (3:00 pm) East Perth 5.10 (40) def. West Perth 4.7 (31) WACA (crowd: 6,087) [52]

In a match marred by Perth’s wettest September on record[53] and consequent extremely slippery conditions, a depleted East Perth, with 38-year-old coach Matson forced to strip, hold West Perth to 0.2 (2) with the wind in the last quarter and advance to the final.

Second semi-final
Second semi-final
Saturday, 22 September (3:00 pm) East Fremantle 9.21 (75) def. South Fremantle 5.3 (33) Fremantle Oval (crowd: 4,947) [54]

In their first WAFL match for over a month, East Fremantle completely outplay the Southerners.

Final
Final
Saturday, 29 September (3:00 pm) East Perth 5.12 (42) def. by East Fremantle 9.9 (63) Subiaco Oval (crowd: 11,917) [55]

East Perth’s 0.8 (8) with the wind in the second quarter ensures East Fremantle will force a rematch.

Grand Final
1923 WAFL Grand Final
Saturday, 6 October (3:00 pm) East Perth def. East Fremantle Subiaco Oval (crowd: 16,371) [56]
1.2 (8)
4.5 (29)
5.7 (37)
 9.9 (63)		 Q1
Q2
Q3
 Final		 4.1 (25)
5.2 (32)
6.4 (40)
 7.4 (46)		 Umpires: Frank O‘Connor
Duffy 3, Owens 2, Harrold 2, Hebbard, Gaynor Goals Coffey 3, Cinoris 2, Collins, Smith
Fletcher (best on ground), Owens, Western, Sherlock, Brentnall, Herd, Duffy Best Cinoris, Buchanan, Truscott, Mudie, Clark, Baird

East Perth set an Australian record, winning a fifth consecutive premiership after coming from behind with brilliant determination led by an impassable half-back line.[57]

References
  1. "Football: Meeting of the League'; The West Australian, 2 March 1923, p. 9
  2. 'Football: Opening of League Season'; The West Australian, 14 May 1923, p. 10
  3. 'Subiaco Successful'; The West Australian, 21 May 1923, p. 9
  4. 'East Fremantle v West Perth'; The West Australian, 21 May 1923, p. 9
  5. 'East Perth Beat Perth'; The West Australian, 21 May 1923, p. 9
  6. 'East Fremantle Successful'; The West Australian, 28 May 1923, p. 9
  7. 'East Perth v West Perth'; The West Australian, 28 May 1923, p. 9
  8. 'South’s First Win'; The West Australian, 28 May 1923, p. 9
  9. 'Royal Blues Win: Fine Game at Fremantle'; The Sunday Times; 3 June 1923, p. 1
  10. 'South Fremantle v West Perth: Seasiders Defeated'; The Sunday Times (Perth)|The Sunday Times; 3 June 1923, p. 1
  11. 'Subiaco v Perth: Red Legs Outclassed'; The Sunday Times (Perth)|The Sunday Times; 3 June 1923, p. 1
  12. "WAFL Footy Facts: West Perth More Behinds than Goals". Archived from the original on 17 October 2013. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
  13. 'Yesterday’s Football: Interstate Game in Adelaide'; The Sunday Times, 10 June 1923, p. 1
  14. 'Perth v East Fremantle: A Drawn Match'; The Sunday Times, 17 June 1923, p. 1
  15. 'West Perth v Subiaco: The Cardinals Superior'; The Sunday Times, 17 June 1923, p. 1
  16. 'East Perth v South Fremantle: Seasiders Defeated in a Good Contest'; The Sunday Times, 17 June 1923, p. 1
  17. "WAFL Footy Facts: Perth – Consecutive Games Lost". Archived from the original on 6 January 2014. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
  18. 'Subiaco v East Perth: Maroons Win an Exciting Game'; The Sunday Times, 24 June 1923; p. 1S
  19. 'Seaside Teams at Fremantle: Souths Win Comfortably'; The Sunday Times, 24 June 1923; p. 1S
  20. 'Perth v West Perth: Cardinals Win in the Air'; The Sunday Times, 24 June 1923; p. 1S
  21. 'East Perth v Perth: East the Better Stayers'; The Sunday Times, 1 July 1923, p. 1S
  22. 'South Fremantle v Subiaco: Victory for Souths'; The Sunday Times, 1 July 1923, p. 1S<
  23. 'West Perth v East Fremantle: One-Point Win for Blue and Whites'; The Sunday Times, 1 July 1923, p. 1S
  24. 'West Perth v East Perth: Easts Triumph'; The Sunday Times, 8 July 1923, p. 1S
  25. 'Subiaco v East Fremantle: Old Easts too Good'; The Sunday Times, 8 July 1923, p. 1S
  26. 'Perth v South Fremantle: City Team’s Seventh Reverse'; The Sunday Times, 8 July 1923, p. 1S
  27. 'East Perth v East Fremantle: The Premiers Win Comfortably" The Sunday Times, 15 July 1923, p. 1S
  28. 'West Perth v South Fremantle: South’s Narrow Win" The Sunday Times, 15 July 1923, p. 1S
  29. 'Subiaco v Perth: Red Legs Again Beaten" The Sunday Times, 15 July 1923, p. 1S
  30. 'Clash of Interstate Champion: Western Boys Win All the Way'; The Sunday Times, 22 July 1923; p. 1S
  31. 'Old Easts Whip Perth'; The Sunday Times, 29 July 1923; p. 1S
  32. 'South Fremantle v East Perth: Thrilling Finish'; The Sunday Times, 29 July 1923; p. 1S
  33. 'West Perth v Subiaco'; The Sunday Times, 29 July 1923; p. 1S
  34. 'E. Fremantle v South Fremantle: Blue and Whites Superior'; The Sunday Times; 5 August 1923, p. 1S
  35. 'East Perth v Subiaco – A Disappointing Game'; The Sunday Times; 5 August 1923, p. 1S
  36. 'West Perth v Perth – An Unattractive Display'; The Sunday Times; 5 August 1923, p. 1S
  37. 'East Perth v Perth – Perth’s Plucky Finish'; The Sunday Times, 12 August 1923, p. 1S
  38. 'East Fremantle v West Perth – Easts Scrape Home'; The Sunday Times, 12 August 1923, p. 1S
  39. 'Subiaco v South Fremantle – Seasiders Defeated'; The Sunday Times, 12 August 1923, p. 1S
  40. 'Football: The Subiaco Disturbance – League Thought'; The West Australian, 25 August 1923, p. 9
  41. 'Perth v South Fremantle – Seasiders Win Easily'; The Sunday Times; 19 August 1923; p. 1S
  42. 'Subiaco v East Fremantle – Old Easts Win Comfortably'; The Sunday Times; 19 August 1923; p. 1S
  43. 'East Perth v West Perth – The Premiers Defeated'; The Sunday Times; 19 August 1923; p. 1S
  44. 'Perth v Subiaco – Perth’s First Win'; The Sunday Times, 26 August 1923, p. 1S
  45. 'West Perth v South Fremantle – Cardinals too Good'; The Sunday Times, 26 August 1923, p. 1S
  46. 'East Fremantle Defeated – Fitzroy too Good'; The West Australian, 29 August 1923, p. 6
  47. "WAFL Footy Facts: Consecutive Games Lost". Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
  48. 'South Fremantle v East Perth – City Team Prove Superior'; The Sunday Times, 2 September 1923, p. 1S
  49. 'West Perth v Subiaco:Cardinals' Close Call'; The Sunday Times, 2 September 1923, p. 1S
  50. 'Exciting Football: Sturt Win by Two Points – East Fremantle’s Bad Luck'; The Advertiser, 3 September 1923, p. 17
  51. 'Exhibition Football: East Fremantle Beat Port Adelaide – First Win of the Tour'; The Advertiser, 6 September 1923; p. 15
  52. 'East Perth v West Perth – Disappointing Weather Conditions", The Sunday Times, 16 September 1923, p. 1S
  53. Perth Regional Office (009034) September rainfall
  54. 'East Fremantle v S. Fremantle – An Uninteresting Game'; The Sunday Times; 23 September 1923, p. 1S
  55. 'Football Premiership: East Fremantle Defeat East Perth – Challenge Match to Be Played'; The Sunday Times, 30 September 1923, p. 1S
  56. 'East Perth Retain the Premiership: A Stirring Game Between Champions – Enormous Attendance and Splendid Weather'; The Sunday Times, 7 October 1923, p. 1S
  57. "Onlooker" (anonymous author); 'Football: The Challenge Match – East Perth Beat East Fremantle: A Thrilling Context'; The West Australian, 8 October 1923, p. 7
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