1985 WAFL season
The 1985 WAFL season was the 101st season of the West Australian Football League and its various incarnations. The season opened on 30 March and concluded on 21 September with the 1985 WAFL Grand Final contested between East Fremantle and Subiaco.
It was highlighted by the rise of Subiaco, who had nearly become extinct in the late 1970s due to financial problems[1] and had won only 25.2 percent of its games between 1975 and 1984. The Lions recovered from a mid-season slump to win their last seven games before the finals – their longest winning streak in one season since 1915[2] – and challenge East Fremantle. The Sharks came off their 1984 Grand Final loss to win their first twelve on end, gain favourable comparisons with their unbeaten 1946 counterparts, and be quoted at odds of 25/1 to achieve a perfect season.[3][4] The blue and whites sealed the minor premiership with four games remaining and defeated the Lions in a thrilling Grand Final.
Major declines occurred from Claremont, who had their worst season since 1977, and East Perth, who began a sequence of five seasons with only 24 wins, two wooden spoons (their first since 1964) and two last-round escapes. Perth, who had not played finals in any grade since the 1978 Grand Final,[5][6] embarked upon their first significant recruiting campaign for a decade, acquiring dissatisfied South Fremantle coach Mal Brown, former Claremont goalsneak Brett Farmer, and future mainstays Mark Watson, Wayne Ryder and Willie Dick[7] – but did not match expectations and rose just one position with one more win than in 1984.
Off the field, the season saw Perth businessmen Alan Delany and John Watts attempt to buy lowly VFL club St. Kilda and move them to Perth,[8] which failed but was the first move towards the modern national Australian Football League, which began in earnest with the formation of the West Coast Eagles in 1987.
Home-and-away Season
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Round 4
Round 5
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Round 5 |
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Saturday, 27 April |
Swan Districts 13.21 (99) |
def. by |
Subiaco 22.14 (146) |
Bassendean Oval (crowd: 9628) |
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Saturday, 27 April |
West Perth 18.18 (126) |
def. |
East Perth 16.9 (105) |
Subiaco Oval (crowd: 9160) |
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Saturday, 27 April |
South Fremantle 24.19 (163) |
def. |
Claremont 10.12 (72) |
Fremantle Oval (crowd: 6700) |
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Saturday, 27 April |
Perth 15.12 (102) |
def. by |
East Fremantle 18.17 (125) |
Lathlain Park (crowd: 7152) |
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- Subiaco record their first win over Swan Districts since the same round of 1978, ending a run of twenty straight losses, the equal longest run by one club against another since 1958.[21]
- Laurie Keene kicks nine and Victorian recruit Stephen Sells five in the win[22]
- An unexpected move of key forward Colin Waterson onto the dangerous Rea gives East Fremantle an unexpected boon – the talented attacking player keeps Rea to one goal after half-time and ends Perth’s hope of upsetting the pacesetters.[23]
- West Perth’s “youth policy” and the resourcefulness of Fong ensures the Falcons win a fine match over a gallant East Perth as a special tribute to former stars John Wynne and Bill Dempsey.[24]
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Round 6
Round 7
Round 8
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Round 8 |
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Saturday, 18 May |
South Fremantle 19.24 (138) |
def. |
West Perth 13.16 (94) |
Fremantle Oval (crowd: 8880) |
[30]
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Saturday, 18 May |
Perth 13.26 (104) |
def. by |
Subiaco 25.17 (167) |
Lathlain Park (crowd: 5356) |
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Saturday, 18 May |
Claremont 19.15 (129) |
def. |
East Perth 12.15 (87) |
Claremont Oval (crowd: 5105) |
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Saturday, 18 May |
Swan Districts 14.8 (92) |
def. by |
East Fremantle 23.20 (158) |
Bassendean Oval (crowd: 16723) |
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- East Fremantle’s fine defence – with Browning completely blanketing Garry Sidebottom – and hard-running centreline gives an eighth straight victory with a percentage of 186.74 despite considerable Swan success tagging their prime movers.[4]
- The inaccuracy of Brett Farmer, Wiley and Bryan Cousins – who score 3.15 (33) between them with most misses being from close-in and Cousins the worst offender with 1.6 (12) – denies Perth an upset win in a match that leaves Lion coach Bunton very angry at his team’s effort.[31]
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Round 9
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Round 9 |
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Saturday, 25 May |
West Perth 15.13 (103) |
def. |
Subiaco 12.19 (91) |
Leederville Oval (crowd: 9000) |
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Saturday, 25 May |
Perth 17.20 (122) |
def. |
South Fremantle 12.16 (88) |
Subiaco Oval (crowd: 7246) |
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Saturday, 25 May |
Swan Districts 12.13 (128) |
def. |
East Perth 12.9 (81) |
Bassendean Oval (crowd: 6966) |
[32]
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Saturday, 25 May |
Claremont 12.10 (82) |
def. by |
East Fremantle 19.13 (127) |
Claremont Oval (crowd: 8700) |
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- East Fremantle kick an impressive 6.3 (39) to 2.3 (15) into a solid breeze during the final quarter to give suggestions an unbeaten season could be coming – besides maintaining an amazing record of 68 goals to 24 in final quarters so far in 1985. Claremont became the first team to outscore the Sharks in successive quarters, but Graham Moss, recalled at 35 to play centre half-forward, could not counter the East Fremantle defence.[33]
- A magnificent goal from Les Fong, who had been struggling since his brilliant first-up display, a fine debut at 25 from brother Neale,[a]and thirty-two possessions from Corry Bewick ensure West Perth stay ahead of Subiaco all game and enter the four despite a bad percentage courtesy of the East Fremantle thrashing in Round 6.[34]
- Perth produce a gutsy effort with Adrian Barich playing throughout with a broken hand and Willie Dick suffering a persistent flu to win their first game for seven rounds.[35]
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Round 10
Round 11
Round 12
Round 13
Round 14
Round 15
Round 16
Round 17
Round 18
Round 19
Round 20
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Round 20 |
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Saturday, 17 August |
Swan Districts 29.18 (192) |
def. |
South Fremantle 14.16 (100) |
Bassendean Oval (crowd: 6333) |
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Saturday, 17 August |
East Perth 12.10 (82) |
def. by |
Subiaco 31.14 (200) |
Perth Oval (crowd: 5219) |
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Saturday, 17 August |
Claremont 12.17 (89) |
def. by |
Perth 19.11 (125) |
Claremont Oval (crowd: 4546) |
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Saturday, 17 August |
East Fremantle 14.19 (103) |
def. by |
West Perth 18.22 (132) |
East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 7883) |
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- Perth record their first win over Claremont since the last round of 1978, ending a run of twenty straight losses that is Claremont’s longest winning run over any club and Perth’s longest losing run in open-age WA(N)FL football.[21]
- Subiaco kick their highest score against East Perth, beating their previous 1970 record by fifty-six points[53] Keene is unstoppable and Leishwan and Sells each kick six goals.[54]
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Round 21
Ladder
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| TEAM | P | W | L | D | PF | PA | % | PTS |
1 | East Fremantle | 21 | 17 | 4 | 0 | 2774 | 1917 | 144.71% | 68 |
2 | Subiaco | 21 | 15 | 6 | 0 | 2581 | 2072 | 124.57% | 60 |
3 | West Perth | 21 | 12 | 9 | 0 | 2468 | 2402 | 102.75% | 48 |
4 | Swan Districts | 21 | 12 | 9 | 0 | 2379 | 2448 | 97.18% | 48 |
5 | Claremont | 21 | 9 | 12 | 0 | 2130 | 2263 | 94.12% | 36 |
6 | South Fremantle | 21 | 8 | 13 | 0 | 2462 | 2577 | 95.54% | 32 |
7 | Perth | 21 | 6 | 15 | 0 | 2332 | 2691 | 86.66% | 24 |
8 | East Perth | 21 | 5 | 16 | 0 | 1923 | 2679 | 71.78% | 20 |
Key: P = Played, W = Won, L = Lost, D = Drawn, PF = Points For, PA = Points Against |
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Finals series
First Semi Final
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First Semi Final |
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Saturday, 31 August |
West Perth 19.12 (126) |
def. by |
Swan Districts 24.14 (158) |
Subiaco Oval (crowd: 26,508) |
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An injury-crippled West Perth outfit fails to break its Swan Districts hoodoo as Garry Sidebottom kicks nine goals and the Falcons are never closer than eleven points after the first few minutes.[56] |
Second Semi-Final
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Second Semi Final |
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Saturday, 7 September |
East Fremantle 19.11 (125) |
def. |
Subiaco 16.17 (113) |
Subiaco Oval (crowd: 23,500) |
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In a high-standard match, Subiaco, despite losing to a resurgent East Fremantle, lose no friends and escape injuries from their first final since 1974.[57] |
Preliminary Final
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Preliminary Final |
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Saturday, 14 September |
Subiaco 20.13 (133) |
def. |
Swan Districts 11.16 (82) |
Subiaco Oval (crowd: 25,708) |
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This was the first final Subiaco had won since the 1973 Grand Final, and ended Swan Districts’ hat-trick of flags |
Grand Final
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1985 WAFL Grand Final |
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Saturday, 21 September |
East Fremantle |
def. |
Subiaco |
Subiaco Oval (Crowd: 42,657) |
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3.1 (19) 9.7 (61) 12.9 (81) 15.12 (102) |
Q1 Q2 Q3 Final |
7.4 (46) 8.7 (55) 11.12 (78) 14.13 (97) |
Simpson Medal: Brian Taylor (Subiaco) |
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Browning 6, Wrensted 3, Wilson 2, Alexander, Peake, Neesham, Kerr |
Goals |
Sells 2, Mort 2, Spencer 2, Keene 2, Scott 2, Dean, Neil Taylor, Phil Lamb, Brian Taylor |
Browning, Wrensted, Waterson, Neesham, Wilson, Mainwaring |
Best |
Dean, Featherby, Brian Taylor, Sells, Neil Taylor, Scott |
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Regarded as one of the best-ever WAFL Grand Finals, the inexperienced Subiaco team nearly topples a powerful East Fremantle combination[58] in a thriller in showery conditions. |
Notes
a Better known as a member of the West Australian Football Commission and author of the “Fong Report” on the future of West Australian football after the 2000 season.
References
- ↑ Spillman, Ken; Diehards: the Story of the Subiaco Football Club 1946-2000, pp. 198-200; ISBN 0-9578185-0-5
- ↑ See Christian, Geoff; ‘Subiaco’s Winning Streak the Best for 12 Years’; The West Australian, 19 August 1985, p. 88
- ↑ Christian, Geoff; ‘What Price Sharks to Stay Unbeaten’; The West Australian, 27 May 1985, pp. 79, 84
- 1 2 Christian, Geoff; ‘Sharks Have a Touch of Greatness’; The West Australian, 20 May 1985, p. 81
- ↑ WAFL Reserves Ladder Positions (download)
- ↑ WAFL Colts Ladder Positions (download)
- 1 2 Christian, Geoff, ‘Perth’s Recruiting Policy Starting to Pay Off’; The West Australian, 15 April 1985, p. 76
- ↑ Christian, Geoff; ‘WAFL to Monitor Move on Saints’; in The West Australian; 20 May 1985; p. 80
- ↑ Stocks, Gary; ‘Young Rovers Give Spark to the Sharks’; The West Australian, 1 April 1985, p. 84
- ↑ Gossage, Tim; ‘Rogers Passes a Big Test’; The West Australian, 1 April 1985, p. 84
- ↑ Christian, Geoff; ‘Stable Defence Warms Brown’; The West Australian, 8 April 1985, p. 72
- ↑ http://waflvideoarchive.webs.com/1980sfootage.htm
- ↑ Stocks, Garry; ‘Sidebottom Gets Going’; The West Australian, 9 April 1985, p. 92
- ↑ Perth: Biggest Wins
- ↑ Perth Regional Office (009034) April 1985 rainfall
- ↑ Christian, Geoff; ‘Claremont Make Amends’; The West Australian, 9 April 1985, p. 92
- ↑ Casellas, Ken; ‘Holmes Leads Kelly on Merry Dance’; The West Australian, 15 April 1985, p. 76
- ↑ Marsh, David; ‘No Weak Link in Falcons’ Chain’; The West Australian, 22 April 1985, p. 76
- ↑ East Fremantle: Biggest Wins
- ↑ Casellas, Ken; ‘A Family Tradition’; The West Australian, 22 April 1985, p. 76
- 1 2 WAFL Footy Facts: Team v Team Consecutive Wins
- ↑ Christian, Geoff; ‘Efficient Subiaco Swamp Swans’; in The West Australian; 29 April 1985; p. 76
- ↑ Stocks, Gary; ‘Waterson Move Pays Dividends’; The West Australian, 29 April 1985, p. 76
- ↑ Marsh, David; ‘Youth Shows the Way’; The West Australian, 29 April 1985, p. 76
- ↑ Casellas, Ken; ‘How Can The Stop Dwayne Lamb’; The West Australian, 6 May 1985, p. 106
- ↑ Christian, Geoff; ‘Brown Takes a Tough Line at Perth’; The West Australian; 6 May 1985; p. 105
- ↑ Christian, Geoff; ‘Sharks Turn On the Full Power’; The West Australian, 6 May 1985, p. 106
- ↑ Subiaco: Biggest Home-and-away Crowds
- ↑ Stocks, Gary; ‘...and So Does Bairstow’; The West Australian; 13 May 1985; p. 72
- ↑ Marsh, David; ‘Bulldogs on the March’; The West Australian, 20 May 1985, p. 80
- ↑ Gossage, Tom; ‘Bunton Angry after Narrow Victory’; The West Australian, 20 May 1985, p. 80
- ↑ Marsh, David; ‘Swans Edge East Perth in Thriller’; The West Australian, 27 May 1985, p. 68
- ↑ Christian, Geoff; ‘Tigers Try, but Sharks Roll On’; The West Australian, 27 May 1985, p. 82
- ↑ Stocks, Gary; ‘Fong Provides the Spark’; The West Australian, 27 May 1985, p. 68
- ↑ Gossage, Tim; ‘Brown Applauds Perth’s Courage’; The West Australian, 27 May 1985, p. 80
- ↑ ‘Mitchell’s Magic’, The West Australian, 3 June 1985, p. 76
- ↑ Christian, Geoff; ‘Subiaco Look Safe Now – Recovery Shows True Character’; The West Australian, 3 June 1985, p. 72
- ↑ East Perth Football Club: 1959 Fixtures
- ↑ South Fremantle Football Club: 1950 Fixtures
- ↑ Christian, Geoff; ‘South Comeback Stuns Subiaco’; The West Australian, 24 June 1985, p. 60
- ↑ Casellas, Ken; ‘Tigers Get the Right Medicine’; The West Australian, 24 June 1985, p. 60
- ↑ Marsh, David; ‘Swans Are on the Skids’; The West Australian, 1 July 1985; p. 76
- ↑ Stocks, Gary; ‘Alexander has an Eye for Quality’; The West Australian, 8 July 1985, p. 84
- ↑ Marsh, David; ‘East Perth Bounce Back’; The West Australian, 8 July 1985, p. 84
- ↑ Christian, Geoff; ‘Swans Poised to Move up the Table’; The West Australian, 15 July 1985, p. 72
- ↑ Perth Regional Office (009034) July 1985 rainfall
- ↑ Stocks, Gary; ‘Williams Comes to the Rescue’; The West Australian, 15 July 1985, p. 72
- ↑ Casellas, Ken; ‘Dean Enjoys Move Back to Attack’; The West Australian, 22 July 1985, p. 88
- ↑ Stocks, Gary; ‘Ryder Shows His Class’; The West Australian, 22 July 1985, p. 88
- ↑ Christian, Geoff; ‘Moss Gets Tigers’ Nod’; The West Australian, 5 August 1985, p. 72
- ↑ Christian, Geoff; ‘Shades of ‘64 as Finals Approach’; The West Australian, 5 August 1985, p. 72
- ↑ Stocks, Gary; ‘Loutish Behaviour Must Be Eradicated’; The West Australian, 12 August 1985, p. 76
- ↑ Subiaco: Highest Scores
- ↑ Stocks, Gary; ‘Lions Are Right on Target’; The West Australian, 19 August 1985, p. 84
- ↑ Christian, Geoff; ‘Revamped West Perth Defence in Fine Form’; The West Australian, 26 August 1985; p. 72
- ↑ Christian, Geoff; ‘Falcons Are on the Right Track’; The West Australian, 2 September 1985, p. 72
- ↑ Christian, Geoff; ‘Subiaco Can Bounce Back’; The West Australian, 9 September 1985, p. 80
- ↑ Sharks Sink Subi (archived)
External links
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