The 1924 WAFL season was the 40th season of the West Australian Football League. Although East Perth and East Fremantle completely dominated the season until after the Carnival, each having lost only one match of the first eleven, neither was to win the premiership and the Royals’ record sequence of five consecutive premierships came to an end in the semi-final.
Subiaco, who along with Perth had been in the doldrums during previous seasons, finally developed the teamwork to match the individual talents of players like Outridge, skipper “Snowy” Hamilton and young rover Johnny Leonard – consequently carrying all before them during the finals after a mediocre home-and-away season.[1] Despite maintaining prominence for another decade, the Maroons were to become a perennial cellar-dweller for three decades and failed to win another premiership until 1973 – the longest premiership drought in WA(N)FL history. Despite Gosnell being the second of their famous half-back line to win the Sandover Medal, West Perth fell to wooden spooners owing to the suspension of key forward Fred Wimbridge for most of the season.[2]
Following controversy over his clearance from South Fremantle that caused him to sit out the 1923 season,[3] East Perth's “Bonny” Campbell was to break Allan Evans’ record from 1921 for the most goals scored during a WAFL season with 67.[4]
Including the Hobart Carnival, where he kicked 51 goals - including an amazing 23 goals against Queensland[3] - Campbell kicked 118 goals for the entire year, with his 100-goal season coming five years before Gordon Coventry and six years before Ken Farmer.
“Bonny” Campbell becomes the first East Perth player to kick double figures in a match[17] as the Royals demolish South Fremantle for the biggest win the WAFL since 1919.
With Campbell adding another six goals as the rain of previous weeks cleared, East Perth and East Fremantle move ten points clear just before the halfway mark of the season.
Subiaco record a surprise victory over East Perth with a strong first half to give the first suggestion the premiership will not be a two-horse race as had appeared previously.
Minus eventual Sandover winner Jim Gosnell (illness),[43] West Perth in a high-standard match fail to take fourth position and do not obtain another opportunity.
This week’s results, in the last round before the Hobart Carnival, effectively seal both the finalists and the minor premiership, leaving East Fremantle two games clear of East Perth on top and South Fremantle ten points clear of West Perth for fourth.
Dash and pace – which some thought inherited from a tour of the Eastern States early in August[50] – allow the Redlegs to move from the bottom and avoid a fourth consecutive wooden spoon.
Subiaco’s surprise victory, with the promising Greg Hickey fully recovered from a mid-season injury,[1] paves the way for their successes in the subsequent finals.
Minor premiers East Fremantle have no difficulty winning against a South team that had had the poorest record for fourth place in WAFA/WAFL history.[54]
Subiaco end East Perth’s run of five consecutive premierships with a hard-fought victory in windy conditions, with Outridge and Leonard outstanding.[55]
Subiaco record an unexpectedly one-sided victory over Old Easts in perfect conditions, with their defence so strong East Fremantle kick only 1.2 (8) in the second half.[56]
Grigg (best on ground), Green, Hodge, Outridge, Leonard, Hamilton, Rodriguez
A brilliant first quarter into a very strong wind sets up an unexpected premiership victory for the Maroons – to remain their last for forty-nine seasons.[58]
References
^ abSpillman, Ken; Diehards: The Story of the Subiaco Football Club 1896-1945, pp. 95-98
^Atkinson, Brian; It’s a Grand Old Flag: a History and Comprehensive Statistical Analysis of the West Perth Football Club 1885-2007, p. 57 ISBN9781921361395
^ abDevaney, John; Full Points Footy’s WA Football Companion, p. 201. ISBN9780955689710
^Devaney, Full Points Footy’s WA Football Companion, p. 201
^‘East Perth Defeat West Perth’; The West Australian, 8 September 1924, p. 10
^‘Perth v South Fremantle – Red Legs’ Fifth Win’; The West Australian, 8 September 1924, p. 10
^‘Subiaco Win’; The West Australian, 8 September 1924, p. 10
^‘Yesterday’s Football: League First semi-final – East Victory for East Fremantle’; The Sunday Times, 14 September 1924, p. 7
^‘The Second Semi-Final: Exciting Tussle at the Association Ground – Subiaco Put East Perth Out’; The Sunday Times, 21 September 1924, p. 7
^‘Premiership Contest – An Unexpectedly One-Sided Game: Subiaco Easily Defeat East Fremantle – Will the Challenge Match Be a Repetition’; The Sunday Times, 28 September 1924, p. 7
^‘The Challenge Match: East Fremantle v Subiaco – Premiership Won by Subiaco’; The Sunday Times, 5 October 1924, p. 4
^‘Football: The Challenge Match – Subiaco Champions’; The West Australian, 6 October 1924, p. 7