It saw Swan Districts record their sixth WAFL premiership, and its third in a row, after a slow start that had it win only half its games in the first fourteen rounds. East Fremantle returned to the Grand Final after four disappointing seasons with only 28 wins from 85 games. After an unsuccessful decade, Subiaco recalled former coach Haydn Bunton, Jr., and despite not improving their position in the seniors, were generally considered to have made major improvement with five more victories and a young reserves side winning the club's first premiership in any grade since their 1974 colts win.[1] South Fremantle, who began with a number of spectacular performances fell away from second place with five losses in their final six games. Claremont lost three-time century goalkicker Warren Ralph to Carlton,[2] and suffered severely from lacking a target in attack,[3] especially as recruit Bruce Monteath suffered severely from injuries.[4] The Tigers were last for five weeks early in the season and second from bottom before a winning streak of five games pushed them to third.
Off the field, the WAFL refused requests to allow telecasts of VFL matches in rural WA by the Golden West network.[5]
The WAFL plays its first game outside metropolitan Perth at Bunbury, and the move is regarded as a genuine success.[6] Ultimately matches in country centres would become a regular part of WAFL scheduling.
East Perth, with a makeshift ruck due to the absence of 1983 Sandover winner John Ironmonger, record a surprise win led by future Collingwood star Michael Christian who dominates in defence.[7]
East Perth kicked their highest score against West Perth (equalled in 2007),[8] as the Falcons have no answer to their running play. John Scott kicked eleven goals.[9]
Former Claremont assistant coach Murray Ward helps orchestrate a win over his former club by rotating the centre half-forward position and putting Paul Harding, normally a ruckman, in attack.[3]
In slippery conditions on the Saturday, Claremont’s individual skill allows them to win their first game against the suddenly fashionable Lions, who played only one WA State player against seven by Claremont.[10]
East Perth suffered the heaviest loss in its history, 158 points; this beat by 46 points the previous biggest losses in 1977 and 1929.[11] During the last quarter, South Fremantle kicked 13.5 (83).
Don Holmes kicks nine goals as Swans overwhelm the initially promising Demons.
Subiaco score 12.5 (77) for their highest second quarter score on record,[12] but their decline after half-time sees a return to their poor form of previous seasons.[13]
South Fremantle’s win is the only occurrence in WA(N)FL history where the winning team has scored three fewer goals than the losing team.[14]
In a thrilling Grand Final preview, East Fremantle come back from 21 points down before Ed Blackaby kicks the winner for Swans.[15]
The draw at Leederville Oval was the first in 888 WA(N)FL games since Round 3 of 1974.[16] This result ended the second longest non-occurrence of draws in a major Australian Rules competition.[17][18]
East Fremantle produce an awesome display in wet weather to crush the improving Lions, with captain-coach Ron Alexander, the oldest WAFL player at the time, showing exceptional on-field direction and driving his team in the trying conditions.[19]
Steve Malaxos, in his first game as captain, produces an exceptional effort for the Tigers to beat the top-placed Bulldogs and move from bottom place.[20]
Swan Districts take top spot with a superb win in slippery conditions. Midfielder Brad Shine shows amazing courage to play after a gash in his eye.[21]
Claremont record a fighting win to enter the top four after being last four rounds beforehand.[22]
Subiaco kick their highest score in senior football to that point, beating 27.18 (180) in Round 9 of 1969 against Claremont.[23] Clint Brown kicks nine and moves to the head of the goalkicking, and Frankston recruit Stephen Sells kicks six.
Perth record their first win against Swan Districts since 1978, breaking a sequence of seventeen straight losses.[24]
Subiaco kick eleven of the last twelve goals to come back for 42 points behind during the second quarter and move to a clear third and on course for a first finals berth since 1974.[25]
Perth led by sixty-nine points just after half-time before South Fremantle, with Warren Mosconi shutting out Robert Wiley, staged a remarkable comeback that failed only due to poor kicking for goal.[26]
East Fremantle’s win leaves the reigning premiers in sixth place, having lost more games than in all of 1983.
The return of injury prone ruckman/forward Peter Sartori drives Swans to a thrashing of Subiaco on a bleakly windy and wet day.[27]
With former East Perth ruckman Paul Arnold playing on with a fractured thumb, Jon Dorotich dominates in the unfamiliar role of ruckman as South return to form.[28]
South Fremantle’s intense pressure, along with teenage half-forward Nicky Winmar kicking seven goals and Stephen Mount 6.8 (44) from 22 kicks, allows them to crush Claremont and stay in second place.[29]
Ron Alexander, normally a ruckman, kicks 9.0 at full-forward to continue Subiaco’s fall from likely finalists mid-season.
The use of veterans Barry Beecroft (mostly a ruckman for the reserves) and Bruce Monteath (earlier injured) in the key forward positions finally provide Claremont’s attack with its former potency as the Tigers down the ladder leaders more convincingly than the score suggests.[30]
Stephen Sells’ seven goals, including four brilliant second-quarter snaps, ensures Subiaco stay ahead of the Falcons in the battle for fourth place.[31]
As coach Mal Brown announced he will be stepping down because his hard training methods are failing,[32] one-time flag favourites South Fremantle are reminded that talent is no substitute for strength and persistence.[33]
The return of utility Wayne Cormack from a holiday in Europe is a vital reinforcement for East Fremantle as they strive to seal their place in the top two.[34]
Gerard Neesham’s skill with hand and foot plus the blistering pace of wingmen Keith Narkle and Shane Renfree give Swan Districts top place and favoritism for a hat-trick of flags with odds of 5-to-4.[35]
Claremont’s win seals a sixth successive finals appearance and leaves East Perth needing to rely on South Fremantle losing to gain a place, whilst Swan Districts’ brilliant third quarter in slippery conditions secures the double chance.[36]
South Fremantle’s second-quarter capitulation kicking 0.1 (1) to Subiaco’s 8.2 (50) – with the club under a crisis due to internal dissent, coach Brown’s resignation and Benny Vigona refusing to play in defence – allows East Perth to take the last place in the four with its win.[37]
Perth and Claremont scored an aggregate of 346 points. As of 2013, this is the third highest aggregate score in WA(N)FL history.[38] The second quarter aggregate of 18.4 (112) is the second highest on record and the highest before 1990.[39]
Claremont continue their improved attacking form to run away from the Royals at the finish. Steve Malaxos dominates in the centre and Daniels kicks 7.5 (47).[40]
A five-minute burst of as many goals early in the second quarter – in which they total 8.6 (54) – ensures East Fremantle of victory over the Swans, who were handicapped by the loss of several key backmen.[41]
Swan Districts under John Todd completed their second premiership hat-trick, despite having only eleven of their 1983 team due to losses to the VFL and retirement.
References
^Devaney, John; Full Points Footy’s WA Football Companion; p. 278. ISBN9780955689710
