1925 WAFL season

The 1925 WAFL season was the 41st season of the West Australian Football League. It was notable as the season where a fully-fledged system of district football was firmly in place after two seasons of planning, with Perth divided into eight zones, one of which was allocated to Claremont in preparation for their entry to senior WAFL ranks for 1926 and another covered the Midland area later to be allocated to Swan Districts.[1] Along with this, the WAFL introduced a reserves competition for players not good enough for their club's league team.

1925 WAFL season
Teams6
PremiersEast Fremantle
(12th premiership)
Minor premiersSubiaco
(3rd minor premiership)
Matches played49
Bernie Naylor MedallistTed Flemming (West Perth)
Sandover MedallistGeorge Owens (East Perth)

The season saw East Fremantle gain revenge for the previous season's Grand Final loss against a Subiaco team often thought to be the most talented that club had fielded so far in its history[2] with three exceptional finals performances.

A notable incident during the season was a postponement of the Round 12 match between East Perth and West Perth because the Cardinals failed to return on time from a tour of Tasmania, due to being entertained by Senator Pearce in Melbourne the day the ‘Kalgoorlie Express’ was due to leave from Melbourne.[3]

Home-and-away season

Round 1
Round 1
Saturday, 2 May (3:00 pm) Perth 10.20 (80) def. East Perth 10.10 (70) WACA [4]
Saturday, 2 May (3:00 pm) Subiaco 12.13 (85) def. West Perth 7.9 (51) Subiaco Oval [5]
Saturday, 2 May (3:00 pm) South Fremantle 7.7 (49) def. by East Fremantle 14.9 (93) Fremantle Oval [6]

The new rule (as in the VFL) of awarding a free kick against a player who puts the ball out of bounds is regarded as a great success: it was estimated that in one game there were only seventeen stoppages.[7]

Round 2
Round 2
Saturday, 9 May (3:00 pm) Perth 21.7 (133) def. South Fremantle 11.8 (74) WACA [8]
Saturday, 9 May (3:00 pm) East Perth 9.10 (64) def. West Perth 8.6 (54) Perth Oval [9]
Saturday, 9 May (3:00 pm) Subiaco 11.7 (73) def. East Fremantle 9.6 (60) Subiaco Oval [10]

Perth’s score was the first of twenty goals in the WAFL since 12 July 1919, when East Fremantle kicked 21.15 (141) against West Perth.[11]

Round 3
Round 3
Saturday, 16 May (3:00 pm) West Perth 7.13 (55) def. by East Fremantle 12.5 (77) Leederville Oval [12]
Saturday, 16 May (3:00 pm) Perth 4.14 (38) def. by Subiaco 8.15 (63) WACA [13]
Saturday, 16 May (3:00 pm) South Fremantle 7.12 (54) def. by East Perth 13.9 (87) Fremantle Oval [14]

Round 4
Round 4
Saturday, 23 May (3:00 pm) East Perth 10.12 (72) def. by Subiaco 16.10 (106) Perth Oval [15]
Saturday, 23 May (3:00 pm) East Fremantle 11.15 (81) def. Perth 8.12 (60) Fremantle Oval [16]
Saturday, 23 May (3:00 pm) West Perth 14.19 (103) def. South Fremantle 7.8 (50) Leederville Oval [17]

Subiaco, with Ahearn kicking eight goals in the absence of top goal-sneak Rodriguez, move to a clear top. In the process the Maroons end the most recent run of 100 games without reaching 100 points.[18]

Round 5 (Foundation Day)
Round 5
Saturday, 30 May (3:00 pm) South Fremantle 9.10 (64) drew with Subiaco 9.10 (64) Fremantle Oval [19]
Saturday, 30 May (3:00 pm) Perth 8.11 (59) def. by West Perth 11.17 (83) WACA [20]
Monday, 1 June (3:00 pm) East Perth 11.11 (77) def. East Fremantle 8.13 (61) Subiaco Oval [21]

This is the most recent drawn game between Subiaco and South Fremantle.

Round 6 (King’s Birthday)
Round 6
Saturday, 6 June (3:00 pm) East Fremantle 11.12 (78) def. South Fremantle 7.10 (52) Fremantle Oval [22]
Saturday, 6 June (3:00 pm) East Perth 11.11 (77) def. Perth 8.15 (63) Perth Oval [23]
Monday, 8 June (3:00 pm) West Perth 12.11 (83) def. Subiaco 12.10 (82) Leederville Oval [24]
  • This was the second last time the WA(N)FL played matches on the King’s Birthday public holiday,[a] though the VFL/AFL and SANFL have done so ever since.
  • In a match noted for its brilliant high marking,[24] Subiaco lose their unbeaten record as they fail to get a kick away when the bell sounds.

Round 7
Round 7
Saturday, 13 June (3:00 pm) Perth 16.5 (101) def. South Fremantle 7.10 (52) WACA [25]
Saturday, 13 June (3:00 pm) East Fremantle 7.17 (59) def. Subiaco 7.8 (50) Fremantle Oval [26]
Saturday, 13 June (3:00 pm) West Perth 14.15 (99) def. East Perth 7.6 (48) Leederville Oval [27]

1924 wooden spooners West Perth, in rainy conditions, win their fourth straight game by thrashing a depleted Royal team with 8.9 (57) to 2.3 (15) after half-time.

Interstate match
Interstate match
Saturday, 20 June (3:00 pm) Western Australia def. by South Australia Subiaco Oval [28]
2.3 (15)
3.5 (23)
6.9 (45)
 7.12 (54)		 Q1
Q2
Q3
 Final		 2.2 (14)
6.6 (42)
7.7 (49)
 8.9 (57)		 Umpires: Frank O‘Connor
Johnny Campbell 3, Bonny Campbell 2, Owens, Parks Goals Bent 2, McGregor 2, Dayman 2, Ryan, Potts
Johnny Campbell, Sherlock, Leonard, Craig, Brophy, Jarvis, Green Best Golding (best on ground), Lid, Dayman, Ryan, Moriarty, McGregor, Whitehead

South Australia hold off the locals in a thrilling match, in which a gate of £997[b] showed the popularity of football.

Round 8
Round 8
Saturday, 27 June (3:00 pm) East Perth 8.17 (65) def. by South Fremantle 10.7 (67) Perth Oval [29]
Saturday, 27 June (3:00 pm) Subiaco 6.8 (44) def. Perth 4.11 (35) Subiaco Oval [30]
Saturday, 27 June (3:00 pm) East Fremantle 12.13 (85) def. West Perth 7.11 (53) Fremantle Oval [31]
  • East Fremantle end the Cardinals’ run on another wet Saturday[32] despite Flemming kicking six of their seven goals.
  • South Fremantle win their first game against the depleted Royals, handicapped by injuries to captain Hebbard, Walsh, O‘Meara and Fletcher.

Round 9
Round 9
Saturday, 4 July (3:00 pm) South Fremantle 7.7 (49) def. by West Perth 8.4 (52) Fremantle Oval [33]
Saturday, 4 July (3:00 pm) Perth 8.10 (58) def. by East Fremantle 12.17 (89) WACA [34]
Saturday, 4 July (3:00 pm) Subiaco 6.12 (48) def. by East Perth 8.13 (61) Subiaco Oval [35]

In a thrilling last stanza of a scrappy game, South Fremantle fail to obtain the decisive goal and kick the only 0.3 (3) of the whole last quarter.

Round 10
Round 10
Saturday, 11 July (3:00 pm) West Perth 9.8 (62) def. by Perth 12.13 (85) Leederville Oval [36]
Saturday, 11 July (3:00 pm) East Fremantle 13.13 (91) def. East Perth 8.4 (52) Fremantle Oval [37]
Saturday, 11 July (3:00 pm) Subiaco 12.13 (85) def. South Fremantle 6.5 (41) Subiaco Oval [38]

Round 11
Round 11
Saturday, 18 July (3:00 pm) Subiaco 11.8 (74) def. West Perth 9.13 (67) Subiaco Oval [39]
Saturday, 18 July (3:00 pm) South Fremantle 8.8 (56) def. East Fremantle 4.13 (37) Fremantle Oval [40]
Saturday, 18 July (3:00 pm) East Perth 14.12 (96) def. Perth 3.12 (30) Perth Oval [41]
  • During the two weekends following this round, Western Australia were thrashed at the MCG by 8.10 (58) to 22.11 (143)[42] and then at the Adelaide Oval on 1 August by 7.8 (50) to 12.22 (94).[43]
  • West Perth went on a tour of Tasmania at this time and played two games against representative teams there, beating Northern Tasmania 10.7 (67) to 7.10 (52) on July 25[44] and losing 8.5 (53) to 8.12 (60) against Southern Tasmania on August 1.[45]

Round 12
Round 12
Saturday, 8 August (3:00 pm) Subiaco 10.14 (74) def. East Fremantle 11.7 (73) Subiaco Oval [46]
Saturday, 8 August (3:00 pm) South Fremantle 8.7 (55) def. by Perth 9.11 (65) Fremantle Oval [47]
Saturday, 15 August (3:00 pm) East Perth 4.17 (41) def. by West Perth 12.16 (88) Perth Oval [48]
  • The Perth Oval match was postponed because West Perth were delayed in their return from Tasmania.[3][49]
  • The Cardinals, despite having only seventeen players, record a hollow victory over East Perth.[48]

Round 13
Round 13
Saturday, 22 August (3:00 pm) West Perth 10.18 (78) def. East Fremantle 3.7 (25) Leederville Oval [50]
Saturday, 22 August (3:00 pm) Perth 7.10 (52) def. by Subiaco 13.9 (87) WACA [51]
Saturday, 22 August (3:00 pm) South Fremantle 6.10 (46) def. by East Perth 15.12 (102) Fremantle Oval [52]

Round 14
Round 14
Saturday, 29 August (3:00 pm) East Fremantle 15.10 (100) def. Perth 11.10 (76) Fremantle Oval [53]
Saturday, 29 August (3:00 pm) West Perth 13.7 (85) def. South Fremantle 7.9 (51) Leederville Oval [54]
Saturday, 29 August (3:00 pm) East Perth 4.9 (33) def. by Subiaco 6.8 (44) Perth Oval [55]

Subiaco seal the minor premiership as a result of East Perth’s shocking forward work in perfect conditions.

Round 15
Round 15
Saturday, 5 September (3:00 pm) East Perth 9.12 (66) def. East Fremantle 7.3 (45) Perth Oval [56]
Saturday, 5 September (3:00 pm) South Fremantle 13.7 (85) def. Subiaco 11.9 (75) Fremantle Oval [57]
Saturday, 5 September (3:00 pm) Perth 8.10 (58) def. by West Perth 7.17 (59) WACA [58]

A dubious goal by Beaumont when Sharples almost certainly marked inside the field of play gives West Perth a narrow win.

Ladder
1925 ladder
Pos Team Pld W L D PF PA PP Pts
1 Subiaco 15 10 4 1 1054 874 120.6 42
2 West Perth 15 9 6 0 1072 933 114.9 36
3 East Fremantle (P) 15 9 6 0 1054 929 113.5 36
4 East Perth 15 8 7 0 1011 976 103.6 32
5 Perth 15 5 10 0 993 1092 90.9 20
6 South Fremantle 15 3 11 1 845 1225 69.0 14
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, 12 September (3:00 pm) West Perth 2.9 (21) def. by East Fremantle 6.22 (58) Subiaco Oval (crowd: 9,483)
  • East Fremantle’s superior ground play in cold, wet and windy weather ensures them a clear win over the high-flying style of the Cardinals.[59]
  • West Perth never again scored only two goals in a match or a lower total score until 2014.[60]

Second semi-final
Second semi-final
Saturday, 19 September (3:00 pm) Subiaco 13.15 (93) def. by East Perth 15.12 (102) WACA (crowd: 9,045)

An eight-goal second quarter ensures East Perth upset the minor premiers, in the process avenging their loss in the corresponding match from 1924.[61]

Final
Preliminary final
Saturday, 26 September (3:00 pm) East Fremantle 12.10 (82) def. East Perth 5.7 (37) Subiaco Oval (crowd: 12,077)

After losing star goalkicker Bonny Campbell with a broken bone in his ankle the Royals are crushed by a rugged East Fremantle outfit[62]

Grand Final
1925 WAFL Grand Final
Saturday, 3 October (3:00 pm) Subiaco def. by East Fremantle Perth Oval (crowd: 15,112) [63]
0.1 (1)
1.3 (9)
3.5 (23)
 6.7 (43)		 Q1
Q2
Q3
 Final		 5.4 (34)
8.4 (52)
8.8 (56)
 10.10 (70)		 Umpires: Frank O‘Connor
Rodriguez 3, Grigg 2, Ahearn Goals Gibson 2, Truscott 2, Gallagher 2, Woods, Jarvis, Dolan, Cinoris
Brophy (best on ground), Leonard, Scaddan, Wieland, Grigg, Rodriguez Best Dolan, Buchanan, Coffey, Brown, Mudie, Jones, Jarvis
Outridge (ankle) Injuries

East Fremantle continue their form of the previous two finals to have the premiership sealed by half-time, aided by a wind that lost its force during the second quarter.

Notes

a The only subsequent King's Birthday games in the WA(N)FL occurred in 1946, the season after government bans on weekday sport during the Pacific War were lifted.
b Until 1947, WA(N)FL attendances were almost never quantified except for finals matches, and before 1920 they were not quantified even then – gates were used as an indication of the number watching.

References
  1. Casey, Kevin; The Tigers’ tale : the origins and history of the Claremont Football Club; pp. 12-15; ISBN 0-646-26498-2
  2. Spillman, Ken; Diehards: The Story of the Subiaco Football Club 1896-1945; pp. 100-101 ISBN 0-646-35834-0
  3. “West Perth Team Entertained in Melbourne”; Kalgoorlie Miner; 6 August 1925; p. 6
  4. ‘Perth Defeat East Perth: An Interesting Game’; The West Australian, 4 May 1925, p. 10
  5. ‘Subiaco Vanquish West Perth’; The West Australian, 4 May 1925, p. 10
  6. ‘East Fremantle Win’; The West Australian, 4 May 1925, p. 10
  7. ‘Football: Opening of the Season’; The West Australian, 4 May 1925, p. 10
  8. ‘Perth Win Easily’; The West Australian, 11 May 1925, p. 10
  9. ‘East Perth’s Narrow Win: An Exciting Finish’; The West Australian, 11 May 1925, p. 10
  10. ‘Subiaco v East Fremantle – Poor, Yet Exciting Football’; The West Australian, 11 May 1925, p. 10
  11. “Coach” (pseudonymous author); ‘Football: The Australian Game’; Western Mail, 14 May 1925, p. 24
  12. ‘East Fremantle Defeat West Perth’; The West Australian, 18 May 1925, p. 11
  13. ‘Subiaco v Perth – Maroons Win Comfortably’; The West Australian, 18 May 1925, p. 11
  14. ‘East Perth Win’; The West Australian, 18 May 1925, p. 11
  15. ‘Subiaco Still Unbeaten’; The West Australian, 25 May 1925, p. 11
  16. ‘East Fremantle Beat Perth’; The West Australian, 25 May 1925, p. 11
  17. ‘West Perth Win’; The West Australian, 25 May 1925, p. 11
  18. "WAFL Footy Facts: Consecutive Games Scoring Under 100 Points". Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  19. ‘Subiaco v South Fremantle – A Drawn Game’; The West Australian, 1 June 1925, p. 6
  20. ‘West Perth v Perth – Cardinals Win Comfortably’; The West Australian, 1 June 1925, p. 6
  21. ‘Football: East Perth Defeats East Fremantle’; The West Australian, 2 June 1925, p. 8
  22. ‘South Fremantle v East Fremantle’; The West Australian, 8 June 1925, p. 10
  23. ‘East Perth v Perth – A Great Last Quarter’; The West Australian, 8 June 1925, p. 10
  24. ‘Football: The League Season – West Perth v Subiaco; A Thrlling Finish’; The West Australian, 9 June 1925, p. 8
  25. ‘Perth Vanquish South Fremantle’; The West Australian, 15 June 1925, p. 10
  26. ‘Old Easts Victorious – A Rugged Game’; The West Australian, 15 June 1925, pp. 9-10
  27. ‘West Perth v East Perth – West Perth Win Easily’; The West Australian, 15 June 1925, p. 9
  28. ‘Interstate Football: South Australia v Western Australia – A Thrilling Contest’; The West Australian, 22 June 1925, pp. 7-8
  29. ‘Subiaco Defeat Perth – A Hard Tussle’; The West Australian, 29 June 1925, p. 9
  30. ‘South Fremantle v East Perth – A Narrow Win’; The West Australian, 29 June 1925, p. 9
  31. ‘East Fremantle v West Perth – Seasiders Win Easily’; The West Australian, 29 June 1925, p. 9
  32. Perth Regional Office (009034) June 1925 rainfall
  33. ‘West’s Narrow Win; Umpire Threatened’; The West Australian, 6 July 1925, p. 10
  34. ‘East Fremantle Defeat Perth’; The West Australian, 6 July 1925, p. 10
  35. ‘East Perth v Subiaco – A Rugged Battle’; The West Australian, 6 July 1925, p. 10
  36. ‘Perth’s Brilliant Victory: West Perth Decisively Beaten’; The West Australian, 13 July 1925, p. 9
  37. ‘East Fremantle Win’; The West Australian, 13 July 1925, p. 9
  38. ‘Subiaco v South Fremantle’; The West Australian, 13 July 1925, p. 9
  39. ‘Subiaco Defeat West Perth: A Last Quarter Victory’; The West Australian, 20 July 1925, p. 10
  40. ‘South Fremantle Win’; The West Australian, 20 July 1925, p. 10
  41. ‘East Perth v Perth – A Poorly-Contested Game’; The West Australian, 20 July 1925, p. 10
  42. “Kudos” (pseudonymous author); ‘A Drubbing for Our Footballers: Victoria’s Overwhelming Victory; Surprising and Disappointing Result’; The Daily News, 27 July 1925, p. 8
  43. “Kudex” (pseudonymous author); ‘Badly Beaten: State Team’s Failure: South Australia’s Easy Win’
  44. ‘West Perth v Tasmania: WA Team Successful’; The Sunday Times, 26 July 1925, p. 4
  45. ‘West Perth Beaten: Hobart, Aug. 2.’; The West Australian, 3 August 1925, p. 7
  46. ‘Subiaco v East Fremantle – A Great Game: A Stirring Finish’; The West Australian, 10 August 1925, p. 10
  47. ‘Perth Beat South Fremantle’; The West Australian, 10 August 1925, p. 10
  48. ‘The League Season: West Perth v East Perth – A Disappointing Game’; The West Australian, 17 August 1925, p. 9
  49. “Football: The League Season”; The West Australian, 10 August 1925, p. 10
  50. ‘West Perth v East Fremantle – An East Debacle’; The West Australian, 24 August 1925, p. 10
  51. ‘Subiaco Beat Perth’; The West Australian, 24 August 1925, p. 10
  52. ‘East Perth Win Easily’; The West Australian, 24 August 1925, p. 10
  53. ‘East Fremantle Defeat Perth’; The West Australian, 31 August 1925, p. 11
  54. ‘West Perth Win’; The West Australian, 31 August 1925, p. 11
  55. ‘Subiaco v East Perth – Subiaco Victorious’; The West Australian, 31 August 1925, p. 11
  56. ‘East Perth v East Fremantle – East Perth Victorious’; The West Australian, 7 September 1925, p. 11
  57. ‘Subiaco Beaten’; The West Australian, 7 September 1925, p. 11
  58. ‘West Perth Win’; The West Australian, 7 September 1925, p. 11
  59. ‘Yesterday’s Football: East Fremantle Win Their Way to Final’; The Sunday Times, 13 September 1925, p. 7S
  60. West Perth – Lowest Scores
  61. ‘Football: Second Semi-Final Won By East Perth. A Great Game’; The West Australian, 21 September 1925, p. 11
  62. ‘Football: The League Final. Won by East Fremantle’; The West Australian, 28 September 1925, p. 10
  63. “Onlooker” (pseudonymous author); ‘Football: The League Championship. Won by East Fremantle.‘
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