Burley-Sekem

The Burley Football Company was started in 1906 by carpenter and former tanner's apprentice, Joe Burley, who was requested to make a ball that "kept its shape" for the Western Australian Football Association (WAFA). Previously, rugby balls had been used for the sport, but these were easily worn and prone to changing shape from a prolate spheroid to a sphere by the completion of matches.[1] Burley's ball was first tried in a WAFA game between East Fremantle and West Perth in June 1906, and gained popularity amongst players, leading to it being exclusively used by the WAFL from 1921, a practice which continues to this day. The ball was introduced to the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) in the 1920s, and is the official ball.[2] Along with the Sherrin, the Burley football was declared the official football of the Australian National Football Council (ANFC). The Burley was also used in interstate and carnival matches featuring Western Australia.[3]

Sekem commenced operations in 1923 as a sock manufacturing business. The business survived the Great Depression and the Second World War, expanding into sportswear, swimwear and school uniforms, become Australia's largest manufacturer of school uniforms by the 1970s.[4]