West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), Monday 18 May 1925, page 11


EAST PERTH WIN.

There is no doubt about the fact that, though football is a winter game, winter conditions -lo not suit our Australian g-ame. Saturday's match on the Fre

mantie_Oval between South Fremantle and East Perth, gave every evidence of this, and was about as 'bad as Austraiian football could be- Only in very rare patches was the scrambly, rough play after a slippery ball relieved .by concerted and open play. Players on both sides, particularly in the third and last quarters, were inclined to forget the ball and play the man too- much, and this did not improve the game. East Perth, after the first ball, never looked like losing. They adapted themselves to the wet conditions quicker tb-in their opponents, and gave the onlooker the impression that, as a wet-day te^nt. they' will take a lot of stopping. South Fremantle have .vet to learn to keep their places and their wandering over the field was jii no sniiill degree responsible for their defeat. The new out-of-bounds rule could not be blamed on Saturday for the large amount of .congested play, for goal-mouth, wings and centre-field were at all times invaded by players^ who s&onld not have been there. O'Connor, who umpired, was faced with a hard task, and did well for three-cuarters. In the last quarter, however, he overlooked many glaring breaches and gave penalties for offences of minor importance. Aerial work was out of the question on account of the greasy 'ball, and East Perth were surer in their picking up and passing. The soccer tactics which were eventually resorted to in the third and last quarters were performed in a manner which appeared to be fraught -with considerable danger to players. Although a man would be bending over the ball, an opposing player would kick it and. on a number of occasions, a player would be seen wringing his fingers, which had been between the ball and another's football boot. This, however, O'Connor appeared not to notice a great deal. Being a day when all players were handicapped by a greasy ball ::nd wet conditions. no player was brilliant for any great length of time. (Probably the best player for the winners was Campbell, who was responsible for five of their goals. These were the result of good place work and kicking and his handling of the wet ball was at all times good- Gepp was an active worker, and. in the bank lines, Gaynor was a solid man throughout. Welsh, Kewton and Western were all useful. For the losers. Lutey played a sterling game throughout, and was a tower of strength in- the back lines. Lawn deserved his bag of four goals, and Sunderland, Staton, Giles, and J. Callow were usually in the picture. Souths were without the services of J. Campbell. Daly (who played well last week), and Edgar, while Duffy was the most notable absentee in the ranks of East Perth. The attendance, considering the day. was good, the grandstand being packed. The reams were: —

East Perth. — Burgess, Ilebbard. Weston, Mitchell, Sparrow, Slurp, Wooilthorpe, Guhl. Owens, Gaynor. Olew. Campbell. Xewton. Brentuall. Gepp, Sherlock,' O'Meara and Wa!sii. South Fremantle. — Tuxfonl. Sanderland. Miller. Staton. Fuhrmann. Dixoii. Mahon, White. Wiisou. Giles. Pressley. Lawn. Fitzgerald. Hughes. C: mpbeil. .1 Callow. J. A. Callow and Lutey. East's were first away. Ilebbard sending to Gepp. but Fitzgerald saved. Mixed play down the centre eventually resulted in Callow scoring the first -major of th» match. From the resultant bounce. East's attacked, and Campbell was put iu possession. The goal sneak uiado no mistake, and the blue's first goal wa* notched. A free to Callow went out of hounds, and White secured from th» kiek-in rnd sent to Lawn, who raised one ilag. East Perth carried the ball down and for a while it looked dangerous, but Callow, with a wonderful mark, saved a goal, and sent to Sunderland. who. in turn. p.'eKcri to Fitzseraiu, who put Lawn in possession iu front. lie scored Smith's second -;t-al. South's backs were playinz good football, and saved repeatedly. Some sr-raniblv play in tho forward lines resulted in Xewton scoring number two for the city team, and the scores at the first bell were: — South Fremantle. 2.7: East Perth. 2.2. Some iinlntere.stiii'.; plsy followed the bounce. Sparrow, who was. at this stage, beating Tuxford iu centre, secured a free, and sent on to Western. Cai'ow saved a goal and the ball travelled down the other end. Sundcrlaml missed a good chance and sent the ball out of bounds. Brenrnall saved a South attack, but the ball came back from the boot of Wilson, ami Miller snapped a point. An East Perth player, throwing the ball, O'Connor awarded Fitzgerald a kick, acd he scored the maximum. Gepp secured the ball, nnil Callow, being out of position, had no difficulty in registering a m.-ijor. Shortly after O'Meira se:u to Campbell, who again raised- two flags, (iiiynnr stopped a South nttai-k. hut the ball came luck, and Lawn snapped a gi«i! with a left foor kick. Kast Perth then took oharze of

I lie same, and Umsii and Owens added goals in quick succession. Campbell, from a hard angle, raised two flags, and shortly after repeated the action with a long punt. The half-time scores read: — East Perth. S.8; South Fremantle. 4.7. The third quarter started with Western scoring a gosl. This quarter was rough, and the play was uninteresting. From point of v.ew of .scoring it was South/s quarter, buf. taken generally, the play was even- Tuxford was beating Sparrow iu centre, but his kicking was erratic. Lawn, who, in this quarter, played clever tootball, was responsible for both South's majors. The three-quarter time scores were: — East Perth. D.4; South Fremantie. G.ll. East 'Perth took charge of the game during the last quarter. Gepp. Newton, Walsh and Campbell scored majors, while Staton was the only one of the seasides to manage a goal. The final scores were: — East Perth: 13.!) (S7 points). South Fremantle: 7.12 (-'4 points). The goal-kickers were: East Perth. Campbell (5), Gepp (2), Walsli (.2).

Xewton (2). 'Western and Owens. South Fremantle, (Lawn 14), Fitzgerald, Callow and Staton.,