West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), Monday 7 September 1925, page 11


EAST PERTH V. EAST FREMANTLE.

EAST PERTH VICTORIOUS.

Always keen rivals, the two Easts played an interesting game at Perth Oval under weather conditions which were oppressive. East Perth won, and

won well, leading in play over the three first parts of the journey and running all over the seasiders in th final quar-ter. It was a match in which good football was shown, and many beautiful concerted moves were good to watch. In the first quarter particularly the East Perth men led out finely, and passed with an accuracy, and length which flashed the ball quickley from one ed to the other. In the last three terms, although the play became congested at times, both teams staged many pretty concerted moves. Then, again, the high marking was clean, and the flank work of the East Perth wing men full of dash, cleverness, and topped off with accurately placed passes into the attack lines, East Perth, who were without three of their cham-pions in Duffy, Owens, and Burgess, were convincing in their football, and must have heartened their supporters by the form displayed. Nearly every man weighed in with a useful game, and there was a freshness and dash, about their play which make them look like being a nippy and fast band to encounter in the finals. Not so East Fremantle, who had few men up to top form. There seemed to be a staleness about their play. Every now and then the side would mould into something like the great hand which did so well earlier in the year, but dissolved all too frequently into mediocrity. There was the absence of sustained effort about their play, and too many men were below form. Despite the fact that East Perth, were ahead on play over the first three parts of the journey, it was anyone's game at lemons. East Perth had certainly had the beet of the game amidfield, but had not topped off their attacks, a weakness in front of goal anchoring their chances. On the other hand. East Fremantle had turned their opportunities to good account. At quarter-tune East Perth led by 9 points, with 3.3 against 2.0. They had played the better football. Then in the second term East Fremantle, continuing with their accuracy in front of goal, and ris-ing in the second term above East Perth with football full of determination, ran to a lead of 4.1 to 3.5 at half-time. In the third quarter East Perth overhauled them, and led 5.7 to 5.2 at lemons. Rush-ing to attack immediately in the last, the leaders clapped on 4.3 in quick time, and sealed the fate of the game beforethe seasiders could stem their onslaughts. In the last five minutes East Fremantle scored a couple of goals, but were a beaten side without hope of pulling the game out of the fire. East Perth won by 21 points. There were some sparkling displays. Guhl of East Perth, was un-beatable on the wing, where he gave a good one in Lennie Brown a rare beat-

ing. This lad is the top wing man of the league to-day. Fast, cool, elusive, and clever, he tops off he's work with a beautiful long skimming stab kick which rarely misses a mate. With the leftfooter's turn to aid him and a dogged-ness as well, he is never beaten. Dob-son, on the other flank, was little be-hind Guhl on the day, showing wonderful nip, cleverness, and good disposal. Glew was a grand defender, and Sherlock was at his best right back in goal. His display was faultless, and he showed all his well-known dash and good judgment in between those big posts. Gepp com-pleted a great quintette with brainy lead-ing and a display of rare speed in the short dashes for the ball. On the East Fremantle side Dolan stood out head and shoulders above the rest. His display in the air was brilliant, seldom missing in his flights for the ball, and he did well, too, in general play. Coffey was just about his most able helper. Wallace had charge of the game. He made a few bad errors, but is firm and allows the game to flow, which is relished by the ringsiders. The teams were:— East Perth: Dobson, Western, C. Mit-chel, Sparrow, Sharp, Glew, Guhl, Bar-ratt, Hebbard, Campbell, Brentnall, Gepp, Sherlock, Harrold, Fletcher, Walsh, Redhead, J. Mitchell. East Fremante: Dolan, Cinioris, Brown, Baird, Gibson, Coffey, Clark, Dunne, Gallagher, Jarvis, Jones, Mudie, Richards, Rocke, Ryan, Woods, Sheedy, Truscott. East Fremantle were the first to score, Gallagher topping off a nice passing movement with full points. Sparrow equalised with a good place kick, and Gallagher goaled again for Easts. Cof-fey at centre and Dobson on the flank were brilliant players at this stage. Then East Perth staged some fine concerted play. Flashing the ball from, one end of the field to the other with long and accurate passing, the city men gave Spar-row possession, and he goaled. Continu-ing their good combined work, they were rewarded with a further goal. Sparrow again doing the needful. It had been good football, with East Perth showing fine team's work and they were ahead in play. Quarter-time scores were 3.3 to 2.0 in East Perth's favour. As soon as play opened in the second, Truscott goaled from a free. Then play became a bit congested. Paying with improved pace and determination. East Fremantle were in the van now, and Regan swayed the lead their way with a major. This made four straight majors, for the sea-sides— uncanny kicking. For the rest of tie term East Fremantle did most of the attaching, but found Glew, Sherlock, and Brentnall hard to pass in the city back lines. It had been an East Fre-mantle quarter, in which they showed superior dash and lots of determination. They held a lead of 4.1 to 3.5 at half time. After half-lime both sides went at it with vim, and in some fierce ex-change the bumps wore hard and often. East Fremantle finding the opposing backs out of place scored at an open goal. Gallagher getting the points. They held a nice lead now, but a minor or so and a goal from Harrold at the other end brought the tactics level, and Hubbard, with a long punt, which just got inside the posts scored again for East Perth, giving them the advantage of 5.7 to 5.2 at lemons. It had been a very ard, slogging quarter, dotted with neat pas-sages of football from both sides, with East Perth holding most sway in the play. It. looked like being an exciting contest over the last period of the jour-ney. But the issue was soon settled by repeated bombardments by East Perth, which produced four goals in quick suc-cession. Starting off with two behinds kicked through in sharp succession, Heb bard, Sparrow, Sharp and Western fol-lowed with goals. East Perth were all over the seasiders, who seemed knocked off their balance by the power of the advances of the city players. East Perth were playing great football, particularly accross the centre, where Guhl, Dobson, and Wals were supreme. It was not until towards the end that East Fre-mantle seemed to recover, and then steadying and going in attack they got goals from Woods and Truscott. But East Perth were too far ahead, and ran out easy winners by 21 points, the final tallies being:— East Perth, 9.12 (66 points). East Fremantle, 7.3 (45 points). Goal-kickers:-East Perth: Sparrow (4), Hebbard (2), Harrold, Sharp, West-ern. East Fremantle: Gallagher (3), Truscott (2), Ryan, Woods. Gate, £122.