West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), Monday 23 July 1934, page 11


A NARROW VICTORY.

Victoria Park Wins Poor Game.

With a number of prominent players out of each team, the ground a little slippery, and the umpiring rather lax; the match between East Fremantle and Victoria

J'ark at the W.A.C.A. ground was seldom little 1 etter than a scramble, and prosDects of a close finish alone kept spectators at all interested. The last quarter certainly was elosply contested and willing, and Victoria Park had anxious moments until the bell rang, leaving it with a slender advantage of four points. Xo doubt the absence of men like Shepherd, P. Fitzgerald, Keightley, Gook. H. Davey, Dewav and Lucas from Victoria Park's . team, and McGlinu, Jarvis

Taylor, S. Doig and W. Doig from East Freniantle's side had a disturbing effect on the teams, which were sluggish and unable to keep the play open. There were some good individual players, but generally the men ran with the ball too much and kicked at random. When they remembered to use a long, driving kick the play speeded up at times. The umpire allowed the ball to remain on the ground too much, as a result of which unsightly scrimmages were prolonged. Victoria Park s sureness in the air and greater accuracy in shooting for goal won it the match and four valuable premiership points. The teams were:— EAST FREMANTLE. — Backs: Donesan. Martienwn, K. Doig. Half-backs: C. James. Woods, Munro. Centres: Cowan. Truscott. Misro. Halfforwards: Prosser, Kordham, F. Mann. Forwards: C. Doig. Butcher, Stanley. Ruck: W. James, G. Mann, Reynolds (rover). Nineteenth man: E. Doig (did not play). VICTORIA PARK.^-Backs: Crooks, Brown. Robinson. Half-backs: O'Callaghan, Hungerford, Wormald. Centres: J. Ransom. H. Griee, G. Ransom. Half-forwards: W. Fitzgerald-. Wilson. G. Davey. Forwards: Robson, Johnston. A. Grigg. Ruck: Warner, Hetherinpton, Puddey (rover). Nineteenth man: Cooper (did not play). UMPIRE. — V. Jones. East Fremantle started quickly and after a rough scramble in its forward lines scored a behind. Victoria Park's poor kicking was apparent and after six minutes Butcher scored a goal. Through finnicky methods Victoria Park's forwards threw away a golden opportunity and few of the players were showinc dash. Welcome co-operation between Wormald, G. Davey and Johnston resulted in a goal, and after Butcher had kicked a behind for East Fremantle. Victoria Park obtained another goal. In the ruck East Fremantle was doing well, but across the centre Migro alone showed form. At quarter time East Fremantle. for which F. Mann had scored an easy goal, led w^th 2.4 to 2.1._ The slight easterly wind now was in Victoria Park's favour. For the most part the play was unattractive, players wandering out of positions and failing to introduce system. Hetherington's good work enabled Robson to goal and gave Victoria Park the lead, which was increased when Johnston's long drop-kick produced a goal. Victoria Park was attacking strongly, but frequently shots went out of bounds. Two behinds to East Fremantle were followed by a goal from W. James, who had a long shot. At half time the scores were: — Victoria Park, 4.4; East Fremantle. 3.6. East Fremantle rearranged its placings. Woods going back into goal. Butcher laised East Fremantle's hopes when he marked, but only a behind resulted. Crooks was a great worker in defence for Victoria Park and at the other end C. James was doing well. For seven minutes East Fremantle attacked hard, scoring four behinds. before 'Victoria Park rallied. Johnston' scored a goal from a scrimmage, and only behinds followed. At the bell Victoria Park led by a point— 5.7 to 4.12. Brown saved when East Fremantle attacked and then Ransom, Warner and Robson worked together to score a goal for Victoria Park. Fordham had been brought to centre-half back, but he found Wilson in good form. Victoria Park's backs were solid and Victoria Park quickly added two goals. East Fremantle then made an effort to score, and increasing its dash and- pace appreciably, obtained a goal from F. Mann. Reynolds was a big factor in the side's recovery, but poor kicking proved disastrous.. Point followed point until Butcher goaled and the difference was four points. Up and down the ball flashed, and players on each side made great saves. Victoria Park crowded tile ball even more than before and its high-marking ability enabled it to save the game, which ended as follows: — VICTORIA PARK .. .. 8.7 (55pts.) EAST FREMANTLE . . 6.15 (5lptS.) Scorers. — Victoria Park: Johnston, 4.1; Robson, 3.0; Wilson, 1.1; A. Grigg, 0.1; W. Fitzgerald, 0.1; G. Davey, 0.1; Puddey, 0.1. East Fremantle: Butcher, 2.4; F. Mann. 2.1; W. James, 1.1; Fordham, 1.0; Reynolds, 0.3; Prosser, 0.2; Migro, 0.1; Slartiensen, 0.1; Cowan, 0.1. For Victoria Park the most serviceable players were Wormald, in spite of an injured shoulder, G. Davey, H. Grigg, J. Ransom, Brown, Hetherington, Hungerford, Johnston and Robinson.' East Freniantle's most useful men were Reynolds, Woods, G. Mann, C. James, Migro and Munro.