West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), Monday 3 September 1934, page 14


VICTORIA PARK IMPROVES.

South Fremantle Outclassed.

Against a side whose kicking was poor and its few attempts to play systematically rather crude, Victoria Park won with ridiculous ease at the W.A.O.A. irroiinrf

on (Saturday, and it was difficult to believs that South Fremantle had recently done well against strong teams. After its recent failures and misfortune. Victoria Park derived considerable encouragement from the match, as several of its players showed improved form and the win at this stage of the season should have an excellent moral effect on the team. Victoria Park's little men were fast and sure and the forwards opened out in good style, while Shepherd and Fitzgerald made the defence strong. Few of South Fremantle's men were reliable and consistent and only in the last quarter did the side extend Victoria Park. The teams were:— VICTORIA PARK'. — Backs: Robinson, Crooks, Helherington. Half-backs: Fitzgerald, Shepherd, Hungerford. Centres: A. Grigfr, H. Davey, Puddy. Half-forwards: Dewar, Wormald, Ransom. Forwards: Keightley, Gook, Johnston Ruck: G. Davey, O'Callaghan, Lucas (rover). Nineteenth man: Cooper (replaced Wormald, injured ankle, in third quarter). SOUTH FREMANTLE.— Backs: Back. E. Lawn, Edwards. Half-backs: Hagan, Edgar, Brown. Centres: Miller, White, ?Whitmore. Half -forwards: Lancaster. Metherell. A. Richardson. Forwards: Hugall, Jones, Matthews. Ruck: Ditchburn, Robertson, Caratti (rarer). Nineteenth man: Digging (did not play). UMPIRE. — G. Gannon. - South Fremantle began promisingly with a goal from Caratti and for the first three minutes it played with more dash than Victoria Park. Then Victoria Park asserted itself in the ruck and across the centre and two goals were scored in quick time. Lucas and H. Davey were playing well for Victoria Park, which played with combination and speed, -outclassing South Fremantle, whose short passing out to the wings was futile. Shepherd was solid in defence and at quarter time Victoria Park had scored 8.3 to 2.5. Wormald, who was limping, was transferred to a forward pocket and Eansom was placed at centre half-forwrd. South Fremantle again shaped well at the start of the quarter and Jones snapped a goal. Keightley scored a fine goals but for a few minutes Victoria Park's kicking was inaccurate. Jones scored another goal for South Fremantle, but from then until half-time Victoria Park dominated the play, handling the ball with more skill and playing to positions. The result was that by half-time Victoria Park led with 13.12 to 4.5. Had South Fremantle s backs cleared the ball more quickly and with more judgment, Victoria Park would not have forged so far ahead in the third term. Victoria Park's policy was to keep the ball out of the deep pockets as much as possible, whereas South Fremantle persisted in kicking across the ground. Victoria Parks centre line was not as powerful as before, yet South Fremantle made little or no progress. There was not much sting# in the game now and at three-quarter time Victoria Park was in an unassailable position— 19.22 to 6.10. The last term dragged on rather tediously, although the scoring was still heavy. For some minutes South Fremantle attacked with more purpose than. before, but found Shepherd and Fitzgerald too strong. At last Ditchburn scored a goal with a long kick and South Fremantle began to make more use of Jones, who missed few opportunities to score. Actually. South Fremantle scored more than Victoria Park. The final scores were:—

VICTORIA PARK .. 22.25 (I57pts.). STH. FREMANTLE 12.11 (83pts.). Scorers:— Victoria Park: Gook, 7.5; Johnston. 4.3; Keightley. 3.0; Lucas, 2.4; Hetherington, 2.0; O'Callaghan, 1.4; Ransom 1.1; G. Davey, 1.1; Wormald, 1.0; Dewar, 0.3. South Fremantle: Jones,. 6 4- Caratti. 4.0; Ditchburn, 2.0; Huga 02; Matthews, 0.2; Lancaster, 0.1; Metherell, 0.1. . For Victoria Park Lucas and Keightley roved in cood style and H. Davey proved an able substitute for H. Grigg in the centre. Fitzgerald and Shepherd were strong half-backs, and Gook, Johnston and Ransom did well in attack. In the rick, G. Davey, O'Callaghan and Hether ington were hard workers. A. Grigg was good on the wing. . South Fremantle fielded a ragged side. Probably the best players were J°ne?j Robertson, Edgar, Ditchburn, Methereil and Whitmore.