West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), Tuesday 18 September 1934, page 9


FAIREST AND BEST PLAYER. Sandover Medal to Clarke; Jarvis Finishes Second and Davey Third. WINNER’S FINE RECORD.

(BY 'FOLLOWER.')

TO Sydney Clarke, the young Claremont-Cottesloe half back, has been awarded the unique distinction of having won the Sandover Medal (for the fairest and best

league football) twice in his two years in league ranks. Clarke won the medal last year and yesterday the umpires votes for the season’s matches were counted, Clarke winning from C. Jarvis, the East Fremantle and State captain. At the end of each match the umpire awarded points preferentially to the three best players— 3, 2 and 1. The Sandover Medal was first awarded in 1921, when T. Outridge was successful and Clarke is the first to win it twice. J Leonard, who is now coaching West' Perth, won in 1926, and in 1929 he tied with W. Thomas, of East Perth. On the vote of the league president (Mr. A. A. Moffat), Thomas was awarded the hon-our: Clarke, therefore, has a remarkable record and it is significant that the lowly Claremont-Cottesloe Club has had the San-dover Medallist for three years in succes-sion, K. Hough having won the medal in 1932. Outstanding Players. It seemed, fairly, certain that either Clarke or Jarvis would win the medal this year, as they were the most consistent and outstanding; players in club games. Clarke battled gallantly in a losing cause from beginning to end of the season, and in the early matches he was especially promin-ent. Claremont-Cottesloe could not win matches, but not for want of trying by Clarke, whose brilliant high-marking and tenacious ground play made him an ideal club footballer. Then came the visit of the South Australian team to Perth, and the public realised that Clarke’s reputation ?was well-deserved. He played exception-ally well in defence, marking like a cham-pion and revealing apparently inexhaustible energy. Immediately after the inter-state matches Clarke was not such a power for Claremont-Cottesloe, but he recovered form. Again East Fremantle Clarke played only for a few minutes and he missed one half of another match. Jarvis is a footballer whose name one would naturally expect to find among the Sandover Medal winners. However, despite the fact that he is acknowledged as one of the finest half-backs this State has had, Jarvis. has not yet earned that distinction. He started playing league football early and achieved success immediately. Unfortun-ately his career has had many interruptions. H. Davey’s Form. Next on the list comes H. Davey, the Vic-toria Park wing man. Davey, like Clarke, has played well since he first came into league football. Last year he was adjudged his club’s best first year player, and this year, despite a little bad luck in the mat-ter of injuries and illness, scored 17 points. Davey has a peculiar style and perhaps it is his unorthodoxy which makes him such a fine wing man. He has also ac-quitted himself well in the centre, where his rugged style enables him to secure the ball frequently from the bounce. Although Claremont-Cottesloe won only two matches during the season, two of its players polled heavily for the Sandover Medal. F. Batt. the goalkeeper, was awarded 16 points—two firsts, four sec-onds and two thirds. Batt was consistent last year, and he did a considerable amount of good work this season. Defending for a losing side, Batt was always in the play. J. Bowe, of Subiaco, started late and finished early, yet he secured 15 points. R. Grieve distinguished himself for Swan Districts and A. Shepherd, V. Caratti and J. Ditchburn. were others who received due recognition. It is difficult for a goalkeeper in a strong team to gain points, but Ben-ton was awarded 11. Munro had a good season, as did Little, one of the best follow-ers and all-rounders in the league. Scraigh’s

S. CLARKE.

S. CLARKE.

form was patchy and Guhl had many good days. The record-breaking full forwards — G. Doig and E. Tyson— were awarded only six and three points respectively. Following were the points awarded: — S. CLARKE (Claremont-Cottesloe) .. 24 C. JARVIS (East Fremantle) .. .. .. 19 H. DAVEY (Victoria Park .. .. 17 F. BATT (Claremont-Cottesloe) .. .. 16 J. BOWE (Subiaco) .. .. .. .. .. .. 15 R. GRIEVE. (Swan Districts) .. .. .. 13 Shepherd (Victoria Park), Caratti (South Fremantle), Ditchburn (South Fremantle) 12. Munro (East Fremantle), Little (East Perth), Screaigh (East Perth), Benton (West Perth), 11. Guhl (Eait Perth), 10. McGIinn (E.F.), S. Dally (Sub.), Money Swan Districts), 9. Edgar (S.F.), Mackay (Sub.), Tetley (W.P.), 8 C. Doig (E.F.), Gook (V.P.), H. Grigg (V.P.), Krepp (S.D.) 7; Back (S.F.). Forbes (Sw.D.). R. Green (W.P.). Kenna (W.P.), 6. Fordham (E.F.). Cronin (E.P.). B. Ryan (E.P.), Brown (V.P.), Merson (Sub.), Ander-son (W.P.), P. Walsh (W.P.). Morgan (W.P.). Jamieson (Sw.D.), Steward (C.-C), 5. W. Doig (E.F.), Wilson (V.P.). W«rner (V.P.), J. Jennings (Sub.), Marlnko (W.P.). Drew (W.P.), Pemberthy (Sw.D.), 4. N. Dolg (E.F.). C. James (E.F.), Matson (E.P.), G. King (E.P.). Lucas (V.P.), P. Fitz-gerald (V.P.), S. Jones (S.F.), F. Brophy (Sub.), M. Green (Sub.), Davles (Sub.), Gregg (W.P.), Tyson (W.P.). Park (Sw.D.), Skinner (C.-C.), O‘Reilly (C.-C.). 3. Truscott (E.F ), Orr (E.P.), M. Ryan (E.P.), J. Wood (E.P.), R. Lawn (E.P.), Keightley (E.P.), Wormald (E.P.), Puddey (E.P.), White (S.F.), Strack (Sub.), McCallum (Sub.), O‘Keefe (W.P.), Broomhall (Sw.D.), Sweetapple (Sw.D.), Holnerney (Sw.D.). Buzzard (C.-C.), Lovegrove (C.-C.), and Morris (C.C.), 2 each. Migro (E.F.). Reynolds (E.F.), Donegan (E.F.). A. Grlgg (V.P.), Dewar (V.P.), Melher-ell (S.F.), K. Miller .(S.F.), E. Lawn (S.F.), Matthews (S.F.), Robertson (S.F.), L. Toll (Sub.). Richardson (Sub.). Roe (Sub.), Bant (Sub:), Ford (W.P.). J. Zilco (Sw.D.). Buckley (Sw.D.). and Hunt (Sw.D.), 1 each. CLUB TOTALS.— East Fremantle (13 players mentioned), 72 points: Victoria Park (14 play-ers), 70; West Perth (13 players), 63; Subiaco (14 players). 58; Claremont-Cottesloe (eight players), 57; East Perth (11 players), 56; Swan Districts (13 players), 56; South Fre- mantle (11 players). 48. CLUB LEADERS. — Claremont-Cottesloe, S. Clarke, 24; East Fremantle, C. Jarvis, 19; Vic-toria Park. H. Davey, 17; Subiaco. J. Bowe, 15; Swan Districts, R. Grieve, 13; South Fre-mantle, V. Caratti, 12; West Perth, W. Benton, 11; East Perth, G. Little and H. Screaigh, 11. Three Medals Won. Clarke, who is only 20 years of age, has had a successful career. He was a mem-ber of the State schoolboys’ team which visited Brisbane in 1928 and in 1929 and 1930 he was a member of the Hale School first eighteen. In 1930 he led the side. During those years he was outstanding in athletics as a high juniper. He played a few games in the Metropolitan Junior Association in 1931 and that year did well at Bunbury. In 1932 he won the Strempel medal in the M.J.F.A., playing with Nedlands, and he has since been playing league football.