West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), Monday 17 September 1934, page 6


Victoria park's success.

Subiaco Narrowly Defeated.

'.?;?? -/Finishing strongly after an unpromising ': beginning,, Subiaco was- narrowly ; defeated ?;'J)y.ryictoria Park at. the W.AIC.A. ground r; '?'? Off ? Saturdav. :rT1io winners patnlilialiarlv n

comfortable lead in ,the early stages of i play, but Subiaco fought hard in the last quarter and was'. held: only after a determined fight in which indifferent kicking for, -goal militated against the success, of both teams. Subiaco played more [strongly in; the last quarter than in any game during the season and may ,have .won had it kicked more accurately in the closing sta'ges of ,the game. Following Were the teams: — ' ^.VICTORIA PARK. — Backs: Crooks, Brown, Robinson. 'Half-backs: Hungerford, Fitzgerald, Warner. Centres: Puddey, Grigg, H Davey. Half-forwards: Uewar, Hetherington, -J. Ransom. Forwards: Keightley, Gook, Johnston. Ruck: O'Callaghan, G. Davey, Lucas (rover). 'SUBIACO. — Backs: Ryan, Rodger, Struck. Half-backs: Fisher, S. Daily, Davies. Centres: Mackay, Richardson, Taylor. Half -forwards: R. Toll, -L. Toll, Gree.n. Forwards: McQueen, J. Jennings, Kelly. Ruck: Roe, Bant, * Smith -(rover). Nineteenth man: Howson (did not play). ?iThere was a lack of spirit in the play wa the first quarter and 'neither team was .able to establish a marked advantage. Soon after the start of play Green goaled for. Subiaco ? and after some desultory ex; changes Jennings added a similar score. ?After: several unsuccessful attempts Victoria Park scored its first 'goal and to' wards the end of the quarter Hetherington.'i gathering in a mis-kick; received a penalty and goaled. During the last few minutes of the quarter Victoria Park, .'aided; slightly by the wind, attacked persistently, l Dewar and Gook adding goals and giving .the team the lead 'at quartertime^-4.8 to 2.0. Fihdjng. better form and kicking' with they-wind, Subiaco quickly reduced Victoria' Park's lead, and five minutes after the second quarter started the difference was.' only, .. 14 points. Greater pace an'd more systematic play by both teams made ;!the .:gamc, considerably brighter. ? Vic^ ;toria%Park -was the more vigorous and. its defence -was consistently good. A 'ball kicked bv\Dewar rolled through the posts for' a goal. The. shooting of both teams had been indifferent' ^nd at this stase. Subiaco failed with three easy shots. By dint of greater pace and brilliant marking ' (particularly by Daily) Subiaco im' proved its position further and when Daily'; goaled if. was ,only seven points behind. . .That deficit' was increased by only,.; a point before half-time when the scores were^Victoria Park, 8.14; SubiacoyS.e.'1 ? . . VfEliying moderately well, and with Subiacq.' kicking. wildly, Victoria Park ran to 'a- 33-pointlead about -half-way through the-rthird . 'quarter' and held it for some time;' ^'Subiaco Xvas unable to cope with ?.?brilliant burst of play 'w.hich' was characterised by pace and vigour.. . Sowever, as the. quarter' progressed, Subiaco rallied and when. Roe and Jennings goaled it had i retrieved the position to some extent. The quarter ended with the scores as follows:-4Victoria Park, 14.18; Subiaco, 12.8.i-iAfter i-iAfter Gook had foaled for Victoria Park, in the final quarter. Subiaco made a'determined- effort and qoals from Daily; Rodger (following), Jennings and R. Toll reduced Subiaco's deficit to three points. ?The team had made a'good recovery and Victoria »Park was fighting to hold its advantage. ..Jennings added a. point and Daily kicked. out of bounds from a shot close in. The Victoria Park backs were badly. . rattled but the centre line was firm and 'a series of points enabled th-» team to become .steady. A wet ground and- a .slippery ball made good football difficult and the pace slackened. Three minutes from time Victoria Park led by four pointswith Subiaco fichtiiifr desperately to win. Daily missed from an .acute angle -and Jennings scored a point 70 seconds from the bell— two points the difference. _ A snapshot from the wing by;:a Subiaco player was touched ten seconds from time and, with Subiaco still fighting, the bell rang with the scores as follows:— VICTORIA PARK . 15.21 (III pts.) SUBIACO ? 16.14 (110 pts.) Goalldckers: Victoria Park: Gook (6)', Dewar (3), Hetheringtoii (2). H. Grijtg, Kansom, Johnston and 6. Davey; Subiaco: Jennings (4). Green (2), Daily (2), Richardson. L. Toll, R. Toll, Smith, Roe. Kelly, Rodger and Bant. |^Wiile .many of its players appeared to be looking tq important games ahead, Victoria Park had many fine individual performers. In front of goal Gook regained' much of his early-season form and P. Fitzgerald was excellent at hnlf-back. Lucas roved tirelessly, and G. Davey played well in the ruck. Others who rendered yeoman . service were J. Ransom, Warner, Crooks, Dewar, Brown and H.'; Grigg. ~ '-. ? :\ Subiaco was best served by M. Green, .who acquitted himself well in an unjuual position at half-back. Smith showed

improved form as a rover, and S. Daily marked splendidly. Others who did well were Richardson, Bant (perhaps the best ruckman in the game). Davies, Roe and Jennings (whose -kicking, however, was not beyond criticism).