West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), Monday 24 May 1937, page 15


VICTORY FOR EAST PERTH. South Fremantle Fades Away. Although it gave a colourless display, East Perth beat South Fremantle by a big margin at the Perth Oval on Saturday. Up to half-time, South Fremantle, faster and surer and getting great stimulus from its centre-line, held East Perth to even scores and looked the most promising side. After half-time, South Fremantle was a spent force. East Perth scored 50 points to six in the third quarter and the game was as good as over. Factors in the third-quarter revival were that the ruck and half-forwards suddenly became powerful forces; changed placings made the centre men more effective; and there was more accuracy in kicking and handling of the ball. But so abryptly was the tenor of the game changed that there seemed to be a more important factor: the impression given was that, misjudging its resources, South Fremantle had set a pace it could not maintain, and then it could not adjust itself to changed circumstances. The teams were:EAST PERTH.--Backes: Dook, Crow, Thomas. Half-baiks: Ward, Starr, Withell. Centres: D. Miller, Gbhl, A. Hall. Half-forwards: B. Ryan, Lockyer, Cronin. Forwards: Fogarty, Rowland, Mussman. Ruck: Graham, Garnaut. H. Screaigh (rover). Nineteenth man: Campbell (did not play). SOUTH FREMAN'TLE.-Backs: Hagan, Noble, HugalL Half-backs: Back, D. Doig, Dodd. Centres: Lewington, Jenkins, K. Miller. Halfforwards: Mathews, W. Hayward, White. Forwards: Richardson, Poole, E. Hayward. luck: Prosser, Higham, Orr (rover). Nineteenth man: F. Brown (did not play). UMPIRE: V. Sparrow. East Perth, beginning with a strong breeze behind it, adopted a long-kicking game. But it kicked loosely, which meant that the team which was faster and was better in the air had the advantage. This team was South Fremantle. D. Doig was a strong leader of strong back lines which repeatedly turned attacks. With Jenkins and his helpers commanding the centre, South Premantle soon turned defence into attack and, despite weaknesses forward which were shown up by East Perth's strong back work, took the lead. East Perth was the weaker side, but in Rowland it had a fine opportunist in' front of goal, and showing more accuracy in the closing stages of the first quarter, it led with 4.2 to 2.1. Winning in the ruck and across the centre, and with W. Hayward shining at centre-half-forward, South Fremantle soon levelled the scores when with the wind. However, its goal-front work was its weakness and East Perth's backs were the dominating 'influence on the play. The ball kept being returned to them from midfield, but then Lockyer was swung into ruck with immediate good effect id Cronin, switched to centrehalf-forward, put some purpose into the

R. CROW.

team. The shorter game against the wind suited East Perth better and, more accurately in touch, it had the scores level at 6.4 at half-time. After the interval, East Perth put D. Miller on Jenkins in the centre, with Guhl replacing him on K. Miller's wing. Both came more into the picture, although Jenkins was still the outstanding figre there. The wind had abated and this seemed to help East Perth to better football Although it was still not fast, it was more alert and at last Cronin's sparkling half-forward play was getting a response. Graham was given more help on the ball, B. Ryan doing better and Screaight running into his best form, and Lockyer did well at centre-half-forward. South Fremantle had slackened surprisingly and it was hard-pressed on the defensive for the whole of the third quarter, except once when a goal was scored. East Perth led with 13.12 to 7.4. ' The wind no longer affected the play and South Fremantle did not recover form. It seemed to have run itself out in the first half. On the other hand, East Perth, which was playing better from the front, had more of its men effective than in the first half. South Fremantle's position was hopeless and the play slowed and lost interest. The final scores were:EAST PERTH .. .. 15.13 (103 pts.) SOUTH FEEMANTLE 10.7 (67 pts.) Scorers.-East Perth: Rowland, 6.2; Lockyer, 3.1; Mussman, 2.4; Screaigh, 2.0; Cronin, 1.4; Graham, 1.0; Fogarty, 0.1; B. Ryan, 0.1. South Fremantle: Poole, 2.2; W. Hayward, 2.0; Mathews, 1.3; White, 1.1; Richardson, 1.0; Higham, 1.0; Prosser, 1.0; Orr, 1.0; Hugall, 0.1. Cronin played good football for East Perth. The victory was largely brought about by his penetrating half-forward work. It was also due in a large measure to Crow's strength at the other end of the field, where he crippled many a South Fremantle attack. Withell, at half-back, was another star in defence.

Graham worked solidly and consistently in the ruck, and Rowland was an alert and accurate full-forward. Lockyer was one of the key men (when he was good the team progressed) and Screaigh helped a lot with good roving in the third quarter. D. Miller was workmanlike and Guhl, after being overshadowed in the centre, came into the picture on a wing. Mussman, Thomas and Ward were solid. Jenkins was the mainspring of South Fremantle. He was the strongest single influence on the course of the play and when he tired towards the end, having too much to do, the team lost its drive. Also outstanding was Back, sure and reliable at half-back. Lewington, with neat and effective play, won on his wing and D. Doig shaped well at centre-halfback. W. Hayward and Prosser rucked strongly, Hayward being prominent also at half-forward. White, E. Hayward, Noble and Hagan were the best of the others.