West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), Monday 31 May 1937, page 7


WON WITH THE LAST KICK. Swan Districts Again Succeed. With a goal kicked as the siren sounded for the close of play, Swan Districts snatched victory from West Perth in a hard-fought, stirring game at Bassendean Oval on Saturday. When Tyson goaled about a minute from time West Perth's success seemed assured, but Swan Districts, in typical fashion, gave its all in a last, desperate shattering attack. The ball was forced forward and Penberthy, who had played like a Trojan throughout, leapt high over a crowd and brought down a great mark. Then with a fine drop-kick (he is by no means recognised as a brilliant kick, although he has improved greatly of late) he sent the ball through the middle of the goal, while Swan Districts supporters raised bedlam. Greater stamina, greater dash and superiority in the ruck and across the centre won the game for Swan Districts. West Perth's play in the forward lines was ragged, and several of its players were well -below form. It was without the services of Marinko, who is under disqualification. The teams were: PERTH.-Backs: Jeavons, Tetley, Flemming. Half-becks: Hill, Buttaworth, Bonner. Centres: Bridges, Coward, Walsh. Halfforwards: Donnelly. Bunting, Lewis. Forwards: Pola, Tyson, O'Eeefe. Ruck: McDisrmid, Toplin, Rainoldi (rover). Nineteenth man: Gregg (did not play). SWAN DISTRICTS.-Backs: Penberthy, Avery, Zflko. Half-backs: Mclnnerney, Sinclair, Burchsll. Centres: Erepp, Dormody, Hall. Halfforwards: Moller, Rosewarne, Ross. Forwards: Bastow, Holdsworth, Bravo. Ruck: Murray, Randall, Forden (rover). Nineteenth man: Gorn (replaced Rosewarne, injured chest in last quarter). UMPIRE: V. Sparrow. The game started at a great pace, and Swan Districts forced a point. For 10 minutes the play- swung up and down the ground with the back lines engaging in herculean work. Murray dominated theruck, but Swan Districts' leads were not finding Holdsworth. West Perth was the faster and Tyson and Bunting goaled. Holdsworth scored his first goal from 60 yards out following clever play by Rosewarne. Again Holdsworth kicked truly from beyond the half-forward line. Swan Districts gained momentum in the closing stages of the quarter, launching a series of hard, thrusting attacks, Forden goaled seconds before the siren sounded, with the scores at:--Swan Districts, 4.6; West Perth, 3,2. Flemming stopped half-a-dozen Swan Districts attacks lone-handed in the first five minutes of the second quarter, but West Perth still was unable to take the initiative. Swan Districts had command of the play, but it could not score goals. Darmody was -unbeatable in the centre and the wingmen beat their marksmen. It fell to Donnelly, a new recruit, to break through for' West Perth after 12 minutes' play. With a goal he reduced Swan Districts lead to two points. Buttsworth kept Rosewarne in subjection and Holdsworth was closely watched by Tetley and Flemming. Two goals by Tyson marked West Perth's first ascendancy, but a foolish short pass by Flemming, which went astray, enabled Holdsworth to regain the lead for Swan Districts and the half-time scores were:-Swan Districts, 6.6; West Perth, 6.5. Holdsworth went to centre half-forward at the start of the third quarter and immediately distinguished himself. Swan Districts was superior across the centre and in the ruck, but West Perth was equal to it in pace and for a time more certain at forward and half-forward. Goals by Bunting (after a fine mark over a pack) and Rainoldi put it ahead, but Holdsworth, running through a scrimmage, scored his fifth goal, and he goaled again a minute later. Tetley came out of goal to watch him. Swan Districts held a few points lead for a long period, and twice the scores were level. The pace had dropped by half and the play was hard and slogging. The quarter ended with the scores at:-Swan Districts, 9.10; West Perth, 9.9. Rosewarne had to leave the field at the interval with an injured chest. With a goal Rainoldi gave West Perth a lead of five points and Swan Districts total of points mounted. Both teams. went into the play with reckless abandon, Swan Districts hammering its way to the goal. Holdsworth snapped a point and Gore goaled, to give Swan Districts a four-point lead 10 minutes from time. Swan Districts was finishing hard, but West Perth, playing steadily, was holding on tenaciously. Tyson and Walsh failed with shots at goal, but Tetley, Hill and Buttsworth smashed Swan Districts'

attack. Four minutes from time Swan Districts led by tiree points. Then Rainoldi marked in the centre, ran on and kicked into the goal-mouth. Tyson picked the ball up and kicked it through an open goal Swan Districts swept into attack; Darmody just failed with a long shot. The ball came out and Penberthy marked high over a crowd. As the siren sounded he goaled with a great drop-kick from a diffcult position in the pocket, giving Swan Districts the match by three points. The final scores were:SWAN DISTRICTS . 1L14 (80pts.). WEST PERTH . .. 1111 (77pts.). Goalkickers,--Swan Districts: Holdsworth, 6.2; Forden, 2.1; Penberthy, 1.0; Gorn, 1.0; Moller, 1.0; Rosewarne, 0.3; Murray, 0.3; Bastow, 02; Krepp, 0.1; Ross, 0.1; Darmody, 0.1. West Perth:i Tyson, 5.6; Rainoldi, 2.1; Bunting, 2.2; Donnelly, 1.1; Caplin, 1.L Darmody and Krepp gave Swan Districts a tremendous advantage across the centre, and they were the team's outstanding players. On the other wing Hall played sound, effective footbalL Murray, Randall and Bravo followed splendidly, and Forden, the rover, played perhaps his best football since joining the club. Penberthy, the hero of the day, marked particularly well and showed much improvement in his kicking. Zilko and Sinclair were reliable defenders, while Holdsworth, although held in check, kicked six good goals and played excellently at half-forward. West Perth's best football was played in the back lines, where Buttsworth, who rarely made a mistake, and Hill, whose dash, marking and kicking were uniformly brilliant, were outstanding. Tetley maintained his remarkably consistent form and was almost equal in brilliance to Hill and Buttsworth. Flemming marked brilliantly and frequently checked Swan Districts' attacks, but he, unaccountably, marred his otherwise fine play by futile (and, on two ooccaslons, fatal) shorti leading from close to the goal. Bunting played well at half-forward and Tyson alone was effective in an attack which cracked up too often under pressure.i Ralnoldi was a busy, but at times only

partlally effective rover. Lewis, whose pace has improved, did well, and Donnelly, a recruit, played solid, brainy football. Caplin, O'Keefe and Jeavons were prominent at times.