West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), Tuesday 8 June 1937, page 16


EXCITEMENT AT SUBIACO. East Perth Scrapes Home by a Point In a game that produced uproarious excitement and nearly ended in a riot, East Perth scraped home by a point from Subiaco at the Subiaco Oval yesterday. Keyed up and fiercely determined, Subiaco had the weary East Perth team in a corner. Five minutes before time, it drew to within two points of East Perth and, sensing victory, threw everything into the struggle. Another minute and another point came. Shots were wasted and then, while the time remaining was being measured in seconds, the scores were levelled. It seemed that the game was over, but, amid a thunderous roar, there were a few quick kicks down the ground and Garnaut (East Perth) marked in front of the goal and about 30 yards out. As the noise died, it was found that the bell had been ringing. Garnaut was allowed the kick and the Subiaco supporters yelled delightedly as the ball rose sharply and crookedly for no score. But the ball was returned to Garnaut. Despite a warning from the umpire (C. Cook). Strack (Subiaco) had dashed forward within ten yards of Garnaut's marksman. A howl of protest rose from the spectators as Garnaut was given a second kick. The ball passed just inside a behind post and East Perth had won by a point. Screaming with anger, about a hundred men and boys swarmed on to the ground and converged in a seething mass around Cook. The other umpires gathered about him and some Subiaco players, ambulance men and policemen turned back to held him if necessary. The crowd, however, did no more than yell and jostle. Cook was unperturbed. Hordes of boys waited until he had dressed and followed him down the street, booing, but two nolicemen charged into them and, cuffing right and left, produced some order. Subiaco was unlucky not to win. It had East Perth in trouble across the centre, yielded nothing in the ruck and was the attacking team throughout. It really defeated itself by making too many mistakes, the chief cause of which was atrocious kicking. East Perth was tired and leg-weary after Saturday's strenuous game and was not at all aggressive. The teams were:EAST PERTH.-Backs: H. Smith. Crow, Fogarty. Half-backs: Thomas, Starr. WithelL Centres: Guhl, Broom, A. Hall. Half-forwards: Cronin, Lockyer, Garnaut. Forwards: Hussman, Rowland, Parry. Ruck: Graham, Dork. II. Screaigh (rover). Nineteenth man: Campbell (did not pjay). SUBIACO.-Backs: Strack. Toll. W. Yealss. Half-backs: McCallum, S. Daily. Bart. Centres: Donovan, N. Smith, Brophy. Half-forwards: Mills, L. Daily. Murphy. Forwards. Fdmondsn, BUssee, lambleton. Ruck: Browne. Gilbert. H. Yates (rover). Nineteenth man: Peers (replaced Donovan. leg injury. in last few minutes). 3UMPIRE.-C. Cook. East Perth began slowly. Subiaco, which was aided by a slight breeze, got the ball away from the ruck consistently. It was playing with more vigouj than East Perth and was winning across the

centre, where Donovan shone on a wing. Bessen did fine work as full-forward and Subiaco had scored 5.2 to 1.1 before East Perth's ruck revived enough to go into attack. Although playing well to position, East Perth's forwards were slow and this team had scored only 2. to 5.2 at the bell. In the second quarter, with Graham striking form in the ruck, Parry playing at his best and Broom finding touch at centre, East Perth was strengthened in midfield and showed more initiative. It established a 2.2 lead. Subiaco increased its pace and put great vigour into its play, and the standard of football Improved immensely. However. East Perth was in the ascendant and at half-time it had scored 11.6 to Subiaco's 8.4. For the third quarter, Cronin went to the centre and nut Broom in his place on a half-forward wing. Subiaco still won in midfield. Mixing it willingly, Sublaco got the ball away repeatedly from the ruck. It was doing better in the air and playing with dash, if not with precision. A heavy burden was thrown on East Perth's backs. The ball kept going back to them from the centre. Cronin changed Hall to the other wing and himself went on Donovan, putting Guhl in the centre. Steadily Subiaco drew up and but for its bad foot-passing would have established a lead. When it drew level. East Perth rallied and then led with 14.7 to 13.6 at three-quarter time. In the last quarter. Cronin put Guhl on Donovan and Broom in the centre and himself went to a half-forward wing. Vigorous and determined, Subiaco gave the fatigued East Perth men no quarter. It attacked most of the quarter but lost countless opportunities through inaccuracy and faulty team-work. In contrast, East Perth. by a few neat thrusts, kept ahead. But, despite its mistakes, Subiaco wrested the upper hand, applying weight freely. It reduced a 13-point deficit to two points with five minutes to go. Another minute and the margin was one point. Two more shots and both were out of bounds. East Perth got the

ball away to its half-forward line, but back it went and another Subiaco shot went out of bounds. Seconds to go and Bessen levelled the scores. A moment after the kick-off Garnaut was marking the ball at the other end of the ground and his kick made the final scores:EAST PERTH .. .. 16.12 (108 ple.) SUBIACO .. .... 16.11 (107 pt.) Scorers.-East Perth: Parry, 6.3; Rowland, 4.2; Lockyer, 2.1; Mussman, 1.3; Graham, 1.1; Broom, 1.0; Dook, 1.0; Cronin. 01; Garnaut. 0.1; Sublaco: Bessen. 6.4; Hambleton, 22; Browne, 2.1; Edmondson, 21; L. DaIly, 2.0; Murphy, 1.0; Bent, 1.0; Gilbert, 02; R. Yeates, 0.1. Parry was in fine form for East Perth. He did much to infuse life and system into the play and showed again that, besides being a rover, he is an expert forward. Although feeling the effects of being worked too hard. Graham was still a power in ruck. Screaigh, fast and accurate, continued in good form. H. Smith did very well in a back pocket and Starr was solid at centre-half-back. Rowland was an effective full forward and Lockyer. Mussman and Crow were the best of the others. Donovan played remarkably well on a centre wing for Sublaco, beating fall, Cronin and Guhl in turn. N. Smith and Brophy completed a competent centre line. Bessen shone as full forward, although, like others, he became overanxious in the tight finish. Edmondson and Hambleton scouted well in the forward pockets. Murphy was an effective half-forward. L. Daily, as centrehalf-forward, did some useful things but was s??hange to his new position. 8. Daily, W. Yeates and Toll were the best of the bas.