West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), Monday 23 August 1937, page 6


SWAN DISTRICTS' SUCCESS. East Fremantle Beaten Easily. A burst of good .football in the third quarter, during which it scored 6.4 to 02, enabled Swan Districts to win easily from East Fremantle at Fremantle on Saturday. Even allowing for the fact that the weather was not conducive to good football, both teams played poorly in the first half. Then Swan Districts found touch and played an accurate, coordinated game witiout a weak link in the side, whereas East Fremantle was colourless and out of condition. The final margin was 27 points. The teams were: DISTRICIS.-Backu: Zilko, Avery, Randal. Half-backs: Andrews, Sinclair, Murray. Centres: Darmody, Rosewarne, Mosey. Halfforwards: Bastow, Moiler, Park. Forwards: Ditchburn, Holdsworth, Gorn. RBuck: Penberthy, McInnerney, Sweetapple (rover). - Nineteenth man: Chester (replaced Murray, ankle injury, in last qnarter). EAST FREMANTLE.-Backs: Briggs, Stingemore, Skeahan. Half-backs: J. Clarke, Wendt, J. Munro. Centres: Seubert, Hutchinson, Micro. Half-forwards: Mann, C. Doig, McGlinn. Forwards: 'Butcher, G. Doig, James. Rock: Donegan, Martiensen. Truscott (rover). Nineteenth man: Western (replaced Munro, leg injury, in third quarter). UfPIRE.-Owens. Play was tame in the first quarter. Neither team showed any fire or much pace. East Fremantle, helped by the breeze and more solid on the ball, was in attack most of the time, but its play lacked snap and the strength of the Swan Districts defence kept down the score. Besides being without their usual pace and vigour, the Swan Districts men hung to the ball too long and were undecided in their play, doing many foolish things. Only one solid bump was npticed during the quarter, which ended with East Fremantle leading, 5.7 to 1.4. The influence of the breeze (the only positive force in the game so' far) meant that Swan Districts was the attacking team in the second quarter. Two flashes of pretty play around a forward pocket gave East Fremantle two goals and were two of the few pieces of crisp football in the quarter. The scrambling nature of the play was accentuated by bad kicking by the East Fremantle backs. Chiefly through scouting by Randall and Holdsworth (playing one-handed because of his right wrist having been put out of action by a fall in the first quarter), Swan Districts drew to within five points of East Fremantle. Although making heavy weather, Swan Districts looked as though it might take the lead, but East Fremantle overcame its lethargy sufficiently to keep ahead with 9.9 to 7.9 at halftime. Because of his injury, Holdsworth went to a forward pocket after half-time, with Gorn as centre-forward. The breeze :;lackened but rain made conditions warse. While both sides made many mistakes, .Swan Districts was the more persistent and doggedly drew to within three points if East Fremantle, which was disorgansed, but managed a behind. It was then that Swan Districts made its enormous improvement. It smartened its play by leveloping both vigour and pace, and. winning in the air, it produced a nicely co-ordinated game. East Fremantle was impotent. Swan Districts won easily in the ruck and had the upper hand across the centre. Its backs were in front of their men and its forwards wcre losing their marksmen. It ran to a 4.3 lead. East Fremantle made a desperate belated attempt to increase its pace but it lacked

precision and could do no better than add anoth_ behind. Swan Districts was too vigorous for it and led with 13.13 to 9.11 at the third bell. For the last quarter, Hutchinson went to centre-half-back and put Wendt at centre-half-forward and C. Doig in the centre. East Fremantle became a little faster and made a determined effort, but its kicking was wretched and it was not at all impressive. Several times it drew to within 3.0 of Swan Districts, but Swan Districts was moving much easier and each time went away again. For a time the play became very willing. It was East Fremantle's last throw. Swan Districts showed itself to be in better condition and it steadied and ran out an easy winner. Final scores:SWAN DISTRICTS 16.18 (114 pts.) EAST F'MTLE. .. 12.15 (87 pts.) Scorers.-Swan Districts: Holdsworth, 6.3; Gorn, 3.4; Randall, 2.1; Moiler, 2.0; Ditchburn, 1.3; Sweetapple, 1.3; Park, 1.2; Rosewarne, 0.1; Darmody, 0.1. East Fremantle: G. Doig, 4.4; Martiensen, 2.3; Truscott, 2.2; Butcher, 2.0; McGlinn, 1.2; James, 1.0; Donegan, 0.1; Hutchinson, 0.1; Mann, 0.1; Western, 0.1. For Swan Districts, Ditchburn was prominent throughout, his game distinguished by accurate long passing to the forwards. Sinclair was most effective at centre-half-back, depriving East Fremantle, for all practical purposes, of a centre-half-forward. Mosey did well on the centre-line, where Rosewarne and Darmody also were strong. Andrews, Penberthy, Murray and McInerney made a solid ruck team. Zilko and Avery shone in defence. Moiler, Gorn and Randall were alert in attack, where Holdsworth did remarkably well, disabled as he was. For East Fremantle, Clarke was outstanding, playing consistently wll

throughout. Truscott was obrilliant at times, but patchy, while Martiensen, without being brilliant, was a hard ahd unselfish grafter throughout. Donegan and James were often under notice and McGlinn did some useful work. Seubert held his own with Dannmody and Hutchinson was steady in the centre. Briggs and Stingemore (first half) were the best of the others.