West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), Friday 17 May 1946, page 5


LEAGUE FOOTBALL EAST FREMANTLE v. PERTH Screaigh Back With E. Perth. If positions on the premiership table of the W.A. National Football League's competition can be taken as a guide the match between East Fremantle and Perth at the W.A.C.A. ground should be the star attraction tomorrow, although the South Fremantle-Swan Districts clash at Fremantle and the Subiaco Claremont match at Subiaco are almost certain to be hard fought. West Perth having won all four and East Perth having lost all three games so far played, the match at Perth Oval between these old rivals does not promise to approach the standard of many keen games of the past that can be recalled. It might be as well to remember how ever, that East Perth always does well against West Perth. H. Screaigh and R. Starr, two champion East Perth performers of the pre war era are expected to reappear with their old club. The set of matches set down for tomorrow is as follows: Perth v. East Franantle, at W.A.C.A. groumd. South Fremantle v. Swan Districts, at Fremantle Oval. Claremont v. Subiaco, at Subiaco Oval. East Perth v. West Perth, at Perth Oval. With East Fremantle likely to be stronger than on Saturday last by the inclusion of Alan Ebbs and C. Doig and Perth fielding its best side for the season the stage is set for a good match at the W.A.C.A. ground. Although Perth has lost two matches this season both were to West Perth and the result of the second game might be discounted owing to the atrocious conditions under which it was played. Perth has improved since then, and tomorrow Sinclair, Muir, Hilsz and Robinson, none of whom played last Saturday, will be in the team. East Fremantle may find Perth's centre line a tough proposition and the duel between Prince and McIntosh should be close. Perth's new captain, Sinclair, may allot himself the task of watching Green and if so will have his hands full. But for that matter so will Green. Perth's difficulty will be to smother East Fremantle's rovers. If it can achieve this formidable task, and can win across the centre the bril liance of Tucker at centre-forward might sway the game its way. Down through the years East Fre mantle has never been partial to the W.A.C.A. ground. So far this season, too, it has only beaten teams that are at present outside the four --East Perth, Subiaco and Clare mont-so that tomorrow it faces its most severe test. Enthusiasts who followed league football last year will remember a match at Fremantle Oval early In the season when Swan Districts, at that time well down the list, soundly defeated East Fremantle, which was at the top of the list. Tomorrow Swan Districts hopes for a repe tition of that good performance against South Fremantle. In Swan Districts's favour Is the fact that it is seldom overawed by playing at Fremantle Oval. Con veisely it usually does well there. A feature of the game might be the duel between Holdsworth, playing in his new position as goalkeeper, and South's crack centre-forward, B. Naylor. Holdsworth's career has been spent on the forward line and he lacks nothing in experience. A. Higham will make his first ap pearance for South since he was hurt in a scratch match and P. Renfrey will probably make a reappearance in his old position in a back pocket. Jenkins, Lyons and Silich, while making rapid progress, are still on the injured list. SUBIACO'S CENTRE LINE. Although Wilkinson, Searle, Steere and Preston are unfit and un able to play, Subiaco will field a strong side against Claremont. The return of Williams will strengthen the team across the centre, which should be capable of winning there with Hickey and Ryan on the flanks. Nevertheless Langley and Russell, of Claremont, are speedy wingers. Claremont, which is a very fast side, will have Farmer back on the forward line. He may be the only change in the team that did so well against East Fremantle last Satur day. With a repetition of the system and pace displayed at Fremantle, Claremont could win this match. East Perth has been in the dol drums lately mainly owing to injur tes to its followers and lack of good rovers and a centre forward. Against West Perth tomorrow It will have Brentnall back in the side to support Perry, although McIntosh and McAulffe will be missed. As Starr is to play It will be like old times to see sweet, Thomas and Starr on the half-back line. The inclusion of Screaigh should give the team much better drive if he is in any thing like his old form. Strong in the ruck, brilliant in the air, and a well-balanced side West Perth is expected to maintain its un beaten sequence. Colts' matches begin at 1.30 p.m. and the league games at 2.45 p.m.