West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), Saturday 9 May 1953, page 28


Falconer Will Play In Main Game Today

(By "FOLLOWER.") Brian Falconer will play for West Perth in the league football match against Perth at the W.A.C.A. Ground today. He has been aranted leave from army trainina.

West Perth, however, will not have Bill Gregory on its half-back line. Gregory trained well on Thursday but a bruised calf muscle cauped him loss of sleep during the night. He advised the club selectors yesterday and they decided to leave him out of the side. Pat Tobin, a vigorous player from the second team, will take Gregory's place in defence. if Tobin plays at left-halfback he will have the task of keeping the ball away from Jeff McGann, Perth's nippy halfforward. McGann appears to have regained the form that won him fame late in 1931 but which he unaccountably lost last year. Combination He combines effectively with Perth's centreman, Ern Henfry. whose passing is almost perfect. No doubt, if McGann shines today, West Perth will shift Ken Ashdown from the right to the left-half-back flank. Perth's hopes of victory today and leadership in the competition depend largely on the performance of its half-forward line. Len Harman, West Perth's high-marking centre-half-back, will find that Doug. Buckingham is an improved player. If Buckingham's foot-passing ability equalled his ball-getting ability, he would be 'a strong candidate for the State team. Favourite West Perth, having defeated South Fremantle and East Perth, must be favoured to win this match. Perth, too, is undefeated but it was not fully tested by Swan Districts and East Fremantle. West Perth seems to have a little more dash than Perth and a tighter defence. If Perth could have a guarantee that Bert Wansbrough will be in form, the club's officials would be happier. Tractor driving on a farm does not help Wansbrough to run into form. I think that West Perth will find Perth's ruck much strong,rr than those of South Fremantle and East Perth in West Perth's first two matches.

It remains to be seen which team is the more successful at rushing the ball away from the ruck. The men on the centre lines look evenly matched. Falconer will put his youthful vigour against the shrewdness of Henfry. at the centre. Whoever of Keith Harper and Laurie Howard meets Brian Humphries on a wing will need to play strongly.Tony yaksich, however, has not been outstanding on West Perth's other wing. Trevor Schofield and Eddie Wylde are clever West Perth rovers. They will find Ken Smith and Dick Walker 4 busy pair for Perth. Clearance To Peter Scott Peter Scott, a younger brother of Ray Scott, the West Perth forward, has been granted a clearance by West Perth to East Perth. Formerly a Wembley player Scott was a member of the West Perth second team this year. He is a utility-player with a preference for roving and a highly developed goal sense. Perth's Reunion Tonight Officials of the Perth Football Club will meet past Perth players outside the main entrance to the W.A.C.A. Ground before the start of the main match there today. Past players will be guests of the club at a reunion and dinner in the evening. Only those players who have notified the club of their intention to attend will be admitted.