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TRAFFICKING IN
FOOTBALLERS
Keen Bidding for
State Champions
BY FORWARD
So intense was the bidding in West Austral. a by football
club officials for the services of leading Victorian players that
a move is likely at this end to bind players on tour not to
switch from their State clubs for at least two seasons.
Practically every player of note with
the Victorian party received some offer
either In Perth or Adelaide, the ma
jority refusing to have anything to do
With the scouts who could not give a
guarantee in writing. In the West, how
ever, it was pointed out that Haydn
Bunton, Keith Shea and Lcs> Hardlman
had all benefited financially as a result
of their transfer from Victoria to Perth.
The writer had an opportunity of
checking many of the statements. Bun-
ton, Shea nnd Hardiman cost the Subi-
bco club just over .£700 — including spe
cial salary for playing, lares, transfer of
furniture from Melbourne to Perth, and
.various other items. This scents an ex
traordinary amount for a club com
mittee to shoulder, but tho inclusion of
the three champions In the side sent
gate receipts up tremendously, and Subi-
aco finished the season just £60 down —
a position considered highly satisfactory
,by the officials who brought ofl the coup
at the expense of the Victorian clubs.
The three players were asked by the
writer whether they would return to
jVictoria, nnd each replied that the West
(was a wonderful place. And so it is.
Shea's modern hair-dressing saloon is
xme of the most up-to-date in Perth, and
hundreds of persons attend to chat with
jthe proprietor on the latest moves in
football circles. He is netting about £10
in week clear. Haydn Bunton, who Is
'now a car salesman, receives £6 a week
to play, and brings his earnings to
.well over the £12 a week mark. Les
Hardiman is nlso well placed. Bert
jChandler, who has developed wonderfully,
is nlso in the car line, and is making
a small fortune, and Austin Robertson
was never better oft financially in his
lifetime.
The same can be said of Johnnie
Leonard, South Melbourne's clever little
icoach of some years back. Johnnie is now
'conducting his own sports store in Perth,
and is said to be showing a profit of well
over £ 1000 n year. Despite this, one Vic
torian League club secretary attempted
to swing him back to Melbourne for next
football season, but Johnnie said: "I ap
preciate your kind olTcr, but the West
is the place for me."
Thus it can be seen that all these
players who have been In Victoria are
far better off In West Australia. One
player, whose name cannot be men
tioned, did not make the grade like the
others, but that was his own fault.
Money in Game
West Perth, now at tho bottom of the
West Australian list after having been
premiers a few seasons back, with Jack
'Cashman as coach, aro seeking players
for the coming season. There is a
rumor that Haydn Bunton may switch
across there ore long — his con
tract has still some lime to run— and
the club officials are very keen to take
Herb Matthews, South's champion wing-
Jnan, now captain-coach of South. The
latter married recently, and as he Is
still out of employment In Victoria, may
be persuaded to take up residence In
West Australia. Special offers have been
made, and these he has promised to con
sider. West Perth would also like to
sign Jack Graham, and every club In
Perth would take Jack Dyer if he de
cided to go that way.
Prank Murphy, from Collingwood, is
now at Kalgoorlie, where the great finds
cf gold continue to bring wealth to
everyone linked with the famous centre
There is no poverty mere; everyone is
smiling, and in the words of Frank,
"There is money to burn." He is coach
ing one of the leading sides, and gave
a special welcome to the Collingwood
members of the party on their arrival
there.
Marcus Bo.vall, now with Glenelg, in
South Australia, had a chat with the
writer in Adelaide Inst Saturday. "I am
happy here," he said. "I do not want
to go to Camberwell, even thougn the
olTer is a splendid one, and I do not
want to cross back to Collingwod."
One of his friends informed the writer
that curators of grounds were very diffi
cult to secure in South Australia, and
that Marcus had shown special ability
in making wickets over there. He is in
a set job for life, is being paid more for
not playing in Adelaide at the moment
than he received when he was playing
with Collingwood, and intends to re
apply for a clearance next season. 'I
play football every Sunday, ana jl am in
perfect nick," he said.
There must be one point worrying
him, however. Collingwood stood Charlie
Pnnnam out of the game for three years
when he crossed over to South Mel
bourne without a clearance, and may take
the same action in his case.
Victorian League club officials realise
thnt they must do something to protect
their own interests, and may recom
mend that a special clause be inserted
to prohibit inter-State players on tour
being approached, "These officials of
the other States arc making the game
too hot," said one delegate to the writer
on the way bnck from Perth.
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