1971 WANFL season

• 1970 premiers South Fremantle suggest by their devastating ball movement to ten-goal full forward Graham Scott during a second half where they score 17.11 (113) to 3.5 (23) that they will be even more formidable in 1971.[8]
• Perth obtain a short-lived dividend from using rover Graham Jenzen in the troubling full-forward position, where he scores eight goals including six in the first half, which combines with the Demons’ efficient defence to defeat the Cardinals.[9]

• 1968 and 1970 wooden spooners Swan Districts outplay Perth until major positional changes by Mal Atwell – notably moving Cable to the centre where he had played most of his junior football – drives a Demons comeback for a thrilling draw.[12]
• South Fremantle run off a four-goal deficit halfway through the final quarter “in the time it takes to run a fast mile”; then – led by Don Haddow – hang on to win a thrilling local derby.[13]

• Claremont’s inaccuracy, despite completely controlling the play, casts doubt over their much-touted premiership chances. Blind punts by skilful captain-coach Dennis Marshall were especially common and ineffective.[14]
• A number of experimental moves by Royals captain-coach Brown fail before he reverses them and the winless Lions are crushed in the second half.[15]
• Despite the retirement of Pat Dalton, and Cable aiming for the Claremont coaching job, Perth reverse the 1970 Grand Final against a weakened Bulldog team who play several unfit key men.[16]

• Barry Cable is best afield at centre, whilst rovers Brian Cousins and Greg Bennett are too good for East Perth, whose attack cannot match Perth’s close-checking defence.[6]
• In “Polly” Farmer’s Australian-record three hundred and thirty ninth senior match, West Perth’s superior teamwork exposes South Fremantle except during the third quarter. Farmer and Whinnen expose South’s weakness in the centre position and give Phil Smith great service – to which he responds by kicking 9.4 (58).[18]

• Claremont, after the Bulldogs kicked 7.2 (44) to 0.2 (2) with the wind in the first half of the third quarter, then score 13.3 (81) to nothing until the last minute as the Tigers take complete ruck control from Fred Seinor and rover Roley Daw – with the result that the Bulldog defence is completely overrun.[20]
• Perth’s lack of a spearhead to compete with the Austin Robertson’s nine goals, along with a rejuvenated Maroon half-forward line, ends the Demons’ undefeated opening as well as Subiaco’s extremely worrying start after three successive finals berths.[21]

• Mal Brown’s move of himself into the ruck and Ken McAullay to a half-back flank leads West Perth into error after error and overcomes a worrying beginning to 1971 by the Royals.[23]
• Much-hyped former Central District full-forward Ric Vidovich kicks twelve goals as East Fremantle inflict a second defeat upon the highly regarded Perth defence, who fail to stop his fast leading.[24]

• West Perth score only 2.3 (15) to three-quarter time in wind and rain[26] – their lowest three-quarter time score for 51 years[27] – before a charge with the wind is thwarted by inaccuracy.
• East Perth score a crucial victory over a gallant South Fremantle weakened by the loss of captain-coach Mann (ill in bed) whose inaccuracy prevents the exploitation of a weak Royal defence in the muddy conditions.[28]
• The attempt by Claremont to turn ruckman John Spry into a makeshift full-forward fails completely, so that the Tigers lose a thrilling battle between the top two and Demon full-back John Quartermaine – thrashed in the two previous rounds – exploits his severe ground-level weakness in very wet weather.[29]

• Barry Cable kicks a career-high nine goals but Perth still fail against the eventual premiers despite remarkable accuracy.[32]
• Claremont’s score remains their highest at East Fremantle Oval and was the highest by a visiting team there until 1980,[33] as a long drop-kick goal on the quarter-time siren by Tully is followed by a brilliant second quarter of 11.3 (69) to 1.3 (9) from which Old Easts cannot recover.
• South Fremantle kick the highest losing score in the WANFL to that point, beating their own record of 21.13 (139) from the previous season but falling three points shy of that record aggregate score.[34]
• Subiaco, after a sluggish start, rebound with the return to the field of coach Bunton junior, Cam Blakemore and Col Williams, in the process holding off a South Fremantle comeback that saw them nearly take the lead in the last quarter.[35]

East Perth snatch a win after an all-day thriller with seventeen seconds remaining in front of a record Claremont Oval crowd, following what critics regarded as the finest match of the season.[38]

• A depleted East Perth team almost end Subiaco’s finals chances as the Maroons finish poorly after bridging 27 points of a 38-point half-time deficit during the third quarter.[40]
• East Fremantle’s accurate kicking and the lack of stamina from Swan Districts – with Bill Walker clearly unfit – sees Old Easts come from thirty-two points behind at quarter time to score 13.12 (90) to 0.7 (7) in the second half.[41]

Subiaco, after many selection controversies – notably dropping George Young and Keith Watt to the reserves – produce their best performance of 1971 with three quarters of masterful teamwork.[44]

• With Phil Smith kicking ten goals,[32] West Perth kick the first double-century score in the WANFL since East Perth score 32.19 (211) against Claremont in 1958.[45]
• Cardinal wingman Alan Watling has an astonishing forty-five kicks and nineteen marks as Swans offer no resistance save for that from John O‘Neill and ex-Saint Ian Cooper.[46]
• Perth’s tight defence places them back in the four and virtually eliminates Subiaco as a contender. Austin Robertson scores only two goals against strong full-back Quartermaine, whilst Perth’s 7.4 (46) in the third quarter of a low-scoring match proves decisive.[47]
• In veteran Tom Grljusich’s last match before a seven-week overseas business journey, South Fremantle’s wing dominance through Peter Troode and Alan Rose gives them an upset win over a Claremont team plagued by weakness in key positions.[48]

• The 98-point winning margin remains East Perth’s biggest over their bitter rivals,[51] as the depleted Royals make an overdue premiership look a formality against a slow and undersized Cardinal defence where eighteen-year-old full-back Wayne Blockland is “thrown to the wolves”.[52]
• East Fremantle achieved the best of a number of notable comebacks when they came from 33 points down at three-quarter time to defeat Perth, whose attack is undermanned by Mal Atwell’s decision to play their forwards as defensive loose men and cannot capitalise upon impressive determination and power in the centre.[53]

• The move of Bill Walker to centre and Peter Manning to rover misfires, as Cam Blakemore and Keith Watt prove the difference for the Maroons against dogged opposition in “Ocker” Robertson’s two hundredth match – he kicked 5.2 (32) but had to work for all of that.[55]
• Barry Cable’s amazing workrate and inspiring on-field leadership inflicts Claremont’s sixth defeat in eight matches and puts the Demons back in the four – leaving critics thinking Claremont unlikely to get back.[56]
• East Fremantle score 6.12 (48) to 3.2 (20) after half-time to demoralise West Perth, who could have wrapped up the game in the first half – as it was the Cardinals’ lack of application left their finals berth in jeopardy.[57]

• Swan Districts end East Perth’s run of nine victories as their tight defence and centreman Manning combine with fanatical desire in the wet.[59][60]
• East Fremantle’s ill-advised short play in wet conditions and Dennins Marshall’s fanatical pre-match address drives the Tigers to a big victory. 0.0 (0) to 3.1 (19) in arrears after five minutes the Tigers score fifteen goals to four for the remainder of the match.[61]
• In a match where neither side showed a high standard in the rain, Perth’s ruck weakness showed them out of premiership contention, as VFL veterans Peter Steward and “Polly” Farmer prove the matchwinners for the Cardinals.[62]

• Three brilliant long goals, and a verve reminiscent of their 1970 premiership run, see South Fremantle only a game from fourth position as East Fremantle’s follies of dropping full-forward Vidovich and attempting to use half-forward Fred Lewis at full-back backfires. Old Easts score only one goal in each of three quarters and are left insecure with a very poor percentage.[65]
• East Perth produce another impressive win with seventeen fit players after full-forward Phil Tierney was concussed, as Ron Alexander in the spearhead role and a fanatical defence prove too good for the rejuvenated Tigers.[66]

• West Perth’s tight defence and some surprising team changes ensure they crush Claremont in showery conditions.[68] The recalled Norm Knell and newcomers Peter Curley, Graeme Hadley and Tony Dragan completely revitalise the Cardinals.[69]
• South Fremantle maintain hope of defending their 1970 pennant with an irresistible final quarter burst produced by countering Perth’s roving strength through Rowley Daw and Brian Ciccosto.[70]

• East Perth skipper Mal Brown’s control and ability to move from position to position, plus their more direct approach in very wet weather,[68] ensures a much more comfortable win over the Demons than the scoreboard implies.[71]
• “Polly” Farmer’s 350th senior match sees the veteran champion dominate against younger and taller rivals to jeopardise South Fremantle’s hopes of defending its premiership – the Bulldogs lose several key players as well as the match.[72]
• The switch of David Hollins to the centre helps move East Fremantle to third and leave an inaccurate Subiaco out of finals contention, as the Maroons’ inaccurate attack constantly breaks down.[73]

• East Fremantle’s fleet of small players inflicts only East Perth’s second loss since the fifth round, and effectively seals their finals berth besides giving them an opportunity to take the double chance from West Perth should the latter lose two tough games.[75]
• After a very sluggish beginning, Claremont, led by centre half-forward Lindsay Carroll, produce a precision display of attacking football to end the Bulldogs’ hopes of a premiership defence. The Tigers’ precise and direct kicking produces 23.11 (149) to 10.4 (64) after quarter-time.[76]

• 25 points behind at half-time, South Fremantle, adopting so-called “Hawthorn tactics” which virtually eliminated the half-backs and half-forwards, kicked 20.9 (129) to 9.5 (59) in the second half of which full-forward Scott kicks ten.[79] It was then the second most points in a second half of a WANFL match, and remains the highest against Swan Districts.[80]
• Perth’s poor forward play again prevents them capitalising on their midfield dominance resulting from Trevor Parsons’ ruck dominance, effectively sealing the four^[a] and leaving East Fremantle to battle with West Perth for second position.[81]

• Perth, shorn of all initiative and with full-back John Quartermaine completely out of place at full-forward, score only 1.3 (9) in the second half in good conditions.[4]
• A crushing first half with 11.8 (74) to 1.5 (11) ensures West Perth clinch the double chance, as Farmer signals his farewellwith his best performance of the season, featuring sixteen kicks, ten marks, and sixteen effective handballs. East Fremantle came back to within four goals early in the last quarter before the Cardinals kicked away again with the strong wind.[82]
• Austin Robertson’s eleven goals almost single-handedly wins over a spirited Swan Districts team and gives “Ocker” a record seventh season as WANFL leading goalkicker.^[b][83]

With regular full-back Neil Dedman kicking seven goals at full-forward, East Fremantle overrun favourites Claremont in the second half,[85] as the Tigers’ expected ruck and key forward superiority is never observed.[86]

With winds gusting to 60 miles per hour (97 km/h) and heavy, squalling rain,[88] the move of Eddie Pitter onto the field and of Bygraves to full-forward drives East Perth to a fourth victory over the Cardinals for 1971,[85] after West Perth looked safe at half-time.

• With Phil Smith kicking eight goals on a ground drenched by Perth’s wettest September since 1923[89] the Cardinals hang on to deny East Fremantle a fairytale.[85]
• Despite West Perth suffering from panic in the last quarter, they hang on when Gary Fenner misses everything from 40 yards (37 m) out and straight in front with under a minute remaining.[90]

In champion ruckman “Polly” Farmer’s farewell after 356 senior matches, West Perth’s runners dominate over the favoured Royals, who suffer their seventh consecutive loss in grand finals, leading to severe questioning of the Royals’ mental toughness.[92]