1970 WANFL season

• Pat Dalton’s dominance of the centre exposed a flaw in the old playing-coach system as South Fremantle’s “Hassa” Mann moves from his centre position to other areas and allows the Demon centreman such control that the black and reds score 16.10 (106) to 5.7 (37) after half-time.^[11]
• East Fremantle completely outclass the inexperienced Swan Districts defence and ruck, with Neil Dedman capitalising via seven goals as Bill Walker does nothing.^[8]
• The opening attendance was a record for Claremont Oval, beating the 11,626 against South Fremantle in Round 20 of 1967.^[12]

• East Fremantle’s stereotyped tactics allow South complete control on the ball and Mann leaving the centre vacant to serve as a loose man in attack, the newly christened Bulldogs led by eighty points before easing off.^[14]
• Greg Bennett and Grahan Jenzen cover the loss of Barry Cable perfectly, and when Walker moves St. Kilda recruit Ian Cooper to centre half-forward, Perth score an amazing 10.5 (65) into the wind in the third quarter for a crushing victory.^[15]

• West Perth’s depth problem – their reserves scored only 1.12 (18) and having to play half-forward Stephen Smeath as a rover – sees East Perth (themselves badly depleted by injuries) run away after a scrappy first half, with veteran wingman Derek Chadwick the matchwinner.^[18]
• In front of a second consecutive Claremont Oval crowd record,^[12] the Tigers produce an amazing comeback from 43 points behind early in the last quarter to win a thriller, with Austin Robertson missing three easy shots that would have saved the game for the Maroons and umpire Ray Scott failing to hear the siren for twenty seconds after it sounded.^[19]

The first interstate trial match on Anzac Day since 1961 had its revenue donated to the Anzac Day Trust Fund, and saw Claremont’s Russell Reynolds and Vern Orr emerge as the leading new lights for carnival selection.^[21]

After a shaky start, an East Perth team featuring only ten of its 1969 Grand Final players demolishes a feeble Perth via hard defence on a perfect day for football.^[24]

• West Perth’s short, accurate handball and Whinnen’s eclipse of Dalton in the centre crushes Perth, who score only 2.2 (14) to three-quarter time in perfect conditions.^[26]
• Coach Mann’s policy of using seven followers^[b] upsets the Lions, shadowing Bunton, Ron Jacks and Peter Burton enough to with. South do not use conventional set positions and Fred Seinor kicks five goals from full-forward despite starting centre bounces in the ruck.^[27]
• A superb solo performance from captain-coach Walker leads Swan Districts to a huge upset as East Perth appear to take a casual attitude after establishing a six-goal lead early in the second quarter.^[28]

• Subiaco’s decision to rotate captain-coach Bunton, Burton and Jacks on and off the ball lifts the Maroons to a solid comeback won over Perth, let down by its attacking deficiencies whilst Robertson score 8.4 (52).^[31]
• East Perth kick the highest score against East Fremantle to that point, beating West Perth’s 26.15 (171) from ten seasons beforehand.^[32]

• Claremont, clear last for most of 1969, move to the top as they reveal major problems in Perth’s attack – which scores only 2.6 (18) while attacking for all of the last quarter.^[34]
• Mal Brown’s control at centre half-forward allows an inaccurate East Perth to recover top form, kicking 9.15 (69) to 3.8 (26) in wet conditions against the WANFL’s new “glamour” club.^[35]

• Farmer and Dempsey show top form for the first time in 1970 to knock off Claremont in very wet and heavy conditions,^[38] as the Tigers’ lack of strength and finesse allows the team just two goals over three quarters.^[36]
• Improved physical strength and six goals from Max George allows the brilliant Walker to life his Swan Districts team from bottom with a remarkable attacking display in the wet conditions. Peter Manning’s speed on the wing is a highlight.^[39]

• Dennis Marshall’s fierce application leads Claremont from a desultory first half to an exciting victory when East Perth’s Dorrington misses a shot after the siren to draw the match.^[41]
• Perth’s centreline control destroys the power Swan Districts showed the week before – Brehaut thrashes Manning – and veteran Gerry Iseger, who kicked 0.7 the week before, reverse that with a 6.1 (37) tally duplicated by skipper Pat Astone.^[42]

West Perth, without Farmer and Dempsey on state duty, and only seventeen fit players after half-time, fall to two games below fourth as their forwards fail to capitalise on Mel Whinnen’s dominance.^[45]

• Claremont’s brilliant attack – 25.14 (164) in the final three quarters – surprises the Bulldogs as Moss and Harvey outplay South Fremantle’s recognised strength in the ruck.^[47]
• Despite a nine-goal burst in the third quarter, Old Easts still play without nearly enough consistency to break through for their first victory since opening day.^[48]
• 1973 premiership hero Keith Watt makes an impressive debut for Subiaco, countering doubts the league leaders lack adequate roving depth to support their 33-year-old captain-coach.^[49]

• West Perth’s score, besides being the lowest of the season, was at the time their lowest against Perth since 3.4 (22) in 1918;^[52] indeed the Cardinals had kicked only two lower scores since 1921. The Cardinals scored only 0.2 (2) at one end in dry if windy conditions^[50] despite Perth having only three rainless days during June.^[53]
• “Hassa” Mann’s relegation of five top players pays off as the youngsters rise to the occasion, whilst playing all eighteen players on the backline during the last quarter pays off as Subiaco cannot score with a howling wind for seventeen minutes.^[54]

With Farmer and Dempsey back in form, West Perth hold South Fremantle scoreless in the opening quarter, but the Cardinals’ lack of good forwards proves decisive afterwards.^[57]

• Perth’s tough defence, led by youngsters Quartermaine, Mal Day, Colin Lofts and Mick Ray, overpowers Claremont to place the Tigers’ second position and finals double chance in danger owing to Claremont’s poor percentage.^[61]
• With their defeat by Subiaco, East Fremantle equal their 1968 record of thirteen consecutive defeats,^[62] despite the Maroons easing up after an irresistible opening half.

Western Australia’s speed on the wings allows it to win a drab and unexciting match, whose margin should have been wider since a late goal awarded to Wayne Phillis was clearly a behind according to replays. “Polly” Farmer played with a major ankle problem.

• East Perth’s centreline dominance allows it to crush Subiaco in slippery conditions despite a solo six-goal hand from Austin Robertson – and positions the Royals to re-enter the four. East Perth’s on-ball dominance was such they could overcome the effect on their forward line of losing Mal Brown and deputy centre-half-forward Ian Thomson.^[66]
• Claremont’s inability to move the ball from the packs in muddy conditions leaves it very vulnerable as West Perth – led by debutant Shane Sheridan – rebound from their poor display at Bassendean.^[67]

• The loss of Peter Burton to a long-term injury leaves Subiaco terribly weak in the ruck, whilst the recovered Astbury decimates the Maroon attack from centre-half-back – resulting in the early flag favourites being poised to miss the finals altogether.^[70]
• Claremont just fail to remain in the four after coming back from fifty-one points behind late in the third quarter, despite a losing on-ball division without Duperouzel.^[71]
• Leaders Perth and South Fremantle struggle against the two tailenders but are saved by moving Graham Edwards (eleven goals) and Graham Scott (ten) respective to cover weaknesses in the criticla full forward position.

• Subiaco kick the most accurate score in WANFL history, with over 89 percent of scoring shots successful.^[75]
• The Maroons do not score a behind between the midpoint of the first quarter and a miss by Mick Malone one minute from the finish,^[76] scoring 15 unbroken goals to be an astonishing 17.1 (103).
• Nonetheless, Subiaco were completely outplayed by the top-of-the-ladder Demons, who exploit their ruck weakness to score 15.14 (104) to 4.0 (24) in two-and-a-half-quarters to the final change.

• South Fremantle kicked the highest losing score in WANFL history to that point, beating the Tigers’ 21.12 (138) from 1960.^[80] The 309-point aggregate score was also a record, beating 303 points by East Fremantle and Claremont from 1948.
• Subiaco lose their sixth match in seven to tailender Swans – and must win every game to have a chance of playing finals. Swan Districts’ skill and play-on style is never countered by the flagging Maroons.^[81]

• Claremont, taking victory for granted against an Old Easts team faced with a first wooden spoon since its debut season of 1898,^[c] and are only briefly in the match after the blue and whites burst away early in the second quarter. Future VFL star “Whale” Roberts dominates the ruck for Old Easts.^[83]
• With youngster and future Carlton star Fitzpatrick finally covering for Burton, Subiaco end their horror run and not face a battle with Claremont for the last place in the finals.^[84]

After an even first half, George Young, Cam Blakemore and Peter Metropolis take the match over, kicking eight of the Maroons’ ten second half goals and dominating general play on the ball. The result leaves Claremont to beat top team Perth and hope Old Easts can continue their recent form to remain in the four.^[87]

• East Perth are nonplussed by South Fremantle’s swift ball movement that produces fifteen goals in the first half of a match that would determine the double chance – leaving the Royals fourth and faced with a long injury list.^[90]
• Perth rebound from their upset loss to East Fremantle as, despite inaccuracy, the Tigers cannot counter Perth’s ability to get the ball constantly from the centre.^[5]
• After being reported for striking Mick Fitzpatrick (but cleared on the Tuesday tribunal hearing), East Fremantle fullback Trevor Sprigg claims he was hit by a teenage boy as he left the field.

Poor tactics by Subiaco – including playing an unfit Bunton together with Watt on the ball and constantly kicking too high in the air – leave the depleted Royals with a very easy win and no injuries form the game.^[92]

South Fremantle end a record 11-game losing streak against Perth to enter their first Grand Final since 1956.^[94] The Bulldogs’ resolution after a woefully inaccurate first quarter yielding 2.12 (24) allowed them to hold out Perth in a controversial finish where Perth forward Pat Astone was denied a mark to boos from the crowd.

Perth’s tired finish – it just held on after leading by thirty-five points at three-quarter time – raises doubts over its Grand Final prospects on the back of two very tough games.

In very wet conditions, South Fremantle take advantage of Perth’s woeful inaccuracy in the first half to win their first premiership for sixteen years with some ease.^[1]