Sport in Western Australia

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[edit] Section from Western Australia article

These national or international sporting teams and events are based in the state:

Fremantle vs Melbourne at Subiaco Oval.

Two teams in the Australian Football League (AFL): the West Coast Eagles and the Fremantle Football Club (the "Fremantle Dockers"). The "home" of Australian Rules football in Perth is Subiaco Oval. There is also a local West Australian Football League with nine clubs representing metropolitan regions. Australian rules football is popular in Western Australia with over 1,030,000 spectators attending WAFL and AFL matches in 2004^[1].

A state cricket team, known as the Retravision Western Warriors, based at the WACA Ground plays in the Pura Cup and ING Cup competitions. The WACA also hosts Test and One-day International cricket matches.

A football (soccer) team, Perth Glory, which is a part of the newly re-formed national competition (first season in 2005-06) known as the A-League. In the past Perth Glory has been a relatively successful team by winning the last two NSL (National Soccer League) seasons (2002-03 & 2003-04). Perth Glory's home games are played at Members Equity Stadium, although they have previously played semi and grand-finals at Subiaco Oval.

Western Australia is the home of the Western Force, a new franchise in the Super 14 rugby union competition (formerly the Super 12 before the addition of the Force and a team in South Africa for the 2006 season). Their home ground is Subiaco Oval.

A team in the National Basketball League, the Perth Wildcats, who are one of the most successful teams in the league's history. However, the popularity of basketball as a spectator sport in Australia has sharply declined since the early 1990s.

Rugby league briefly maintained a Western Australian team in the national competition (1995-1997), known as the Western Reds. The Reds will compete in the Jim Beam Cup from 2008, with a view to entering the National Rugby League competition in 2012.

Horse racing is very popular, with the Perth Cup being held each New Years Day at Ascot Racecourse. Winter racing is held at Belmont Park. Harness racing is held all year round at Gloucester Park and greyhound racing at Cannington Raceway and Mandurah. Most country towns have a racecourse and often have a major race day as a social highlight of the year.

Western Australia also hosts the annual Hopman Cup mixed tennis tournament at the Burswood Dome.

Telstra Rally Australia, which is a part of the World Rally Championship (WRC) is held each year on the gravel roads in the south-west jarrah forests as well as special stages held in central Perth (at Gloucester Park). The final running of the event in WA occurred in October 2006.

Normally at least one international golf tournament is held in WA each year, with the Johnnie Walker Classic at The Vines Resort & Country Club in Jan 2006 as part of both the European Tour and PGA Tour of Australasia. In past years international tournaments have also been held at the Karrinyup Country Club. The Heineken Classic was held in WA throughout the 1990s and was at times the richest tournament held in Australia.

[edit] From Perth, Western Australia Article

Interestingly, Perth has the strongest regional (State/County/Province) field hockey competition in the world. There are many field hockey clubs for children, men, women and veterans (over 40 year of age). Western Australia (especially given it only has 10% of Australia's population) hugely contributes to the national Australian men's and ladies' hockey teams which have both been winners of Olympic Gold Medals.

Perth is home to several elite sporting teams from various sports:

Two teams in the Australian Football League (AFL): the West Coast Eagles and the Fremantle Football Club (the "Fremantle Dockers"). The "home" of Australian Rules football in Perth is Subiaco Oval. The Eagles won the AFL premiership in 1992, 1994 and 2006, and were runners-up in 1991 and 2005.

Cricket at the WACA Ground.

A state cricket team, known as the Western Warriors, who play at the WACA Ground.

A football (soccer) team, Perth Glory, which is a part of the newly re-formed soccer competition known as the A-League. In the past Perth Glory have been a relatively successful team by winning the last two NSL (National Soccer League) seasons (2002-03 & 2003-04).

A team in the National Basketball League, the Perth Wildcats, who are one of the most successful teams in the league's history. However, the popularity of basketball as a spectator sport in Australia has sharply declined since the early 1990s.

A rugby union team, the Western Force, in the Super 14 competition. Perth also hosts the "Perth Gold" team in the Australian Rugby Shield competition. Rugby league briefly maintained a Perth team in the national competition (1995-1997), known as the Western Reds (Perth Reds in the Super League season)

Perth also has and is currently home to numerous state and international sporting events such as:

In 2002, Perth hosted the World Lacrosse Games ^[2], which included the World Lacrosse Championships (won by the United States), the Australian Youth Lacrosse Championship, a Masters (35+ year old), Grandmasters (45+), and International Open Championships.

The 1991 and 1998 FINA World Championships were held in Perth.

Every year Perth hosts the Hopman Cup, an international tennis tournament, generally in the first week of January. This is held at the Burswood Dome, and presents Perth on an international stage.

Perth is also home to the annual Avon Descent whitewater event, and the annual Rally Australia.

Every summer the Australian cricket team plays a test match and one one day international match at the WACA Ground. Of the two touring teams for the one day internationals one will play two games the other will play once.

Perth hosts the Gravity Games, an international Surface Water Sport competition, annually in summer.

Perth also boasts a large river with expansive ski zones which has led to the popularisation of many Surface Water Sports such as Skurfing, Wakeboarding, Kiteboarding, Skiing, Biscuiting to name just a few.