1922 WAFL season

1922 WAFL season
Teams 6
Premiers East Perth
(4th premiership)
Minor premiers East Perth
(4th minor premiership)
Matches played 48
Bernie Naylor Medallist “Bonny” Campbell (South Fremantle)
Sandover Medal Harold Boyd (West Perth)
← 1921
1923 →

The 1922 WAFL season was the thirty-eighth season of the West Australian Football League. It saw East Perth equal East Fremantle’s feat of winning four consecutive premierships, this time against a rejuvenated West Perth team which had had a lean period since 1912. Their most notable feat during the season was a record comeback against South Fremantle, but on an August tour of the Eastern States the Royals also defeated SANFL premiers Norwood by the score of 8.20 (68) to 7.10 (52)[1] and runners-up West Adelaide[2] by 11.12 (78) to 7.12 (54), after having lost by a point to St. Kilda two weeks beforehand.[3] A consequence of their trip – hastily planned when Subiaco’s tour there was cancelled during July[4] – was that their last round match with wooden-spooner Perth was never played – a cancellation to be repeated the following season.

1922 also saw a dispute with the City of Perth during late June and early July over charges for use of the WACA and Leederville Oval, which led to proposals to play the season’s WAFL finals at Claremont Showgrounds,[5][6] which had not been used for WAFL matches since 1907. Unlike a similar dispute during 1940 that affected the whole season at Leederville and Perth Oval, however, this dispute only affected a single round of matches, and was resolved before Round 11.[7]

Home-and-away Season

Round 1

Round 1
Saturday, 6 May (3:00 pm) Perth 9.16 (70) def. Subiaco 7.8 (50) WACA [8]
Saturday, 6 May (3:00 pm) East Fremantle 10.9 (69) def. South Fremantle 9.11 (65) Fremantle Oval [9]
Saturday, 6 May (3:00 pm) West Perth 7.7 (49) def. by East Perth 11.6 (72) Leederville Oval [10]

Round 2

Round 2
Saturday, 13 May (3:00 pm) Perth 6.5 (41) def. by South Fremantle 7.4 (46) WACA [11]
Saturday, 13 May (3:00 pm) East Fremantle 6.10 (46) def. West Perth 4.5 (29) Fremantle Oval [12]
Saturday, 13 May (3:00 pm) Subiaco 6.3 (39) def. East Perth 5.8 (38) Subiaco Oval [13]

A thrilling game with a hectic finish despite deplorable weather[14] sees Subiaco pip the three-time premiers with four last-quarter goals.

Round 3

Round 3
Saturday, 20 May (3:00 pm) East Perth 8.15 (63) def. South Fremantle 6.4 (40) Perth Oval [15]
Saturday, 20 May (3:00 pm) West Perth 6.7 (43) def. Subiaco 2.8 (20) Leederville Oval [16]
Saturday, 20 May (3:00 pm) East Fremantle 7.8 (50) def. by Perth 6.15 (51) Fremantle Oval [17]

Subiaco kick what remains their lowest score on the oval which would become their home ground eighty-two seasons later.[18]

Round 4

Round 4
Saturday, 27 May (3:00 pm) West Perth 10.14 (74) def. Perth 8.11 (59) Leederville Oval [19]
Saturday, 27 May (3:00 pm) East Perth 11.10 (76) def. East Fremantle 5.8 (38) Perth Oval [20]
Saturday, 27 May (3:00 pm) South Fremantle 12.23 (95) def. Subiaco 6.11 (47) Fremantle Oval [21]

A record gate[20] sees East Perth repeat its past three Grand Final victories in convincing style, with Thomas showing the form that would win him the 1923 Sandover.

Round 5 (Foundation Day)

Round 5
Saturday, 3 June (3:00 pm) Subiaco 14.11 (95) def. East Fremantle 14.9 (93) Subiaco Oval [22]
Saturday, 3 June (3:00 pm) South Fremantle 7.14 (56) def. by West Perth 11.11 (77) Fremantle Oval [23]
Monday, 5 June (3:00 pm) Perth 5.11 (41) def. by East Perth 8.23 (71) WACA [24]

Round 6

Round 6
Saturday, 10 June (3:00 pm) East Fremantle 9.11 (65) def. by South Fremantle 10.7 (67) Fremantle Oval (crowd: 4000) [25]
Saturday, 10 June (3:00 pm) East Perth 6.12 (48) def. by West Perth 10.9 (69) Perth Oval [26]
Saturday, 10 June (3:00 pm) Subiaco 8.12 (60) def. by Perth 8.17 (65) Subiaco Oval [27]
  • Another record gate of £226 sees West Perth, with a brilliant second and third quarter, win its fourth consecutive game.
  • Perth win their last game for 21 matches[28] despite a protest by Subiaco that the bell had been sounded before a last-minute Redleg goal in the second quarter.
  • Subiaco’s protest is dismissed although problems with the bell at Subiaco Oval had been known before the 1922 season opened.[29]

Round 7

Round 7
Saturday, 17 June (3:00 pm) South Fremantle 9.18 (72) def. Perth 8.11 (59) Fremantle Oval [30]
Saturday, 17 June (3:00 pm) West Perth 10.14 (74) def. East Fremantle 10.5 (65) Leederville Oval [31]
Saturday, 17 June (3:00 pm) East Perth 11.18 (84) def. Subiaco 5.12 (42) Perth Oval [32]

West Perth win a fifth game on end via fine snap from “Tony” Tyson after a superb display by both teams.

Round 8

Round 8
Saturday, 24 June (3:00 pm) Perth 7.12 (54) def. by East Fremantle 9.15 (69) WACA [33]
Saturday, 24 June (3:00 pm) Subiaco 5.9 (39) def. by West Perth 9.5 (59) Subiaco Oval [34]
Saturday, 24 June (3:00 pm) South Fremantle 12.11 (83) def. by East Perth 12.12 (84) Fremantle Oval [35]

East Perth produce a remarkable comeback to win after being thirty-seven points behind at three-quarter time, a record not equalled or beaten until the 1957 Preliminary Final.[36]

Round 9

Round 9
Saturday, 1 July (3:00 pm) Perth 7.12 (54) def. by West Perth 11.9 (75) WACA [37]
Saturday, 1 July (3:00 pm) Subiaco 6.4 (40) def. by South Fremantle 13.12 (90) Subiaco Oval [38]
Saturday, 1 July (3:00 pm) East Fremantle 9.8 (62) def. by East Perth 12.11 (83) Fremantle Oval [39]

Round 10

Round 10
Saturday, 8 July (2:00 pm) South Fremantle 4.11 (35) def. by West Perth 7.8 (50) Claremont Showgrounds [40]
Saturday, 8 July (3:00 pm) East Fremantle 12.13 (85) def. Subiaco 4.7 (31) Fremantle Oval [41]
Saturday, 8 July (4:00 pm) Perth 6.9 (45) def. by East Perth 7.11 (53) Claremont Showgrounds [42]

A dispute with the City of Perth over the use of the WACA and Leederville[6] causes two matches to be transferred to Claremont Showgrounds, where Claremont-Cottesloe would play its inaugural season of 1926.

Round 11

Round 11
Saturday, 15 July (3:00 pm) East Perth 7.14 (56) def. West Perth 3.5 (23) Perth Oval [43]
Saturday, 15 July (3:00 pm) Subiaco 12.11 (83) def. Perth 5.14 (44) Subiaco Oval [44]
Saturday, 15 July (3:00 pm) South Fremantle 6.11 (47) def. by East Fremantle 7.13 (55) Fremantle Oval [45]

Another record gate of £352[43] sees East Perth convincing end West Perth’s eight-match winning run as many Cardinal players do not show anything like their true form.

Round 12

Round 12
Saturday, 22 July (3:00 pm) East Perth 9.14 (68) def. Subiaco 7.12 (54) Perth Oval [46]
Saturday, 22 July (3:00 pm) South Fremantle 17.12 (114) def. Perth 6.8 (44) Fremantle Oval [47]
Saturday, 22 July (3:00 pm) West Perth 5.6 (36) def. East Fremantle 6.5 (41) Subiaco Oval [48]

East Fremantle hold off West Perth in a last quarter where only one behind was kicked.

Round 13

Round 13
Saturday, 29 July (3:00 pm) West Perth 5.8 (38) def. Subiaco 3.17 (35) Leederville Oval [49]
Saturday, 29 July (3:00 pm) South Fremantle 5.15 (45) def. by East Perth 7.11 (53) Fremantle Oval [50]
Saturday, 29 July (3:00 pm) Perth 3.4 (22) def. by East Fremantle 5.10 (40) WACA [51]

Round 14

Round 14
Saturday, 5 August (3:00 pm) Perth 5.7 (37) def. by West Perth 5.12 (42) WACA [52]
Saturday, 5 August (3:00 pm) East Fremantle 4.6 (30) def. East Perth 4.5 (29) Fremantle Oval [53]
Saturday, 5 August (3:00 pm) Subiaco 9.16 (70) def. South Fremantle 8.7 (55) Subiaco Oval [54]
  • A brilliant defensive display by East Fremantle hold East Perth to one point in a thrilling last quarter.
  • Subiaco avoid the wooden spoon by winning a windswept match with no score into the wind after quarter-time.

Fitzroy Tour

Round 14
Saturday, 12 August (3:00 pm) West Perth 7.6 (48) def. by Fitzroy 7.7 (49) Perth Oval (crowd: 17,000) [55]
Wednesday, 16 August (3:00 pm) East Fremantle 8.13 (61) def. by Fitzroy 10.12 (72) Fremantle Oval (crowd: 11,000) [56]
Saturday, 19 August (3:00 pm) Western Australia 7.7 (49) def. Fitzroy 5.4 (34) Subiaco Oval (crowd: 18,832) [57]

Record crowds see several games in Perth by VFL premiers-to-be Fitzroy, whilst WAFL games are suspended for this and an interstate tour by East Perth.[58] It was the first tour of Western Australia by any VFL club.[59]

Round 15

Round 15
Saturday, 26 August (3:00 pm) West Perth 8.13 (61) def. South Fremantle 7.11 (53) Leederville Oval [60]
Saturday, 26 August (3:00 pm) East Fremantle 14.17 (101) def. Subiaco 7.9 (51) Fremantle Oval [60]

East Perth did not play Perth because the Royals’ tour of South Australia and Victoria did not finish until 4 September.[58]

Ladder

1922 WAFL Ladder
TEAM P W L D PF PA % PTS
1 East Perth 14 11 3 0 878 660 133.03% 44
2 West Perth 15 11 4 0 799 716 111.59% 44
3 East Fremantle 15 9 6 0 909 810 112.22% 36
4 South Fremantle 15 6 9 0 963 878 109.68% 24
5 Subiaco 15 4 11 0 756 1028 73.54% 16
6 Perth 14 3 11 0 686 899 76.31% 12
Key: P = Played, W = Won, L = Lost, D = Drawn, PF = Points For, PA = Points Against

Finals

First Semi Final

First Semi Final
Saturday, 2 September (3:00 pm) West Perth 12.10 (82) def. East Fremantle 4.8 (32) Subiaco Oval (crowd: 8,600) [61]

West Perth thrash East Fremantle after half-time and ensure Old Easts miss the Grand Final for the first time in seven seasons.

Second Semi Final

Second Semi Final
Saturday, 9 September (3:00 pm) East Perth 9.8 (62) def. by South Fremantle 9.11 (65) Subiaco Oval (crowd: 8,312) [62]

South Fremantle, led by “Billy” Adams, win a thrilling game over the three-time premiers.

Final

Final
Saturday, 16 September (3:00 pm) West Perth 13.8 (86) def. South Fremantle 8.10 (58) Subiaco Oval (crowd: 8,732) [63]

West Perth win easily in the final term after an even three quarters to enter their first premiership decider for eleven seasons.

Grand Final

1922 WAFL Grand Final
Saturday, 23 September (3:00 pm) East Perth def. West Perth Subiaco Oval (Crowd: 12,721) [64]
1.0 (6)
3.7 (25)
4.9 (33)
7.13 (55)		 Q1
Q2
Q3
Final		 1.6 (12)
1.6 (12)
4.7 (31)
5.9 (39)		 Umpires: Frank O‘Connor
Owens 4, King, Giese, B. Harrold Goals Wimbridge 2, Sheedy, Bidstrip[a]
Western, Owens, Brentnall, Duffy, Sparrow, Allen, Thomas Best Boyd, Gosnells, Wimbridge, Clark, Fry, Blundell

East Perth win their fourth consecutive premiership: in a match dominated by a swirling wind their win was more convincing than the scores suggested.[65]

Notes

a One goal by West Perth kicked off the ground from a pack did not have the scorer identified.

References

  1. ↑ “Spectator” (anonymous author); ‘Football: East Perth Defeats Norwood – Not Straight-Shot Specialists’; the Advertiser, 28 August 1922, p. 8
  2. ↑ “Spectator” (anonymous author); ‘Football: East Perth Supreme: Another Good Win’; The Advertiser, 31 August 1922, p. 13
  3. ↑ ‘East Perth Beaten: A Narrow Victory – St. Kilda’s Generosity’; The West Australian, 17 August 1922, p. 8
  4. ↑ ‘East Perth’s Eastern Trip’; W.A. Footballer: Official Organ of the West Australian Football League, 15th July 1922, p. 15
  5. ↑ ‘Football: The Grounds Controversy – Ultimatum to the League: “Gross Breach of Faith”’; The Daily News, 19 June 1922, p. 8
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 ‘Football: The Grounds Controversy’; The West Australian, 4 July 1922, p. 9
  7. ↑ ‘The Grounds Trouble – Satisfactory Settlement’; W.A. Footballer, 15th July 1922, p. 15
  8. ↑ ‘Subiaco v Perth’; Sunday Times, 7 May 1922, p. 2
  9. ↑ ‘Old Easts’ Narrow Win’; Sunday Times, 7 May 1922, p. 2
  10. ↑ ‘East Perth Defeats West Perth’; Sunday Times, 7 May 1922, p. 2
  11. ↑ ‘South Fremantle Defeats Perth’; The Sunday Times, 14 May 1922, p.
  12. ↑ ‘East Fremantle Victors’; The Sunday Times, 14 May 1922, p. 2
  13. ↑ ‘Subiaco Successful’; The Sunday Times, 14 May 1922, p.
  14. ↑ Perth Regional Office (009034) May 1922 rainfall
  15. ↑ ‘East Perth Beat Souths’; Sunday Times, 21 May 1922, p. 2
  16. ↑ ‘West Win Well’; Sunday Times, 21 May 1922, p. 2
  17. ↑ ‘Perth’s Exciting Win’; Sunday Times, 21 May 1922, p. 2
  18. ↑ WAFL Footy Facts: Leederville Oval
  19. ↑ ‘West Perth Again Successful’; Sunday Times, 28 May 1922, p. 2
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 ‘East Perth Win Easily’; Sunday Times, 28 May 1922, p. 2
  21. ↑ ‘Souths Defeat Subiaco’; Sunday Times, 28 May 1922, p. 2
  22. ↑ ‘Subiaco’s Narrow Win’; Sunday Times, 4 June 1922, p. 2
  23. ↑ ‘West Perth Again Victors’; Sunday Times, 4 June 1922, p. 2
  24. ↑ ‘East Perth v Perth – A Disappointing Game’; The West Australian, 6 June 1922, p. 9
  25. ↑ ‘South’s Great Victory’; Sunday Times, 11 June 1922, p. 2<
  26. ↑ ‘East Perth Beaten’; Sunday Times, 11 June 1922, p. 2
  27. ↑ ‘Perth’s Doubtful Win’; Sunday Times, 11 June 1922, p. 2<
  28. ↑ See WAFL Footy Facts: Perth – Longest Losing Streaks
  29. ↑ ‘Subiaco v Perth: The Protest Fails’; The Daily News, 16 June 1922, p. 3
  30. ↑ ‘Souths Beat Perth’ Sunday Times, 18 June 1922, p. 2
  31. ↑ ‘West Perth Successful’ Sunday Times, 18 June 1922, p. 2
  32. ↑ ‘East Perth’s Easy Win’; Sunday Times, 18 June 1922, p. 2
  33. ↑ ‘East Fremantle Win’; Sunday Times, 25 June 1922, p. 2
  34. ↑ ‘West Perth Again Victors’; Sunday Times, 25 June 1922, p. 2
  35. ↑ ‘East Perth’s Narrow Win’; Sunday Times, 25 June 1922, p. 2
  36. ↑ WAFL Footy Facts: Won from Third Quarter Deficit
  37. ↑ ‘West Perth Defeat Perth’; Sunday Times, 2 July 1922, p. 2
  38. ↑ ‘South Fremantle Win Easily’; Sunday Times, 2 July 1922, p. 2
  39. ↑ ‘East Fremantle Outplayed’; Sunday Times, 2 July 1922, p. 2
  40. ↑ ‘South Fremantle v West Perth’; The Daily News, 8 July 1922, p. 6
  41. ↑ ‘Old Easts’ Decisive Win’; Sunday Times, 9 July 1922, p. 2
  42. ↑ ‘East Perth Defeat Perth’; The Daily News, 8 July 1922, p. 16
  43. ↑ 43.0 43.1 ‘East Perth Win Easily’; Sunday Times, 16 July 1922, p. 2
  44. ↑ ‘Subiaco Successful’; Sunday Times, 16 July 1922, p. 2
  45. ↑ ‘East Fremantle Win’; Sunday Times, 16 July 1922, p. 2
  46. ↑ ‘East Perth defeat Subiaco’; Sunday Times, 23 July 1922, p. 2
  47. ↑ ‘South Fremantle’s Easy Win’; Sunday Times, 23 July 1922, p. 2
  48. ↑ ‘East Fremantle Squeeze Home’; Sunday Times, 23 July 1922, p. 2
  49. ↑ ‘West Perth’s Narrow Win’; Sunday Times, 30 July 1922, p. 2
  50. ↑ ‘Young Easts Just Win’; Sunday Times, 30 July 1922, p. 2
  51. ↑ ‘East Fremantle Beat Perth’; Sunday Times, 30 July 1922, p. 2
  52. ↑ ‘West Perth’s Victory’; The Sunday Times, 6 August 1922, p. 2
  53. ↑ ‘Old East’s Brilliant Win’; The Sunday Times, 6 August 1922, p. 2
  54. ↑ ‘A Win for Subiaco’; The Sunday Times, 6 August 1922, p. 2
  55. ↑ ‘Fitzroy’s First Match: Powerful Side in Action – West Perth Play Victorian Maroons: Brilliant Weather and Great Crowd’; The Daily News, 14 August 1922, p. 8
  56. ↑ “Onlooker” (anonymous author); ‘Interstate Football: Fitzroy Beat East Fremantle in Gruelling Battle’
  57. ↑ ‘Champions at Football – State Team Wins’; The Daily News, 19 August 1922, p. 2
  58. ↑ 58.0 58.1 ‘East Perth Tour – Manager Interviewed’; The Daily News, 4 August 1922, p. 3
  59. ↑ Atkinson, Brian; It’s a Grand Old Flag: a History and Comprehensive Statistical Analysis of the West Perth Football Club 1885-2007, p. 54 ISBN 9781921361395
  60. ↑ 60.0 60.1 ‘On with the Game’; W.A. Footballer: Official Organ of the West Australian Football League, 2nd September 1922, pp. 3, 9-11
  61. ↑ ‘First Semi-Final – Played in Summer Conditions: A Tip-Top Attendance – West Perth Easily Defeat Old Easts: Pace and System Prevail’; W.A. Footballer: Official Organ of the West Australian Football League, 9th September 1922, pp. 3, 9-11
  62. ↑ ‘Second Semi-Final: Fremantle Reds Down Young Easts – A Strenuous But Not High-Standard Game: The Blue and Blacks Die Hard’; W.A. Footballer: Official Organ of the West Australian Football League, 9th September 1922, pp. 3, 9-12
  63. ↑ ‘The Cardinals Superior to South Fremantle: A Good Game, the Winners too Strong for the Portonians’; W.A. Footballer: Official Organ of the West Australian Football League, 9th September 1922, pp. 3, 9-12
  64. ↑ “Onlooker” (anonymous author); ‘East Perth Premiers’; The West Australian, 25 September 1922, pp. 6-7
  65. ↑ ‘Football: The Premiership Challenge – East Perth Retain Honour: Opponents’ Play Below Standard’; The Daily News, 25 September 1922, p. 3

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