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Australian rules football season From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 1997 Westar Rules season was the 113th season of senior football in Perth, Western Australia. It featured a number of dramatic changes to a competition whose popularity had been dramatically reduced by the drain of players to the Eagles and Dockers of the AFL. The competition's name was changed from the prosaic ‘West Australian Football League’ to ‘Westar Rules’ in an attempt to update the local competition for a more sophisticated audience.[1] However, this change became regarded as unsuccessful and was reversed as per recommendations of the “Fong Report”[2] after four seasons. West Perth also changed their name to Joondalup to recognise their location in Perth's growing northwestern suburbs, but changed back after the ninth round.
1997 WAFL season | |
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Teams | 9 |
Premiers | South Fremantle 11th premiership |
Minor premiers | South Fremantle 10th minor premiership |
Sandover Medallist | Brady Anderson (East Perth) |
Bernie Naylor Medallist | Jon Dorotich (South Fremantle) |
Matches played | 94 |
More significantly, after intense debate for a number of years about whether to expand or contract the competition,[3] a new team, Peel Thunder, was added, despite requests from Peel's licence holders that they not be required to enter before 1998.[4] This was the first change to the number of teams in the WA(N)FL for sixty-three years.
In their first eighteen seasons, Peel won only seventy-three matches out of 354 (a winning percentage of 20.6%) and never had a winning season, finishing with nine wooden spoons. Along with occasional serious financial difficulties,[5] this produced serious criticism of the decision in subsequent years, but Peel qualified for the finals for the first time in 2015, and won the premiership the following year. A proposal to limit Westar to players under 25 and a few older veterans in order to allow a better flow of players to the AFL[6] was made during the season but rejected.
Affected badly by the erratic availability of a number of AFL-listed players,[7] reigning premiers Claremont had their worst season since 1975 and equalled East Fremantle's decline in 1980 from premiers to only five wins, whilst Swan Districts, brilliant but erratic during 1996, began with nine wins in their first ten matches before losing eight of their next nine to miss the finals for the third successive season.
On a more positive side, the season saw South Fremantle win its first premiership in seventeen years in a thrilling comeback Grand Final win over traditional rivals East Fremantle, and Perth have (after a disastrous opening) its only winning season since 1988, and culminating in its last finals appearance until 2020.
Round 1 | |||||
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Saturday, 29 March | Perth 2.5 (17) | def. by | Swan Districts 11.9 (75) | Lathlain Park (crowd: 1317) | |
Sunday, 30 March | Peel Thunder 8.4 (52) | def. by | South Fremantle 25.10 (160) | Rushton Park (crowd: 5781) | |
Monday, 31 March | Claremont 11.7 (73) | def. by | East Perth 11.18 (84) | Claremont Oval (crowd: 2686) | |
Monday, 31 March | Joondalup 11.9 (75) | def. by | East Fremantle 11.15 (81) | Arena Joondalup (crowd: 2841) | |
Bye Subiaco |
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Round 2 | |||||
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Saturday, 5 April | East Fremantle 15.18 (108) | def. | Peel Thunder 7.9 (51) | East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 1448) | |
Saturday, 5 April | South Fremantle 11.13 (79) | def. by | Subiaco 16.11 (107) | Fremantle Oval (crowd: 1779) | |
Saturday, 5 April | Claremont 6.10 (46) | def. by | Perth 13.8 (86) | Claremont Oval (crowd: 1138) | |
Saturday, 5 April | Swan Districts 20.19 (139) | def. | Joondalup 8.5 (53) | Bassendean Oval (crowd: 2107) | |
Bye East Perth |
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Following their shocker against Swans, Perth coach Wayne Blackwell punished his side with a five-hour Tuesday training session and they respond with an excellent win in slippery conditions.[12] |
Round 3 | |||||
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Saturday, 12 April | Swan Districts 15.14 (104) | def. | Claremont 11.7 (73) | Bassendean Oval (crowd: 2183) | |
Saturday, 12 April | Subiaco 27.20 (182) | def. | Peel Thunder 5.5 (35) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 1531) | |
Saturday, 12 April | Joondalup 8.14 (62) | def. by | East Perth 14.13 (97) | Bunbury (crowd: 2212) | |
Bye East Fremantle, Perth, South Fremantle |
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Round 4 | |||||
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Friday, 18 April (7:30 pm) | South Fremantle 17.14 (116) | def. | East Fremantle 11.9 (75) | Fremantle Oval (crowd: 5328) | |
Saturday, 19 April | Perth 11.13 (79) | def. | East Perth 5.12 (42) | Lathlain Park (crowd: 2603) | |
Saturday, 19 April | Peel Thunder 9.9 (63) | def. by | Swan Districts 26.18 (174) | Rushton Park (crowd: 2006) | |
Saturday, 19 April | Joondalup 15.13 (103) | def. | Subiaco 8.9 (57) | Arena Joondalup (crowd: 2202) | |
Bye Claremont |
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For the first time, a night match is played at Fremantle Oval, and the experiment is an instant success that later led to lights at most league venues.[15] |
Round 5 | |||||
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Friday, 25 April | Subiaco 8.8 (56) | def. by | Perth 25.11 (161) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 1413) | |
Friday, 25 April | East Perth 17.12 (114) | def. by | South Fremantle 19.11 (125) | Perth Oval (crowd: 2324) | |
Saturday, 26 April | Joondalup 27.23 (185) | def. | Peel Thunder 9.11 (65) | Arena Joondalup (crowd: 1383) | |
Saturday, 26 April | East Fremantle 16.11 (107) | def. | Claremont 14.14 (98) | East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 1638) | |
Bye Swan Districts |
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Round 6 | |||||
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Saturday, 3 May | Claremont 15.7 (97) | def. by | South Fremantle 16.13 (109) | Claremont Oval (crowd: 1347) | |
Saturday, 3 May | Subiaco 9.15 (69) | def. | East Perth 10.8 (68) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 1889) | |
Saturday, 3 May | Perth 10.11 (71) | def. by | Joondalup 13.9 (87) | Lathlain Park (crowd: 2156) | |
Saturday, 3 May | East Fremantle 14.13 (97) | def. by | Swan Districts 18.7 (115) | East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 2076) | |
Bye Peel Thunder |
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Round 7 | |||||
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Saturday, 10 May | Perth 13.10 (88) | def. | East Fremantle 11.8 (74) | Lathlain Park (crowd: 1443) | |
Saturday, 10 May | South Fremantle 26.17 (173) | def. | Peel Thunder 8.7 (55) | Fremantle Oval (crowd: 1700) | |
Saturday, 10 May | Claremont 13.18 (96) | def. | Subiaco 7.12 (54) | Claremont Oval (crowd: 1467) | |
Sunday, 11 May | Swan Districts 20.11 (131) | def. | East Perth 17.10 (112) | Bassendean Oval (crowd: 2656) | |
Bye Joondalup |
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Round 8 | |||||
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Saturday, 17 May | East Perth 9.10 (64) | def. by | East Fremantle 15.9 (99) | Perth Oval (crowd: 1862) | |
Saturday, 17 May | South Fremantle 23.14 (152) | def. | Perth 10.7 (67) | Fremantle Oval (crowd: 2204) | [23] |
Saturday, 17 May | Joondalup 18.12 (120) | def. | Swan Districts 10.12 (72) | Arena Joondalup (crowd: 2734) | |
Saturday, 17 May | Claremont 14.11 (95) | def. by | Peel Thunder 14.14 (98) | Anniversary Park (crowd: 1005) | |
Bye Subiaco |
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Round 9 | |||||
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Saturday, 24 May | Subiaco 10.10 (70) | def. by | South Fremantle 18.17 (125) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 1399) | |
Saturday, 24 May | Swan Districts 16.15 (111) | def. | Perth 7.10 (52) | Bassendean Oval (crowd: 1938) | [26] |
Saturday, 24 May | Claremont 8.11 (59) | def. by | Joondalup 14.12 (96) | Claremont Oval (crowd: 1119) | |
Saturday, 24 May | Peel Thunder 11.5 (71) | def. by | East Perth 12.22 (94) | Rushton Park (crowd: 1858) | |
Bye East Fremantle |
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Round 10 | |||||
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Saturday, 31 May | Subiaco 22.15 (147) | def. | Peel Thunder 6.11 (47) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 981) | |
Monday, 2 June | East Fremantle 14.13 (97) | def. | South Fremantle 8.12 (60) | East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 5531) | |
Monday, 2 June | West Perth 14.8 (92) | def. by | East Perth 19.14 (128) | Arena Joondalup (crowd: 2298) | |
Bye Claremont, Perth, Swan Districts |
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West Perth discarded ‘Joondalup’ and return to their long-established club name during the week before this round. |
Round 11 | |||||
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Saturday, 7 June | Swan Districts 33.8 (206) | def. | Peel Thunder 7.9 (51) | Bassendean Oval (crowd: 1844) | |
Saturday, 7 June | East Fremantle 10.5 (65) | def. by | West Perth 18.11 (119) | East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 2035) | |
Saturday, 7 June | Perth 18.9 (117) | def. | Subiaco 17.7 (109) | Lathlain Park (crowd: 1886) | |
Saturday, 7 June | East Perth 16.8 (104) | def. | Claremont 14.12 (96) | Perth Oval (crowd: 2154) | |
Bye South Fremantle |
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Swan Districts kick the second most accurate score in WAFL history, with Aboriginal forward Troy Ugle kicking twelve,[29] which despite the Thunder’s continued ineptitude remains a record by one player against them[30] |
Round 12 | |||||
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Saturday, 14 June | South Fremantle 9.6 (60) | def. by | West Perth 14.10 (94) | Fremantle Oval (crowd: 2341) | |
Saturday, 14 June | Claremont 14.6 (90) | def. | East Fremantle 12.12 (84) | Claremont Oval (crowd: 1233) | |
Saturday, 14 June | Swan Districts 19.20 (134) | def. | Subiaco 16.4 (100) | Bassendean Oval (crowd: 2252) | |
Saturday, 14 June | Peel Thunder 6.7 (43) | def. by | Perth 17.19 (121) | Rushton Park (crowd: 1363) | |
Bye East Perth |
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Claremont, aided by the return of AFL discards Tony Delaney, Michael Gardiner and Anthony Jones, record a fine win over the eventual Grand finalists.[7] |
Round 13 | |||||
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Saturday, 21 June | West Perth 17.23 (125) | def. | Subiaco 5.10 (40) | Arena Joondalup (crowd: 2057) | |
Saturday, 21 June | Perth 14.12 (96) | def. | South Fremantle 9.11 (65) | Lathlain Park (crowd: 1887) | |
Saturday, 21 June | East Fremantle 14.7 (91) | def. | East Perth 9.10 (64) | East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 1785) | |
Sunday, 22 June | Swan Districts 10.6 (66) | def. by | Claremont 17.12 (114) | Bassendean Oval (crowd: 2407) | |
Bye Peel Thunder |
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Round 14 | |||||
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Saturday, 28 June | East Perth 24.14 (158) | def. | Peel Thunder 7.8 (50) | Perth Oval (crowd: 1418) | |
Saturday, 28 June | South Fremantle 16.12 (108) | def. | Swan Districts 8.8 (56) | Fremantle Oval (crowd: 2282) | |
Saturday, 28 June | Perth 11.18 (84) | def. by | Claremont 13.13 (91) | Lathlain Park (crowd: 1739) | |
Sunday, 29 June | Subiaco 8.7 (55) | def. by | East Fremantle 28.15 (183) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 1347) | |
Bye West Perth |
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East Fremantle record their biggest ever win over Subiaco, and also their biggest away win over any opponent.[33] |
Round 15 | |||||
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Saturday, 5 July | Claremont 8.9 (57) | v | West Perth 14.10 (94) | Claremont Oval (crowd: 1520) | |
Saturday, 5 July | East Perth 13.13 (91) | def. | Swan Districts 12.9 (81) | Perth Oval (crowd: 2751) | |
Saturday, 5 July | Peel Thunder 7.4 (46) | def. by | South Fremantle 18.14 (122) | Rushton Park (crowd: 1249) | |
Saturday, 5 July | East Fremantle 10.15 (75) | def. by | Perth 13.7 (85) | East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 1559) | |
Bye Subiaco |
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Round 16 | |||||
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Saturday, 12 July | Subiaco 14.9 (93) | def. | Claremont 9.12 (66) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 1184) | |
Saturday, 12 July | West Perth 14.8 (92) | def. by | Perth 18.9 (117) | Arena Joondalup (crowd: 2207) | |
Saturday, 12 July | South Fremantle 12.11 (83) | drew with | East Perth 12.11 (83) | Fremantle Oval (crowd: 2670) | |
Saturday, 12 July | Peel Thunder 12.8 (80) | def. by | East Fremantle 22.11 (143) | Rushton Park (crowd: 1351) | |
Bye Swan Districts |
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In an all-day thriller South Fremantle and East Perth played the second and last WASFL/WAFL/Westar Rules draw of the 1990s. The previous drawn match was 406 games ago in April 1993 between the Royals and Claremont.[36] Dorotich kicked 8.2 in a superb display, but East Perth rover Shawn Colbin was penalised for holding the ball on the siren within range when it appeared he may have got rid of the ball.[37] |
Round 17 | |||||
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Saturday, 19 July | West Perth 10.5 (65) | def. by | East Fremantle 23.18 (156) | Arena Joondalup (crowd: 2338) | |
Saturday, 19 July | Claremont 9.11 (65) | def. by | East Perth 13.13 (91) | Claremont Oval (crowd: 2088) | |
Saturday, 19 July | South Fremantle 13.10 (88) | def. by | Subiaco 17.9 (111) | Fremantle Oval (crowd: 1841) | |
Saturday, 19 July | Peel Thunder 11.15 (81) | def. by | Swan Districts 22.17 (149) | Rushton Park (crowd: 2085) | |
Bye Perth |
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Round 18 | |||||
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Saturday, 26 July | Swan Districts 9.9 (63) | def. by | East Fremantle 24.9 (153) | Bassendean Oval (crowd: 1919) | |
Saturday, 26 July | East Perth 14.10 (94) | def. | Subiaco 8.8 (56) | Perth Oval (crowd: 1952) | |
Saturday, 26 July | Perth 23.18 (156) | def. | Peel Thunder 8.12 (60) | Lathlain Park (crowd: 1267) | |
Saturday, 26 July | West Perth 7.15 (57) | def. by | South Fremantle 15.15 (105) | Arena Joondalup (crowd: 1569) | |
Bye Claremont |
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Round 19 | |||||
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Saturday, 2 August | Subiaco 18.9 (117) | def. | West Perth 9.9 (63) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 1499) | |
Saturday, 2 August | Swan Districts 11.9 (75) | def. by | Perth 28.10 (178) | Bassendean Oval (crowd: 2418) | |
Saturday, 2 August | Claremont 22.15 (147) | def. | Peel Thunder 3.17 (35) | Claremont Oval (crowd: 853) | |
Saturday, 2 August | East Fremantle 14.15 (99) | def. | East Perth 14.6 (90) | East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 2480) | |
Bye South Fremantle |
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Round 20 | |||||
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Saturday, 9 August | South Fremantle 13.21 (99) | def. | Claremont 3.11 (29) | Fremantle Oval (crowd: 1153) | |
Saturday, 9 August | East Perth 14.10 (94) | def. | Swan Districts 4.6 (30) | Perth Oval (crowd: 1523) | |
Saturday, 9 August | Peel Thunder 6.5 (41) | def. by | West Perth 8.12 (60) | Rushton Park (crowd: 1109) | |
Sunday, 10 August | Subiaco 10.9 (69) | def. by | Perth 11.23 (89) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 1675) | |
Bye East Fremantle |
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Round 21 | |||||
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Saturday, 16 August | East Fremantle 14.13 (97) | def. | Subiaco 13.11 (89) | East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 1554) | |
Saturday, 16 August | West Perth 12.18 (90) | def. | Claremont 5.14 (44) | Arena Joondalup (crowd: 1551) | |
Saturday, 16 August | Swan Districts 14.10 (94) | def. by | South Fremantle 18.12 (120) | Bassendean Oval (crowd: 1453) | |
Saturday, 16 August | Perth 19.19 (133) | def. | Peel Thunder 7.7 (49) | Lathlain Park (crowd: 1437) | |
Bye East Perth |
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Perth win six consecutive games for the only time since 1977, but lose key forward Brett Spinks to an injury that affects their competitiveness in the following two key matches.[44] |
Round 22 | |||||
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Saturday, 23 August | Subiaco 18.8 (116) | def. | Swan Districts 14.11 (95) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 1217) | |
Saturday, 23 August | East Fremantle 11.18 (84) | def. | Claremont 8.6 (54) | East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 1569) | |
Saturday, 23 August | East Perth 19.9 (123) | def. | West Perth 11.3 (69) | Perth Oval (crowd: 4709) | |
Saturday, 23 August | Perth 10.15 (75) | def. by | South Fremantle 15.15 (105) | Lathlain Park (crowd: 3122) | |
Bye Peel Thunder |
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Round 23 | |||||
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Saturday, 30 August | Peel Thunder 5.17 (47) | def. by | Subiaco 22.23 (155) | Rushton Park (crowd: 1461) | |
Saturday, 30 August | Claremont 11.11 (77) | def. by | Swan Districts 21.17 (143) | Claremont Oval (crowd: 1304) | |
Saturday, 30 August | East Perth 18.9 (117) | def. | Perth 9.10 (64) | Perth Oval (crowd: 3708) | |
Saturday, 30 August (6:30 pm) | South Fremantle 14.6 (90) | def. | East Fremantle 10.14 (74) | Fremantle Oval (crowd: 7688) | |
Bye West Perth |
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Peel Thunder lose by 100 points or more for the tenth time in their debut season |
Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | D | PF | PA | PP | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | South Fremantle (P) | 20 | 14 | 5 | 1 | 2144 | 1549 | 138.4 | 58 |
2 | East Fremantle | 20 | 13 | 7 | 0 | 2042 | 1611 | 126.8 | 52 |
3 | Perth | 20 | 13 | 7 | 0 | 1936 | 1593 | 121.5 | 52 |
4 | East Perth | 20 | 12 | 7 | 1 | 1912 | 1585 | 120.6 | 50 |
5 | Swan Districts | 20 | 11 | 9 | 0 | 2113 | 1870 | 113.0 | 44 |
6 | West Perth | 20 | 11 | 9 | 0 | 1801 | 1694 | 106.3 | 44 |
7 | Subiaco | 20 | 9 | 11 | 0 | 1852 | 1912 | 96.9 | 36 |
8 | Claremont | 20 | 5 | 15 | 0 | 1567 | 1805 | 86.8 | 20 |
9 | Peel Thunder | 20 | 1 | 19 | 0 | 1120 | 2868 | 39.1 | 4 |
First semi-final | |||||
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Saturday, 6 September (11:20 am) | Perth 17.12 (114) | def. | East Perth 6.11 (47) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 8,918) | |
The return of centre half-forward Brett Spinks helps Perth reverse their previous loss to East Perth with a crushing victory in windy conditions, led by 100 gamer Toby Jackson.[46] |
Second semi-final | |||||
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Saturday, 6 September | South Fremantle 7.5 (47) | def. by | East Fremantle 10.12 (72) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 8,918) | |
|
Preliminary final | |||||
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Sunday, 14 September | South Fremantle 19.13 (127) | def. | Perth 14.6 (90) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 7,585) | |
Clem Michael’s ruck dominance allows the strong Bulldog midfield to dominate during an eight-goal second quarter burst that Perth never counter.[48] |
1997 Westar Rules Grand Final | |||||
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Saturday, 19 September | East Fremantle | def. by | South Fremantle | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 32,371) | |
5.4 (34) 8.6 (54) 10.10 (70) |
Q1 Q2 Q3 |
3.1 (19) 6.2 (38) 8.5 (53) |
Simpson Medal: David Hynes (South Fremantle) Field umpires: Trevor Garrett, Adam Binks, Wayne French | ||
11.13 (79) | Final | 13.7 (85) | |||
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