West Perth Football Club

The West Perth Football Club, nicknamed the Falcons, is an Australian rules football club located in Joondalup, Western Australia. West Perth competes in the West Australian Football League (WAFL) and WAFL Women's (WAFLW) and is the oldest existing Australian rules football club in Western Australia.^[1] Originally located at Leederville Oval, the team was relocated in 1994 to Arena Joondalup, a sports complex in the northern suburbs of Perth. The team's club song is "It's a Grand Old Flag" and its traditional rivals are East Perth.

West Perth
Names
Full name	West Perth Football Club
Nickname(s)	Falcons, Cardinals, Garlic Munchers
Motto	"Does Your Heart Beat True?"
2024 season
After finals	WAFL: — WAFLW: 3rd
Home-and-away season	WAFL: 8th WAFLW: 3rd
Leading goalkicker	WAFL: Tyler Keitel (56 Goals) WAFLW: Brooke Hongell (15 goals)
Best and fairest	WAFL: Luke Meadows WAFLW: Taylor Ferguson
Club details
Founded	10 May 1891; 134 years ago (10 May 1891)
Colours	Red   Blue
Competition	West Australian Football League (men) WAFL Women's (women)
President	Jimmy Caffieri
Coach	WAFL: Jason Salecic WAFLW: Clint Degebrodt
Captain(s)	WAFL: Luke Meadows WAFLW: Emily Bennett & Gemma Bailey
Premierships	List 20 (1897, 1899, 1901, 1905, 1932, 1934, 1935, 1941, 1942, 1949, 1951, 1960, 1969, 1971, 1975, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2013, 2022)
Ground(s)	HIF Health Insurance Oval Kennedya Dr, Joondalup (capacity: 16,000)
Uniforms
Home
Other information
Official website	westperthfc.com.au

History

Senior Football team premiers 1901

West Perth were known as "the Cardinals" from the early 1900s till 1981. The name came from the team being referred to as the "blue and cardinals" in the early days.

The Victorian Football Club was established at a meeting on 2 May 1885. The new team was to play its games at the Recreation Ground (now Esplanade Reserve) and wear the colours cardinal and navy.^[2] Two weeks after the establishment of the new club it formed the WAFA together with Rovers and Fremantle. The three clubs, along with High School (now Hale School) were to play out the 1885 season, however High School dropped out after just two rounds.^[3]

The West Australian Football Club was established in 1886 and were admitted to the competition for the 1887 season.^[4] At a meeting of the two clubs on 16 April 1889, it was unanimously decided to amalgamate the two clubs – West Australian and Victorians – into a single club known as the Metropolitan Football Club for the 1889 season. The West Australian colours of black and red were to be maintained for the new club.^[5] In 1891, a meeting of footballers was held to form a new team, to be called West Perth, which embraced the members of the then-defunct Metropolitan Football Club.^[6][7] The new club was immediately granted entry into the WA Football Association (later called the WA Football League) and won its first premiership in 1897.

In 1915 the team became the original tenant of the newly built Leederville Oval where it would remain based until 1993, at which time the team moved to Joondalup to play games at Arena Joondalup from the 1994 season onwards. Since relocating, the Falcons have enjoyed relative success with five premierships from nine grand finals, the most recent flag coming in 2022.

In 2022 the club became the seventh active club to participate in the WAFL Women's (WAFLW), the premier state-based competition for female footballers.^[8]

In February 2024, the City of Joondalup asked the football club to consider changing their name to the 'Joondalup Football Club' or 'Northern Football Club,' considering they have resided in Joondalup for 30 years. The football club and the City of Joondalup are yet to agree on a naming deal.

Since joining the WAFLW competition, the club celebrated real success with a Preliminary Final appearance in just their third season in the competition. Marking West Perth Football Clubs' Women's WAFLW side as the most successful expansion side since the WAFLW began.

West Perth Football Clubs' Rogers Cup side (U19s competition) is amongst some of the most successful teams in Australian sporting history. Winning the flag in an undefeated season in 2021, this was backed up by 2-undefeated seasons in 2023 and 2024, culminating in a further 2 premierships for the club. As at August 2024, the Rogers Cup team sit at 34 wins in a row - An impressive undefeated streak.

Club song

"It's a Grand Old Flag"

"(Sung to the tune of "You're a Grand Old Flag")"

It's a grand old flag it's a high flying flag,

It's the emblem for me and for you,

It's the emblem of the team we love,

The team of the red and the blue,

Every heart beats true for the red and the blue,

And we sing this song to you,

Should old acquaintance be forgot,

Keep your eye on the red and the blue!

Honours

Club honours

Premierships
Competition	Level	Wins	Years won
WAFL	Seniors	20	1897, 1899, 1901, 1905, 1932, 1934, 1935, 1941, 1942, 1949, 1951, 1960, 1969, 1971, 1975, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2013, 2022
WAFL Reserves	Reserves	7	1927, 1930, 1947, 1956, 1960, 2014, 2019
WAFL Colts	Colts (U19)	2	1968, 1990
WAFLW Womens	Seniors	0
Rogers Cup	Colts (U19)	3	2021, 2023, 2024
Other titles and honours
Rodriguez Shield	Multiple	4	1960, 1999, 2002, 2022
State Premiership (1904–1924)	Seniors	1	1905
Finishing positions
WAFL	Minor premiership	10	1897, 1899, 1901, 1905, 1942, 1948, 1960, 1975, 1993, 2022
	Runners Up	20	1891, 1892, 1893, 1894, 1898, 1903, 1906, 1911, 1922, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1952, 1953, 1973, 1993, 1998, 2002, 2015, 2018
	Wooden spoons	11	1895, 1918, 1919, 1930, 1938, 1939, 1964, 1974, 1990, 1991, 1992

Individual honours

Sandover Medallists: (12 total)

1922: Harold Boyd

1924: Jim Gosnell

1927: Jim Craig

1930: Ted Flemming

1940: Terence O'Keefe

1942: Laurie Bowen

1946: John Loughridge

1951: Fred Buttsworth

1959: Brian Foley

1992: Robert West

1993: Neil Mildenhall

2014: Aaron Black

Simpson Medallists: (11 total)

1946: John Loughridge 1949: Jack Larcombe 1951: Don Porter 1960: Brian Foley 1969: Bill Dempsey 1971: Shane Sheridan

1975: Mel Whinnen 1995: Darren Harris 1999: Christian Kelly 2003: Brent LeCras 2013: Mark Hutchings 2022: Luke Meadows

Bernie Naylor Medalists: (20 total)

1894: Bill Duffy (15) 1898: Herb Loel (N/A) 1899: Herb Loel (50) 1900: Albert Daly (30) 1901: Herb Loel (45) 1902: Herb Loel (35) 1903: Tom McNamara (32) 1911: William Bellion (30) 1925: Ted Flemming (50) 1930: Frank Hopkins (79)

1932: Ted Tyson (96) 1936: Ted Tyson (126) 1942: Ted Brunton (94) 1945: Bill Baker (91) 1951: Ray Scott (141) 1955: Ray Scott (83) 1963: Ron Evans (97) 1973: Phil Smith (84) 2018: Andrew Strijk (51) 2019: Tyler Keitel (50) 2021: Tyler Keitel (64) 2023: Tyler Keitel (57) 2024: Tyler Keitel (56)

All-Australians:

1961: Ray Gabelich

1972: Alan Watling

300 games

Mel Whinnen (371)

Bill Dempsey (343)

200 games:

Alan Watling (284) Les Fong (284) Paul Mifka (283) Ray Scholfield (277) Wally Price (256) Peter Menaglio (236) E J (Ted) Flemming (229) Bill Rainoldi (228) E A (Ted) Tyson (228)

Ken Ashdown (218) Jason Salecic (212) Norm McDiarmid (210) Max Tetly (210) Chris Keunen (209) Jim Craig (203) Brian Foley (202) Len Harman (201) Eddie Wylde (200)

(*) Indicates current listed players

Club records

Highest score:

Round 10, 1981, 37–17 (239) vs. East Fremantle at Leederville Oval

Round 10, 1987, 37–17 (239) vs. South Fremantle at Leederville Oval

Lowest score:

Round 1, 1912, 0.3 (3) vs. Subiaco at WACA

Most games:

Mel Whinnen 367^[9] (1960–1977)

Highest goal kicker (season):

E. Tyson 143 goals (1934)

R. Scott 143 goals (1953)

Highest goal kicker (game):

E. Tyson 17 goals v. Swan Districts (1934)

Highest goal kicker (career):

E. Tyson 1196 goals

Longest serving captain:

Les Fong, 7 Seasons (1980–1986)

Longest serving coach:

Bill Monaghan, 10 Seasons (2009 – 2018)

Most club champion awards won:

Mel Whinnen, 9

Record home attendance:

Round 21, 1978, 24,567 vs. East Perth at Leederville Oval

Record finals attendance:

1975 Grand Final, 52,322 vs. South Fremantle at Subiaco Oval

WA Football Hall of Fame

West Perth players who have been inducted into the West Australian Football Hall of Fame:

Player	Year inducted
Fred Buttsworth	2004
Bill Dempsey	2004
Brian Foley	2004
Barney Grecian	2004
Stan Heal	2004
Fred McDiarmid	2004
Ray Schofield	2004
Ray Scott	2004
Max Tetley	2004
Ted Tyson	2004
Mel Whinnen	2004
Jim Craig	2005
Les Fong	2006
Brian France	2006
Jim Gosnell	2007
Alan Watling	2009
Wally Price	2010
Don Marinko, Sr.	2011
Frank Hopkins	2013
John Wynne	2015
Derek Kickett	2017
John Loughridge	2019

Premierships

Grand finals

1897: 1899: 1901: 1905: West Perth 4–7 (31) def East Fremantle 3–9 (27) 1932: West Perth 18–9 (117) def East Perth 11–8 (74) 1934: West Perth 11–7 (73) def East Fremantle 5–9 (39) 1935: West Perth 11–8 (74) def Subiaco 7–9 (51) 1941: West Perth 14–14 (98) def East Fremantle 10–17 (77) 1942: West Perth 19–16 (130) def Claremont 11–13 (79) 1949: West Perth 16–13 (109) def Perth 12–7 (79)

1951: West Perth 13–10 (88) def South Fremantle 12–13 (85) 1960: West Perth 17–13 (115) def East Perth 12–11 (83) 1969: West Perth 21–21 (147) def East Perth 10–14 (74) 1971: West Perth 14–17 (101) def East Perth 9–15 (69) 1975: West Perth 23–17 (155) def South Fremantle 7–9 (51) 1995: West Perth 21–11 (137) def Subiaco 12–9 (81) 1999: West Perth 14–13 (97) def South Fremantle 11–6 (72) 2003: West Perth 13–9 (87) def Subiaco 9–10 (64) 2013: West Perth 20–11 (131) def East Perth 12–10 (81) 2022: West Perth 10-9 (69) def Claremont 8-9 (57)

Last premiership team

2022 premiership team

B:	Tyson Moulton (VC)	Sam Rotham	Zac Guadagnin
HB:	Dean Munns (C)	Noah Pegoraro	Ben Johnson
C:	Tristan Hobley	Luke Meadows	Aaron Black (C)
HF:	Sasha Kernutt	Anton Hamp	Conal Lynch
F:	Mitchell Dobson	Tyler Keitel	Keegan Knott
Foll:	Troy Yukich	Mitchell Peirce	Shane Nelson
Int:	Corey Rundle	Nathan Alexandre	Aidan Lynch
	Joseph Hinder
Coach:	Darren Harris

Club coaches

1919: Paddy Willoughby 1920–21: Tony Tyson 1921–22: Tom Soutar 1923: Archie Herd 1923–24: Jack Leckie 1925: Bert Taylor 1926–27: Tom Soutar 1928–30: Harold Boyd 1931: Sam Tyson 1932–33: Jack Cashman 1934–35: Johnny Leonard 1936: Jack Cashman 1937: Johnny Leonard 1938–39: Max Tetley 1940–41: Ross Hutchinson 1942–45: Joe Brooker 1946: Ross Hutchison 1947–52: Stan Heal 1953–54: Peter O'Donohue 1955: Don Scott 1956–57: Frank Sparrow

1958: Ray Schofield 1959: Don Marinko, Jr. 1960–63: Arthur Olliver 1964: Clive Lewington 1965–67: Bob Spargo 1968–71: Graham Farmer 1972: Peter Steward 1973–74: Dennis Jones 1975–77: Graham Campbell 1978–79: Percy Johnson 1979–81: Graham Campbell 1982–84: Dennis Cometti 1985–86: John Wynne 1987–88: Bruce Monteath 1989–91: George Michalczyk 1992–94: Jeff Gieschen 1995–99: John Dimmer 2000–01: Andrew Lockyer 2002–05: Darren Harris 2006–08: Todd Curley 2009–17: Bill Monaghan 2018–21: Geoff Valentine 2022-2023 Darren Harris 2024- Jason Salecic

Club captains

1885–86: Alexander Rankin 1887: Horace Wilson 1888: Harry Sadler 1889: Frederick McDonough 1890: Jack Kneale 1891: Ken McKenzie 1892: Alfred Newlands 1893–94: George Sykes 1895: James Morgan 1896: Jack Coward and David DeCoit 1897–1900: Barney Grecian 1901: Les Jones and Billy Plunkett (1) 1902: Herbert Loel (1) 1903: Herbert Loel (2) and Bundy McNamara 1904: Billy Plunkett (2) 1905: Billy Plunkett (3) and Shooter Ford (1) 1906: Shooter Ford (2) 1907: Gerald Balme (1) 1908: Frederick Strickland 1909: Jim Everett 1910–11: Gerald Balme (2) 1912: Gerald Balme (3) and Bill Mose 1913–14: Samuel Rowe 1915–16: Anthony Austin 1917: Samuel Jeffery 1918: Jack O'Dea 1919: Paddy Willoughby 1920: Tony Tyson 1921–22: Tom Soutar (1) 1923–24: Harold Boyd 1925: Bert Taylor 1926: Tom Soutar (2) 1927: Donald Sinclair 1928: Bill McRae, Jim Gosnell, Jim Craig (1), and Jack McDiarmid 1929: Ernest Moyle 1930: Jim Craig (2) 1931: Ted Flemming (1) 1932–33: Jack Cashman 1934–35: Don Marinko, Sr.

1936: Bill Benton 1937: Ted Flemming (2) and Wally Buttsworth 1938–39: Max Tetly 1940–41: Dick Hill 1941: Spike Pola (1) 1942–43: Len Harman 1944: Fred Buttsworth 1945: Spike Pola (2) 1946: Ross Hutchinson 1947–51: Stan Heal 1952: Ray Schofield (1) 1953–54: Peter O'Donohue 1955: Don Scott 1956: Frank Sparrow 1957–58: Ray Schofield (2) 1959–60: Don Marinko, Jr. 1961–64: Brian Foley 1965–67: Bob Spargo 1968–71: Graham Farmer 1972: Peter Steward 1973–76: Bill Dempsey 1977: Mel Whinnen 1978: Arthur Duckworth 1979: Geoff Taylor 1980–86: Les Fong 1987–89: Peter Menaglio 1990: Paul Hasler 1991: David Palm 1992–94: Craig Nelson 1995–96: Darren Harris 1997–98: Brendan Barrows 1999–2000: Kim Rigoll (1) 2001–03: Steve Trewhella 2004: Kim Rigoll (2) 2005: Todd Curley 2006–07: Clayton Lasscock 2008–13: Jason Salecic 2014–15: Jay van Berlo (1) and Luke Tedesco 2016–17: Jay van Berlo (2) 2018–21: Aaron Black 2022-23: Aaron Black and Dean Munns 2024: Dean Munns 2025-: Luke Meadows

Current squad

As of October 2022:

2 Luke Meadows 3 Ben Johnson 4 Tyson Moulton 5 Nathan Alexandre 6 Dylan Yem 7 Keegan Knott 8 Mark Hutchings 9 Trent Manzone 10 Zac Guadagnin 11 Mitchell Antonio 12 Liam Tedesco 13 Dean Munns 14 Shane Nelson 15 Aidan Lynch 16 Mitchell Dobson 17 Blake Wilhelm 18 Scott Nelson 19 Sam Rotham 20 Anton Hamp 21 Tristan Hobley 22 Kellen Johnson 23 Conal Lynch 24 Thomas O'Donnell

25 Mitchell Peirce 26 Troy Yukich 27 Nathan Murray 28 Zac Patterson 29 Alec Johnson 30 Callum Johnson 31 Michael Mallard 32 Rudy Riddoch 33 Koopah Toddles 34 Ryan Hudson 35 Logan Foley 36 Mark Hamilton 37 Tyler Keitel 38 Noah Pegoraro 39 Rowan Garlett 40 Benjamin Delaporte 41 Sasha Kernutt 42 Thomas Boyes 43 Lochlan Paton 44 Joshua Munns

45 Corey Rundle 46 Darcy Dixon 47 Lachlan Cox 48 Rohan Scurria 49 Zachary Fleiner 50 Luke Reilly 51 Connor Klemke 52 Joseph Hinder 53 Jack Burke 55 Brock Lewis 56 Jared Cole

Team of the Century

Team of the Century

B:	Wally Price	Ray Schofield	Bill Dempsey
HB:	Harold Boyd	Brian France	Ted Flemming
C:	Peter Menaglio	Mel Whinnen	Stan Heal
HF:	John Loughridge	Fred Buttsworth	Don Marinko, Sr.
F:	Bill Valli	Ted Tyson	Brian Foley
Foll:	Graham Farmer	Ed O'Keefe	Les Fong
Int:	Ken Ashdown	Jim Craig	Jim Gosnell
	Jack McDiarmid	Ray Scott	Max Tetley Alan Watling
Coach:	Stan Heal

AFL/VFL players (including rookies)

This is a list of West Perth players who have played at AFL/VFL level:

• Blake Acres (St Kilda, Fremantle and Carlton)
• Marcus Adams (Western Bulldogs and Brisbane Lions)
• Oscar Allen (West Coast)
• Ian Anderson (Essendon)
• Horrie Bant (1882–1957) (St Kilda and Essendon)
• Liam Baker (Richmond and West Coast)
• Laurie Bellotti (West Coast)
• Bill Benton (1906–1979) (Richmond)
• Jack Beveridge (1907–1986) (Collingwood)
• Darren Bewick (Essendon)
• Rohan Bewick (Brisbane Lions)
• Aaron Black (footballer, born 1992) (West Coast)
• Ashley Blurton (West Coast and Richmond)
• Kepler Bradley (Essendon and Fremantle)
• Phil Bradmore (Footscray)
• Bruce Bridges (1917–1999) (Fitzroy)
• Steven Browne (Carlton)
• Jeff Bruce (Fitzroy)
• Bill Burns (1884–1955) (Geelong and Richmond)
• Ronnie Burns (Geelong and Adelaide)
• Fred Buttsworth (Essendon)
• Wally Buttsworth (1917–2002) (Essendon)
• Adam Campbell (Fremantle)
• Jack Cashman (1906–1982) (Fitzroy and Carlton)
• Callum Chambers (West Coast and Carlton)
• Heath Chapman (Fremantle)
• Kevin Clarke (1931–2009) (Melbourne and Carlton)
• Ernie Coward (1916–1985) (Essendon)
• Phil Cronan (St Kilda and Footscray)
• Todd Curley (Collingwood and Footscray/Western Bulldogs)
• Jack Darling (West Coast)
• Bill Davern (1883–1952) (Geelong)
• Jim Davies (1926–2010) (Carlton)
• Barry Day (Essendon)
• Ian Downsborough (West Coast, Port Adelaide and Adelaide)
• Billy Duckworth (Essendon)
• John Duckworth (Fitzroy)
• Max Duffy (Fremantle)
• Russell Ellen (Essendon)
• Neil Evans (Essendon)
• Ron Evans (1939–2007) (Essendon)
• Brian Falconer (Hawthorn)
• Graham Farmer (Geelong)
• Brendon Fewster (West Coast and Fremantle)
• Vic Fisher (1924–1999) (Essendon)
• Shane Fitzsimmons (Melbourne)
• Dan Foley (Richmond)
• Arthur Ford (1881–1953) (Carlton)
• Peter Freeman (St Kilda)
• Ray Gabelich (1933–2000) (Collingwood)
• John Gastev (West Coast and Brisbane Bears)
• Barney Grecian (1872–1919) (Essendon)
• Ralph Green (1911–1991) (Carlton)
• Chris Groom (Adelaide, Fremantle and North Melbourne)
• Brad Gwilliam (West Coast and Richmond)
• Derek Hall (West Coast and Geelong)
• Len Halley (Essendon)
• Jack Heal (1919–1988) (Melbourne)
• Stan Heal (1920–2010) (Melbourne)
• Trevor Heath (Essendon)
• Col Hebbard (Essendon)
• Bradley Hill (Hawthorn, Fremantle and St Kilda)
• Stephen Hill (Fremantle)
• Ray Holden (Melbourne)
• Mark Hutchings (West Coast)
• Jordan Jones (West Coast)
• Derek Kickett (North Melbourne, Essendon and Sydney Swans)
• Sean King (West Coast)
• Steven Koops (Fremantle and Western Bulldogs)
• Dean Laidley (West Coast and North Melbourne)
• Ken Leahy (1906–1985) (Geelong)
• Brent LeCras (North Melbourne)
• Mark LeCras (West Coast)
• Teddy Lockwood (1872–1953) (Geelong and Collingwood)
• Justin Longmuir (Fremantle)
• Troy Longmuir (Melbourne, Fremantle and Carlton)
• Ray Lucev (South Melbourne)
• Quinten Lynch (West Coast and Collingwood)
• Tom Marinko (1941–1981) (St Kilda)
• Josh Mellington (Fremantle)
• Mark Merenda (Richmond and West Coast)
• Paul Mifka (West Coast)
• Neil Mildenhall (Fremantle)
• Digby Morrell (North Melbourne and Carlton)
• Ray Niven (1910–1992) (Fitzroy and Melbourne)
• Darren O'Brien (Melbourne)
• Peter O'Donohue (1923–2012) (Hawthorn)
• David Palm (Richmond)
• Michael Pettigrew (Port Adelaide)
• Len Phillips (1890–1968) (St Kilda and Essendon)
• Jaxon Prior (Brisbane Lions and Essendon)
• Andrew Purser (Footscray)
• Bert Renfrey (1879–1940) (St Kilda)
• George Renwick (1886–1945) (Carlton)
• Arthur Retell (1906–1978) (St Kilda)
• Laurie Richards (Fitzroy)
• Mike Richardson (Collingwood, Essendon and Brisbane Bears)
• Jon Riggs (St Kilda)
• Austin Robertson Sr. (1907–1988) (South Melbourne)
• Nick Robertson (Brisbane Lions)
• Bob Robinson (1914–2001) (Fitzroy)
• Warren Roper (Collingwood)
• Brian Sampson (1941–2012) (Essendon)
• Don Scott (South Melbourne)
• Paul Shanahan (1948–2011) (Fitzroy)
• Wayde Skipper (Western Bulldogs)
• Josh Smith (North Melbourne)
• Phil Smith (1946–2010) (Geelong)
• Craig Smoker (Melbourne)
• Bob Spargo (Footscray)
• Darren Stanley (Footscray)
• Roan Steele (Collingwood)
• Peter Steward (North Melbourne)
• Andrew Strijk (West Coast)
• Paul Symmons (West Coast)
• John Towner (Essendon)
• Craig Turley (West Coast and Melbourne)
• Bill Valli (Collingwood and Essendon)
• Jay van Berlo (Fremantle)
• Nathan van Berlo (Adelaide)
• Robert Warnock (Fremantle and Carlton)
• Connor West (West Coast)
• Robbie West (West Coast and Footscray)
• Martin Whitelaw (Fremantle)
• Ike Whittaker (Footscray)
• Andrew Williams (West Coast and Collingwood)
• Don Williams (1935–1995) (Melbourne)
• Frank Williams (1884–1939) (St Kilda)
• Tom Williams (1876–1938) (Essendon)
• Troy Wilson (West Coast)
• Fred Wimbridge (1893–1977) (South Melbourne)

See also

• West Perth players