# 1973 WANFL season

The 1973 WANFL season was the 89th season of the Western Australian National Football League. It is most famous for Subiaco breaking the longest premiership drought in the history of the competition, winning for the first time since 1924 after having been a chopping block for most of the middle third of the century. Under the coaching of former St Kilda champion Ross Smith, the Lions, as they became christened in July, bounced back from two disappointing seasons to lose only two of their final sixteen home-and-away games for their first minor premiership since 1935, then in a low-scoring Grand Final comfortably defeated a much more hardened West Perth team.
In addition to Subiaco's premiership win, veteran goal machine Austin Robertson, Jr. broke Ted Tyson’s record for most goals in a WANFL career late in the home-and-away season.
The season also saw 1972 Grand Finalists Claremont suffer the worst single-season fall in WAFL history, from only three losses to only four wins despite being pre-season premiership favourites, as Essendon’s century goalkicker Geoff Blethyn proved an inadequate trade for champion ruckman Graham Moss. Eight losses by under two goals sunk Claremont further. Despite exceptional form from Barry Cable in his last season with the club, Perth also fell from preliminary finalists to their worst record for thirty-two seasons of only six wins. Perennial battlers Swan Districts looked like a first finals berth since 1965 during the autumn but won only two of their last thirteen matches as a rainy winter negated the strength in marking that won Swans their early victories.

## Home-and-away season
### Round 1

| | Round 1 | Round 1 | Round 1 | |
| Saturday, 7 April | Subiaco 16.11 (107) | def. | Swan Districts 13.7 (85) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 8653) |
| Saturday, 7 April | East Perth 15.8 (98) | def. | West Perth 13.10 (88) | Perth Oval (crowd: 11801) |
| Saturday, 7 April | Claremont 14.12 (96) | def. by | Perth 14.14 (98) | Claremont Oval (crowd: 10000) |
| Saturday, 7 April | East Fremantle 15.14 (104) | def. | South Fremantle 14.19 (103) | East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 11000) |
| Perth hang on to win despite Tiger recruit Blethyn kicking a controversial last-quarter “soccer” goal that Demon defender Richard Peel believed he kicked himself. ||||||

### Round 2

| | Round 2 | Round 2 | Round 2 | |
| Saturday, 14 April | South Fremantle 13.13 (91) | def. by | East Perth 18.25 (133) | Fremantle Oval (crowd: 10060) |
| Saturday, 14 April | Perth 13.10 (88) | def. | Subiaco 12.12 (84) | Lathlain Park (crowd: 9778) |
| Saturday, 14 April | Swan Districts 18.14 (122) | def. | Claremont 9.13 (67) | Bassendean Oval (crowd: 10000) |
| Saturday, 14 April | West Perth 15.15 (105) | def. | East Fremantle 8.13 (61) | Leederville Oval (crowd: 9765) |
| Swan Districts, after a clean-out by coach Jack Ensor, lead the Tigers 17.9 (111) to 4.9 (33) after three quarters. ||||||

### Round 3 (Easter weekend)

| | Round 3 | Round 3 | Round 3 | |
| Saturday, 21 April | Claremont 9.15 (69) | def. by | West Perth 12.14 (86) | Claremont Oval (crowd: 12498) |
| Saturday, 21 April | Swan Districts 14.14 (98) | def. | East Fremantle 11.15 (81) | Bassendean Oval (crowd: 13000) |
| Monday, 23 April | South Fremantle 21.10 (136) | def. | Subiaco 12.15 (87) | Fremantle Oval (crowd: 8553) |
| Monday, 23 April | East Perth 14.11 (95) | def. | Perth 12.15 (87) | Perth Oval (crowd: 12750) |
| Thirty-two-year-old Peter Senior leads South Fremantle to a convincing win, along with ten-goal forward Peter Troode. ||||||

### Round 4

| | Round 4 | Round 4 | Round 4 | |
| Saturday, 28 April | Swan Districts 26.15 (171) | def. | South Fremantle 15.13 (103) | Bassendean Oval (crowd: 10220) |
| Saturday, 28 April | Perth 9.14 (68) | def. by | West Perth 10.11 (71) | Lathlain Park (crowd: 11115) |
| Saturday, 28 April | Subiaco 18.13 (121) | def. | East Perth 10.12 (72) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 8770) |
| Saturday, 28 April | East Fremantle 12.21 (93) | def. | Claremont 13.12 (90) | East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 8640) |
| Swan Districts kick their highest-ever second quarter score and the highest for that quarter at Bassendean Oval. ||||||

### Round 5

| | Round 5 | Round 5 | Round 5 | |
| Saturday, 5 May | West Perth 14.11 (95) | def. | Subiaco 8.13 (61) | Leederville Oval (crowd: 10050) |
| Saturday, 5 May | East Perth 14.8 (92) | def. | Swan Districts 9.7 (61) | Perth Oval (crowd: 15587) |
| Saturday, 5 May | Claremont 9.19 (73) | def. | South Fremantle 6.9 (45) | Claremont Oval (crowd: 7898) |
| Saturday, 5 May | East Fremantle 12.8 (80) | def. | Perth 10.17 (77) | East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 7404) |
| With John Lewis brilliant at full-back, Claremont kick 9.17 (71) to 2.6 (18) after the first 22 minutes to with their first game in slippery conditions. ||||||

### Round 6

| | Round 6 | Round 6 | Round 6 | |
| Saturday, 12 May | Swan Districts 7.20 (62) | def. | West Perth 9.5 (59) | Bassendean Oval (crowd: 8000) |
| Saturday, 12 May | South Fremantle 16.14 (110) | def. | Perth 14.11 (95) | Fremantle Oval (crowd: 4679) |
| Saturday, 12 May | East Perth 16.12 (108) | def. | Claremont 13.7 (85) | Perth Oval (crowd: 5983) |
| Saturday, 12 May | Subiaco 11.21 (87) | def. | East Fremantle 8.6 (54) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 4564) |
| Swan Districts became the first club to win a match with two fewer goals since East Perth did so in the last round of 1961 against South Fremantle. The Swans hold West Perth out into a five-goal breeze after the Cardinals kick a goal in the opening minute, kicking 0.4 (4) to 0.3 (3) with stars Walker, Nowotny and Ron Boucher dominating. ||||||

### Round 7

| | Round 7 | Round 7 | Round 7 | |
| Saturday, 19 May | West Perth 15.15 (105) | def. | South Fremantle 12.14 (86) | Leederville Oval (crowd: 10523) |
| Saturday, 19 May | Perth 14.11 (95) | def. by | Swan Districts 20.16 (136) | Lathlain Park (crowd: 12933) |
| Saturday, 19 May | Claremont 12.10 (82) | def. by | Subiaco 13.11 (89) | Claremont Oval (crowd: 9320) |
| Saturday, 19 May | East Fremantle 13.14 (92) | def. by | East Perth 23.20 (158) | East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 8982) |
| Injuries to Vernon Orr, David Mile and fullback John Lewis (who was thrashing Austin Robertson, Jr. and threatening to keep him goalless for the first time since 1965) deny Claremont a win despite playing their best football of the season. ||||||

### Round 8

| | Round 8 | Round 8 | Round 8 | |
| Saturday, 26 May | East Perth 23.13 (151) | def. | South Fremantle 16.19 (115) | Perth Oval (crowd: 10178) |
| Saturday, 26 May | Subiaco 18.17 (125) | def. | Perth 7.7 (49) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 9049) |
| Saturday, 26 May | Claremont 17.11 (113) | def. by | Swan Districts 17.20 (122) | Claremont Oval (crowd: 9000) |
| Saturday, 26 May | East Fremantle 17.11 (113) | def. | West Perth 9.16 (70) | East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 8714) |

### Round 9

| | Round 9 | Round 9 | Round 9 | |
| Saturday, 2 June | Swan Districts 7.8 (50) | def. by | Subiaco 15.16 (106) | Bassendean Oval (crowd: 10050) |
| Saturday, 2 June | West Perth 15.11 (101) | def. | East Perth 9.12 (66) | Leederville Oval (crowd: 10249) |
| Saturday, 2 June | Perth 13.12 (90) | def. by | Claremont 16.9 (105) | Lathlain Park (crowd: 6431) |
| Saturday, 2 June | South Fremantle 19.13 (127) | def. | East Fremantle 8.16 (64) | Fremantle Oval (crowd: 9148) |

### Round 10

| | Round 10 | Round 10 | Round 10 | |
| Saturday, 9 June | Subiaco 10.13 (73) | def. | South Fremantle 5.11 (41) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 6694) |
| Saturday, 9 June | Perth 11.12 (78) | def. | East Perth 10.6 (66) | Lathlain Park (crowd: 5245) |
| Saturday, 9 June | West Perth 8.13 (61) | def. | Claremont 5.8 (38) | Leederville Oval (crowd: 6697) |
| Saturday, 9 June | East Fremantle 12.11 (83) | def. | Swan Districts 9.6 (60) | East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 5656) |
| Barry Cable has an astonishing 44 kicks and 11 handballs as Perth end their worst losing run since 1945 over the top-placed reigning premiers. West Perth full-forward Phil Smith kicks 6.2 in heavy rain to win the match on his own and deliver “the final nail in Claremont's coffin”. ||||||

### Round 11

| | Round 11 | Round 11 | Round 11 | |
| Saturday, 16 June | South Fremantle 17.17 (119) | def. | Swan Districts 8.13 (61) | Fremantle Oval (crowd: 5860) |
| Saturday, 16 June | West Perth 12.12 (84) | def. | Perth 7.15 (57) | Leederville Oval (crowd: 6478) |
| Saturday, 16 June | East Perth 6.19 (55) | def. by | Subiaco 8.11 (59) | Perth Oval (crowd: 9880) |
| Saturday, 16 June | Claremont 16.13 (109) | def. by | East Fremantle 18.11 (119) | Claremont Oval (crowd: 5465) |

### Round 12

| | Round 12 | Round 12 | Round 12 | |
| Saturday, 23 June | Subiaco 10.7 (67) | def. by | West Perth 13.10 (88) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 13357) |
| Saturday, 23 June | Swan Districts 7.14 (56) | def. by | East Perth 14.16 (100) | Bassendean Oval (crowd: 8191) |
| Saturday, 23 June | South Fremantle 12.12 (84) | def. | Claremont 6.10 (46) | Fremantle Oval (crowd: 7779) |
| Saturday, 23 June | Perth 11.12 (78) | def. by | East Fremantle 14.16 (100) | Lathlain Park (crowd: 6281) |

### Round 13

| | Round 13 | Round 13 | Round 13 | |
| Saturday, 30 June | West Perth 9.18 (72) | def. | Swan Districts 8.6 (54) | Leederville Oval (crowd: 9289) |
| Saturday, 30 June | Perth 12.9 (81) | def. by | South Fremantle 16.14 (110) | Lathlain Park (crowd: 7307) |
| Saturday, 30 June | Claremont 14.15 (99) | def. by | East Perth 15.10 (100) | Claremont Oval (crowd: 7356) |
| Saturday, 30 June | East Fremantle 7.16 (58) | def. by | Subiaco 16.13 (109) | East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 8309) |
| Three goals from the previously outplayed Archie Duda win East Perth a thriller against the tailender despite a 70-metre shot from Bruce Duperouzel on the siren (which was punched clear). ||||||

### Round 14

| | Round 14 | Round 14 | Round 14 | |
| Saturday, 14 July | South Fremantle 6.10 (46) | def. by | West Perth 13.17 (95) | Fremantle Oval (crowd: 7402) |
| Saturday, 14 July | Swan Districts 3.12 (30) | def. by | Perth 5.11 (41) | Bassendean Oval (crowd: 5220) |
| Saturday, 14 July | Subiaco 12.19 (91) | def. | Claremont 10.8 (68) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 5684) |
| Saturday, 14 July | East Perth 12.15 (87) | def. | East Fremantle 9.9 (63) | Perth Oval (crowd: 5358) |
| Perth were the first team goalless at half-time since East Fremantle kicked only 0.2 (2) in three quarters on the same weekend six years before. The Demons ultimately became the last team to win after being goalless at half-time until East Perth did so in 2002, and one of only four since 1921. The aggregate score remains the lowest for Bassendean Oval and the second-lowest for any Swan Districts match. A lower aggregate score was not seen until Round 18, 1998. ||||||

### Round 15

| | Round 15 | Round 15 | Round 15 | |
| Saturday, 21 July | Subiaco 14.9 (93) | def. | Swan Districts 12.7 (79) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 6554) |
| Saturday, 21 July | East Perth 13.11 (89) | def. | West Perth 9.11 (65) | Perth Oval (crowd: 16659) |
| Saturday, 21 July | Claremont 13.14 (92) | def. | Perth 12.17 (89) | Claremont Oval (crowd: 5933) |
| Saturday, 21 July | East Fremantle 7.11 (53) | def. by | South Fremantle 17.9 (111) | East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 11960) |

### Round 16

| | Round 16 | Round 16 | Round 16 | |
| Saturday, 28 July | South Fremantle 18.9 (117) | def. | East Perth 12.16 (88) | Fremantle Oval (crowd: 10584) |
| Saturday, 28 July | Perth 6.15 (51) | def. by | Subiaco 8.9 (57) | Lathlain Park (crowd: 5868) |
| Saturday, 28 July | Swan Districts 10.11 (71) | def. by | Claremont 13.18 (96) | Bassendean Oval (crowd: 5000) |
| Saturday, 28 July | West Perth 21.12 (138) | def. | East Fremantle 11.18 (84) | Leederville Oval (crowd: 7534) |
| Perth were goalless at half-time for the second time in three weeks, the closest together successive occurrences by a team since Claremont in 1945 were goalless at half-time twice in consecutive matches against Perth and East Fremantle. Two posters and the absence of forward mainstay Murray Couper allow Subiaco to hold on in the rain as Perth press hard at the close. ||||||

### Round 17

| | Round 17 | Round 17 | Round 17 | |
| Saturday, 4 August | South Fremantle 8.13 (61) | def. by | Subiaco 15.8 (98) | Fremantle Oval (crowd: 12324) |
| Saturday, 4 August | East Perth 18.14 (122) | def. | Perth 10.14 (74) | Perth Oval (crowd: 7158) |
| Saturday, 4 August | Claremont 9.8 (62) | def. by | West Perth 9.13 (67) | Claremont Oval (crowd: not disclosed) |
| Saturday, 4 August | Swan Districts 14.13 (97) | def. by | East Fremantle 16.14 (110) | Bassendean Oval (crowd: not disclosed) |
| West Perth lose top spot despite winning a game where tailender Claremont wins three quarters, and their injuries rocket Subiaco to premiership favouritism for the first time at this stage since 1935. ||||||

### Round 18

| | Round 18 | Round 18 | Round 18 | |
| Saturday, 11 August | Swan Districts 12.9 (81) | def. | South Fremantle 11.13 (79) | Bassendean Oval (crowd: 6002) |
| Saturday, 11 August | Perth 14.10 (94) | def. | West Perth 12.7 (79) | Lathlain Park (crowd: 6513) |
| Saturday, 11 August | Subiaco 10.12 (72) | def. | East Perth 8.15 (63) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 12497) |
| Saturday, 11 August | East Fremantle 11.18 (84) | def. | Claremont 9.11 (65) | East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 6744) |
| Perth move from the bottom in a win that flatters the Cardinals - and this despite Cable suffering from asthma. Swan Districts, despite scoring only 1.0 (6) to 6.4 (40) in the last quarter, end a run of nine defeats, with future Fitzroy forward star Bob Beecroft moved from the ruck for the first time to great effect despite kicking only three behinds. ||||||

### Round 19

| | Round 19 | Round 19 | Round 19 | |
| Saturday, 18 August | West Perth 9.10 (64) | def. | Subiaco 9.8 (62) | Leederville Oval (crowd: 15262) |
| Saturday, 18 August | East Perth 13.13 (91) | def. | Swan Districts 7.10 (52) | Perth Oval (crowd: 8769) |
| Saturday, 18 August | Claremont 14.16 (100) | def. by | South Fremantle 16.13 (109) | Claremont Oval (crowd: 7570) |
| Saturday, 18 August | East Fremantle 20.16 (136) | def. | Perth 10.9 (69) | East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 7342) |
| Bill Dempsey and reluctant defender Keith Miller help the Cardinals rebound to a thrilling win in a battle of defences. Austin Robertson kicked four goals to finish the match with 1,201, two behind former Cardinal Tyson. ||||||

### Round 20

| | Round 20 | Round 20 | Round 20 | |
| Saturday, 25 August | Swan Districts 13.17 (95) | def. | West Perth 10.16 (76) | Bassendean Oval (crowd: 7620) |
| Saturday, 25 August | South Fremantle 20.18 (138) | def. | Perth 10.16 (76) | Fremantle Oval (crowd: 8235) |
| Saturday, 25 August | East Perth 16.10 (106) | def. | Claremont 9.17 (71) | Perth Oval (crowd: 8334) |
| Saturday, 25 August | Subiaco 15.15 (105) | def. | East Fremantle 11.15 (81) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 9899) |
| Austin Robertson was chaired from the ground after three goals took him to the WANFL record which he has held since. ||||||

### Round 21

| | Round 21 | Round 21 | Round 21 | |
| Saturday, 1 September | West Perth 11.14 (80) | def. | South Fremantle 9.18 (72) | Leederville Oval (crowd: 12873) |
| Saturday, 1 September | Perth 14.16 (100) | def. | Swan Districts 13.14 (92) | Lathlain Park (crowd: 7362) |
| Saturday, 1 September | Claremont 14.10 (94) | def. by | Subiaco 17.18 (120) | Claremont Oval (crowd: 6608) |
| Saturday, 1 September | East Fremantle 17.19 (121) | def. | East Perth 9.12 (66) | East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 9936) |
| East Fremantle’s desperation and determination gives them an unexpected finals place after rivals South lose. ||||||

## Ladder

1973 ladder :
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | D | PF | PA | PP | Pts |
| 1 | Subiaco (P) | 21 | 16 | 5 | 0 | 1873 | 1514 | 123.7 | 64 |
| 2 | West Perth | 21 | 15 | 6 | 0 | 1749 | 1504 | 116.3 | 60 |
| 3 | East Perth | 21 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 2006 | 1768 | 113.5 | 56 |
| 4 | East Fremantle | 21 | 11 | 10 | 0 | 1834 | 2009 | 91.3 | 44 |
| 5 | South Fremantle | 21 | 10 | 11 | 0 | 2003 | 1915 | 104.6 | 40 |
| 6 | Swan Districts | 21 | 8 | 13 | 0 | 1735 | 1883 | 92.1 | 32 |
| 7 | Perth | 21 | 6 | 15 | 0 | 1635 | 2008 | 81.4 | 24 |
| 8 | Claremont | 21 | 4 | 17 | 0 | 1720 | 1954 | 88.0 | 16 |

## Finals
### First semi-final

| | First semi-final | First semi-final | First semi-final | |
| Sunday, 9 September | East Perth 17.19 (121) | def. | East Fremantle 9.18 (72) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 25,500) |
| East Perth reverse the last round result with a dramatic team reshuffle, as East Fremantle fail to use a strong wind in the first quarter. ||||||

### Second semi-final

| | Second semi-final | Second semi-final | Second semi-final | |
| Saturday, 15 September | Subiaco 13.7 (85) | def. by | West Perth 15.13 (103) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 31,320) |
| Mel Whinnen’s dominance of Peter Featherby in the centre and strong roving by Bill Valli and Shane Sheridan put the Cardinals in the Grand Final more comfortably than the score suggested. ||||||

### Preliminary final

| | Preliminary final | Preliminary final | Preliminary final | |
| Saturday, 22 September | Subiaco 18.13 (121) | def. | East Perth 17.9 (111) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 31,050) |
| Subiaco win for the fourth time over the Royals in a match notable for a behind to East Perth being retracted after being placed on the scoreboard late in the second quarter (due to a Lion free kick). ||||||

### Grand Final

| | 1973 WANFL Grand Final | 1973 WANFL Grand Final | 1973 WANFL Grand Final | | |
| Saturday, 29 September | West Perth | def. by | Subiaco | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 46,885) | |
| | 2.0 (12) 4.2 (26) 5.2 (32) 6.4 (40) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 3.4 (22) 3.7 (25) 7.10 (52) 10.12 (72) | Umpires: Ross Capes Simpson Medal: Dennis Blair (Subiaco) | Umpires: Ross Capes Simpson Medal: Dennis Blair (Subiaco) |
| Geoff Taylor 2, Anderson, Logan, Watling, Sheridan | Geoff Taylor 2, Anderson, Logan, Watling, Sheridan | Goals | Watt 4, Malone 3, Robertson, Fitzpatrick, Davenport | Watt 4, Malone 3, Robertson, Fitzpatrick, Davenport |
| Aitken, Steward, Whinnen, Walker, Prunster, Knell | Aitken, Steward, Whinnen, Walker, Prunster, Knell | Best | Ross Smith, Blair, Watt, Manning, Davenport, Fitzpatrick, Crouch, Malone | Ross Smith, Blair, Watt, Manning, Davenport, Fitzpatrick, Crouch, Malone |
| Subiaco’s superb defence win their first flag since 1924 on a very windy and damp afternoon. ||||||