1937 WANFL season
# 1937 WANFL season

The 1937 WANFL season was the 53rd season of the Western Australian National Football League. The season saw numerous notable highlights, including:

* Five players kicked 100 goals, a number equalled in the major leagues of VFL/AFL, VFA/VFL, or SANFL, only in the 1939 VFA season.
* Frank "Scranno" Jenkins won the Sandover Medal in his debut season of senior football with a record high under the 3-2-1 voting system of 34 votes.
* In the second round, East Fremantle broke their own 21-year-old record for the highest score in league history.
* East Perth drew three games in one season, a feat equalled in major Australian Rules Leagues only by VFA club Moorabbin in 1958 and West Perth in 1960. The Royals could easily have drawn a fourth game but for crowd acclamation preventing umpires from hearing the bell against Subiaco on Foundation Day. No senior Australian Rules team at any level is known to have tied four matches in a season, but Geelong’s Under-19s did so in 1971.
* Swan Districts, with Ted Holdsworth kicking at least six goals in each of the first ten games, reached their first finals series in only their fourth WANFL season. Holdsworth was to reach his 100 goals in two fewer games than George Doig took in his 152-goal 1934 season, but concussion and a broken hand eliminated the prospect of a new record.

Claremont, following on from their maiden finals campaign in 1936, won their first minor premiership, but were again beaten in the grand final, leading them to recruit returning West Perth coach Johnny Leonard (who led them to a hat-trick of premierships). East Fremantle, after three unsuccessful finals series, recovered to win their Eighteenth WANFL premiership, whilst Subiaco in falling from third after the 1936 home-and-away season to their first wooden spoon since 1916 with only three victories after the opening round, began thirty years as an almost perennial cellar-dweller.

Off the field, a minor dispute with the Perth City Council over the use of Leederville and Perth Ovals caused a delay in making the fixture list; however unlike what was to happen in 1940 when those grounds were off limits to the WANFL all season the dispute was quickly resolved by a return to the £750 rental fee.

## Home-and-away season

### Round 1

| | Round 1 | Round 1 | Round 1 | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 24 April (2:45 pm) | East Perth 14.13 (97) | drew with | Claremont 13.19 (97) | Perth Oval |
| Saturday, 24 April (2:45 pm) | Perth 10.12 (72) | def. by | East Fremantle 15.17 (107) | WACA |
| Saturday, 24 April (2:45 pm) | South Fremantle 14.15 (99) | def. by | West Perth 19.8 (122) | Fremantle Oval |
| Saturday, 24 April (2:45 pm) | Subiaco 16.11 (107) | def. | Swan Districts 11.17 (83) | Subiaco Oval |
| East Perth come back from twenty-nine points down at half-time for the first WANFL draw since Round 20, 1934 when the Royals drew with Subiaco. ||||||

### Round 2

| | Round 2 | Round 2 | Round 2 | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 1 May (2:45 pm) | West Perth 10.19 (79) | def. | Perth 9.11 (65) | Leederville Oval |
| Saturday, 1 May (2:45 pm) | East Fremantle 28.23 (191) | def. | South Fremantle 16.14 (110) | Fremantle Oval |
| Saturday, 1 May (2:45 pm) | Claremont 18.14 (122) | def. | Swan Districts 13.8 (86) | Claremont Oval |
| Saturday, 1 May (2:45 pm) | East Perth 20.15 (135) | def. | Subiaco 7.7 (49) | Perth Oval |
| East Fremantle kick the highest score to that point in WANFL history, beating their own record of 27.22 (184) against the defunct Midland Junction from 1916. George Doig kicks a phenomenal 13.12 (90). ||||||

### Round 3 (Labour Day)

| | Round 3 | Round 3 | Round 3 | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Monday, 3 May (2:45 pm) | Subiaco 10.13 (73) | def. by | West Perth 12.7 (79) | Subiaco Oval |
| Monday, 3 May (2:45 pm) | Swan Districts 13.17 (95) | def. | South Fremantle 11.15 (81) | Bassendean Oval |
| Monday, 3 May (2:45 pm) | Claremont 14.9 (93) | def. by | East Fremantle 16.16 (112) | Claremont Oval |
| Monday, 3 May (2:45 pm) | Perth 11.10 (76) | def. by | East Perth 25.27 (177) | WACA |
| East Perth set a WANFL record for best first quarter score with 10.11 (71). This was not beaten in open-age competition until Round 12 of 1955. ||||||

### Round 4

| | Round 4 | Round 4 | Round 4 | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 8 May (2:45 pm) | Swan Districts 15.12 (102) | def. | East Fremantle 14.12 (96) | Bassendean Oval |
| Saturday, 8 May (2:45 pm) | East Perth 8.3 (51) | drew with | West Perth 7.9 (51) | Perth Oval |
| Saturday, 8 May (2:45 pm) | South Fremantle 12.12 (84) | def. by | Claremont 15.10 (100) | Fremantle Oval |
| Saturday, 8 May (2:45 pm) | Perth 15.12 (102) | def. | Subiaco 13.12 (90) | WACA |
| East Perth’s two draws in four matches is the second-closest pair of draws by any club in WAFL history, behind West Perth’s two consecutive drawn games in 1960. ||||||

### Round 5 (Coronation Day)

| | Round 5 | Round 5 | Round 5 | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Wednesday, 12 May (2:45 pm) | Subiaco 10.6 (66) | def. by | Claremont 12.13 (85) | Subiaco Oval |
| Saturday, 15 May (2:45 pm) | West Perth 12.11 (83) | def. | East Fremantle 11.14 (80) | Leederville Oval |
| Saturday, 15 May (2:45 pm) | South Fremantle 17.17 (119) | def. | Perth 11.10 (76) | Fremantle Oval |
| Saturday, 15 May (2:45 pm) | Swan Districts 12.9 (81) | def. | East Perth 11.7 (73) | Bassendean Oval |
| The Claremont v Subiaco match was played on a public holiday for the coronation of King George VI. West Perth stay undefeated via a goal by Bunting after he was interfered with by the man on the mark. Holdsworth kicks ten of Swan Districts’ twelve goals in heavy rain to stay ahead on the goalkicking. South Fremantle end their longest losing streak in open-age competition until 1987, having last won in the twelfth game of 1936. ||||||

### Round 6

| | Round 6 | Round 6 | Round 6 | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 22 May (2:45 pm) | Perth 11.15 (81) | def. by | Swan Districts 14.14 (98) | WACA |
| Saturday, 22 May (2:45 pm) | East Perth 15.13 (103) | def. | South Fremantle 10.7 (67) | Perth Oval |
| Saturday, 22 May (2:45 pm) | West Perth 11.8 (74) | def. by | Claremont 15.14 (104) | Leederville Oval |
| Saturday, 22 May (2:45 pm) | East Fremantle 21.12 (138) | def. | Subiaco 12.20 (92) | Fremantle Oval |
| Claremont end West Perth’s unbeaten run under 1934 and 1935 premiership coach Leonard with a 5.5 (35) to 0.2 (2) last quarter. Swan Districts recover from seven goals behind early in the second quarter to defeat Perth, with Holdsworth maintaining his average of eight goals a game. ||||||

### Round 7

| | Round 7 | Round 7 | Round 7 | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 29 May (2:45 pm) | South Fremantle 17.14 (116) | def. | Subiaco 11.9 (75) | Fremantle Oval |
| Saturday, 29 May (2:45 pm) | Swan Districts 11.14 (80) | def. | West Perth 11.11 (77) | Bassendean Oval |
| Saturday, 29 May (2:45 pm) | East Perth 18.11 (119) | def. | East Fremantle 10.8 (68) | Perth Oval |
| Saturday, 29 May (2:45 pm) | Claremont 25.18 (168) | def. | Perth 8.10 (58) | Claremont Oval |
| Swan Districts win a fifth successive close match to move into the top four. Frank Hopkins kicks ten goals as Claremont record easily their biggest win in their twelve-year WA(N)FL history, beating 68 points against the Demons from the previous season. ||||||

### Round 8

| | Round 8 | Round 8 | Round 8 | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 5 June (2:45 pm) | West Perth 12.17 (89) | def. | South Fremantle 10.15 (75) | Leederville Oval |
| Saturday, 5 June (2:45 pm) | Claremont 15.19 (109) | def. | East Perth 15.11 (101) | Claremont Oval |
| Saturday, 5 June (2:45 pm) | Swan Districts 16.16 (112) | def. | Subiaco 7.10 (52) | Bassendean Oval |
| Saturday, 5 June (2:45 pm) | East Fremantle 16.26 (122) | def. | Perth 18.11 (119) | Fremantle Oval |

### Round 9 (Foundation Day)

| | Round 9 | Round 9 | Round 9 | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Monday, 7 June (2:45 pm) | South Fremantle 16.15 (111) | def. | East Fremantle 14.17 (101) | Fremantle Oval |
| Monday, 7 June (2:45 pm) | Swan Districts 14.12 (96) | def. | Claremont 12.17 (89) | Bassendean Oval |
| Monday, 7 June (2:45 pm) | Subiaco 16.11 (107) | def. by | East Perth 16.12 (108) | Subiaco Oval |
| Monday, 7 June (2:45 pm) | Perth 12.12 (84) | def. by | West Perth 14.11 (95) | WACA |
| Swans move to the top with their seventh consecutive victory. East Perth gather the winning point after the noises of a pro-Subiaco crowd prevent any of the umpires from hearing the bell. ||||||

### Round 10

| | Round 10 | Round 10 | Round 10 | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 12 June (2:45 pm) | East Fremantle 20.20 (140) | def. | Claremont 16.14 (110) | Fremantle Oval |
| Saturday, 12 June (2:45 pm) | Swan Districts 14.11 (95) | def. | South Fremantle 14.9 (93) | Bassendean Oval |
| Saturday, 12 June (2:45 pm) | West Perth 17.13 (115) | def. | Subiaco 4.14 (38) | Leederville Oval |
| Saturday, 12 June (2:45 pm) | East Perth 11.11 (77) | def. by | Perth 11.16 (82) | Perth Oval |
| Swan Districts win their eighth game on end, a feat they were not to surpass until 1979/1980, with Holdsworth maintaining his remarkable average of 7.9 goals per game. Regaining several key players from injury and with George Doig kicking ten, East Fremantle displace Claremont from top place and stay in contention for the top four. ||||||

### Round 11

| | Round 11 | Round 11 | Round 11 | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 19 June (2:45 pm) | East Fremantle 18.18 (126) | def. | Swan Districts 14.15 (99) | Fremantle Oval |
| Saturday, 19 June (2:45 pm) | West Perth 11.14 (80) | def. by | East Perth 15.8 (98) | Leederville Oval |
| Saturday, 19 June (2:45 pm) | Claremont 22.13 (145) | def. | South Fremantle 15.10 (100) | Claremont Oval |
| Saturday, 19 June (2:45 pm) | Subiaco 10.14 (74) | def. | Perth 9.13 (67) | Subiaco Oval |
| 8.7 (55) in the second quarter allows Old Easts to end Swan Districts’ winning streak, though East Perth’s win over the Cardinals ensures Swans remain on top. ||||||

### Round 12

| | Round 12 | Round 12 | Round 12 | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 26 June (2:45 pm) | Claremont 8.11 (59) | def. by | Subiaco 14.7 (91) | Claremont Oval |
| Saturday, 26 June (2:45 pm) | East Perth 10.9 (69) | def. | Swan Districts 7.9 (51) | Perth Oval |
| Saturday, 26 June (2:45 pm) | Perth 17.21 (123) | def. | South Fremantle 7.8 (50) | WACA |
| Saturday, 26 June (2:45 pm) | East Fremantle 14.12 (96) | def. | West Perth 11.9 (75) | Fremantle Oval |
| With Crow holding Holdsworth to one goal one on a ground waterlogged by 159.8 millimetres (6.29 in) of rain over the past week, East Perth knocks Swans from the top. ||||||

### Round 13

| | Round 13 | Round 13 | Round 13 | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 3 July (2:45 pm) | Subiaco 12.13 (85) | def. by | East Fremantle 15.13 (103) | Subiaco Oval |
| Saturday, 3 July (2:45 pm) | South Fremantle 17.17 (119) | def. | East Perth 11.16 (82) | Fremantle Oval |
| Saturday, 3 July (2:45 pm) | Claremont 15.9 (99) | def. | West Perth 12.16 (88) | Claremont Oval |
| Saturday, 3 July (2:45 pm) | Swan Districts 13.11 (89) | def. by | Perth 14.8 (92) | Bassendean Oval |
| Holdsworth, on 94 goals, misses a simple shot and lowly Perth record a surprise win that sends East Fremantle to top place. ||||||

### Round 14

| | Round 14 | Round 14 | Round 14 | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 10 July (2:45 pm) | West Perth 12.12 (84) | def. by | Swan Districts 14.7 (91) | Leederville Oval |
| Saturday, 10 July (2:45 pm) | Subiaco 12.9 (81) | def. | South Fremantle 7.15 (57) | Subiaco Oval |
| Saturday, 10 July (2:45 pm) | East Fremantle 13.14 (92) | def. by | East Perth 14.28 (112) | Fremantle Oval |
| Saturday, 10 July (2:45 pm) | Perth 14.17 (101) | def. by | Claremont 14.18 (102) | WACA |
| Holdsworth kicks his 100th goal as Swan Districts relegate the Cardinals to six points out of the four. Reeves snaps the winning point on the bell and Claremont gain two points to move half a game ahead of Old Easts, the Royals and the Swans. ||||||

### Round 15

| | Round 15 | Round 15 | Round 15 | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 17 July (2:45 pm) | South Fremantle 9.10 (64) | def. by | West Perth 14.9 (93) | Fremantle Oval |
| Saturday, 17 July (2:45 pm) | East Perth 12.10 (82) | def. by | Claremont 15.14 (104) | Perth Oval |
| Saturday, 17 July (2:45 pm) | Perth 13.14 (92) | def. by | East Fremantle 16.13 (109) | WACA |
| Saturday, 17 July (2:45 pm) | Swan Districts 11.13 (79) | def. | Subiaco 7.14 (56) | Bassendean Oval |
| Ted Holdsworth, decisively beaten by Lou Daily, suffers concussion late in the third quarter, which keeps him out of the WA State team. ||||||

### Round 16

| | Round 16 | Round 16 | Round 16 | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 24 July (2:45 pm) | East Fremantle 20.13 (133) | def. | South Fremantle 14.20 (104) | Fremantle Oval |
| Saturday, 24 July (2:45 pm) | West Perth 18.6 (114) | def. | Perth 14.11 (95) | Leederville Oval |
| Saturday, 24 July (2:45 pm) | Subiaco 10.8 (68) | def. by | East Perth 11.15 (81) | Subiaco Oval |
| Saturday, 24 July (2:45 pm) | Swan Districts 9.13 (67) | def. by | Claremont 14.15 (99) | Bassendean Oval |
| Claremont run away from Swans – minus Holdsworth – in the last quarter to stay on top, whilst with Tyson kicking 10.0 West Perth remain with a chance of displacing the black and whites. ||||||

### Round 17

| | Round 17 | Round 17 | Round 17 | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 31 July (2:45 pm) | West Perth 22.18 (150) | def. | Subiaco 6.12 (48) | Leederville Oval |
| Saturday, 31 July (2:45 pm) | Perth 13.18 (96) | def. by | East Perth 19.11 (125) | WACA |
| Saturday, 31 July (2:45 pm) | Claremont 12.16 (88) | def. by | East Fremantle 15.16 (106) | Claremont Oval |
| Saturday, 31 July (2:45 pm) | South Fremantle 11.12 (78) | def. by | Swan Districts 11.15 (81) | Fremantle Oval |
| Following this round, WANFL football was suspended for two weeks to accommodate the 1937 Perth Carnival. Ted Tyson’s twelve goals means that for the first time three players pass 100 for the season. ||||||

### Round 18

| | Round 18 | Round 18 | Round 18 | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 21 August (2:45 pm) | West Perth 11.11 (77) | def. | East Perth 10.14 (74) | Leederville Oval |
| Saturday, 21 August (2:45 pm) | Subiaco 12.10 (82) | def. by | Perth 14.16 (100) | Subiaco Oval |
| Saturday, 21 August (2:45 pm) | East Fremantle 12.15 (87) | def. by | Swan Districts 16.18 (114) | Fremantle Oval |
| Saturday, 21 August (2:45 pm) | Claremont 17.17 (119) | def. | South Fremantle 8.14 (62) | Claremont Oval |
| Swans record an unexpected win over East Fremantle in what would prove Holdsworth’s last match for the season. Despite failing to score in the last quarter, West Perth displace East Perth from the four. ||||||

### Round 19

| | Round 19 | Round 19 | Round 19 | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 28 August (2:45 pm) | East Fremantle 14.9 (93) | def. | West Perth 12.11 (83) | Fremantle Oval |
| Saturday, 28 August (2:45 pm) | East Perth 17.19 (121) | def. | Swan Districts 12.5 (77) | Perth Oval |
| Saturday, 28 August (2:45 pm) | Claremont 16.15 (111) | def. | Subiaco 11.16 (82) | Claremont Oval |
| Saturday, 28 August (2:45 pm) | Perth 23.18 (156) | def. | South Fremantle 6.13 (49) | WACA |
| East Perth produce a critical win to regain a place in the four. Perth’s crushing win ensures the South Fremantle v Subiaco match will determine the wooden-spooner. It was Perth’s biggest win over any opponent for twenty-one years and their biggest to that point over South Fremantle. ||||||

### Round 20

| | Round 20 | Round 20 | Round 20 | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 4 September (2:45 pm) | South Fremantle 14.15 (99) | def. by | East Perth 19.11 (125) | Fremantle Oval |
| Saturday, 4 September (2:45 pm) | Claremont 18.9 (117) | def. | West Perth 14.15 (99) | Claremont Oval |
| Saturday, 4 September (2:45 pm) | Subiaco 12.10 (82) | def. by | East Fremantle 12.25 (97) | Subiaco Oval |
| Saturday, 4 September (2:45 pm) | Swan Districts 14.8 (92) | def. | Perth 11.14 (80) | Bassendean Oval |
| West Perth’s loss, and East Perth’s win in a vicious match with eight players injured, seals the four with a round to play. ||||||

### Round 21

| | Round 21 | Round 21 | Round 21 | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 11 September (2:45 pm) | Perth 13.17 (95) | def. by | Claremont 15.15 (105) | WACA |
| Saturday, 11 September (2:45 pm) | Swan Districts 22.7 (139) | def. | West Perth 12.15 (87) | Bassendean Oval |
| Saturday, 11 September (2:45 pm) | East Perth 17.7 (109) | drew with | East Fremantle 15.19 (109) | Perth Oval |
| Saturday, 11 September (2:45 pm) | South Fremantle 14.10 (94) | def. | Subiaco 11.21 (87) | Fremantle Oval |
| East Fremantle’s comeback to force a draw ensures they retain the double chance: East Perth’s better percentage would have put them second had the Royals won. Subiaco’s 1.13 (19) to 7.4 (46) in the second and third quarters consigns it to a first wooden spoon in twenty-one seasons. ||||||

## Ladder

1937 ladder :

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | D | PF | PA | PP | Pts |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Claremont | 21 | 15 | 5 | 1 | 2225 | 1887 | 117.9 | 62 |
| 2 | East Fremantle (P) | 21 | 14 | 6 | 1 | 2306 | 2054 | 112.3 | 58 |
| 3 | Swan Districts | 21 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 1907 | 1850 | 103.1 | 56 |
| 4 | East Perth | 21 | 12 | 6 | 3 | 2119 | 1759 | 120.5 | 54 |
| 5 | West Perth | 21 | 11 | 9 | 1 | 1894 | 1763 | 107.4 | 46 |
| 6 | Perth | 21 | 6 | 15 | 0 | 1912 | 2123 | 90.1 | 24 |
| 7 | South Fremantle | 21 | 5 | 16 | 0 | 1831 | 2272 | 80.6 | 20 |
| 8 | Subiaco | 21 | 4 | 17 | 0 | 1585 | 2071 | 76.5 | 16 |

## Finals

### First semi-final

| | First semi-final | First semi-final | First semi-final | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 18 September (2:45 pm) | Swan Districts 11.7 (73) | def. by | East Perth 13.9 (87) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 11,000) |
| East Perth win a disappointing game in wet and windy conditions to eliminate Swan Districts in their first WANFL final. ||||||

### Second semi-final

| | Second semi-final | Second semi-final | Second semi-final | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 25 September (2:45 pm) | Claremont 13.10 (88) | def. | East Fremantle 10.14 (74) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 12,000) |
| An excellent last quarter into the breeze ensures Claremont reaches its second successive grand final. ||||||

### Preliminary final

| | Preliminary final | Preliminary final | Preliminary final | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 2 October (2:45 pm) | East Fremantle 11.12 (78) | def. | East Perth 6.19 (55) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 12,000) |
| East Fremantle’s impressive defence and clever centreline, with McGlinn dominant, ensures a rematch with Claremont. ||||||

## Grand final

| | 1937 WANFL Grand Final | 1937 WANFL Grand Final | 1937 WANFL Grand Final | | |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 9 October (2:45 pm) | Claremont | def. by | East Fremantle | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 16,460) | |
| | 3.1 (19) 7.2 (44) 12.8 (80) 13.9 (87) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 4.0 (24) 8.5 (53) 10.9 (69) 14.13 (97) | Umpires: George Owens | Umpires: George Owens |
| Hopkins 5, Boys 3, Compton 2, Hooper, Lawn | Hopkins 5, Boys 3, Compton 2, Hooper, Lawn | Goals | George Doig 5, Truscott 3, Martiensen 3, McGlinn 2, Wendt | George Doig 5, Truscott 3, Martiensen 3, McGlinn 2, Wendt |
| Reeves (best on ground), Hopkins, Batt, Clarke (until injured), Syd Moloney, Boys | Reeves (best on ground), Hopkins, Batt, Clarke (until injured), Syd Moloney, Boys | Best | Seubert, McGlinn, Clark, Kingsbury, Hutchinson, Fordham, Briggs | Seubert, McGlinn, Clark, Kingsbury, Hutchinson, Fordham, Briggs |
| Clarke (knee) | Clarke (knee) | Injuries | | |
| In one of the best grand finals seen for some years, East Fremantle gain the upper hand in the last quarter and eventually overcome a dogged Claremont defence. ||||||
