1977 WANFL season
# 1977 WANFL season

The 1977 WANFL season was the 93rd season of the Western Australian National Football League in its various incarnations. It followed on from the previous season's high scoring to set another record for the highest average score in WANFL history at 109.57 points per team per game, which was to be broken substantially in the following few years due to the introduction of the interchange rule allowing for a faster game with less exhausted players. 1977 was in fact that last WA(N)FL season with no score of over 200 points until 1988.

The season saw Perth win their second consecutive premiership with a resounding win and record WA(N)FL Grand Final score over East Fremantle who were in the finals for the first time since their last premiership in 1974. It was the fifth premiership in twelve seasons for the Demons, and their last as of 2022: Perth have not played in a Grand Final since 1978, and did even not qualify for the finals between 1997 and 2020.

To counter the uneven quality of inter-league matches between the WANFL and the VFL due to recruiting of top interstate players by Victoria, a State of Origin match was held in Perth the week following the Grand Final. Western Australia showed its quality as a developer of Australian Rules talent with a crushing 94-point win over the best players bred in Victoria, and until the advent of the national competition and the West Coast Eagles State of Origin football, this proved very popular with Western Australian and South Australian crowds and television in Victoria. However, after that it declined to the point of being abandoned after 1999.

## Home-and-away season

### Round 1 (Easter weekend)

| | Round 1 | Round 1 | Round 1 | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 26 March | Swan Districts 25.13 (163) | def. | South Fremantle 18.18 (126) | Bassendean Oval (crowd: 10280) |
| Saturday, 26 March | East Perth 12.13 (85) | def. by | West Perth 15.14 (104) | Perth Oval (crowd: 12682) |
| Monday, 28 March | Claremont 8.12 (60) | def. by | Perth 12.15 (87) | Claremont Oval (crowd: not disclosed) |
| Monday, 28 March | East Fremantle 21.17 (143) | def. | Subiaco 13.12 (90) | East Fremantle Oval (crowd: not disclosed) |
| Swan Districts’ off-season emphasis on physical conditioning has a surprise reward when – with Garry Sidebottom moved onto the ball – they overpower the 1976 second semi-finalists. Despite the unexpected return of Peter Featherby, 12 goals and five behind from youngster Jim Sewell allows Old Easts to run over the Lions in amazing fashion with 13.7 (85) in the last quarter. ||||||

### Round 2

| | Round 2 | Round 2 | Round 2 | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 2 April | West Perth 15.22 (112) | def. | Swan Districts 14.10 (94) | Leederville Oval (crowd: 11560) |
| Saturday, 2 April | South Fremantle 14.13 (97) | def. by | East Perth 15.14 (104) | Fremantle Oval (crowd: 9485) |
| Saturday, 2 April | Subiaco 13.13 (91) | def. by | Claremont 14.12 (96) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 7347) |
| Saturday, 2 April | Perth 13.11 (89) | def. by | East Fremantle 20.17 (137) | Lathlain Park (crowd: 10128) |
| Two brilliant bursts of goalkicking by David Hollins and Bruce Tschirpig give East Fremantle an impressive upset over the reigning premiers. Basil Campbell single-handedly pushed South Fremantle close to East Perth when he misses a shot that would have levelled the scores after the Bulldogs were behind all match. Archie Duda kicks nine for the Royals. ||||||

### Round 3

| | Round 3 | Round 3 | Round 3 | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 9 April | Subiaco 15.12 (102) | def. by | Perth 19.17 (131) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 8973) |
| Saturday, 9 April | Claremont 18.11 (119) | def. by | East Fremantle 27.14 (176) | Claremont Oval (crowd: 10050) |
| Monday, 11 April | South Fremantle 16.11 (107) | def. | West Perth 15.14 (104) | Fremantle Oval (crowd: 12601) |
| Monday, 11 April | Swan Districts 16.11 (107) | def. by | East Perth 22.12 (144) | Bassendean Oval (crowd: not disclosed) |
| Jim Sewell’s second twelve-goal performance has him seen as potentially the biggest spectator drawcard in the WANFL since Gerovich – a critical asset when WANFL crowds were no longer increasing as they had in the 1950s and 1960s. South Fremantle show tenacity and skill to hold off a West Perth team that finished very strongly against the wind. ||||||

### Round 4

| | Round 4 | Round 4 | Round 4 | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 16 April | West Perth 18.21 (129) | def. | Subiaco 12.9 (81) | Leederville Oval (crowd: 9418) |
| Saturday, 16 April | Perth 30.18 (198) | def. | South Fremantle 13.7 (85) | Lathlain Park (crowd: 10402) |
| Saturday, 16 April | East Perth 21.15 (141) | def. | Claremont 11.14 (80) | Perth Oval (crowd: 9507) |
| Saturday, 16 April | East Fremantle 20.21 (141) | def. | Swan Districts 11.14 (80) | East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 9017) |
| A record third quarter of 15.3 (93) sees Perth kick their highest-ever WA(N)FL score, beating their previous record from 1968 against Swan Districts. The Demon rovers create a “shuttle service” to nine-goal full-forward Couper. South were without Campbell and Mal Brown. ||||||

### Round 5

| | Round 5 | Round 5 | Round 5 | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 23 April | Subiaco 9.12 (66) | def. by | South Fremantle 24.22 (166) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 6907) |
| Saturday, 23 April | West Perth 9.15 (69) | def. | Perth 8.18 (66) | Leederville Oval (crowd: 12019) |
| Saturday, 23 April | Swan Districts 24.14 (158) | def. | Claremont 17.9 (111) | Bassendean Oval (crowd: 7058) |
| Saturday, 23 April | East Fremantle 12.22 (94) | def. | East Perth 12.16 (88) | East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 12723) |
| Despite losing a tight game to West Perth, Perth find future Simpson Medallist Wim Rosbender as the replacement they needed for 1976 premiership ruckman Dean Herbert, who returned to Victoria. Swan Districts, after an expensive over-summer recruiting campaign, win their second game but it would be their last for sixteen weeks. ||||||

### Round 6

| | Round 6 | Round 6 | Round 6 | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 30 April | Perth 27.16 (178) | def. | Swan Districts 15.6 (96) | Lathlain Park (crowd: 8988) |
| Saturday, 30 April | East Perth 11.8 (74) | def. by | Subiaco 12.6 (78) | Perth Oval (crowd: 6546) |
| Saturday, 30 April | Claremont 8.12 (60) | def. by | West Perth 24.17 (161) | Claremont Oval (crowd: 7766) |
| Saturday, 30 April | South Fremantle 12.16 (88) | def. by | East Fremantle 19.18 (132) | Fremantle Oval (crowd: 15738) |
| Subiaco, after being wooden spooners in 1976 and losing their first five by large margins, has coach Brian Douge allow the players to select their own side and let them off training – this unorthodox move wins the Lions their first game and sets them on their best run between 1975 and 1984. ||||||

### Round 7

| | Round 7 | Round 7 | Round 7 | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 7 May | Swan Districts 10.10 (70) | def. by | Subiaco 18.9 (117) | Bassendean Oval (crowd: 6695) |
| Saturday, 7 May | East Perth 13.9 (87) | def. by | Perth 17.13 (115) | Perth Oval (crowd: 11213) |
| Saturday, 7 May | Claremont 14.9 (93) | def. by | South Fremantle 16.20 (116) | Claremont Oval (crowd: 6715) |
| Saturday, 7 May | East Fremantle 11.20 (86) | def. by | West Perth 21.8 (134) | East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 14948) |
| West Perth’s win against East Fremantle was the biggest in the WAFL with fewer scoring shots until the same round of 1994 beating a record from the 1969 Preliminary Final. ||||||

### Round 8

| | Round 8 | Round 8 | Round 8 | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 14 May | South Fremantle 25.21 (171) | def. | Swan Districts 7.7 (49) | Fremantle Oval (crowd: 6697) |
| Saturday, 14 May | West Perth 14.15 (99) | def. by | East Perth 23.13 (151) | Leederville Oval (crowd: 11859) |
| Saturday, 14 May | Perth 23.15 (153) | def. | Claremont 11.16 (82) | Lathlain Park (crowd: 5782) |
| Saturday, 14 May | Subiaco 14.13 (97) | def. by | East Fremantle 17.12 (114) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 7943) |
| South Fremantle in a tricky wind kick 1.12 (18) before kicking ten goals straight and crushing Swan Districts ||||||

### Round 9

| | Round 9 | Round 9 | Round 9 | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 21 May | Swan Districts 10.12 (72) | def. by | West Perth 17.15 (117) | Bassendean Oval (crowd: 6250) |
| Saturday, 21 May | East Perth 12.12 (84) | def. by | South Fremantle 19.18 (132) | Perth Oval (crowd: 9412) |
| Saturday, 21 May | Claremont 13.12 (90) | def. by | Subiaco 17.12 (114) | Claremont Oval (crowd: 4860) |
| Saturday, 21 May | East Fremantle 9.14 (68) | def. by | Perth 11.12 (78) | East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 8642) |
| On the one wet day of the season, South Fremantle kick an exceptional 10.3 (63) with the wind, with future star Stephen Michael dominating the ruck ||||||

### Round 10

| | Round 10 | Round 10 | Round 10 | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 28 May | West Perth 26.13 (169) | def. | South Fremantle 20.17 (137) | Leederville Oval (crowd: 14270) |
| Saturday, 28 May | East Perth 22.17 (149) | def. | Swan Districts 13.5 (83) | Perth Oval (crowd: 7038) |
| Saturday, 28 May | Perth 17.15 (117) | def. | Subiaco 11.12 (78) | Lathlain Park (crowd: 9106) |
| Saturday, 28 May | East Fremantle 13.9 (87) | def. by | Claremont 12.17 (89) | East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 6619) |
| The Cardinals won a high-scoring game with a brilliant fifteen-minute spell before half-time When Ray Bauskis got his 100th goal in Round 19, a goal was added over those originally credited from this round Robert Wiley has 36 kicks and five goals in a display that attracts the attention of Richmond ||||||

### Round 11 (Foundation Day)

| | Round 11 | Round 11 | Round 11 | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 4 June | Claremont 11.12 (78) | def. by | East Perth 15.16 (106) | Claremont Oval (crowd: 9026) |
| Saturday, 4 June | Swan Districts 14.14 (98) | def. by | East Fremantle 20.27 (147) | Bassendean Oval (crowd: 7340) |
| Monday, 6 June | Subiaco 17.13 (115) | def. | West Perth 14.7 (91) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 12311) |
| Monday, 6 June | South Fremantle 19.17 (131) | def. | Perth 18.12 (120) | Fremantle Oval (crowd: 11687) |

### Round 12

| | Round 12 | Round 12 | Round 12 | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 11 June | South Fremantle 16.16 (112) | def. by | Subiaco 19.14 (128) | Fremantle Oval (crowd: 8923) |
| Saturday, 11 June | Perth 29.18 (192) | def. | West Perth 12.8 (80) | Lathlain Park (crowd: 8198) |
| Saturday, 11 June | Claremont 13.25 (103) | def. | Swan Districts 10.8 (68) | Claremont Oval (crowd: 5044) |
| Saturday, 11 June | East Perth 19.13 (127) | def. | East Fremantle 14.16 (100) | Perth Oval (crowd: 9041) |
| Star Perth rover Robert Wiley has an amazing match with 10 goals, four behinds and forty-two possessions, as the Demons kick their second highest score on record. ||||||

### Round 13

| | Round 13 | Round 13 | Round 13 | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 18 June | Swan Districts 9.9 (63) | def. by | Perth 18.15 (123) | Bassendean Oval (crowd: 4897) |
| Saturday, 18 June | Subiaco 12.11 (83) | def. by | East Perth 17.15 (117) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 12757) |
| Saturday, 18 June | West Perth 16.12 (108) | def. | Claremont 17.18 (120) | Leederville Oval (crowd: 7113) |
| Saturday, 18 June | East Fremantle 11.17 (83) | def. by | South Fremantle 11.19 (85) | East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 11940) |
| Don Haddow kicks winner with last kick of day on best-afield Doug Green, in a manner compared at the time with the 1964 Grand Final. ||||||

### Round 14

| | Round 14 | Round 14 | Round 14 | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 2 July | Subiaco 14.13 (97) | def. | Swan Districts 12.12 (84) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 6976) |
| Saturday, 2 July | Perth 29.12 (186) | def. | East Perth 11.8 (74) | Lathlain Park (crowd: 10490) |
| Saturday, 2 July | South Fremantle 24.16 (160) | def. | Claremont 13.14 (92) | Fremantle Oval (crowd: 7857) |
| Saturday, 2 July | West Perth 19.12 (126) | def. | East Fremantle 16.12 (108) | Leederville Oval (crowd: 8472) |

### Round 15

| | Round 15 | Round 15 | Round 15 | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 9 July | Swan Districts 12.10 (82) | def. by | South Fremantle 21.16 (142) | Bassendean Oval (crowd: 5488) |
| Saturday, 9 July | East Perth 20.9 (129) | def. | West Perth 13.11 (89) | Perth Oval (crowd: 12491) |
| Saturday, 9 July | Claremont 9.18 (72) | def. by | Perth 26.14 (170) | Claremont Oval (crowd: 5202) |
| Saturday, 9 July | East Fremantle 21.25 (151) | def. | Subiaco 13.11 (89) | East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 8090) |
| Robert Wiley kicks nine goals after half-time for his second double-figure haul of the season Bold moves by Graham Farmer help East Perth cope with the loss of spearhead Archie Duda to defeat rivals West Perth ||||||

### Round 16

| | Round 16 | Round 16 | Round 16 | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 16 July | West Perth 29.23 (197) | def. | Swan Districts 16.12 (108) | Leederville Oval (crowd: 6109) |
| Saturday, 16 July | South Fremantle 12.10 (82) | def. by | East Perth 17.17 (119) | Fremantle Oval (crowd: 11517) |
| Saturday, 16 July | Subiaco 16.17 (113) | def. | Claremont 15.9 (99) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 4406) |
| Saturday, 16 July | Perth 17.17 (119) | def. by | East Fremantle 20.12 (132) | Lathlain Park (crowd: 11420) |

### Round 17

| | Round 17 | Round 17 | Round 17 | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 23 July | South Fremantle 11.13 (79) | def. by | West Perth 15.20 (110) | Fremantle Oval (crowd: 11478) |
| Saturday, 23 July | Swan Districts 12.9 (81) | def. by | East Perth 23.11 (149) | Bassendean Oval (crowd: 5698) |
| Saturday, 23 July | Subiaco 11.9 (75) | def. by | Perth 23.11 (149) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 5867) |
| Saturday, 23 July | Claremont 9.14 (68) | def. by | East Fremantle 16.13 (109) | Claremont Oval (crowd: 5750) |
| Archie Duda kicked ten in comeback from knee trouble to move to 99 goals for the Royals. ||||||

### Round 18

| | Round 18 | Round 18 | Round 18 | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 6 August | West Perth 25.17 (167) | def. | Subiaco 18.5 (113) | Leederville Oval (crowd: 7816) |
| Saturday, 6 August | Perth 15.14 (104) | def. | South Fremantle 15.9 (99) | Lathlain Park (crowd: 9109) |
| Saturday, 6 August | East Perth 20.15 (135) | def. by | Claremont 23.9 (147) | Perth Oval (crowd: 6618) |
| Saturday, 6 August | East Fremantle 27.17 (179) | def. | Swan Districts 18.9 (117) | East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 5127) |
| Peter Bosustow, then only a fringe player for Perth, kicks six to help them overhaul South Fremantle from a big quarter-time deficit Archie Duda kicked his hundredth goal for East Perth, but missed the rest of the season with persistent knee problems. ||||||

### Round 19

| | Round 19 | Round 19 | Round 19 | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 13 August | Subiaco 10.9 (69) | def. by | South Fremantle 23.15 (153) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 4317) |
| Saturday, 13 August | West Perth 23.16 (154) | def. | Perth 14.15 (99) | Leederville Oval (crowd: 11380) |
| Saturday, 13 August | Swan Districts 13.16 (94) | def. by | Claremont 19.13 (127) | Bassendean Oval (crowd: 4102) |
| Saturday, 13 August | East Fremantle 16.16 (112) | def. | East Perth 17.9 (111) | East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 9012) |
| Old Easts wipe off a 44-point deficit in fifteen minutes of the third quarter and hang on to win a thriller ||||||

### Round 20

| | Round 20 | Round 20 | Round 20 | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 20 August | Perth 17.18 (120) | def. | Swan Districts 12.12 (84) | Lathlain Park (crowd: 4132) |
| Saturday, 20 August | East Perth 15.15 (105) | def. | Subiaco 8.4 (52) | Perth Oval (crowd: 6145) |
| Saturday, 20 August | Claremont 10.6 (66) | def. by | West Perth 22.13 (145) | Claremont Oval (crowd: 6840) |
| Saturday, 20 August | South Fremantle 15.17 (107) | def. | East Fremantle 14.13 (97) | Fremantle Oval (crowd: 12984) |
| Ross Glendinning’s brilliant defence allows East Perth to hold Subiaco to 2.0 (12) in first half. ||||||

### Round 21

| | Round 21 | Round 21 | Round 21 | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 27 August | Swan Districts 16.17 (113) | def. | Subiaco 7.11 (53) | Bassendean Oval (crowd: 3048) |
| Saturday, 27 August | East Perth 26.19 (175) | def. | Perth 9.7 (61) | Perth Oval (crowd: 11695) |
| Saturday, 27 August | Claremont 11.17 (83) | def. by | South Fremantle 13.17 (95) | Claremont Oval (crowd: 6375) |
| Saturday, 27 August | East Fremantle 23.12 (150) | def. | West Perth 10.18 (78) | East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 11740) |
| East Perth, with fierce physical pressure and brilliant roving from Otway against a Wiley-less Demon side, take complete revenge for their earlier caning. Garry Sidebottom kicks eight as Swan Districts end a run of fifteen straight losses, to be thirty losses from thirty-two games next season. Sidebottom had played only eight games all year in a long list of Swans injuries ||||||

## Ladder

1977 ladder :

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | D | PF | PA | PP | Pts |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Perth (P) | 21 | 15 | 6 | 0 | 2655 | 2003 | 132.6 | 60 |
| 2 | East Fremantle | 21 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 2546 | 2077 | 122.6 | 56 |
| 3 | West Perth | 21 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 2543 | 2218 | 114.7 | 56 |
| 4 | East Perth | 21 | 13 | 8 | 0 | 2454 | 2060 | 119.1 | 52 |
| 5 | South Fremantle | 21 | 12 | 9 | 0 | 2470 | 2249 | 109.8 | 48 |
| 6 | Subiaco | 21 | 7 | 14 | 0 | 1901 | 2471 | 76.9 | 28 |
| 7 | Claremont | 21 | 6 | 15 | 0 | 1935 | 2587 | 74.8 | 24 |
| 8 | Swan Districts | 21 | 3 | 18 | 0 | 1964 | 2803 | 70.1 | 12 |

## Finals

### First semi-final

| | First semi-final | First semi-final | First semi-final | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 3 September | West Perth 14.13 (97) | def. | East Perth 10.5 (65) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 26,186) |
| A superbly skilled and precise defensive effort on a perfect football day by the Cardinals sees East Perth on 0.1 (1) fifteen seconds before half-time, and they never have hope of winning. ||||||

### Second semi-final

| | Second semi-final | Second semi-final | Second semi-final | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 10 September | Perth 23.16 (154) | def. | East Fremantle 15.10 (100) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 23,019) |
| With Peake and Wiley both absent, Perth rebound dramatically from their last round debacle with Murray Couper kicking eight. ||||||

### Preliminary final

| | Preliminary final | Preliminary final | Preliminary final | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 17 September | East Fremantle 17.15 (117) | def. | West Perth 15.11 (101) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 23,193) |

### Grand Final

| | 1977 WANFL Grand Final | 1977 WANFL Grand Final | 1977 WANFL Grand Final | | |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 24 September | Perth | def. | East Fremantle | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 44,381) | |
| | 4.4 (28) 12.7 (79) 19.10 (124) 26.13 (169) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 2.3 (15) 6.4 (40) 10.9 (69) 14.12 (96) | Umpires: Ross Capes, Ron Powell Simpson Medal: Wim Rosbender (Perth) | Umpires: Ross Capes, Ron Powell Simpson Medal: Wim Rosbender (Perth) |
| Couper 6, Farrant 4, Mitsopoulos 3, Wiley 3, Hargrave 3, Currie 2, Johnson 2, Gibellini, Hill, Rosbender | Couper 6, Farrant 4, Mitsopoulos 3, Wiley 3, Hargrave 3, Currie 2, Johnson 2, Gibellini, Hill, Rosbender | Goals | Judge 4, Turco 3, Durnthaler 3, Peake, Jez, Reid, Ryan | Judge 4, Turco 3, Durnthaler 3, Peake, Jez, Reid, Ryan |
| Currie, Inman, Rosbender, Watt, Johnson, Hargrave, Day | Currie, Inman, Rosbender, Watt, Johnson, Hargrave, Day | Best | Reid, Neesham, Becu, Peake, Durnthaler, Diver | Reid, Neesham, Becu, Peake, Durnthaler, Diver |
| Perth’s brilliant fleet of small men, with Wiley back for the first time in nine weeks, and a fast-running defence, completely outplays Old Easts to kick the highest ever WA(N)FL Grand Final score. ||||||

## State of Origin match

| | Western Australia vs Victoria | Western Australia vs Victoria | Western Australia vs Victoria | | |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Saturday, 10 October | Western Australia | def. | Victoria | Subiaco Oval | “This Makes It a New Ball Game” |
| | 6.5 (41) 9.9 (63) 17.9 (111) 23.13 (151) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 0.0 (0) 3.4 (22) 4.6 (30) 8.9 (57) | Simpson Medal: Barry Cable | Simpson Medal: Barry Cable |
| Max Richardson 6, Alexander 3, Monteath 2, Moss 2, Magro 2, Young 2, Sidebottom 2, Reid, Cable, Sewell, Featherby | Max Richardson 6, Alexander 3, Monteath 2, Moss 2, Magro 2, Young 2, Sidebottom 2, Reid, Cable, Sewell, Featherby | Goals | Moore 4, Hendrie 2, Schimmelbusch, Picken | Moore 4, Hendrie 2, Schimmelbusch, Picken |
| This was the first State of Origin game, and saw Western Australia inflict a crushing reversal on Victoria, who had previously been able to utilise countless players born and bred interstate. In the absence of Leigh Matthews and Kevin Bartlett, the Victorian roving division was slaughtered by Cable, Monteath and Max Richardson who kicked six straight. ||||||
