The 1928 WAFL season was the 44th season of the West Australian Football League. The most notable event of the season occurred off the field on Monday, 11 June, when champion East Perth coach Phil Matson was killed in a truck crash at Nedlands after being thrown into a telegraph post.[1] The Royals under the coaching of Paddy Hebbard[2] did manage to reach a challenge final against minor premiers East Fremantle, but were beaten and suffered an abrupt fall to a clear last the following season.
Old Easts, who were given consecutive byes in the second half of July to permit a tour of Tasmania and Victoria, were fourth upon returning to Perth but claimed top place two weeks later and after four losses to the Royals, beat them in the challenge final for the first of their second series of four successive premierships.
Fledgling club Claremont-Cottesloe (at this stage frequently called "the combine") failed to move from the bottom in its third season but nonetheless improved greatly from one win to five, in the process discovering their first great players in George Moloney and Keith Hough. A prelude to the future for the Tigers and indeed the entire WAFL was the first Aboriginal player in the league, Maley Hayward from Tambellup,[3] who played with his two brothers for South Fremantle as late as 1937.[4]
During the last quarter, umpire Collins takes the rare step of temporarily suspending the Perth versus Claremont-Cottesloe game to cool tempers after numerous fights.
On the first rainy day of what became an exceptionally wet season,[17] South Fremantle reverse the 1927 Grand Final result with a 5.5 (35) to 0.3 (3) first quarter.
West Perth hold on for their first win after East Fremantle's Brown fails to hold a difficult mark.
An extremely windy afternoon sees East Perth inflict a second defeat on Old Easts, whilst Subiaco moves to second by kicking three goals into a gale against Perth.
George Moloney, with eight goals, stamps himself as a future star as Claremont-Cottesloe take three days to double their League win tally of their initial two seasons.
After kicking only two goals from quarter-time, East Fremantle kick seven goals in the final ten minutes to go from 6.12 (48) apiece to a seven-goal win.
Frank Hopkins, formerly a defender, kicks eight goals for the Cardinals as East Perth lose their first match after Matson's death.
With the start of an exceptionally wet period that sees Perth record 613.5 millimetres (24.15 in) in two months,[17] West Perth adapt better and despite being two games out are considered a strong chance for the final four.[41]
Subiaco take the lead with a superb display of ball-handling in blinding rain. Donoghue of Perth escapes serious injury despite being accidentally kicked in the head.
East Perth record their third win over Old Easts for the season in an excellent match with fine wet-weather skills.
South Fremantle's win with twelve fewer scoring shots established a WAFL record unbroken until 2008 when Peel beat East Fremantle with fourteen fewer shots.[48]
An error by scoreboard attendants leaves Claremont-Cottesloe credited with one fewer goal than they actually kicked, but fortunately does not affect the result.[52]
East Fremantle play their first tour match against Northern Tasmania, winning 14.13 (97) to 9.4 (58) after the home team kicked only 1.0 (6) to half-time.[53]
Despite Bert Nissen's eight goals, Claremont-Cottesloe produce the best display and highest score of their short WAFL career, the result leaving East Perth one and a half games clear on top.
East Fremantle lose 7.13 (55) to 8.14 (62) against a southern Tasmania team at Hobart.[57]
South Fremantle move to the top in a thrilling local derby despite kicking only 1.4 (10) in the second half, but their second half fadeout proved ominous for the finals.
East Perth, with veteran Campbell kicking thirteen goals, kick the highest WAFL score and greatest winning margin since 1917 (though at the time records were kept only from 1920).[34]
West Perth with Ted Flemming brilliant at centre half-back win a fifth successive match, but must defeat an in-form East Fremantle to make the finals.
West Perth, appearing exhausted after striving for the four during the past five round, produce a feeble display, scoring only 1.3 (9) after the first ten minutes.
In an exceedingly vicious game in wet weather, East Perth produce a brilliant display to kick 19.18 (132) in the last three quarters. Campbell kicks eight goals and Owens five for the Royals.[77]
In complete contrast to the previous week, this is a clean game where East Fremantle are always well ahead and a late Maroon rally does not threaten them.[78]
^‘A Thrilling Game: Subiaco Hold the Lead’; The West Australian, 5 June 1928, p. 13
^‘A Shock for South: Youth Outclasses Age’; The West Australian, 5 June 1928, p. 13
^‘Perth Overwhelmed: East's Decisive Win’; The West Australian, 5 June 1928, p. 13
^‘Second-rate Standard: Combine's Inaccuracy’; The West Australian, 11 June 1928, p. 6
^‘Won in Third Quarter: East's Convincing Performance’; The West Australian, 11 June 1928, p. 6
^‘Perth Wins at Home: Close Scoring Holds Interest’; The West Australian, 11 June 1928, p. 6
^‘East too Strong – Combine's Good Showing’; The West Australian, 18 June 1928, p. 14
^‘Fast and Exciting – West Perth's Brilliant Play’; The West Australian, 18 June 1928, p. 14
^‘Perth's Runaway Win: South Crippled with Injuries’; The West Australian, 18 June 1928, p. 14
^ ab"Pivot" (pseudonymous author); ‘Football – East Fremantle Leads; Subiaco Surprised; Perth's Record Score’ in The West Australian, 18 June 1928, p. 14
^‘Fast and Exciting: West Perth's Brilliant Win’; The West Australian, 25 June 1928, p. 6
^‘Well-Deserved Success: Combine Surprises Perth’; The West Australian, 25 June 1928, p. 6
^‘East's Great Finish: Seven Goals in 10 Minutes’; The West Australian, 25 June 1928, p. 6
^‘East Fremantle Stopped: West Perth Lead All the Way’; The West Australian, 2 July 1928, p. 6
^‘East Perth Prevail: Poor Game at Perth Oval’; The West Australian, 2 July 1928, pp. 6-7
^‘Subiaco Scrape Home: Combine's Fine Display’; The West Australian, 2 July 1928, p. 6
^"Pivot" (pseudonymous author); ‘West Perth in Form; Subiaco's Lucky Escape – Rain and Wind Spoil Games’; The West Australian, 2 July 1928, p. 6
^‘For the Third Time: East Perth's Fine Win’; The West Australian, 9 July 1928, p. 6
^‘In Slush and Mud, Subiaco Annihilate Perth’; The West Australian, 9 July 1928, p. 6
^‘West Perth Beaten – An Unconvincing Performance’; The West Australian, 9 July 1928, p. 6
^‘Perth Whips E. Fremantle – An Interesting Game’; The West Australian, 16 July 1928, p. 6
^‘Fast and Vigorous: East Perth's Good Finish’; The West Australian, 16 July 1928, p. 6
^‘Combine Beat Themselves: 28 Shots, 9 Goals’; The West Australian, 16 July 1928, p. 6
