The 1997 Westar Rules season was the 113th season of senior football in Perth, Western Australia. It featured a number of dramatic changes to a competition whose popularity had been dramatically reduced by the drain of players to the Eagles and Dockers of the AFL. The competition's name was changed from the prosaic ‘West Australian Football League’ to ‘Westar Rules’ in an attempt to update the local competition for a more sophisticated audience.[1] However, this change became regarded as unsuccessful and was reversed as per recommendations of the “Fong Report”[2] after four seasons. West Perth also changed their name to Joondalup to recognise their location in Perth's growing northwestern suburbs, but changed back after the ninth round.
More significantly, after intense debate for a number of years about whether to expand or contract the competition,[3] a new team, Peel Thunder, was added, despite requests from Peel's licence holders that they not be required to enter before 1998.[4] This was the first change to the number of teams in the WA(N)FL for sixty-three years.
In their first eighteen seasons, Peel won only seventy-three matches out of 354 (a winning percentage of 20.6%) and never had a winning season, finishing with nine wooden spoons. Along with occasional serious financial difficulties,[5] this produced serious criticism of the decision in subsequent years, but Peel qualified for the finals for the first time in 2015, and won the premiership the following year. A proposal to limit Westar to players under 25 and a few older veterans in order to allow a better flow of players to the AFL[6] was made during the season but rejected.
Affected badly by the erratic availability of a number of AFL-listed players,[7] reigning premiers Claremont had their worst season since 1975 and equalled East Fremantle's decline in 1980 from premiers to only five wins, whilst Swan Districts, brilliant but erratic during 1996, began with nine wins in their first ten matches before losing eight of their next nine to miss the finals for the third successive season.
On a more positive side, the season saw South Fremantle win its first premiership in seventeen years in a thrilling comeback Grand Final win over traditional rivals East Fremantle, and Perth have (after a disastrous opening) its only winning season since 1988, and culminating in its last finals appearance until 2020.
Playing during an unseasonal thunderstorm,[8] Perth kick its lowest score since 1952 and second-lowest since 1919.[9] Its two goals were both from free kicks for ruck infringements, the first at the twenty-minute mark of the third quarter and the other in time-on of the last.[10]
The sole lower score Swan Districts have ever held an opponent to is Claremont’s 1.7 (13) the previous season; the previous lowest by the Demons against the Swans was a winning score of 5.11 (41) after being goalless at half-time in 1973.
Injury-plagued ruckman Travis Edmonds dominates along with forward Bernard Carney, Brendan Retzlaff, Troy Ugle and Stewart Kestrel who had not been together in 1995 and 1996[10]
Debutant Peel kick the first goal against the Bulldogs and are in front until early in the second quarter before being overwhelmed[11]
Following their shocker against Swans, Perth coach Wayne Blackwell punished his side with a five-hour Tuesday training session and they respond with an excellent win in slippery conditions.[12]
Subiaco had their biggest ever win in open-age WAFL football, beating their famous record from the 1959 first semi-final, though they have beaten the record several times during their 2000s WAFL dynasty.[13]
Troy Ugle does two brilliant shepherds and two difficult snap shots to derail a comeback by Claremont that threatened to give the Tigers their first win.[14]
For the first time, a night match is played at Fremantle Oval, and the experiment is an instant success that later led to lights at most league venues.[15]
The Subiaco v Perth game was curtain-raiser to an AFL game between Fremantle and St Kilda, an experiment regarded as a success but not supported by Westar Rules’ clubs.[16]
Peel defender Scott Simister kicks an amazing 85-metre goal after a 50 metre penalty on the final siren against Joondalup.[17]
The return of “Spider” Burton helps the Lions contrive a win by the narrowest of margins after being nineteen points behind with less than ten minutes remaining. East Perth’s errors cost it severely.[18]
Former Falcon forward Troy Wilson is moved to defence and Joondalup beat the Demons due to his power.[19]
Peel Thunder set a WAFL record of four consecutive losses by over 100 points. Despite continued woeful on-field performances the Thunder have never equalled this debut-season ignominy.[20]
Jon Dorotich kicks 9.8 (62) as South Fremantle kick eleven goals to one after Peel showed some improvement for three quarters.[21]
Aided by five AFL discards, reigning premiers Claremont win its first game for 1997, with ruckman Greg Egan defeating a higher-profile relegation from the AFL in “Spider” Burton.[22]
Peel Thunder win one of only two games during their first three seasons, beating the reigning premiers in a match played to celebrate the centenary of the satellite town of Rockingham.[24] Their first “home” win was not until 2000, and ironically was also against the Tigers.
The extremely small size of Anniversary Park prevented the running game that had made the Thunder look third-rate from establishing itself.[24]
Jon Dorotich kicks 13.2 for South Fremantle in their big win over Perth.
Fremantle-listed ruckman Matthew Whitelaw thrashes Sandover hopeful Travis Edmonds as Joondalup end Swans’ unbeaten start by kicking the last twelve goals[25]
East Perth discard Spiro Mallis effectively ends the reigning premiers’ finals hopes with a superb display on the wing.[27]
An inaccurate East Perth hold out Peel in windy conditions but lose key ruckman Jeremy Crough and forward Brady Anderson to injuries, leaving the previous season’s grand finalists appearing troubled.[28]
Swan Districts kick the second most accurate score in WAFL history, with Aboriginal forward Troy Ugle kicking twelve,[29] which despite the Thunder’s continued ineptitude remains a record by one player against them[30]
Claremont, aided by the return of AFL discards Tony Delaney, Michael Gardiner and Anthony Jones, record a fine win over the eventual Grand finalists.[7]
West Perth thrash Subiaco as a tribute to Wayne “Terror” Dayman, who died in an industrial accident on the Monday, despite losing five players to state duty[31]
East Perth fade out against a depleted Shark team after leading 7.8 (50) to 1.3 (9) entering time-on in the second quarter.[32]
Perth coach Wayne Blackwell is reported for disputing a decision on the sideline, but his team move into the four by breaking down East Fremantle attacks very efficiently.[34]
South Fremantle coach John Todd blasts Peel as uncompetitive in a spiteful game with six reports.[35]
In an all-day thriller South Fremantle and East Perth played the second and last WASFL/WAFL/Westar Rules draw of the 1990s. The previous drawn match was 406 games ago in April 1993 between the Royals and Claremont.[36] Dorotich kicked 8.2 in a superb display, but East Perth rover Shawn Colbin was penalised for holding the ball on the siren within range when it appeared he may have got rid of the ball.[37]
Perth win six consecutive games for the only time since 1977, but lose key forward Brett Spinks to an injury that affects their competitiveness in the following two key matches.[44]
The return of centre half-forward Brett Spinks helps Perth reverse their previous loss to East Perth with a crushing victory in windy conditions, led by 100 gamer Toby Jackson.[46]
Since the two semi-finals were played at the same venue on the same day, the attendance figure is the same.
Damian Condon demolishes veteran Dorotich in windy conditions to leave East Fremantle little trouble defeating their neighbours, who score just 3.2 (20) after quarter-time.[47]
