2000 Westar Rules season
The 2000 Westar Rules season was the fourth season of ‘Westar Rules’ and the 116th season of the various incarnations of senior football in Perth. It was the last season before the competition’s name was changed back to the traditional ‘WAFL’ as it was clear the public had not been attracted by the change.[1] Owing to the Sydney Olympics, Westar Rules shortened the 2000 season from twenty to eighteen matches per club, and retained this eighteen-match season in 2001 and 2002 before going back to the current twenty-match season.
The 2000 season saw East Perth freed from the coaching and ground disputes that had wiped out their 1999 season, aided by a host club arrangement with West Coast and with Leederville Oval as home ground and Tony Micale as coach. The team rose from second last, with only five wins, to top of the table losing only three games. The Royals were to decisively win the 2000, 2001 and 2002 premierships for the first “hat-trick” since Swan Districts between 1982 and 1984, and their only premierships since 1978. Cinderella club Peel Thunder rose off the bottom for the first time, winning twice as many matches as in their first three seasons combined.
Perth were affected by the loss of 1999 standout player Gus Seebeck at only twenty-three to become a member of the Australasian PGA after a brief second stint with South Fremantle,[2] and also lost Leon Davis, Richard Kelly, Chance Bateman, Richard Pang and Russel Thomas.[3] The Demons’ 2000 season was until the last game an unmitigated disaster that saw a twenty-game losing streak. This constitutes Perth’s longest run of losses though one game short of twenty-one successive winless matches in 1922 and 1923, and the seventh longest in WAFL history.[4]
Home-and-away Season
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Round 4 (Easter Weekend)
Round 5
Round 6
Round 7
Round 8
Round 9
Round 10 (Foundation Day)
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Round 10 |
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| Saturday, 3 June (2:15 pm) |
Peel Thunder 5.8 (38) |
def. by |
Subiaco 20.10 (130) |
Rushton Park (crowd: 1146) |
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| Monday, 5 June (2:15 pm) |
East Fremantle 19.10 (124) |
def. |
South Fremantle 14.8 (92) |
East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 7251) |
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| Monday, 5 June (2:15 pm) |
West Perth 14.8 (92) |
def. |
East Perth 9.11 (65) |
Arena Joondalup (crowd: 6534) |
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Bye: Claremont, Perth, Swan Districts |
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- Despite the loss of Andrew Donnelly, Subiaco crush the previously promising Thunder with state centre half-back Richard Ambrose taking over his centre half-forward role and the Peel midfield thrashed.[15]
- 1999 Simpson Medallist Christian Kelly ends East Perth’s unbeaten start to 2000 with a superb display on the ball, backed up by outstanding display from the whole West Perth defence.[16]
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Round 11
Round 12
Round 13
Round 14
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Round 14 |
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| Friday, 30 June (6:45 pm) |
Claremont 15.11 (101) |
def. |
East Perth 9.8 (62) |
Karratha (crowd: 5532) |
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| Saturday, 1 July (2:15 pm) |
West Perth 5.16 (46) |
def. by |
South Fremantle 14.8 (92) |
Arena Joondalup (crowd: 1168) |
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| Saturday, 1 July (2:15 pm) |
Swan Districts 12.6 (78) |
def. |
Subiaco 10.15 (75) |
Kununurra (crowd: 3214) |
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| Saturday, 1 July (2:15 pm) |
Peel Thunder 4.5 (29) |
def. by |
East Fremantle 7.17 (59) |
Rushton Park (crowd: 815) |
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Bye: Perth |
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- Westar Rules schedule games for the Pilbara town of Karratha and the Kimberley town of Kununurra. Despite good attendances, the experiments were not repeated until 2011 and 2013 respectively.
- Swan Districts record what would become their last win against the Lions until the Foundation Day Saturday of 2006, setting a record streak of thirteen losses in between.[22]
- Peel Thunder become the first WANFL/WAFL/Westar Rules team to fail to score in the second half since Subiaco against East Fremantle in 1954. The Thunder kick 4.4 in the first nineteen minutes in heavy rain and gale-force winds but only one point midway through the second quarter afterwards.[23]
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Round 15
Round 16
Round 17
Round 18
Round 19
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Round 19 |
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| Saturday, 5 August (2:15 pm) |
Claremont 11.13 (79) |
def. |
Perth 10.8 (68) |
Toodyay (crowd: 1086) |
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| Saturday, 5 August (2:15 pm) |
South Fremantle 16.11 (107) |
def. |
East Fremantle 8.6 (54) |
Fremantle Oval (crowd: 1585) |
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| Saturday, 5 August (2:15 pm) |
West Perth 3.5 (23) |
def. by |
East Perth 4.11 (35) |
Arena Joondalup (crowd: 1331) |
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| Saturday, 5 August (2:15 pm) |
Subiaco 12.15 (87) |
def. |
Peel Thunder 7.11 (53) |
Subiaco Oval (crowd: 953) |
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Bye: Swan Districts |
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- On a rainswept Arena Joondalup,[28] strong rivals West Perth and East Perth play the lowest-scoring WANFL/WAFL/WASFL/Westar game since West Perth 5.4 (34) beat Perth 3.4 (22) in 1964.[29]
- The score is West Perth’s lowest since kicking 2.9 (21) against East Fremantle in the 1925 Semi-Final.[30]
- In Toodyay, Perth, despite having 33 more marks and 20 more kicks, still cannot break their duck for the season as Clayton Gardiner’s size and power convert chances too well.[31]
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Round 20
Round 21
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Round 21 |
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| Saturday, 19 August (2:15 pm) |
West Perth 11.15 (81) |
def. by |
East Fremantle 16.17 (113) |
Arena Joondalup (crowd: 1772) |
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| Saturday, 19 August (2:15 pm) |
Subiaco 13.8 (86) |
def. by |
Claremont 13.15 (93) |
Subiaco Oval (crowd: 2070) |
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| Saturday, 19 August (2:15 pm) |
Peel Thunder 13.10 (88) |
def. by |
East Perth 15.13 (103) |
Rushton Park (crowd: 1402) |
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| Saturday, 19 August (2:15 pm) |
Perth 18.12 (120) |
def. |
Swan Districts 8.8 (56) |
Lathlain Park (crowd: 2076) |
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Bye: South Fremantle |
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- Perth escape their first-ever winless season with a convincing victory over Swan Districts. Perth were previously winless with a round to play and won in 1923, though they had drawn one game.
- The Demons are neck-and-neck with Swan Districts before the report and send-off of Swan fullback Steve Kelderman for striking an umpire lets Perth run away and kick 10.7 (67) to 0.2 (2) for the rest of the game.[33]
- East Fremantle give West Perth, who needed to win by eight-and-a-half goals to make the four, not the slightest whiff of a chance with a solid win that made critics rethink their finals chances.[34]
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Ladder
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| | TEAM | P | W | L | D | PF | PA | % | PTS |
| 1 | East Perth | 18 | 15 | 3 | 0 | 1814 | 1297 | 139.86% | 60 |
| 2 | Subiaco | 18 | 12 | 6 | 0 | 1641 | 1272 | 129.01% | 48 |
| 3 | Claremont | 18 | 12 | 6 | 0 | 1567 | 1419 | 110.43% | 48 |
| 4 | East Fremantle | 18 | 11 | 7 | 0 | 1657 | 1488 | 111.36% | 44 |
| 5 | West Perth | 18 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 1462 | 1465 | 99.8% | 36 |
| 6 | Swan Districts | 18 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 1611 | 1658 | 97.17% | 36 |
| 7 | South Fremantle | 18 | 8 | 10 | 0 | 1634 | 1581 | 103.35% | 32 |
| 8 | Peel Thunder | 18 | 4 | 14 | 0 | 1433 | 1939 | 73.9% | 16 |
| 9 | Perth | 18 | 1 | 17 | 0 | 1208 | 1908 | 63.31% | 4 |
| Key: P = Played, W = Won, L = Lost, D = Drawn, PF = Points For, PA = Points Against |
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Finals
Semi-Finals
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First Semi-Final |
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| Sunday, 27 August (2:15 pm) |
Claremont 9.11 (65) |
def. by |
East Fremantle 12.9 (81) |
Subiaco Oval (crowd: 8,642) |
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Claremont’s lack of an effective forward (no Tiger kicked more than one goal) costs it a game they were expected to win.[35] |
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Second Semi-Final |
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| Sunday, 27 August (6:45 pm) |
East Perth 12.9 (81) |
def. |
Subiaco 9.7 (61) |
Subiaco Oval (crowd: 8,642) |
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Since the two finals were played on the same day at the same venue, the attendance figure is the same. |
Preliminary Final
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Preliminary Final |
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| Sunday, 3 September (2:15 pm) |
Subiaco 10.13 (73) |
def. by |
East Fremantle 13.7 (85) |
Subiaco Oval (crowd: 4,609) |
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The Sharks are unexpectedly stronger at the finish in a hard and tough game.[36] |
Grand Final
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2000 Westar Rules Grand Final |
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| Saturday, 9 September |
East Perth |
def. |
East Fremantle |
Subiaco Oval (Crowd: 30,174) |
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4.1 (25)
9.6 (60)
12.8 (80)
18.11 (119) |
Q1
Q2
Q3
Final |
1.4 (10)
7.7 (49)
8.13 (61)
11.14 (80) |
Simpson Medal: Dean Cox (East Perth)
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| Ridley 3, Wilson 3, Hutchinson 3, Haynes 2, Chambers 2, Munro 2, Marsh, Holman, Knights |
Goals |
Tregenza 3, Scott Spalding 3, Morgan 2, Willison, Bowden, Roser |
| Cox, Wheatley, Wooden, Chambers, Barnard, Wilson |
Best |
Morgan, Gaspar, Spalding, Roser, Tregenza, Green |
| Kane Marsh (jaw) |
Injuries |
Leigh Willison (cheek) |
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East Perth overcome the loss of vice-captain Rod Wheatley (hit in the face by a ball soccered by Leigh Willison) to win their first premiership in 22 years comfortably.[37] |
References
- ↑ Devaney, John; Full Points Footy’s WA Football Companion; p. 96. ISBN 9780955689710
- ↑ Reid, Russell; ‘Bulldogs Tugging at Leash’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian, 24 April 2000
- ↑ Casellas, Ken; ‘Youngster Impresses as Future AFL Star’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian, 3 April 2000
- ↑ WAFL Footy Facts: Consecutive Games Lost
- ↑ Lague, Steve; ‘Tardy Lions Swamp Peel’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian, 3 April 2000
- ↑ Casellas, Ken; ‘Subiaco Bares Its Teeth’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian 17 April 2000
- ↑ Reid, Russell; ‘Edmonds Overcomes Injury Setbacks’ in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian 17 April 2000
- ↑ Reid, Russell; ‘Humphreys Makes Up for Costly Error’; from The West Australian, 25 April 2000; p. 51
- ↑ Stocks, Gary; ‘Condon Returns Dividend’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian, 1 May 2000
- 1 2 Peel Thunder: Highest Scores
- ↑ WAFL Footy Facts: Peel Thunder
- ↑ Stocks, Gary; ‘Peel Loses on Points But Wins Credibility’; in The Game, p. 11; in The West Australian, 8 May 2000
- ↑ Reid, Russell; ‘Thunder Strikes Bulldogs’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian, 15 May 2000
- ↑ Stocks, Gary; ‘Tregenza Unbuckles the Sharks’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian, 29 May 2000
- ↑ Lague, Steve; ‘Lions Show Donnelly Loss Can Be Covered’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian, 5 June 2000
- ↑ Lague, Steve; ‘Kelly Avoids Tag and Propels Falcons Home’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian, 29 May 2000
- ↑ Lague, Steve; ‘Piani’s Goal Lifts Swans’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian, 12 June 2000
- ↑ Lague, Steve; ‘Teenager Puts Icing on Cake’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian, 19 June 2000
- ↑ Reid, Russell; ‘Kelly Goes on the Rampage to Leads Swans Home’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian, 19 June 2000
- ↑ Casellas, Ken; ‘Fit Tinsley Repays Faith’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian, 26 June 2000
- ↑ Reid, Russell; ‘Jones Shows AFL Stripes with Tigerish Performance’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian, 26 June 2000
- ↑ WAFL Footy Facts: Swan Districts Most Consecutive Losses v Each Opponent
- ↑ Reid, Russell; ‘Plucky Willison Picks Up Where He Left Off’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian; 3 July 2000
- ↑ Stocks, Gary; ‘Demons Denied in See-Saw Contest’; The Game; p. 11; from The West Australian, 11 July 2000
- ↑ Perth Metro (Mount Lawley) July 2000 rainfall
- ↑ Stocks, Gary; ‘Yoyo Wooden on the Up and Up for Royals’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian, 17 July 2000
- ↑ Stocks, Gary; ‘Wayward Thunder Lets Falcons off the Hook’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian, 31 July 2000
- ↑ Perth Metro (Mount Lawley) August 2000 rainfall
- ↑ WAFL: Lowest Aggregate Scores
- ↑ West Perth: Lowest Scores
- ↑ Casellas, Ken; ‘Gardiner Digs Deep to Bury Demons’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian, 8 August 2000
- ↑ Lague, Steve; ‘Swans Buckle Under Pressure’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian; 14 August 2000
- ↑ Casellas, Ken; ‘Coughlan Inspires Demons’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian; 21 August 2000
- ↑ Lague, Steve; ‘Improving Sharks Stake Their Claim’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian; 21 August 2000
- ↑ Lague, Steve; ‘Tigers Rue Lack of Goal Kicker’; in The Game, p. 11; from The West Australian; 28 August 2000
- ↑ Stocks, Gary; ‘Sharks Over Line’; in The Game, pp. 10-11; from The West Australian; 4 September 2000
- ↑ Stocks, Gary; ‘Wheatley Stands Tall’; The Game , p. 11; from The West Australian, 11 September 2000.
External links
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| | First WAFL era (1908 to 1930) | |
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| | Westar Rules era (1997 to 2000) | |
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| | Third WAFL era (2001 onwards) | |
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