1955 WANFL Grand Final

The 1955 WANFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Perth Football Club and the East Fremantle Football Club, on 8 October 1955 at Subiaco Oval, to determine the premier team of the Western Australian National Football League (WANFL) for the 1955 season. Perth won the game, and their first premiership since 1907, by two points, 11.11 (77) to 11.9 (75), with Merv McIntosh being awarded the Simpson Medal as best on ground. The game was attended by 41,659 people, at the time a record attendance for any football game in Western Australia.^[A]

Background

The period of Western Australian football immediately following the Second World War was dominated by four teams: East Fremantle, Perth, South Fremantle and West Perth. South Fremantle were considered the most dominant team of the time, both in Western Australia and the whole of Australia, having won six of the nine premiership contested between 1946 and 1954. Perth were considered one of the least successful clubs in the competition, having only won one premiership previously, in 1907, and contested seven Grand Finals in total, including losses to West Perth in 1949 and South Fremantle in 1950.

The 1955 ladder was headed by South Fremantle on percentage from East Fremantle, both having won 16 out of their 20 games. The remaining spaces in the top four were filled by Perth (14 wins) and West Perth (13 wins).^[1] South Fremantle were favourites to win the flag, but were upset in the Second Semi-Final by East Fremantle, who progressed through to the Grand Final. Perth had defeated West Perth by 22 points in the First Semi-Final, and went on to defeat Souths by 12 points in the Preliminary Final to make it through.

Match

Perth were captained by Keith Harper and coached by Ern Henfry, who had retired as a player the previous season. East Fremantle had long-time rover Jack Sheedy as their captain, and were coached by George Meiers. The match was dominated by the Fremantle Doctor, a heavy breeze blowing from the western end of the ground. The team kicking with the wind was heavily favoured in each quarter.

Notes

• ^A This is the crowd figure according to the West Australian Football League. Other sources give attendances of 41,962 and 38,962.

References