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{xtypo_dropcap}W{/xtypo_dropcap}hen Ken Caporn went to Claremont Oval in early 1943 with a couple of mates he was told not to bother, he’d battle to get a game.

In September, 1958, two hundred and seventy three league and twelve State games later, Caporn walked up the players race at Claremont Oval for the final time.

Ken Caporn certainly had the grounding to succeed, with (later Sir) Ross Hutchinson involved with his football at school, and the man they called “Moose” went on to almost legendary status at the Tigers.

The nickname was derived more from the way he played the game than his physical attributes, although the way he used his thirteen and a half stone frame more than made up for a lack of height for a top class full back. Playing more as a ruckman early in his career, it was an astute move to the key defensive role in 1945 that saw Caporn emerge as one of this State’s top defenders. His first game as custodian saw him pitted against Swan Districts star Ted Holdsworth, and he showed a liking for the job.

They also gave me a go at centre half forward once, but mustn’t have been too rapt about my two goals eight,” Ken laughed. “I never went there again.”

He quickly earned a reputation as a close checking, miserly full back, more intent on giving his opponent a hard time than any personal glory, and was a shining light in an otherwise lean period for Claremont. Rover Bruce Sinclair was a team mate who could sympathize with opposing players on the after effects of a clash with the Moose. Late in one match, Sinclair was running back to take a mark on the guidance of one of his team mates' call of "Yours Bruce!"  Unfortunately the call was really "Yours Moose!"  The result of this small breakdown in communication was a somewhat large breakdown in Bruce's capacity to play for the rest of the game.  When he came to some time later he expressed the opinion that Ken's nickname might be changed for the general health of his team mates. 

The late forties and fifties were awash with good players and good sides, and despite the presence of some stars of their own, in Caporn, Sonny Maffina, Les McClements, Harry Price, Johnny Compton, Kevin Clune, George Pearce, Noah Lee, Bill O’Neill, Doug Soutar, Don Idle, Peter Jago, Peter Kyle, and John Munro, the club struggled. Ken went through his league career without getting close to a premiership.

There were plenty of good full backs around also, and it wasn’t until August, 1952, that Caporn received due recognition from the State selectors. He immediately made his presence felt, named as one of WA’s best in a sixty point win over South Australia at Subiaco, playing in a back pocket. After another defeat of the Croweaters three days later, Caporn was to take over the key defensive role for Western Australia for several seasons, and was invariably among the best players. In the 1953 Adelaide Carnival he played on the Victorian sensation John Coleman, keeping the star down to three goals.

It’s a tough job for full backs to win fairest and best awards, but Caporn won two at Claremont….in 1951 and 1954.

On a trip to Kalgoorlie for a match against the locals, Ken had a bet with back pocket player Harry Price that he would get the first kick, the stake being two bottles of beer. Price’s eyes lit up when he got one of the first possessions of the match, but before he could put ball to boot the wily Caporn had kicked it out of his hands.

Ken Caporn retired in 1958 as the club record holder for the number of games played, and it was a record that stood for thirty seven years, Darrell Panizza bettering it in 1995. He captain coached Quairading the following season, almost grabbing an elusive flag, but his charges were beaten in the grand final. Employed as manager of the local swimming pool, cement poisoning forced a premature return to Perth.

A multi talented sportsman in his younger years, Caporn was a State titleholder as a member of the North Cottesloe Revival and Resuscitation surf team, as well as excelling at tennis, water polo, and was an eleven handicapper on the golf course. Son Gary played on a wing for Claremont before a crook ankle got the better of him. It was through swimming and surfing that Ken met wife Margaret, who swam at Crawley.

Perth goalsneak Ron Tucker, along with South Fremantle star Bernie Naylor and Essendon legend John Coleman were the three opponents Caporn nominated as hardest to beat, while Clune, Maffina and McClements were his picks as best he played with.

Arguably Claremont Football Club’s best ever full back, Ken Caporn gave the club and Western Australian football tremendous service over a fifteen year career. A player whose aim was always to restrict his opponents opportunities, he was remarkably effective against some of the best full forwards this State has seen as well as the best in the land.

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