There have been many West Australian sportsmen who have been outstanding in their field and have been leaders of the community in different spheres of public life. Politics of all levels, the business world, as well as other important organisations are sprinkled with household sporting names.  It's fair to say that  there have been no more outstanding or finer servants of this State as sportsman and politician than Sir Ross Hutchinson.  Sir Ross was the first to coach three different league clubs to premierships in Western Australia, a feat he achieved after a distinguished playing career interrupted by World War Two, in which he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross before being discharged as a Flight Lieutenant. He was knighted by Her Majesty the Queen for services to Western Australia and the community in 1977, after his retirement from a political career spanning twenty seven years.  The son of a timber mill worker, Ross Hutchinson was born at Worsley, a timber town, and played football at the Lower South West timbermilling hamlet of Deanmill in his teens, as did another  man who was to equal his coaching record many years later, John Todd, before representing Jardee in the Warren Association.  After attending Wesley College, where he excelled at football, cricket, and tennis, he joined East Fremantle and promptly exploded onto the WANFL scene, winning two Lynn Medals in his first two seasons. In only his third year at the club, he was appointed captain coach, with a similar effect, winning a premiership in his first season. Playing mainly in the centre, he exhibited a shrewd head by placing himself in defence on grand final day, where he was able to control many passages of play.  A versatile player, Hutchinson was equally damaging in the centre or at half back or half forward. He was a natural centreman, though, and it was at the pivot that he was seen to biggest advantage.  Although East Fremantle were prominent again in 1938 and 39, they were beaten in both deciders, with Hutchinson becoming captain coach of the State team in 1938. The following year Hutchinson found that his RAAF commitments were too time consuming to allow any thought of football.   In 1941, the West Perth club offered Hutchinson the coaching job at Leederville. For the lucrative pay increase of two shillings and sixpence a game, plus a train ticket from Fremantle to Perth, Ross agreed, but the necessary clearance to play wasn't forthcoming from the East Fremantle club, so he became a non playing coach for one season. It was to almost spell the end of his playing career, as  war hostilities were to prevent Hutchinson pulling on the boots in the WANFL again for six years.  As he did with Old Easts, Hutchinson guided the Cardinals to premiership success in his initial year at Leederville, rubbing the salt into East Fremantle's wounds by beating them in the second semi final and on grand final day.   Ross Hutchinson was posted to England from 1943 to 1945, as a bomber pilot with the RAAF's 578 squadron, being awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in 1944. Serving in India in 1945, he was discharged as a Flight Officer in October of that year.  Returning to West Perth with a clearance finally in order, Hutchinson resumed his football career, but this time it was East Fremantle who were cheering on grand final day, victors by six points.  1947 saw Hutchinson take on another challenge, this time with South Fremantle. With the eventual 1947 Sandover Medallist, Clive Lewington, in the centre, Ross was quite happy to station himself on a half forward flank, and was to prove a matchwinner with two late goals in a tight finish to give him another first year premiership, a marvelous overall coaching achievement.  Retiring from the playing arena after that season, Hutchinson coached South Fremantle for a further two years, with another premiership in 1948 followed by third placing in 1949.  After an illustrious football career that was cut far too short by an absence of seven seasons(who knows what he could have achieved in that timespan) Ross Hutchinson announced his retirement from football and signified his intention to attempt a political career.  He had played a total of 127 games, with 93 at East Fremantle, 16 for West Perth, and 18 with South Fremantle, plus three State appearances.  It was his coaching record that set him apart from the average, though, with four premierships, three times runner up, and one third,  giving him an overall winning  rate of  72.4% from eight seasons.  In 2004 he was recognised by the WAFL, with membership of the West Australian Football Hall of Fame as a coach.  Ross Hutchinson became the first member of the new seat of Cottesloe in 1950, and embarked on an auspicious political career that would see him hold the seat with increased majorities for eight elections. At different times he held the ministerial portfolios of Chief Secretary, Health, Fisheries and Fauna, Works and Water Supplies, and was Speaker of the House on his retirement. He served on the Fremantle Hospital Board for two years, and was a member of the Kings Park Board for two and a half decades, including three years as President. He was also a prominent tennis player, and played in many events with fellow politician and tennis coach Arthur Marshall.  If a  war prevented Sir Ross Hutchinson from achieving the status he deserved as a player, it certainly didn't stop him from becoming a coaching great. His record speaks for itself.