Yesterdays result was justified on 2 fronts. The fact that West Perth played the game and conditions far better, and also the fact East Perth (and Peel) have sold the core value of what every football club should always stand for, Integrity.
I have not missed a Grand Final for years, in fact the only time was in the early 90's when I missed a few whilst living in America. The crowd yesterday was 20,000, which is just under half the capacity of Subiaco Oval. Having been to many Grand Finals I have my doubts the crowd was actually 20,000. I realise the weather was appalling and the euphoria of Fremantles win had taken the whole towns attention. But the crowd was appalling yesterday, I dont care how you look at it. And the ground was not even close to being half full. 20,000 I think is doubtful.
East Perth people may lable myself & others who have the same stance in terms of the alignment, as disloyal. That is fine. I still to this day feel the feeling of disloyalty is mutual given the complete underhanded way the EPFC board and Bronte Howson went about its secret decision. A cowardly decision made in the most underhanded way possible. Without consultation of its people. That is not myth, that is an iron clad fact.
What the competition needed this year was for East Perth people to show some kind of backlash, it may have done nothing however giving the board that free passage throughout the year has only hardend their naive belief that selling the soul of this club was justified. Making the Grand Final this year has clouded the judgement of many, who appear to still not have grasped what lies ahead. I can tell you it will certainly be felt after September 22nd 2013. It starts now. First and foremost we should all be ambassadors for the WAFL competition as a whole. Without the traditions that have been built, and the traditions of all the clubs, it is all meaningless. The argument that the EPFC took the deal to secure its future, slaps in the face of the other argument that without taking the cherry the club wont survive. If that is the case (genuinely) then all clubs apart from EP and Peel wont be around in 5-10 years. My point being what benefit has East Perth had if we lose every other club, and we end up playing made up mock sides who have no culture, identity or history. There is no satisfaction, the club may as well not exist. It is like Fitzroy supporters being expected to follow their side in a tinpot league. It is simply not the same. It will not work.
The old saying "If you love something, set it free" has been ringing in my ears all year. I thought I loved my club enough to make a stand against a decision I think is just wrong. For the benefit of my club, it needed a tough love approach and I will not back away from that. This is what East Perth needed and its supporters needed to do.
Nobody including myself expected any Royal person to disown the club. Nobody has asked any EP supporter to throw away support. But if Claremont, West Perth or East Fremantle got every Eagles/Freo player and an EXTRA $300,000 a year, the East Perth people would be jumping up & down like the others are today. We would be lining up with them in the ridicule section. We would be demanding the supporters make a stand, and rightfully so. This is not disowning your club or showing no loyalty, it is proving you care about your club.
Something stood out at yesterdays Grand Final like a sore thumb. The lead up to the biggest game of the year was boring, lifeless and showed a complete lack of any intuition. The WAFL have basically given up making any effort to showcase this day. Even as the teams ran out onto the ground, it was just flat. An East Perth v West Perth Grand Final should be at fever pitch. It was a pathetic build up, I could not believe it. The crowd was also flat and maybe given the way East Perth, Peel and the WAFC themselves sold out everyone else, maybe that crowd figure was a sign a percentage of people have had enough. The WAFL and WAFC complete lack of effort on Grand Final day, just shows that those given the privledged position of running our game simply do not care. They have only one interest and that is West Coast & Fremantle. The underhanded decisions they have made over the course of 20 years (including the ridiculous decision to give a license to Peel) proves they are happy to see the WAFL die on the vine and go away.
This is why I feel as an East Perth supporter, it was my job to make a verbal and physical stand against these decisions. All of the above is a part result of a decision our clubs board made. And dont give me the speel about if we didnt do it, someone else would have. That is a cop out.
The result yesterday was a win (in part) for integrity. And I feel for good core players at East Perth who missed out on a premiership. But if you lose by 48 points you cant cry about it, you didnt earn it anyway. The other team did earn it 100%. But from this day on how can we expect any wholehearted satisfaction at success? Please can anyone give me an answer with a straight face ? How is taking this new deal anything but a backward step. If $$$ signs are your answer, and nothing I have said even remotely computes with your thoughts, then the barrage of insults and distasteful comments labled at our club are not even debatable. Much like the non-debate process that our club took when NOT dealing truthfully with its own people.
Yesterday the WAFL competition deserved better. The crowd was pitiful, the pre-match was non existant, and the feeling I got was one of a tired listless organisation. Almost like they said Lets play this thing and get it over & done with. If yesterday is not enough for the WAFL to finally realise the Grand Final should be played after the AFL like someone mentioned in a post here last week, then start preparing a grave.
Well done to West Perth on their triumph. Fully deserved premiership.
