TOPIC:

AR that is why I am praying the next coach we appoint at SD has an attacking mindset in that we revolve our game plan around kicking 100 points per game at a minimum.
I think we have spent more than enough time on the defensive aspects of the game of football over the last decade.....largely to the detriment of both crowds and general interest!
Lets make the WAFL exciting to go watch again.....with fast free flowing open football and scoring aplenty not defensive arm wrestles where you keep the opposition to only 5 goals but then only kick 7 yourselves.
I think EF have headed that way this year and the results speak for themselves.

Aside from the pain of watching Swans dismantled at the WACA a few weeks ago, I was very impressed with the style of footy that the Sharks played. They never stopped attacking and their 9 goal last quarter was a reward for that enterprise. I am really hoping they can win the flag.

BH when you remember Mike Richardson he was allmost the complete footballer.
Strong, beautiful kick stationary and on the run.Great overhead mark and excellent shot at goal.Great tank and a physical side with bumps,Sheppard's and tackles.
But like his mate Tony Solin he use to like to take on the tackles with a  Micky Conlon type chest push.That was probably the reason Sidy sprayed him that day.

the other important fact about 1981 was that all 8 sides averaged over 100 points per game scored and I don't think that has ever happened before and definitely not afterwards
The sole reason scoring dried up after 1981 was the fact that the Vicco comp raided WA relentlessly and more than half of the leading goalkickers of 1981 ended up in the VFL
Most of those Victorian sides had to be propped up with dollars after their poaching exploits and some still are being propped up to this very day
Coaches like the Malthouses and Roos made the game defensive and took out key forward high scoring in latter years

I think I could revolutionise footy. By telling my full forward to stay in the goal square.

And just to emphasise the point we have been making about the lack of scoring power in modern football.....
This years Leading Goalkicker tally of 41 by Ben Sokol was the lowest winning tally of goals for a season (outside of the *2020 Covid season of only 8 games) since D.Coffey for EF with 36 goals in 1923 can you believe!

Good topic. I agree with some comments here, but not with the 'high scoring equals great skill and great games' theme. Many of the games in this period had huge scores but were boring because they were over by 1/2 or 3/4 time despite the losing team kicking over 15 or 20 goals. The best games from the period - the grand final from the year under question for example - were relatively speaking low scoring but thrilling events. I smirk because the Daily News ran an article in '81-82 bemoaning the high scoring and the lack of quality defenders in the league at the time. I remember the piece containing photos of Watts, Lawson, Regan, France, Sarre. I suppose an over-indulgence of anything - ultra-high or low scoring - can wear a bit thin.

This is a long time ago now, but I do not remember too many really wet Saturdays during that period that might have influenced scoring. There was a game at Leederville where heavy rain resulted in the return of Lake Monger and WP kicked 5 but SD still kicked 18, and the game in 1980 when Swans with 7 beat Subi with 5, but maybe rain on a young man's head was less noticeable then compared to now.

ArkRoyal wrote:

DG: .Munro kicked over fifty goals in 1980, which as you pointed out, was a good effort in weak side. The SD game in 1981 had another unique aspect in that Subi kicked more goals and lost the game.


 

Also Ark I think Fathers kicked around 80 in a average side in 1977, very good effort 

DG: yep, although I never saw Fathers play myself as I was a wee bit young to attend games; there is a picture of Munro in the '1980 Register' diving to take a spectacular mark.

Fathers