Roy Porter notched up a hundred and seventy nine league games for the West Perth Football Club, but should have played well over two hundred.
After representing Western Australia in the 1958 Carnival in Melbourne, kicking two goals against Victoria, Porter was the victim of a “youth policy.” Himself just twenty two, he played with the reserves for a season and a half before an approach to himself and Ron Bewick from South West club Boyanup-Capel brought the situation to a head.
West Perth refused clearances for the pair, and Roy was immediately reinstated in the league side, where he starred in a premiership year, kicking three goals in the grand final win over East Perth.
History was to repeat itself in 1964, when coach Clive Lewington cut him adrift at the age of just twenty eight. When Graham Farmer arrived at West Perth in 1968, he immediately enquired as to Porter’s availability. “It was a bit too late,” Roy recalled.
Nicknamed “lizard” by a school teacher because of his thin frame, Roy Porter followed his brother, Don “Mary” Porter(nicknamed after a character in the Dad and Dave radio show) into league football. Don was an accomplished half back for the Cardinals, playing a hundred and thirty three games and winning a Simpson Medal for his outstanding display in the 1951 grand final, but the pair never played together at West Perth.
“Don was ten years older than me, and retired the year before I played my first league game,”Roy recalled. “We did play a game together with Mails in the Sunday League.”
Roy Porter was playing with Mails as a fifteen year old, with North Perth’s Temperance League side having his services on Saturdays and the seniors in Sunday League on Sundays. At six foot four a very agile ruckman with rare pace for a ruckman, he was in demand from league clubs, both Ern Henfry(Perth) and Mick Cronin(East Perth) chasing a signature. “We were in unalotted territory, so I could have gone anywhere, but I was always going to play for West Perth,” he said.
After a game with the reserves, Porter made his league debut in round two of 1954 at centre half forward, but was soon transferred to the ruck. There were plenty of top ruckmen around in those days, but Porter’s light frame belied his ability and physical presence, and, despite the doubts expressed in the media about his chances against the best, he put egg on a lot of faces.
In that year’s preliminary final Porter made a statement against the strong ruck battery of eventual premiers, South Fremantle. His performance against Norm Smith, Don Byfield, and Des Kelly, with Peter Cobby on the bench, was instrumental in his selection the following season for a Western Australian second side.
When Roy did National Service in early 1956, one of his physical education instructors was Perth’s Ken Armstrong. “That was the best training I ever had,” he said. “Ken ran me everywhere. He was a good teacher.” Selected for the Melbourne Carnival side in 1958, Porter found himself an a half forward flank. With a ruck battery of Farmer, Clarke, Foley, and Percy Johnson, it was an achievement to be in the side. He lined up on Carlton champ, John James.
After departing from the Cardinals, Roy Porter began a three year stint as captain coach of Williams in 1965, before playing with Scarborough in the Sunday League.
Since retiring from the playing field, Roy has given West Perth Football Club many years of service. A committeeman for seventeen years, he was chairman of selectors under four coaches, and has been a regular at Joondalup.
A butcher, with retirement hastened by a stroke, he enjoyed retirement with wife Doreen. A son, Geoffrey, played State Schoolboys in 1978. Daughter Sandy is married to former Football Operations Manager with the West Australian Football Commission, Clint Roberts.
Perth’s Tom Davis got Roy’s nomination as toughest opponent, while Ray Schofield received his vote as best played with.
Roy Porter was a leading ruckman in an era of star big men, and served West Perth Football club well for over half a century. Together with brother Don, the Porter name is held in high regard by the club and it’s supporters.
