Polly Farmer was the springboard behind East Perth’s star studded side of the late Fifties. But even Polly would acknowledge that there was a combined effort in the engine room of the Royals onball battery to provide the musclepower and support to enable the champion ruckman to put his destructive talents to good use.

Laurie Kennedy, Jack Hunt, and Ted “Square” Kilmurray had a lot to do with the success of the Royals that went largely unnoticed. The bodywork and placement they used to give Farmer a clear run at the ball and out of the centre was instrumental in the week to week game plan.

In those days there was no centre square and, unlike today, there was no limit to the numbers of players who could be used to block a dominating ruckman such as Farmer.

Laurie Kennedy was perfectly cast for the running and blocking role. He was a tough, uncompromising player, with great stamina. His versatility was to serve East Perth well over the length of his career, and he filled a number of positions, but none better than at centre half back, although his preference was on the ball.

Kennedy played his junior years with Bedford, Inglewood, and Highgate. He spent most of his formative years of football in a higher age group than he was entitled to, and this could explain his smooth transition to league football. Debuting in 1956, he played thirteen games and was part of a premiership in that year, a dream start.

He went on to play in three Premierships and represented Western Australia on two occasions,notching up 213 games before retiring from league football in 1967. Kennedy then captain coached Pingelly to two grand finals in 1968-69 but the flag eluded them.

"Polly Farmer, and not just because of his ability as a player,” he said when we asked him the inevitable question about the best he played with. “Polly was always trying something innovative. He never stopped trying to improve himself even when he was the best, and as he got older he tried different things to prolong his career at the top level.” Laurie also had a lot of time for “Square” Kilmurray and Don Langdon(“best centre half forward I’d seen until Neil Hawke came along.”)

Kennedy named Perth’s Sandover Medallist, Neville Beard and Swans Tony Nesbit as his toughest opponents.

Laurie Kennedy served East Perth well on and off the field. He was a committeeman for nine years, including two as President. A printer by trade, he passed the business on and now enjoys a round of golf at the WA Golf Club.

Laurie Kennedy …a great servant of the East Perth Football Club and WA Football.