{xtypo_dropcap}1{/xtypo_dropcap}975 wasn’t a great year for the East Perth Football Club, losing the first semi final to South Fremantle by sixty five points, but Sandover Medal night was a Royal night.

Half forward Alan Quartermaine headed the counting with sixteen votes, two in front of Ross Glendinning and Peter Spencer, who tied for second place along with Stan Nowotny of Swan Districts.

A surprise winner to many, Quartermaine was a sound performer for East Perth, a quick moving five foot eleven half forward or wingman with neat accurate disposal a feature of his game. That he played the last half of the season hampered by a groin injury made the win even more meritorious.

Alan Quartermaine had been a leading player in the WANFL for three seasons, representing Western Australia three times, twice against Victoria.

University studies that had initially curtailed a promising career finally ended it five years later at the age of twenty seven after just a hundred and eight games in which he bagged 195 goals  

The young Quartermaine was an outstanding junior at Katanning, playing under seventeens as an eleven year old, and debuting in A grade football for Wanderers at fifteen. A member of two premierships under Con Regan’s coaching, his name was on the shopping lists of all eight league clubs in the days before zoning.

It was the professionalism of East Perth’s Hec Strempel and Kevin Murray that sent Alan the way of East Perth, and he lined up for his first league game in 1969, as a replacement for one of the club’s State contingent midway through the season, and played half a dozen games, before University commitments kept him from the league scene for two years.

Playing for University Amateurs, he showed his considerable class by being selected in the All Australian Amateur teams of both 1970 and 71. Back at the Royals the following season, a three week suspension for a strike on Claremont defender Wayne Reynolds in East Perth’s second semi final win robbed him of a premiership, East Perth repeating the result in the grand final. It was the closest he would come to a league flag.

Quartermaine lined up on a wing against Keith Greig in his first interstate match at AFL Park, Waverley, and acquitted himself well. After a South Australian clash the same year, he was once again selected in 1974 for the game against the Victorians at Subiaco,this time on a half forward flank, where he struck Richmond defender, Francis Bourke, who he found a tougher proposition, but managed one of his side’s eleven goals.

Quartermaine returned to University in 1978, playing just the one league game in a year that East Perth won another premiership. He retired in early 1979 after a few appearances. Alan has continued his support for the East Perth Football Club, and has been a valuable sponsor and benefactor of the club, and is currently a member of the Board of Directors.

Becoming a serious swimmer to assist the groin injury that plagued him during his career, Quartermaine was winner of the Swim Thru Rottnest in 1981.    

A son, Joel, retired from the game in tragic circumstances.  At sixteen, the Bullcreek-Leeming junior was an outstanding colts player at East Fremantle and widely being tipped as a draft prospect when a fall from a roof snapped the tops from both ankles. Despite concerted attempts to overcome the injury,he never played again.  

Perth toughman Colin Lofts, along with Francis Bourke, were two players Quartermaine found hard to get on top of, while the player he regarded as the league’s best tackler of his time, Stephen Curtis, was best team mate. “Steve was a special player,” he said. “A tough little bastard.”

Alan was an admirer of controversial team mate and coach, Malcolm Brown. “He was a great player, and a tough man,” he said. “Mal would cop plenty during a game, attracting the off the ball hits like a bee to a honeypot. He took plenty but gave it all back.”

“Brownie was playing at centre half forward one day and I was on a flank. He was getting into me with allegations of not chasing. It actually ended in an altercation, a punch or two being thrown. At half time, he never said a word to me, but made sure I heard his comment: “Quartermaine better play well in the second half.” I got four or five.”

A financier, Alan Quartermaine is a busy man these days, but is still a competitive sportsman. A twelve handicapper at Royal Perth, he plays pennant tennis for Cottesloe in over thirty five division one.  As well as Joel, he and wife Karen have two girls. 

Alan Quartermaine wasn’t one of the fancies when he won a Sandover Medal, but he was certainly a worthy winner of the prestigious award. A leading player in the seventies, he is still serving his club well.