TOPIC:

In 1985 they produced a book celebratting 100 years of WA football, one, which all in all, was a good read. It had in its pages, the best ever WA side picked by men such a Christian. When consederring the CHF position they claimmed that WA had a relative dearth of stars in the position, although they ratted Mal Brown highlly, and, indeed selectted him in the team.

I wonder if people agree with this thesis? And, if so, why has CHF been a position where WA has strugglled over the years? On the face of it, our bigger grounds, one would have thought made, the position critical. Even so the Victorians, and SA seem to be able to produce the better CHFs, smaller grounds and all, where, in part, you could/can kick over CHF.

Couple of things on that - back around that time & before we had some of the longest kickers of the ball the game has seen in WANFL footy ranks

It wasn't unusual for goals to kicked from inside the centre square and the full forwards were always leading up to pretty much CHF and that's where it's probably cancelled out the true CHF , it was going over his head most of the time

Brian Adamson WP , Joe McKay SF (for a time) , Stan Nowotny SD , Jim Sewell EF , Brett Farmer Cl,P & SD , Alan Montgomery P , were a few I think played it at times

ArkRoyal wrote: In 1985 they produced a book celebratting 100 years of WA football, one, which all in all, was a good read. It had in its pages, the best ever WA side picked by men such a Christian. When consederring the CHF position they claimmed that WA had a relative dearth of stars in the position, although they ratted Mal Brown highlly, and, indeed selectted him in the team.

I wonder if people agree with this thesis? And, if so, why has CHF been a position where WA has strugglled over the years? On the face of it, our bigger grounds, one would have thought made, the position critical. Even so the Victorians, and SA seem to be able to produce the better CHFs, smaller grounds and all, where, in part, you could/can kick over CHF.

Very good observation Ark Royal, I would guess that because WA grounds are wider maybe the flanks are used to a greater extent to thus making the CHF a little less effective. Many of the teams of the century for WAFL clubs have a Phil Matson or that sort of vintage. John Wynne I remember was a pretty decent CHF in the late 60's for West Perth, Brown for EP as you mentioned, Garry Sidebottom for Swans, hard to think of too many other recent ones.

Didn’t Alan Quartermaine win a Sandover medal as a CHF?

Earl Spalding.

Craig Burrows

Bruce Monteath

Steve Hargrave

In the day when you had good tap ruckmen to gun long kicking centreliners who take two bounces out of the middle and have a ping on goal it sort of takes the half forward line out of the equation.

In the sixties guys Who used to use the drop kick could just about take a bounce or two and kick a goal.Barry Cable was a long kick with a drop kick.Also a lot more torpedoes used as well.

I've been at Freo Oval & Leederville and seen Adamson (number 14?????) play at CHF for West Perth

Super was one that I badly forgot mind you he started as a ruckrover type

It's not about who is a dud in this thread - it's about Centre Half Forwards & the dearth of them in this State , and the reasons behind it

The only CHF's I can think of from my club since I followed were George Young, Ken Marshall, Ron Bayens, Warren Dean, Geoff Clark and David Mapleston. Pretty good players but not all time greats I guess.

On his day George Young was damn close

Didn't Ian Miller win a Sandover playing CHF?

LH, it may have been before your time but from a Subi pov the best CHF I saw was Laurie Kettlewell, just a tick over 6 foot but brilliant in the air and on the ground and wonderful droppy and stab pass. Played a few state games as well, since him probably Syrup was the most talented CHF but annoyingly inconsistent ... except in finals. Peter Eakins was another top CHF who went on to play for the Pies.

Senior Seagull wrote: Didn't Ian Miller win a Sandover playing CHF?

LH, it may have been before your time but from a Subi pov the best CHF I saw was Laurie Kettlewell, just a tick over 6 foot but brilliant in the air and on the ground and wonderful droppy and stab pass. Played a few state games as well, since him probably Syrup was the most talented CHF but annoyingly inconsistent ... except in finals. Peter Eakins was another top CHF who went on to play for the Pies.

Yes, Kettlewell was before my time but by all accounts an equal of big bad mal