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gtr: Yep, it is a myth peddlled by the apoligists for the AFL that more people have attended the football since 1986 than before the onest of the Eagles. Around 40,000 people use to watch the four games each week, today 40,000 watch the AFL each week.

The problem with AFL is its a domestic AU game played in the Southern States.Wa,Sa,Vic,Tas.Act and Nt are a mix of Afl and Rugby codes.
Back to 86 the Wafl and VFL where on the verges of bankruptcy. SA investment in Football Park in the early 70's put SA footy in a stronger position.
The AFL has grown footy but the casualties have been every level of footy below the AFL.Salary Caps ,Draft equity have ensured a solid comp.Still not sold on GCS or GWS .
Just on the world game thread and the massive money thrown around.It just can't be sustainable for ever as player payments and transfer fees.Have an ASX PE Ratio of well over 1000%.Maby Wenger can see the future problems.AFL.NRL +A League all have salary caps.

1974....Doug Green......first autograph I ever got.....had to bypass Durnthaler to get it though!!

SS: I am glad you could relate to my comment about Subi that year, I got frustratted simplly readding the results. Still, we must give great credit to the other sides in the competition at that time.

SD supporters, what ever happened to Brian Close?

My memories are that it was a very wet winter and a weird footy season.

Third and fourth on the ladder had percentages less than a 100 and fifth and sixth above a 100???

The bottom two teams caused a bit of damage along the way.

Also remember on the 72 bus reading an article in the Daily News that stated nobody wanted to play Swans as they were storming towards the end of the season and had the potential to go all the way.

The Old East players dedicated themselves to be able to run a 100, 100 yard sprints by the END of the home and aways.

Their warm down on Sunday was a lap to the Canning Bridge and back with some stretches thrown in half way.

A lot different today.

ArkRoyal wrote: SD supporters, what ever happened to Brian Close?

Played at Swans from 1973-78...84 games-105 goals then went to play in the SANFL for Woodville from memory AR in 1979 through to 1981. Came back to WA in 1982 & played at SF.

Was also the CEO (General Manager) at Swans for many years in the late 80s-90s.

ArkRoyal wrote: SD supporters, what ever happened to Brian Close?

Finished his league career under Mal Brown at South Fremantle - had some very good games too number 15 I think from memory

mikeh wrote:

Beasley Hutton wrote:

waflfootyfacts wrote:

gtrxuone wrote: The crowds where solid in 1974.Considering well supported clubs East Perth,West Perth and South Freo didnt make the finals.L=Largest crowd ,,S= Smallest crowd.
R1 L10,856 S 9310,,,,R2 L 16,922 S 9841 , R3 L11,634 S8742 , R4 L15,552 S8902 ,R5 7353 S5447,R6 9722 S5158,R7 8899 S7421,,R8 16,110 S6377,R9 L12,940,R10 L11,222,R12 L7821,R13 L 9830,R14 L 14,703,R15 L 8812,R16 L 13,110,R17 L 7329,R18 L 15,325,R19 L 8,320,R20 L 17,520,R21 L11,914.
The smallest Wafl attendance in 1974 was R 17 bottom of the table clash Cmt V WP ClaremontOval 4,582.

I hope you didn't spend too much time researching those attendance records on wafl online when I have already done it for you on my site - here the link to the attendance records for 1974. Follow the navigation page to,help,you get there from the home page waflfootyfacts.net/season/attendances.php?Season=1974

Great work Ric.
Good to see the time honoured Eastern Derby easily had the highest attended home and away crowd that season...it might be time for the WAFC to move that historic clash back to Foundation Day starting next year!
GTR you are right about the population when I was in Primary School in the 80s Adelaide had a higher population than Perth now we have almost doubled them in size only 30 years later!

BH I remember that round 21 game in 1974. There were a number of teams jostling for spots in the four in that final round and there was a massive buildup to the game at Bassendean. Prior to the game it was assumed that Swans would have to beat Perth to make the finals because Souths were playing bottom side West Perth at Fremantle and if we lost and the Doggies won,they would leapfrog us on the basis of a superior percentage. It was a fantastic atmosphere at the ground on the day with over 17,000 there, but the game itself turned out to be a complete fizzer. After an even first quarter, Perth were far too good, running away with the game to win by 69 points. I had resigned myself to mothballs until I noticed that quite a few Swans supporters were not watching the game anymore and had transistor radios up to their ears. It was then I discovered that West Perth were upsetting South and by doing so qualifying Swans for the finals after all. It was a bit weird seeing the Swans players coming off the ground all forlorn after being flogged but the supporters cheering for West Perth like they never thought they would.
History then shows that Swans won their first semi final the week after that against Subiaco and but for poor kicking (4-9 in a dominant 3rd quarter) could well have won the preliminary final against Perth.
Great memories of some fantastic football days in the 70's

Thanks Mike that is a great recollection much appreciated.

ArkRoyal wrote: SD supporters, what ever happened to Brian Close?

Gentleman bloke who was a very good golfer to boot.

Has been running Lakelands for a while but not sure if he is there presently.