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ArkRoyal wrote: bazza: correct, the relative decline of the three perth sides was noticeable by the mid 1980s, in a way the loss of Peter Spencer was symbolic of it. We need to keep in mind too, that the decline has been masked, at least in WP'S case, by extensive recruiting; recruiting, which, happily, has got them over the line for some flags since 1995.

However, there is no doubt in my mind that without the recruiting, WP's premiership drought, would, today be longer than that of the PFC's.

Can anyone go on the WP thread and pick their best side since 1975 recruitless?

Yep, WP after a stunning 1975 Flag, remained somewhat competitive for a few seasons after but then fell to being a middle of the range team that just could not break out of the rut until the 90s.

bazza: as you know 1975 was the swan song of the great side they had around whinnnen and co -- by rights the side could have easily won four flags considerring they were red hot favourites to beat subi in 1973.

ArkRoyal wrote: bazza: as you know 1975 was the swan song of the great side they had around whinnnen and co -- by rights the side could have easily won four flags considerring they were red hot favourites to beat subi in 1973.

Indeed, a leagcy of a power club through the 60s.

West Perth were still a formidable opponent during that period and did manage to upset the top sides each season while also losing some elite talent to other clubs - Chris Stasinowsky Shane Sheridan & Stuart Hillier to South Fremantle , Bill Valli to Subiaco , Brian Adamson to Norwood , Ray Holden to Claremont , Mick Rea to Perth , John Duckworth to Central Districts and later Ross Gibbs to Glenelg to name some

and the power sides on the rise did have some seriously special players that not even VFL sides could come close to

Southerner wrote: West Perth were still a formidable opponent during that period and did manage to upset the top sides each season while also losing some elite talent to other clubs - Chris Stasinowsky Shane Sheridan & Stuart Hillier to South Fremantle , Bill Valli to Subiaco , Brian Adamson to Norwood , Ray Holden to Claremont , Mick Rea to Perth , John Duckworth to Central Districts and later Ross Gibbs to Glenelg to name some

and the power sides on the rise did have some seriously special players that not even VFL sides could come close to

Ray Holden went to Perth Sutho

ArkRoyal wrote: bazza: correct, the relative decline of the three perth sides was noticeable by the mid 1980s, in a way the loss of Peter Spencer was symbolic of it. We need to keep in mind too, that the decline has been masked, at least in WP'S case, by extensive recruiting; recruiting, which, happily, has got them over the line for some flags since 1995.

However, there is no doubt in my mind that without the recruiting, WP's premiership drought, would, today be longer than that of the PFC's.

Can anyone go on the WP thread and pick their best side since 1975 recruitless?

Ark, you know what the response to your WP theory will be don't you ??? EP have benefitted greatly from the assistance of recruitment via the alignment on a couple of occasions and would 100% not have won a Premiership if that didn't occur.

leedy: as you know, both wp and ep have sufferred an historic disadvantage since around 1980 and have recruitted a lot of players, perfectly justifiably; the key differnce between the two clubs has been that the falcons won flags, the royals did not, and therefore, failed. Let us not forget that the royals were gifted turnbull too, and still could not do it.

Having said that about the Royals, one should add in tribute:

getting Turnbull was partly about the eveness of the league
the club did a great job reaching the grand final in 1996
they lost to the historic powerful club of the era
in that sense, had the Royals won, espcially given how disadvantaged the club had been since 1980 or so, it would have been a genuine momemnt of equality, however shortlived, in the history of the competition.

bazza: thanks for the post on the 1930s. i remember reading about the loss of poor ron doig, a terrible business. Just to back up your point further, the stories my grand dad told, about how to play the game, were indeed full of violence. 'Punch him in the back of the head' in marking contests and so on. I knew a former EP league player whom was cleaned up at Bassendean in the late 1930s and had to quit the game.

ArkRoyal wrote: Having said that about the Royals, one should add in tribute:

getting Turnbull was partly about the eveness of the league
the club did a great job reaching the grand final in 1996
they lost to the historic powerful club of the era
in that sense, had the Royals won, espcially given how disadvantaged the club had been since 1980 or so, it would have been a genuine momemnt of equality, however shortlived, in the history of the competition.

Yes Ark to say we were a tad unlucky in '96 when we fell 2 points short in a very high class decider would be an understatement.We always knew the Tigers would have 10 Gerard Neesham Docker rejects available to them come finals time which was never considered a real issue,but what we did'nt bargain on was the finals qualification of 2 dual W.Coast premiership in ChrisLewis and Don Pyke who were 27 and 28 respectively,[hardly past their prime]and they were the defining difference in our narrow loss.