The 1923 WAFL season was the 39th season of the West Australian Football League. It saw East Perth set an unequalled WAFL record of five consecutive premierships, which in major Australian Rules leagues has only been beaten by SANFL club Port Adelaide with six straight from 1954 to 1959 and equalled by Sturt between 1966 and 1970. The Royals prevailed after two superb games with East Fremantle, who had had its last two home-and-away games cancelled due to undertaking a tour of Victoria and South Australia.[1]
The top four teams was unchanged for the third successive season, and tailender Perth looked likely to suffer a winless season before winning its last match – a fate the Redlegs would suffer again in 2000.
A brilliant last quarter allows East Perth to unfurl its 1922 pennant with an impressive win after Subiaco, fifth for the previous two seasons, outplayed it in general play for two-quarters.
Despite kicking what remains, in terms of excess of behinds over goals the second most inaccurate score in their history,[12] West Perth manage to overcome South Fremantle.
On 9 June, WAFL football was suspended for an interstate match.[13]
In an "unnecessarily rough" WACA game several casualties had to be treated after the match at the ground and Parkes of West Perth was taken to hospital.
After a violent all-in-brawl with the scores level at half-time (for which no reports were made despite most players fighting even after a later inquiry[40]), Subiaco take over for their last win of 1923.
A trip by East Fremantle to Melbourne and Adelaide meant that Old Easts' game with East Perth was never played.
On this Saturday East Fremantle lost to 1922 premiers Fitzroy by the score of 9.5 (59) to 11.13 (79).[46]
After 21 consecutive winless games, Perth win for the first time since Round 6 of 1922, edging out Subiaco and sealing the top four in doing so. Their win ended the most consecutive winless games in the WAFA/WAFL since the Maroons lost 24 in a row in 1902 and 1903.[47]
A trip by East Fremantle to Melbourne and Adelaide meant that Old Easts' game with Perth was never played.
On this Saturday East Fremantle lost to second-placed SAFL club Sturt 5.15 (45) to 7.5 (47)[50] and on Wednesday beat seventh-placed Port Adelaide 10.13 (73 to 8.10 (58).[51]
In a match marred by Perth’s wettest September on record[53] and consequent extremely slippery conditions, a depleted East Perth, with 38-year-old coach Matson forced to strip, hold West Perth to 0.2 (2) with the wind in the last quarter and advance to the final.
Fletcher (best on ground), Owens, Western, Sherlock, Brentnall, Herd, Duffy
Best
Cinoris, Buchanan, Truscott, Mudie, Clark, Baird
East Perth set an Australian record, winning a fifth consecutive premiership after coming from behind with brilliant determination led by an impassable half-back line.[57]
^'East Fremantle v S. Fremantle – An Uninteresting Game'; The Sunday Times; 23 September 1923, p. 1S
^'Football Premiership: East Fremantle Defeat East Perth – Challenge Match to Be Played'; The Sunday Times, 30 September 1923, p. 1S
^'East Perth Retain the Premiership: A Stirring Game Between Champions – Enormous Attendance and Splendid Weather'; The Sunday Times, 7 October 1923, p. 1S
^"Onlooker" (anonymous author); 'Football: The Challenge Match – East Perth Beat East Fremantle: A Thrilling Context'; The West Australian, 8 October 1923, p. 7
