1978 WANFL season
1978 WAFL season | |
---|---|
Teams | 8 |
Premiers | East Perth 14th premiership |
Minor premiers | Perth 7th minor premiership |
Sandover Medallist | Phil Kelly (East Perth) |
Bernie Naylor Medallist | Ray Bauskis (South Fremantle) |
The 1978 WANFL season was the 94th season of the Western Australian National Football League in its various incarnations, and the second-last under that moniker.
In many respects this season proved the end of an era before the power balance in the WA(N)FL would drastically alter. Although apart from an almost rainless August less dry than the previous two seasons,[1] 1978 saw numerous high-scoring records broken owing to the introduction from the eighth round of the interchange bench (initially called “switch-play”)[2] allowing players to be rotated and create a much faster game than possible when substituted players could not be returned to play. The average score of 113.92 points per team per game was four points higher than the previous record of 1977.
Claremont, after five years as a chopping block due to the absence of Graham Moss with only 28 wins from 105 games with Essendon, and rejuvenated by many young players who would star in their 1981 premiership and/or with VFL clubs began superbly and missed fourth place by a minuscule 0.1 percent after a remarkable final round, whilst West Perth, after a bad start with four losses, won ten in a row to become the frontrunner along with reigning champion Perth. Tailenders Subiaco and Swan Districts were trying desperately to win and avoid the wooden spoon, whilst powerhouses West Perth and East Perth battled with Claremont and South Fremantle for the last three places in the four. A near-record attendance at Leederville saw East Perth, who had won only six of their first fourteen matches, miraculously take the double chance after having been out of the four for almost the entire season as the Tigers and Bulldogs lost.
The finals continued the brilliant performance by East Perth to win by nineteen goals in the preliminary and then the Royals upset frontrunners Perth in a game where the weather seemed to change several times a quarter from sunny to torrential downpours.
Home-and-away season
[edit]Round 1 (Easter weekend)
[edit]Date | Team | Def. | Team | Place | Report |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 25 March | Subiaco 19.10 (124) | def. | West Perth 13.25 (103) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 8878) | |
Saturday, 25 March | South Fremantle 13.15 (93) | def. by | Perth 14.18 (102) | Fremantle Oval (crowd: 11367) | |
Monday, 27 March | Claremont 18.17 (125) | def. | East Perth 11.18 (84) | Claremont Oval (crowd: 12890) | |
Monday, 27 March | Swan Districts 12.10 (82) | def. by | East Fremantle 16.25 (121) | Bassendean Oval (crowd: 9735) | |
|
Round 2
[edit]Date | Team | Def. | Team | Place | Report |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 1 April | West Perth 15.21 (111) | def. by | South Fremantle 24.16 (160) | Leederville Oval (crowd: 10624) | |
Saturday, 1 April | East Perth 22.20 (152) | def. | Swan Districts 12.8 (80) | Perth Oval (crowd: 8127) | |
Saturday, 1 April | Perth 20.11 (131) | def. | Subiaco 12.17 (89) | Lathlain Park (crowd: 8839) | |
Saturday, 1 April | East Fremantle 21.15 (141) | def. | Claremont 14.9 (93) | East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 9071) | |
Round 3
[edit]Date | Team | Def. | Team | Place | Report |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 8 April | Swan Districts 16.11 (107) | def. by | Perth 25.22 (172) | Bassendean Oval (crowd: 7765) | |
Saturday, 8 April | Subiaco 12.9 (81) | def. by | East Perth 16.18 (114) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 8860) | |
Saturday, 8 April | West Perth 16.18 (114) | def. by | Claremont 24.13 (157) | Leederville Oval (crowd: 9756) | |
Saturday, 8 April | East Fremantle 16.15 (111) | def. by | South Fremantle 24.18 (162) | East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 15674) | |
|
Round 4
[edit]Date | Team | Def. | Team | Place | Report |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 15 April | South Fremantle 23.19 (157) | def. | Subiaco 14.11 (95) | Fremantle Oval (crowd: 8044) | |
Saturday, 15 April | Perth 17.15 (117) | def. | West Perth 11.9 (75) | Lathlain Park (crowd: 8460) | |
Saturday, 15 April | Claremont 26.18 (174) | def. | Swan Districts 14.16 (100) | Claremont Oval (crowd: 6740) | |
Saturday, 15 April | East Perth 22.8 (140) | def. | East Fremantle 13.12 (90) | Perth Oval (crowd: 9732) | |
|
Round 5
[edit]Date | Team | Def. | Team | Place | Report |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 22 April | Subiaco 21.24 (150) | def. | Swan Districts 7.20 (62) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 4930) | |
Saturday, 22 April | Perth 21.18 (144) | def. | East Perth 14.15 (99) | Lathlain Park (crowd: 15837) | |
Saturday, 22 April | South Fremantle 15.20 (110) | def. by | Claremont 20.17 (137) | Fremantle Oval (crowd: 13560) | |
Saturday, 22 April | West Perth 23.16 (154) | def. | East Fremantle 23.9 (147) | Leederville Oval (crowd: 8245) | |
|
Round 6
[edit]Date | Team | Def. | Team | Place | Report |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 29 April | Swan Districts 13.23 (101) | def. by | West Perth 21.18 (144) | Bassendean Oval (crowd: 6572) | |
Saturday, 29 April | East Perth 18.9 (117) | def. by | South Fremantle 19.14 (128) | Perth Oval (crowd: 12830) | |
Saturday, 29 April | Claremont 24.10 (154) | def. | Subiaco 11.15 (81) | Claremont Oval (crowd: 8455) | |
Saturday, 29 April | East Fremantle 20.18 (138) | def. | Perth 10.13 (73) | East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 8175) | |
|
Round 7
[edit]Date | Team | Def. | Team | Place | Report |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 6 May | South Fremantle 29.28 (202) | def. | Swan Districts 17.12 (114) | Fremantle Oval (crowd: 6875) | |
Saturday, 6 May | West Perth 22.24 (156) | def. | East Perth 14.10 (94) | Leederville Oval (crowd: 12767) | |
Saturday, 6 May | Perth 22.8 (140) | def. by | Claremont 23.19 (157) | Lathlain Park (crowd: 15670) | |
Saturday, 6 May | Subiaco 24.22 (166) | def. | East Fremantle 21.15 (141) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 5969) | |
|
Round 8
[edit]Date | Team | Def. | Team | Place | Report |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 13 May | West Perth 24.10 (154) | def. | Subiaco 9.16 (70) | Leederville Oval (crowd: 9680) | |
Saturday, 13 May | Perth 23.16 (154) | def. | South Fremantle 21.17 (143) | Lathlain Park (crowd: 10917) | |
Saturday, 13 May | East Perth 16.21 (117) | def. | Claremont 14.11 (95) | Perth Oval (crowd: 11109) | |
Saturday, 13 May | East Fremantle 19.13 (127) | def. | Swan Districts 15.14 (104) | East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 5015) | |
|
Round 9
[edit]Date | Team | Def. | Team | Place | Report |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 20 May | South Fremantle 18.12 (120) | def. by | West Perth 19.10 (124) | Fremantle Oval (crowd: 11857) | |
Saturday, 20 May | Swan Districts 11.18 (84) | def. by | East Perth 15.16 (106) | Bassendean Oval (crowd: 5859) | |
Saturday, 20 May | Subiaco 8.21 (69) | def. by | Perth 15.19 (109) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 5390) | |
Saturday, 20 May | Claremont 11.13 (79) | def. by | East Fremantle 18.12 (120) | Claremont Oval (crowd: 8926) | |
In an amazing game in showery and very windy conditions,[21] Subiaco, failing to allow for the strong northwesterly wind when shooting for goal, kick only 1.12 (18) in the first half but 6.5 (41) in third before rain intensifies.[22] |
Round 10
[edit]Date | Team | Def. | Team | Place | Report |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 27 May | Subiaco 14.13 (97) | def. by | South Fremantle 21.16 (142) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 6216) | |
Saturday, 27 May | West Perth 16.19 (115) | def. | Perth 11.10 (76) | Leederville Oval (crowd: 13168) | |
Saturday, 27 May | Swan Districts 13.18 (96) | def. by | Claremont 25.9 (159) | Bassendean Oval (crowd: 5396) | |
Saturday, 27 May | East Fremantle 11.16 (82) | def. | East Perth 8.11 (59) | East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 10023) | |
|
Round 11 (Foundation Day)
[edit]Date | Team | Def. | Team | Place | Report |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 3 June | Perth 19.17 (131) | def. | Swan Districts 9.11 (65) | Lathlain Park (crowd: 6126) | |
Saturday, 3 June | East Perth 21.14 (140) | def. | Subiaco 6.8 (44) | Perth Oval (crowd: 8897) | |
Monday, 5 June | Claremont 12.12 (84) | def. by | West Perth 20.21 (141) | Claremont Oval (crowd: 16752) | |
Monday, 5 June | South Fremantle 21.13 (139) | def. | East Fremantle 14.14 (98) | Fremantle Oval (crowd: 15864) | |
|
Round 12
[edit]Date | Team | Def. | Team | Place | Report |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 17 June | Swan Districts 26.13 (169) | def. | Subiaco 16.13 (109) | Bassendean Oval (crowd: 3870) | |
Saturday, 17 June | East Perth 13.11 (89) | def. by | Perth 15.14 (104) | Perth Oval (crowd: 11789) | |
Saturday, 17 June | Claremont 18.14 (122) | def. | South Fremantle 16.15 (111) | Claremont Oval (crowd: 9687) | |
Saturday, 17 June | East Fremantle 22.7 (139) | def. by | West Perth 22.13 (145) | East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 9972) | |
|
Round 13
[edit]Date | Team | Def. | Team | Place | Report |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 24 June | West Perth 20.21 (141) | def. | Swan Districts 13.16 (94) | Leederville Oval (crowd: 8015) | |
Saturday, 24 June | South Fremantle 11.23 (89) | def. | East Perth 12.13 (85) | Fremantle Oval (crowd: 9974) | |
Saturday, 24 June | Subiaco 10.18 (78) | def. by | Claremont 16.26 (122) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 5140) | |
Saturday, 24 June | Perth 16.19 (115) | def. | East Fremantle 14.13 (97) | Lathlain Park (crowd: 8081) | |
Despite kicking only a total of 3.17 (35) in the first and final quarters, Stephen Michael’s superb ruck play gives South Fremantle a deserved win after controlling the game until three-quarter time.[29] |
Round 14
[edit]Date | Team | Def. | Team | Place | Report |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 1 July | Swan Districts 13.20 (98) | def. by | South Fremantle 15.16 (106) | Bassendean Oval (crowd: 5361) | |
Saturday, 1 July | East Perth 14.11 (95) | def. by | West Perth 15.11 (101) | Perth Oval (crowd: 15567) | |
Saturday, 1 July | Claremont 17.8 (110) | def. by | Perth 18.17 (125) | Claremont Oval (crowd: 10578) | |
Saturday, 1 July | East Fremantle 23.14 (152) | def. | Subiaco 10.6 (66) | East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 4630) | |
|
Round 15
[edit]Date | Team | Def. | Team | Place | Report |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 8 July | Subiaco 13.10 (88) | def. | West Perth 10.23 (83) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 6278) | |
Saturday, 8 July | South Fremantle 20.14 (134) | def. | Perth 16.14 (110) | Fremantle Oval (crowd: 11097) | |
Saturday, 8 July | Claremont 12.12 (84) | def. by | East Perth 13.13 (91) | Claremont Oval (crowd: 8916) | |
Saturday, 8 July | Swan Districts 17.17 (119) | def. by | East Fremantle 19.11 (125) | Bassendean Oval (crowd: 5527) | |
Wasteful play by West Perth and superb roving by Neil Randall and Neil Taylor ensures the Cardinals’ first loss since Round 4 and Subiaco’s first win since Round 7[32] – a win that in effect avoided the wooden spoon for Subiaco. |
Round 16
[edit]Date | Team | Def. | Team | Place | Report |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 22 July | West Perth 10.15 (75) | def. by | South Fremantle 14.14 (98) | Leederville Oval (crowd: 9108) | |
Saturday, 22 July | East Perth 21.11 (137) | def. | Swan Districts 13.10 (88) | Perth Oval (crowd: 5917) | |
Saturday, 22 July | Perth 24.21 (165) | def. | Subiaco 16.9 (105) | Lathlain Park (crowd: 4019) | |
Saturday, 22 July | East Fremantle 15.17 (107) | def. | Claremont 6.10 (46) | East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 6527) | |
|
Round 17
[edit]Date | Team | Def. | Team | Place | Report |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 29 July | Swan Districts 18.17 (125) | def. | Perth 9.13 (67) | Bassendean Oval (crowd: 5735) | |
Saturday, 29 July | Subiaco 10.10 (70) | def. by | East Perth 20.11 (131) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 6370) | |
Saturday, 29 July | West Perth 22.23 (155) | def. | Claremont 19.9 (123) | Leederville Oval (crowd: 9858) | |
Saturday, 29 July | East Fremantle 18.15 (123) | def. | South Fremantle 17.8 (110) | East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 16678) | |
John Todd’s sermon in a violent thunderstorm on Monday night[35] drives Swans to a huge upset after only two wins in thirty-two games, as youngsters Phil Narkle and Simon Beasley show the form that would later make them VFL stars.[36] |
Round 18
[edit]Date | Team | Def. | Team | Place | Report |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 5 August | South Fremantle 13.30 (108) | def. | Subiaco 7.15 (57) | Fremantle Oval (crowd: 6016) | |
Saturday, 5 August | Perth 20.14 (134) | def. | West Perth 8.12 (60) | Lathlain Park (crowd: 11170) | |
Saturday, 5 August | Claremont 22.18 (150) | def. | Swan Districts 8.13 (61) | Claremont Oval (crowd: 6106) | |
Saturday, 5 August | East Perth 25.14 (164) | def. | East Fremantle 19.12 (126) | Perth Oval (crowd: 14278) | |
|
Round 19
[edit]Date | Team | Def. | Team | Place | Report |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 12 August | Subiaco 15.15 (105) | def. by | Swan Districts 18.22 (130) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 3597) | |
Saturday, 12 August | Perth 15.11 (101) | def. by | East Perth 16.10 (106) | Lathlain Park (crowd: 13675) | |
Saturday, 12 August | South Fremantle 16.19 (115) | def. by | Claremont 20.13 (133) | Fremantle Oval (crowd: 10217) | |
Saturday, 12 August | West Perth 23.14 (152) | def. | East Fremantle 14.16 (100) | Leederville Oval (crowd: 10523) | |
|
Round 20
[edit]Date | Team | Def. | Team | Place | Report |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 19 August | Swan Districts 15.9 (99) | def. by | West Perth 17.20 (122) | Bassendean Oval (crowd: 7790) | |
Saturday, 19 August | East Perth 18.9 (117) | def. | South Fremantle 17.13 (115) | Perth Oval (crowd: 15876) | |
Saturday, 19 August | Claremont 29.30 (204) | def. | Subiaco 12.4 (76) | Claremont Oval (crowd: 5237) | |
Saturday, 19 August | East Fremantle 14.20 (104) | def. by | Perth 16.9 (105) | East Fremantle Oval (crowd: 7655) | |
|
Round 21
[edit]Date | Team | Def. | Team | Place | Report |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 26 August | South Fremantle 18.16 (124) | def. by | Swan Districts 21.17 (143) | Fremantle Oval (crowd: 7892) | |
Saturday, 26 August | West Perth 11.10 (76) | def. by | East Perth 11.19 (85) | Leederville Oval (crowd: 24567) | |
Saturday, 26 August | Perth 15.17 (107) | def. | Claremont 15.6 (96) | Lathlain Park (crowd: 13070) | |
Saturday, 26 August | Subiaco 18.15 (123) | def. | East Fremantle 16.15 (111) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 2990) | |
|
Ladder
[edit]
Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | D | PF | PA | PP | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Perth | 21 | 15 | 6 | 0 | 2482 | 2176 | 114.1 | 60 |
2 | East Perth (P) | 21 | 13 | 8 | 0 | 2322 | 2063 | 112.6 | 52 |
3 | West Perth | 21 | 13 | 8 | 0 | 2501 | 2305 | 108.5 | 52 |
4 | South Fremantle | 21 | 12 | 9 | 0 | 2666 | 2323 | 114.8 | 48 |
5 | Claremont | 21 | 12 | 9 | 0 | 2604 | 2270 | 114.7 | 48 |
6 | East Fremantle | 21 | 10 | 11 | 0 | 2500 | 2396 | 104.3 | 40 |
7 | Subiaco | 21 | 5 | 16 | 0 | 1943 | 2782 | 69.8 | 20 |
8 | Swan Districts | 21 | 4 | 17 | 0 | 2121 | 2824 | 75.1 | 16 |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) percentage; 3) number of points for.
(P) Premiers
Finals
[edit]First semi-final
[edit]Date | Team | Def. | Team | Place | Report |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 2 September | West Perth 12.10 (82) | def. by | South Fremantle 13.17 (95) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 26,486) | |
Mal Brown’s reorganisation of his team’s defence produces a surprising recovery from their last round defeat by the wooden-spooners.[48] |
Second semi-final
[edit]Date | Team | Def. | Team | Place | Report |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 9 September | Perth 13.8 (86) | def. | East Perth 8.9 (57) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 27,261) | [49] |
A dour win in windy conditions makes Perth firm favourites for a second hat-trick of flags in a decade, despite the loss of key forward Murray Couper after he was suspended for throwing the ball in an umpire’s face after believing he was wrongly denied a free kick for holding the ball.[50] |
Preliminary final
[edit]Date | Team | Def. | Team | Place | Report |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 16 September | East Perth 27.15 (177) | def. | South Fremantle 9.11 (65) | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 29,763) | [49] |
|
Grand final
[edit]Date | Team | Def. | Team | Place | Report |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday, 23 September | Perth | def. by | East Perth | Subiaco Oval (crowd: 45,126) | [52] |
4.0 (24) 5.2 (32) 9.5 (59) 12.7 (79) |
Q1 Q2 Q3 Final |
4.5 (29) 6.6 (42) 9.9 (63) 11.15 (81) |
Umpires: Ross Capes, Ron Buckey Simpson Medal: Ian Miller (East Perth) | ||
Bosustow 7, Doyle 2, Dowell, Mitsopoulos, Wiley | Goals | Arnold 4, Kelly 3, Allen, Duggan, Kickett, McGuire | |||
Bosustow, Wiley, Gibellini, Johnson, Rosbender, Currie | Best | Miller, Kelly, Duke, Otway, McGuire, Kickett | |||
Injuries | Earnshaw (leg) | ||||
In a game of fluctuating weather varying from sunshine to almost monsoon-like rain, East Perth hold on to record only their second win from ten grand finals since 1961[53] |
Notes
[edit]a Held by Bob Johnson in the 1962 Preliminary Final and Eric Gorman in the 1963 Grand Final, and subsequently broken by Darren Bennett in the 1986 Second Semi and Warren Ralph in the corresponding match of 1987.
References
[edit]- ^ Perth Regional Office (009034) August 1978 rainfall
- ^ ‘Switch-Play Starts on a Quiet Note’; The West Australian, 15 May 1978, p. 93
- ^ East, Alan; ‘The Messenger Gets Over at Subiaco’; The West Australian, 27 March 1978, p. 62
- ^ Christian, Geoff; ‘All’s Not Plain Sailing for East Fremantle’; The West Australian, 28 March 1978, p. 91
- ^ a b c WANFL Match Programme and Results 1978 (archived from original)
- ^ East, Alan; ‘East Perth Big Men Lift Their Game’; The West Australian, 10 April 1978, p. 70
- ^ Ardon, Rick; ‘Claremont Put It All Together’; The West Australian,17 April 1978, p. 66
- ^ Christian, Geoff; ‘Ten-Goal Forwards Shatter East F‘Tle’; The West Australian, 17 April 1978, p. 66
- ^ "WAFL Footy Facts: Highest Losing Scores". Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
- ^ Hopkins, Colin; ‘Victory Shuffle’; The West Australian, 24 April 1978, p. 70
- ^ Subiaco: Biggest Wins
- ^ Carew-Reid, Andrew; ‘Not Much to Rave About’; The West Australian, 24 April 1978, p. 70
- ^ Hopkins, Colin; ‘East F‘Tle Find Perth’s Flaws’; The West Australian, 1 May 1978, p. 87
- ^ Carew-Reid, Andrew; ‘Swans Way off Mark’; The West Australian, 1 May 1978, p. 86
- ^ a b "WAFL Footy Facts: Most Scoring Shots". Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
- ^ "West Australian Football League: Highest Match Aggregates". Archived from the original on 25 December 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
- ^ East, Alan; ‘Claremont Show Perth a Thing or Two’; The West Australian, 8 May 1978, p. 100
- ^ Carew-Reid, Andrew; ‘Malone Has East F‘Tle Foundering’; The West Australian, 8 May 1978, p. 100
- ^ Christian, Geoff; ‘Johnson Sparks Perth Revival’; The West Australian, 15 May 1978, p. 92
- ^ Hopkins, Colin; ‘Cable Gets East Perth into Gear’; The West Australian, 15 May 1978, p. 93
- ^ Perth Regional Office (009034) May 1978 rainfall
- ^ Carew-Reid, Andrew; ‘One Quarter Enough for Perth’; The West Australian; May 22, 1978, p. 76
- ^ Hopkins, Colin; ‘East F‘Tle Get a Couple of Bonuses’ The West Australian, 29 May 1978, p. 62
- ^ Christian, Geoff; ‘West Perth Keep Pouring It On’ The West Australian, 29 May 1978, p. 63
- ^ Christian, Geoff; ‘Little More than a Practice Match’; The West Australian
- ^ Christian, Geoff; ‘West Perth Make It 7’; The West Australian, 6 June 1978, pp. 80, 78
- ^ Christian, Geoff; ‘Duckworth Fans the Fire at West Perth’; The West Australian, 19 June 1978, p. 79
- ^ Carew-Reid, Andrew; ‘Olsen Shows Swans How’; The West Australian, 19 June 1978, p. 78
- ^ Christian, Geoff; ‘Michael to Rescue for South’; The West Australian, 26 June 1978, p. 75
- ^ Carew-Reid, Andrew; ‘Trouble Spot at East F‘Tle’; The West Australian, 3 July 1978, p. 78
- ^ East, Alan; ‘Swans Lack the Knockout Blow’; The West Australian, 3 July 1978, p. 78
- ^ Christian, Geoff; ‘Subiaco Prick the West Perth Ego’; The West Australian, 10 July 1978, p. 63
- ^ Hopkins, Colin; ‘Rain or Shine, South Have What It Takes’; The West Australian, 24 July 1978, p. 57
- ^ Christian, Geoff; ‘Doug Green Spells Out Good News’; The West Australian, 24 July 1978, p. 56
- ^ See Perth Regional Office (009034) July 1978 rainfall
- ^ Carew-Reid, Andrew; ‘Storm Was Blessing for Swans’; The West Australian, 31 July 1978, p. 55
- ^ Christian, Geoff; ‘Perth Put the Kettle On’; The West Australian, 7 August 1978, p. 80
- ^ Christian, Geoff; ‘West Perth in the Hot Seat’; The West Australian, 7 August 1978, pp. 84, 81
- ^ Carew-Reid, Andrew; ‘South Better than This’; The West Australian, 7 August 1978, p. 81
- ^ Christian, Geoff; ‘Last-Gasp Victory Was Just Result’; The West Australian, 14 August 1978, p. 63
- ^ Carew-Reid, Andrew; ‘Swans Are Too Good for Featherby’; The West Australian, 14 August 1978, p. 62
- ^ Christian, Geoff; ‘Four into Three Won’t Go’; The West Australian, 21 August 1978, p. 64
- ^ Casellas, Ken; ‘Centre the Key at Claremont’; The West Australian, 21 August 1978, p. 62
- ^ "West Australian Football League: Biggest Home-and-away Crowds". Archived from the original on 24 December 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
- ^ East, Alan; ‘Wiley Puts End to Claremont’; The West Australian, 28 August 1978, p. 56
- ^ a b Casellas, Ken; ‘South Fall Apart at the Seams’; The West Australian, 28 August 1978, p. 57
- ^ Christian, Geoff; ‘Pity Poor Claremont – One Kick (in two Games) Would Have Sealed It’; The West Australian, 28 August 1978, p. 60
- ^ Christian, Geoff; ‘Renovated South Win More than a Match’; The West Australian, 4 September 1978, p. 84
- ^ a b Christian, Geoff; ‘Miracle Cure at East Perth’; The West Australian, 18 September 1978, p. 81
- ^ Christian, Geoff; ‘Disgusted Couper Quits Football’; The West Australian, 13 September 1978, pp. 66, 68
- ^ "West Australian Football League: Biggest Wins". Archived from the original on 26 December 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
- ^ Christian, Geoff; ‘East Perth Find the Remedy for Their Ills’; The West Australian, 25 September 1978, p. 83
- ^ ‘Royals Win in Wet’ (archived)