1927 WAFL season

The 1927 WAFL season was the 43rd season of the West Australian Football League. It saw the last premiership of the East Perth dynasty dating back to the end of World War I, as mastermind coach Phil Matson was to be killed in a truck crash the following year^[1] and the Royals were to fall to a clear last in 1929 as most of their champions retired. Despite opening their permanent home ground at Claremont Oval, newcomers Claremont-Cottesloe showed little improvement on their debut season and again won only a single game. The most notable change in fortunes was from South Fremantle, who had their first season with more wins than losses since their last premiership in 1917, and extended Matson's Royals in the grand final.

1927 WAFL season
Teams	7
Premiers	East Perth 7th premiership
Minor premiers	East Perth 7th minor premiership
Sandover Medallist	Jim Craig (West Perth)
Bernie Naylor Medallist	Bonny Campbell (East Perth)
Matches played	67
← 1926 1928 →

VFL champions Collingwood became the second Victoria club to tour Perth after Fitzroy in 1922,^[2] and although an interstate carnival meant they were without several top players, the Magpies performed well enough to win one of their two matches against a representative team from those WAFL players not at the carnival.

Home-and-away season

Round 1

	Round 1
Saturday, 23 April (2:45 pm)	East Perth 18.11 (119)	def.	Claremont-Cottesloe 6.13 (49)	Perth Oval	[3]
Saturday, 23 April (2:45 pm)	South Fremantle 4.13 (37)	def.	Subiaco 5.5 (35)	Fremantle Oval	[4]
Saturday, 23 April (2:45 pm)	West Perth 9.10 (64)	def. by	Perth 14.14 (98)	Leederville Oval	[5]
	Bye East Fremantle

Round 2

	Round 2
Saturday, 30 April (2:45 pm)	Subiaco 8.12 (60)	def.	West Perth 7.10 (52)	Subiaco Oval	[6]
Saturday, 30 April (2:45 pm)	Claremont-Cottesloe 4.12 (36)	def. by	East Fremantle 19.10 (124)	Claremont Oval	[7]
Saturday, 30 April (2:45 pm)	South Fremantle 9.11 (65)	def.	Perth 8.12 (60)	Fremantle Oval	[8]
	Bye East Perth
Claremont Oval is opened for WAFL football in the fledgling club’s second season, but the local team is thrashed by a systematic Old Easts combination.

Round 3

	Round 3
Saturday, 7 May (2:45 pm)	East Perth 7.13 (55)	def.	West Perth 7.10 (52)	Perth Oval	[9]
Saturday, 7 May (2:45 pm)	South Fremantle 12.9 (81)	def.	East Fremantle 4.9 (33)	Fremantle Oval	[10]
Saturday, 7 May (2:45 pm)	Perth 11.7 (73)	def.	Claremont-Cottesloe 9.6 (60)	WACA	[11]
	Bye Subiaco
In heavy rain, East Fremantle are unexpectedly thrashed by South Fremantle, with Sol Lawn and Campbell outstanding up forward.

Round 4

	Round 4
Saturday, 14 May (2:45 pm)	Claremont-Cottesloe 16.13 (109)	def. by	Subiaco 16.18 (114)	Claremont Oval	[12]
Saturday, 14 May (2:45 pm)	West Perth 8.9 (57)	def. by	East Fremantle 13.18 (96)	Leederville Oval	[13]
Saturday, 14 May (2:45 pm)	South Fremantle 11.12 (78)	def. by	East Perth 13.10 (88)	Fremantle Oval	[14]
	Bye Perth
For the first time in WAFL history, both teams score 100 points in a match,[15] but Subiaco, coming off the bye, come back to scrape home despite being without key defenders Hamilton and Brophy.[16]

Round 5 (Labour Day)

	Round 5
Wednesday, 18 May (2:45 pm)	East Perth 7.14 (56)	def. by	East Fremantle 15.11 (101)	Perth Oval	[17]
Wednesday, 18 May (2:45 pm)	South Fremantle 10.16 (76)	def.	West Perth 4.9 (33)	Fremantle Oval	[18]
Wednesday, 18 May (2:45 pm)	Subiaco 9.13 (67)	def.	Perth 8.9 (57)	Subiaco Oval	[19]
	Bye Claremont-Cottesloe

Round 6

	Round 6
Saturday, 21 May (2:45 pm)	Perth 9.7 (61)	def.	East Perth 8.12 (60)	WACA	[20]
Saturday, 21 May (2:45 pm)	East Fremantle 10.11 (71)	def.	Subiaco 8.13 (61)	Fremantle Oval	[21]
Saturday, 21 May (2:45 pm)	West Perth 14.16 (100)	def.	Claremont-Cottesloe 9.5 (59)	Leederville Oval	[22]
	Bye South Fremantle

Round 7

	Round 7
Saturday, 28 May (2:45 pm)	Subiaco 9.7 (61)	def. by	East Perth 9.17 (71)	Subiaco Oval	[23]
Saturday, 28 May (2:45 pm)	Claremont-Cottesloe 5.8 (38)	def. by	South Fremantle 16.20 (116)	Claremont Oval	[24]
Saturday, 28 May (2:45 pm)	East Fremantle 7.18 (60)	def.	Perth 8.4 (52)	Fremantle Oval	[25]
	Bye West Perth
Sol Lawn kicks nine goals for South Fremantle, who are joined by Old Easts on top after Perth score only 1.2 (8) in the second half.

Round 8

	Round 8
Saturday, 4 June (2:45 pm)	Claremont-Cottesloe 8.14 (62)	def. by	East Perth 18.16 (124)	Claremont Oval	[26]
Saturday, 4 June (2:45 pm)	Perth 11.6 (72)	def.	West Perth 8.6 (54)	WACA	[27]
Saturday, 4 June (2:45 pm)	Subiaco 7.11 (53)	def.	South Fremantle 6.11 (47)	Subiaco Oval	[28]
	Bye East Fremantle
In wet conditions, eight goals by Evans gives Perth the game and keeps them within percentage of their first finals berth since 1920.

Round 9 (Foundation Day)

	Round 9
Monday, 6 June (2:45 pm)	East Fremantle 9.20 (74)	def.	Claremont-Cottesloe 6.19 (55)	Fremantle Oval	[29]
Monday, 6 June (2:45 pm)	Perth 10.8 (68)	def. by	South Fremantle 13.10 (88)	WACA	[30]
Monday, 6 June (2:45 pm)	West Perth 8.9 (57)	def. by	Subiaco 14.8 (92)	Leederville Oval	[31]
	Bye East Perth

Round 10

	Round 10
Saturday, 11 June (2:45 pm)	Claremont-Cottesloe 5.8 (38)	def. by	Perth 15.17 (107)	Claremont Oval	[32]
Saturday, 11 June (2:45 pm)	East Fremantle 4.16 (40)	def. by	South Fremantle 9.8 (62)	Fremantle Oval	[33]
Saturday, 11 June (2:45 pm)	West Perth 14.8 (92)	def.	East Perth 9.12 (66)	Leederville Oval	[34]
	Bye Subiaco
West Perth, finalists in 1926, return to that season’s form after winning only one of their first eight matches, defeating the reigning premiers in slippery conditions.

Round 11

	Round 11
Saturday, 18 June (2:45 pm)	East Perth 9.6 (60)	def.	South Fremantle 6.9 (45)	Perth Oval	[35]
Saturday, 18 June (2:45 pm)	East Fremantle 11.11 (77)	def. by	West Perth 12.11 (83)	Fremantle Oval	[36]
Saturday, 18 June (2:45 pm)	Subiaco 7.15 (57)	def. by	Claremont-Cottesloe 12.7 (79)	Subiaco Oval	[37]
	Bye Perth
Claremont-Cottesloe, who had surprised Subiaco at their previous meeting only to lose narrowly, win their second WAFL match by making use of a violent wind in the first quarter and holding the Maroons in the second.

Round 12

	Round 12
Saturday, 25 June (2:45 pm)	Perth 9.8 (62)	def. by	Subiaco 11.10 (76)	WACA	[38]
Saturday, 25 June (2:45 pm)	West Perth 7.13 (55)	def.	South Fremantle 5.6 (36)	Leederville Oval	[39]
Saturday, 25 June (2:45 pm)	East Fremantle 9.10 (64)	def. by	East Perth 13.9 (87)	Fremantle Oval	[40]
	Bye Claremont-Cottesloe
With Campbell kicking seven goals, East Perth move to equal top position as the Cardinals continue their revival, defeating a seventeen-man South Fremantle team.

Round 13

	Round 13
Saturday, 2 July (2:45 pm)	Subiaco 10.14 (74)	def.	East Fremantle 10.10 (70)	Subiaco Oval	[41]
Saturday, 2 July (2:45 pm)	East Perth 11.10 (76)	def.	Perth 9.9 (63)	Perth Oval	[42]
Saturday, 2 July (2:45 pm)	Claremont-Cottesloe 6.14 (50)	def. by	West Perth 13.8 (86)	Claremont Oval	[43]
	Bye South Fremantle

Round 14

	Round 14
Saturday, 9 July (2:45 pm)	Perth 14.12 (96)	def.	East Fremantle 8.11 (59)	WACA	[44]
Saturday, 9 July (2:45 pm)	South Fremantle 9.9 (63)	def.	Claremont-Cottesloe 5.5 (35)	Fremantle Oval	[45]
Saturday, 9 July (2:45 pm)	East Perth 5.13 (43)	def.	Subiaco 5.11 (41)	Perth Oval	[46]
	Bye West Perth
Following this round, WAFL football was suspended for an interstate match in Adelaide.

Round 15

	Round 15
Saturday, 23 July (2:45 pm)	West Perth 7.11 (53)	def. by	Perth 10.16 (76)	Leederville Oval	[47]
Saturday, 23 July (2:45 pm)	Claremont-Cottesloe 9.13 (67)	def. by	East Perth 17.19 (121)	Claremont Oval	[48]
Saturday, 23 July (2:45 pm)	South Fremantle 7.16 (58)	def.	Subiaco 7.9 (51)	Fremantle Oval	[49]
	Bye East Fremantle
Following Perth’s win over the Cardinals, umpire Les Trotter was attacked physically by an angry spectator who failed to get the better of him, and police were required to break up the fight. The WAFL did not take further actions.[50]

Round 16

	Round 16
Saturday, 30 July (2:45 pm)	East Fremantle 10.12 (72)	def.	Claremont-Cottesloe 8.8 (56)	Fremantle Oval	[51]
Saturday, 30 July (2:45 pm)	Perth 7.19 (61)	def.	South Fremantle 5.6 (36)	WACA	[52]
Saturday, 30 July (2:45 pm)	Subiaco 11.13 (79)	def.	West Perth 9.7 (61)	Subiaco Oval	[53]
	Bye East Perth
In difficult conditions on a wet and boisterous day, regular Maroon ruckman Outridge is a match-winner in attack with seven goals.

Round 17

	Round 17
Saturday, 6 August (2:45 pm)	East Perth 12.11 (83)	def.	West Perth 12.9 (81)	Perth Oval	[54]
Saturday, 6 August (2:45 pm)	East Fremantle 8.12 (60)	def.	South Fremantle 7.7 (49)	Fremantle Oval	[55]
Saturday, 6 August (2:45 pm)	Perth 10.15 (75)	def.	Claremont-Cottesloe 10.13 (73)	WACA	[56]
	Bye Subiaco
The leading clubs were without their State players for this and the following round due to the 1927 Melbourne Carnival.[57] Three close games see East Perth in a high-speed encounter end West Perth’s hopes, whilst a vicious match sees East Fremantle reduce their chance of missing finals action for the first time in twelve seasons.

Round 18

	Round 18
Saturday, 13 August (2:45 pm)	East Fremantle 10.12 (72)	def.	West Perth 8.9 (57)	Fremantle Oval	[58]
Saturday, 13 August (2:45 pm)	East Perth 9.15 (69)	def.	South Fremantle 7.2 (44)	Perth Oval	[59]
Saturday, 13 August (2:45 pm)	Subiaco 14.13 (97)	def.	Claremont-Cottesloe 9.3 (57)	Subiaco Oval	[60]
	Bye Perth
With all clubs depleted by Carnival commitments, the standard of play is regarded as poor, but East Perth, without eight regulars but with veterans "Digger" Thomas and Brentnall the best players afield, virtually seal the minor premiership with three rounds to play.[61]

Collingwood Tour

First State Match

	West Australian Football League v Collingwood
Wednesday, 17 August (2:45 pm)	Western Australia	def. by	Collingwood	Subiaco Oval	[62]
	2.4 (16) 2.7 (19) 5.11 (41) 7.12 (54)	Q1 Q2 Q3 Final	3.1 (19) 6.6 (42) 7.8 (50) 13.9 (87)	Umpires: Frank Collins
Hopkins 2, Joe Campbell 2, Holt, Gepp, Lawn		Goals	Harry Collier 5, Muir 2, Murphy 2, Beveridge 2, Harris, Makeham
Grigg, Matson, Gepp, Donovan, Donoghue, Piper, Duffy		Best	Harry Collier, Harris, Murphy, Beveridge, Milburn, Makeham, Poulter, Wescott, Romney
Despite the absence of Syd and Gordon Coventry, Collingwood demonstrate their power with a convincing victory in tough conditions.

Second State Match

	West Australian Football League v Collingwood
Saturday, 22 August (2:45 pm)	Western Australia	def.	Collingwood	Subiaco Oval	[63]
	3.2 (20) 8.6 (54) 9.7 (61) 12.8 (80)	Q1 Q2 Q3 Final	2.2 (14) 2.4 (16) 7.8 (50) 8.10 (58)	Umpires: Frank Collins
Metherell 9, Steward, Gepp, Campbell		Goals	Ross 2, Rumney 2, Harry Collier 2, Shanahan, Libbis, Beveridge
Holt (best on ground), Duffy, Grigg, Metherell, Matson, Donoghue, Piper		Best	Rumney, Westcott, Wilson, Libbis, Harris, Millburn
The local team, with a number of changes, gains revenge for its mid-week defeat.

Round 19

	Round 19
Saturday, 27 August (2:45 pm)	Perth 6.18 (54)	def. by	Subiaco 14.10 (94)	WACA	[64]
Saturday, 27 August (2:45 pm)	South Fremantle 9.11 (65)	drew with	West Perth 9.11 (65)	Subiaco Oval	[65]
Saturday, 27 August (2:45 pm)	East Fremantle 10.10 (70)	def.	East Perth 8.7 (55)	Fremantle Oval	[66]
	Bye Claremont-Cottesloe
Perth fall from second to fifth with their loss on a waterlogged WACA.[67]

Round 20

	Round 20
Saturday, 3 September (2:45 pm)	Subiaco 11.9 (75)	def. by	East Fremantle 11.10 (76)	Subiaco Oval	[68]
Saturday, 3 September (2:45 pm)	East Perth 17.10 (112)	def.	Perth 8.10 (58)	Perth Oval	[69]
Saturday, 3 September (2:45 pm)	West Perth 10.12 (72)	def.	Claremont-Cottesloe 9.10 (64)	Leederville Oval	[70]
	Bye South Fremantle
East Fremantle’s thrilling fight to hold of Subiaco in front of a large crowd[71] and Perth’s loss virtually seals the top four with South playing Claremont-Cottesloe.

Round 21

	Round 21
Saturday, 10 September (2:45 pm)	Subiaco 11.10 (76)	def. by	East Perth 12.5 (77)	Leederville Oval	[72]
Saturday, 10 September (2:45 pm)	Claremont-Cottesloe 8.8 (56)	def. by	South Fremantle 13.15 (93)	Claremont Oval	[73]
Saturday, 10 September (2:45 pm)	East Fremantle 8.16 (64)	def. by	Perth 16.11 (107)	Fremantle Oval	[74]
	Bye West Perth
Perth’s 10.3 (63) first quarter was the highest in the WAFL to that point and ended the most recent run of over 100 games conceding under 100 points.[75]

Ladder

1927 ladder

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	D	PF	PA	PP	Pts
1	East Perth (P)	18	14	4	0	1422	1165	122.1	56
2	East Fremantle	18	11	7	0	1283	1199	107.0	44
3	South Fremantle	18	10	7	1	1139	960	118.6	42
4	Subiaco	18	10	8	0	1263	1138	111.0	40
5	Perth	18	10	8	0	1300	1199	108.4	40
6	West Perth	18	6	11	1	1174	1276	92.0	26
7	Claremont-Cottesloe	18	1	17	0	1043	1687	61.8	4

Source: WAFL Footy Facts
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) percentage; 3) number of points for.
(P) Premiers

Finals

First semi-final

	First semi-final
Saturday, 17 September (2:45 pm)	South Fremantle 11.13 (79)	def.	East Fremantle 11.5 (71)	Fremantle Oval (crowd: 7,665)
South Fremantle come back to win a high-standard match with four goals in the last sixteen minutes.[76]

Second semi-final

	Second semi-final
Saturday, 24 September (2:45 pm)	East Perth 11.11 (77)	def.	Subiaco 6.15 (51)	Leederville Oval (crowd: 11,049)
An eagerly awaited match proves disappointing as East Perth have no trouble winning.[77]

Final

	Final
Saturday, 1 October (2:45 pm)	East Perth 9.12 (66)	def. by	South Fremantle 12.9 (81)	Subiaco Oval (crowd: 10,854)
South Fremantle force a challenge final with their ruck superiority led by the unheralded Sunderland, Fuhrmann and Holt.[78]

Grand Final

Main article: 1927 WAFL Grand Final

	1927 WAFL Grand Final
Saturday, 8 October (2:45 pm)	East Perth	def.	South Fremantle	Subiaco Oval (crowd: 15,714)	[79]
	3.4 (22) 4.6 (30) 8.8 (56) 10.12 (72)	Q1 Q2 Q3 Final	1.1 (7) 4.6 (30) 6.8 (44) 7.9 (51)	Umpires: Frank O‘Connor
Bonny Campbell 5, "Digger" Thomas, Western, Owens, Sparrow, Fletcher		Goals	Lawn 3, Staton, McGuiness, Johnny Campbell, Harris
Glew, O‘Meara, Bonny Campbell, Fletcher, Duffy,		Best	McGuiness (best on ground), Johnny Campbell, Fuhrmann, Holt, Mahon
East Perth rebound to win their seventh flag in nine seasons, and the last before Matson’s death and the retirement of longstanding stars ends a dynasty.