Memories of Subiaco Oval

News & General The Bar
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Well Subiaco Oval is just about done and dusted as a footy venue and while most people won’t shed too many tears at the demise of what is now a deteriorating concrete canyon , I’m sure many of us have got some fond footy memories of the ground stretching back many years. I would be interested to read about others experiences and what special times you had at the ground. As you can imagine many of my fondest memories are related to Swans and the WAFL but I am also keen to hear from people who were at the ground for magic AFL moments as well. Here are some of mine:

1974 first semi final – Swans won their first final since I had been supporting them, unexpectedly beating reining premiers Subiaco. Keith Narkle was a star that day.

1978 Grand Final – Perth V East Perth – very close fought game with a torrential down pour in the last quarter

1979 Grand Final – EF V SF – I was pinned up against the fence at the Perth end, wonderful atmosphere and the game was very competitive

1980 Preliminary final SD V EP – Great performance by Swans to win by 13 goals, really enjoyed this game, not so much the week after.

1982 Grand Final SD V C – the first premiership I had experienced as a supporter. Great feeling after a few finals failures. Celebrations at Bassendean went long into the night

1984- Grand Final SD v EF -10 goal first quarter- perfection from Swans. Amazing that the Sharks came back to within a point after that.

Tuesday afternoon State of origin games in the 80’s – would always look for an excuse to leave work at lunchtime on these Tuesdays and the reward was to witness the best footy I have ever seen. All of these were fantastic competitive games featuring many legends of footy.

2010 WAFL Grand Final – C V SD – This was a day etched in my memory forever because it was such an exciting game, AK produced one of the great Simpson medal performances, the birth of a young star in Coniglio and that Swans beat a team that was one of the shortest priced favourites in WAFL history. If you really add it all up, this is my number one memory at Subiaco

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Yep 1979 Grand Final was spectacular - amazing attendances that season all still records to this day.

1980 GF - SF v SD I witnessed one of the most match-winning quarters of football by one individual player Maurice Rioli

1997 GF - SF v EF I was proud to witness John Todd coach South to a long awaited flag in many different respects

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Good topic Mike…for me it’s the 1973 GF and our first flag in 49 years. I was a young bloke still at South Freo High School and went to the game with my parents and a mate who was also a Subi supporter. My mate and I sat on the roof above the players race for a birds eye view. At the end of the game I ran across the ground with a huge Subi flag my mum made for me and gave it to Austin Robertson. He did a lap of honour with the other players holding the flag and I finished up finding the bloody thing in the change rooms later that night. They had a bar set up on the Oval after the game on which you had to pay $1 deposit on jugs which you’d get back when you returned it. We came up with a scheme of getting jugs from the social club where there was no deposit and taking them to the bar on the oval and getting a $ back for nothing. I have the 73 GF on dvd and can still see myself on tv running across the oval when the siren went. The flag finished up on our roof at home until my old man made me take it down a week later. Oh what memories.

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That 1980 SF team was one of the most talented ever and it was no disgrace coming 2nd to them

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Good topic Mike…for me it’s the 1973 GF and our first flag in 49 years. I was a young bloke still at South Freo High School and went to the game with my parents and a mate who was also a Subi supporter. My mate and I sat on the roof above the players race for a birds eye view. At the end of the game I ran across the ground with a huge Subi flag my mum made for me and gave it to Austin Robertson. He did a lap of honour with the other players holding the flag and I finished up finding the bloody thing in the change rooms later that night. They had a bar set up on the Oval after the game on which you had to pay $1 deposit on jugs which you’d get back when you returned it. We came up with a scheme of getting jugs from the social club where there was no deposit and taking them to the bar on the oval and getting a $ back for nothing. I have the 73 GF on dvd and can still see myself on tv running across the oval when the siren went. The flag finished up on our roof at home until my old man made me take it down a week later. Oh what memories.
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Fantastic story BC. I was only a kid as well and I remember listening to the game on the radio and hoping that the Lions would win just for the fact that they had waited so long for a flag.

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1982…That last 15 minutes of the 2nd qtr.Midway through the 2nd qtr Swans lead by 6 points.And went into half time 35 points up.Every player fired for that 15 minutes.A brilliant snap by Mike Richardson on the half time siren.A big mark in the goalsquare by Ron Boucher against 2 defenders.
2010..Swans V Claremont.wow.
1987..Eagles in there first season beat reigning Premiers the Hawks at Subi by 1 point.Dermott missed a shot 25m out with a minute to go.
My first Wafl GF 78.Forever in Wa footy history.1980 Magic Maurice what a game he played.All SOO matches on the Tuesday arvos.
Would of been great to go to any Wafl GF between 1950-70 in the Wafl Golden era.Or any home and away game with thoes massive crowds that attended.

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Resting a beer in a plastic cup on a wheelie bin.

That is all.

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Ok a serious one now.

1979 - Biggest GF ever, lost but what an amazing day.

1980 - Obvious reasons

1989 - WAFL Finals Series , the last WAFL Finals with huge crowds and had a drawn game.

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Can think of a few good memories of Subi Oval…top 5 for me

  1. Derby GF in 79…massive crowd…fantastic game and fantastic result…complete heaven for a 12yr old footy fan
  2. SD getting their hatrick in 84 v EF…not too many 10 goal first quarters in a GF from memory…good solid 9 goal response by EF in the 2nd quarter to atleast make the game competitive…SD were a class above the rest
  3. EF beating Subi in the 85 GF…top class players from both sides…Muzza was my favourite…wet day too
  4. EF v Subi 86 2nd Semi final…Darren Bennett kicking 10 goals and many an EF fan going home that night thinking EFhad the flag in the bag…LOL
  5. EF v WP 98 GF…last time EF has won a flag!!
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Not too many our way,but here goes,…

1 - 1978 Grand Final v East Perth,for all sorts of reasons,but mainly being whizzed on from a great height 3 or 4 times,including the Final Quarter downpour that prompted Subi supporter Bill,to drag me away from the game to beat the Traffic!Jesus,talk about lousy timing.:woohoo:

2 - 1986 State of Origin Win over the Big White Vee,with Wayne Blackwell’s smother bringing a huge sigh of relief and the Final Siren bringing a Huge Roar!Happy Days!

3 - Perth and Swans having a 20 Goal plus Shootout in Round 17 of the same season,which completed our 1st Clean Sweep of our 80’s Nemises since 1977.It pretty much confirmed we were Finals bound for the 1st time in 8 years.

4 - 1986 1st Semi Final v Claremont.Murdering another early 80’s Nemises by 73 points in our 1st Final in 8 years,made things feel like nothing had changed when we played Finals Footy.We were bloody great at it.We gave Mossies flossies a right floggin’!:evil: A potential Premiership was within our grasp!

1991 - 1st Semi Final v East Perth in a ding dong battle by 7 points felt sweet,with my 1st thought going to Ken(Armstrong).Losing the '78 GF was always a wretch,but this went some way to closing a dark,gaping hole in our Souls!

1997 - 1st Semi Final v East Perth.The week before saw us drop out of the Top 2,after we’d been on top with 2 Rounds to go.We had Spinksy and Winnie missing and we got spanked at Perth Oval by 53 points,with a big send off to boot,given to us.

I know thePerth supporters were smarting and Narky about it and hoped the players kept THAT in their memory banks.Did they what?!They turned things around Beautifully,like nothing bad had happened and Destroyed that ‘orrible lot by 67 points.Nothing seemed to go wrong,including The Tractor giving that bloody pest Perry a nice lovely Backhander,that could be heard from the Members’ Win,with the Ump Hilariously giving Dev an Evil Dismissive Laugh!The Deafening Silence from that Loton’s mob was wonderfull.

1997 Preliminary Final v South Fremantle - We Wuz Wobbed!They knew it,the Umps knew it,the Media knew,Trevor Garrett knew it,Beth Blackwell let him have it,legend has it.

We Wuz Wobbed!

2010 Swan Districts v Claremont Grand Final was a Cracker,with Andrew Krakouer making you feel great to be alive.Swans were never going to lose of course,despite the 1 point margin.They knew how to pantz the Monts when it really mattered.B) :evil: :whistle:

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Great topic Mike.
My favourite memories are-

1982- SD vs CL WAFL GF- The first SD Premiership I saw and the most memorable the scenes after the game both on the ground and on the roads (Black & White flags everywhere, car horns blaring) after have still stuck with me 35 years later.
1983- SD vs CL WAFL GF- Caught the train in with Dad (we usually drove) and sat in the Outer from the start of the Colts to get a decent vantage point, we came from the 1st Semi that year and were large underdogs to win.
1984- SD vs EF WAFL GF- The best qtr of football I have seen SD ever play in that 1st qtr we were unstoppable kicking 10.4, only for EF to come back with 9 majors of their own in the 2nd.
1990- SD vs CL WAFL GF- We were rank underdogs again but blew CL away in the middle of the game lead by Phil Magic Narkle winning hard centre clearances.
2010- SD vs CL WAFL GF- I still cant believe we actually hit the front at the 35 min mark of the last qtr after CL had done likewise at the 32 min mark and I thought we were done.

The 1981, 1983, 1984, 1986 WA vs VIC State Of Origin games and WA vs SA State games in 1982 & 1983 were also very memorable as a young fella and a H&A game in 1984 vs CL where Brent Hutton kicked 11 goals was another I have never forgotten.

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1995 I think
State of origin WA V Allies

Just on quarter time three streakers ran onto the ground in the form of 3 “gifted” young ladies in G strings

Good times

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1985 Grand Final. Last time more 40K attend the WAFL GF. Wrensted picks up 30 touches and kicks 3 goals in a BOG display. Camel boots 6, Waterson holds Keene again, Wilson and Harding both star.

Sadly by the end of the 80s as the WAFL begins it decline highlights are 1st Semi Finals. Esp 1988.

1992 preliminary final and grand final are great memories despite the WAFL being a shadow of its former self.

1994 preliminary final is a bit spesh. The Cardies crack open the champagne at the main break and get blown away in the 2nd half.

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Like BC it has to be '73 as an 18yo standing on the southern wing concrete terraces in amongst the “Humans” it was just awesome. watching Keith Watt weave is special form of magic, Ross Smith coach the game of his life against a team that had beaten us 4 times that year and best of all seeing the great Austin Robertson at last taste premiership success. I remember the first 2 or 3 hours after the game then it was just a complete beer blur :slight_smile:

The mid-week SOO games were sensational. Going to watch what for me was the best WAFL team I have seen win those 3 flags in the early 80’s at time when watching Subi was not much fun. Having the absolute privilege to have seen in person my team win 9 flags when my Dads generation of Subi fans either missed out or saw '73.
Playing for Jolimont JFC on Subi oval in a 17’s GF … but the bad bit was getting flogged by our arch enemy’s Wembley JFC.

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Pearl Jam in 2007

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1979 semi v the team that used to be East Perth. Got pissed and had to blow a night shift. What a game!! 1979 GF, same again. Atmosphere was something I still remember today. The early 80’s WA v Vic. Heart stopping footy.

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A grand final record crowd of 52,322 turned up to see West Perth collide with South Fremantle in what turned out to be the most one-sided premiership play-off ever. Cardinals half forward Barry Day kicked 7 last quarter goals for a match total of 8 as West Perth stormed to victory by 104 points, 23.17 (155) to 7.9 (51). Evergreen centreman Mel Whinnen earned the Simpson Medal after a performance of measureless class, while his fellow veteran Bill Dempsey was similarly superb. On a day when it was impossible to find a poor West Perth player, ruck-rover Alan Watling, wingman Stuart Hillier, rover Shane Sheridan, and half back flanker Ross Prunster all stood out, as did Day during the processional last quarter which saw the Cardinals add 10.5 to their opponents’ solitary behind.

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Pearl Jam in 2007
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Australia Made Concert - think it was 85/86.

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Australia Made Concert - think it was 85/86.
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I watched the documentary from that concert series when flying back from the East just recently, would highly recommend it to anyone who has a love of Australian music. The likes of INXS, The Triffids, The Divinyls (all with WA links) plus Jimmy Barnes, Mental As Anything, The Models et al the concert at Subiaco Oval had an enormous crowd Jan 1987.

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Yeah, best day/night ever..sadly a lot of performers from that day are now deceased.

will never see anything like it again..

think 50,000 there