Consequently, virtually all senior WANFL players had been enlisted to war work or the military.[1] By the new year the WANFL was aware that normal senior league football would be impossible, and the league decided after debate late in February[1] to conduct a competition for those too young for military service, with players required to be under the age of eighteen on 1 October 1942. Teams were largely drawn from the Young Sports’ Temperance League, which had fifty-three clubs in 1941.[2] Associated with the under-age competition was the temporary abolition of district football with the expectation that when peace returned players would return to the club for which they would ordinarily be zoned.
Bassendean Oval was taken over by the military before the season started,[3] as were early in the season Fremantle Oval and the WACA – though both were vacated a third of the way through.[4] The WANFL also had to ensure that all grounds totalled less than 200 yards (182.9 m) to prevent landing by airborne troops.[5]
When the season was planned, it was proposed to exclude Perth and Swan Districts, who had been the bottom two clubs in 1941 and lacked adequate junior players. Perth eventually fought for inclusion, resulting in a seven-team competition with a bye until the clubs had played each other twice, after which it was announced the bottom team would drop out and, as in the WAFL between 1911 and 1913 and the 1943 VFL season, a bye-less draw was made for the last five rounds. Perth were the team to drop out, after winning two early matches, whilst 1941 premiers West Perth proved the strongest team all through the season and possessed not only the premiership but also the Sandover Medallist (a future Swan Districts player), the leading goalkicker and a future postwar star in Fred Buttsworth.
A notable tragedy occurred in August when high-flying key forward John Hetherington of Subiaco, whose superb marking won rave reviews and gave him fifty-four goals in twelve matches, was struck down by polio and became a paraplegic despite the problem being initially seen as back trouble.[6]
Potter of South Fremantle kicks eight goals and John Hetherington of Subiaco seven as critics are impressed by the standard of the first round of under-age league football.
Ray Perry, as a ruckman a star of East Perth's 1944 perfect season, kicks seven of nine goals to win a thriller for the Royals, without "Todge" Campbell due to the flu.
Subiaco's John Hetherington, in his last match before contracting poliomyelitis and becoming a paraplegic, kicks six goals to ensure Subiaco would play the full season.[6]
On an exceptionally windy afternoon, South Fremantle overcome Perth in a dour game and consign the Redlegs to dropping out of the competition.
Claremont become the first WANFL team to fail to score in the second and third quarters since Subiaco against Perth in the opening round of 1921. (There have been two instances since, in 1967 and 1998.)
Two amazing recoveries see South Fremantle come back to draw with Subiaco, and East Perth, against the pacesetters, achieve their biggest comeback from a three-quarter-time deficit since 1922.[57]
Following this match, Subiaco would become the first club to play 400 games for no draws, not drawing again until Round 11 of 1962.[58]
East Perth's win over the Maroons in a dour game owing to a powerful wind despite the absence of rain[65] threatens Subiaco's hold on the last top four berth.
A brilliant display in the centre by former full forward Robin Farmer, and nine goals from the fast-leading Bourke, allows Claremont a critical win that regains them a place in the four and sets the stage for a thrilling last round.
Subiaco win a sensational finish after being 35 points down at three-quarter time on a damp[72] and windy day, but a brilliant display by Claremont against the premiers ensures they remain in the top four.
Claremont, handicapped by the absence of Robin Sandover for the first ten minutes, are always behind the Cardinals, who secure the flag with 5.8 (38) to 0.1 (1) in the second quarter.
References
^ ab‘League Football Suspended’; The Daily News, 26 February 1942, p. 6
^‘Football: War-Time Competitions – The Under-Age Groups’; The West Australian, 26 February 1942, p. 2
^‘Football Age Raised’; The Daily News, 1 May 1943, p. 12