When flags finally fluttered

by LES EVERETT

FOR East Perth supporters of a certain vintage grand final day can bring back painful memories.

In started in 1960 when the Royals (premiers in 1956, 1958 & 1959) lost a derby grand final to the Brian Foley inspired Cardinals. In 1961 the star-studded East Perth went into the grand final as raging favourites and went down to the Keith Slater inspired Swans.

Things go in cycles. The Royals sank to the depths for a couple of years but resurfaced with another strong line up - it lost grand finals to Perth in 1966, 1967 and 1968 and West Perth in 1969 and 1971.

It's tempting when looking back on the eve of the 2002 game to focus on the last derby grand final. But let's be more mathematical about it and go back a nice neat 30 years.

As a teenager in Boulder I had an early inkling of a change in fortunes. My team Mines Rovers won a rare GNFL juniors premiership - Alec Epis had been part of the previous triumph in 1954. While Epis went on to dual premierships with Essendon the 1972 team produced a hand full of handy country players and me.

Flags were not so rare for the Diorites but in 1972 they went into the grand final against Railways as underdogs. The first bounce down went slightly off line - centreman Allan Kennedy knocked it down to captain-coach Charlie Osmetti who booted it forward. The ball cleared the oncoming forwards and bounced through for a goal. One kick, one goal and a glorious afternoon followed.

So I hopped on the train to Perth feeling confident grand finals could be won.

I purchased a few LPs during a shopping trip in the city during the morning but took my place in the temporary Stump's Stand in plenty of time. Claremont and East Perth had engaged in some classic encounters during the season so another grand final loss was possible.

I recall watching pretty much in silence. Clapping was precarious because of the chance of the LPs, one of which was Pendulum by Creedence Clearwater Revival, might slip through the cracks on the foot rest.

The game was a dour affair before Gary Bygraves, with some help from John Daniel, blew things away with three quick goals and there was no way the defence led by Ken McAullay was going to be breached.

On the walk back to my uncle and aunty's place in Wembley I felt mainly just a deep sense of relief and looked forward to reading the papers for the next few days, smiling smugly at school and discussing the game and the team all summer long with mates who also barracked for the mighty Royals.

The next premiership came a respectable six years later on a day it poured with rain and then followed 22 years of drought.

Opposition supporters have attempted to taint the 2000 and 2001 premierships because of East Perth's alignment with the Eagles. So 2002 has special meaning on two fronts.

A win will show the doubters the recent success is truly down to the Royals and for those who go back a bit longer there'll be something cathartic about a hat trick of premierships.

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