List of West Australian Football League premiers
This is a list of the West Australian Football League premiers, the premier state-based Australian rules football league in Western Australia, and includes premiers of the Western Australian Football Association (1885–1906), West Australian Football League (1907-1924, 1980-1989, 1991-1996 and 2001-present), Western Australian Football League (1925-1927), Western Australian National Football League (1928–1979), WA State League (1990), and Westar Rules (1997–2000).
In 1967, WAFL football historian Dave Clement discovered a discrepancy between the official premiership list as published by the league and what he had determined from examination of records from the time. The original list has Fremantle winning six of the first seven premierships; however, documentation was found that the Unions club had won three premierships in succession.[1] The discrepancy was not officially acknowledged and fixed until the League's centenary in 1985.[2]
In the early years, a number of cups were awarded to clubs who won the premiership, including the "Dixson Cup"[1] and the "Farley Cup".[3]
On March 27, 1907, the WAFA was renamed the West Australian Football League (WAFL).[4] The 1907 grand final ended in a controversial manner, after Perth won their first premiership after a protest.
On Wednesday October 12, 1927, the WAFL was renamed the Western Australian National Football League (WANFL) – the "national" in the name being adopted by the SANFL, TANFL and other leagues when the Australian Football Council became the Australian National Football Council earlier in that year.[5]
Prior to 1931, premierships were either awarded to the team leading the ladder or who won a final. If the top team lost the final, then they had the right to call for a challenge match to be played the following week to determine the premiership.
In 1931 the system changed to the Page finals system where the top two teams play in the second semi final, with the loser having a second chance and the winner progressing straight to the Grand Final. The winner of the third and fourth placed teams who played in the first semi final play the loser of the second semi final in the preliminary final.[6]
Since 1945, the best player on ground in the Grand Final has been awarded the Simpson Medal.
In 2016, the Australian Football League determined the provision to play extra time (ET) in the event of a draw, ensuring that future grand finals will always be decided on the scheduled day. In the event of a drawn game, the teams will play two extra time periods in full, each lasting three minutes plus time on, with a change of ends after the first period: if still tied, further pairs of extra time periods will be played in the same manner until a winner is determined.[7] As of season 2025, extra time has not yet been required to decide a grand final. Previously, a drawn grand final would be replayed the following week to determine the premier. This occurred on two occasions: in 1905, and 1938.
Premiers
[edit]| Season | Premiers | Runners up | Score | Captain |
Coach |
Venue | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Australian Football Association (1885–1906) | |||||||
| 1885 | Rovers | Victorians | |||||
| 1886 | Fremantle | Victorians (2) | |||||
| 1887 | Unions | Victorians (3) | |||||
| 1888 | Unions (2) | Rovers | |||||
| 1889 | Unions (3) | Rovers (2) | |||||
| 1890 | Fremantle (II) (4) | Metropolitan | |||||
| 1891 | Rovers (2) | West Perth | |||||
| 1892 | Fremantle (II) (5) | West Perth (2) | |||||
| 1893 | Fremantle (II) (6) | West Perth (3) | |||||
| 1894 | Fremantle (II) (7) | West Perth (4) | |||||
| 1895 | Fremantle (II) (8) | Rovers (3) | Poss Watson | ||||
| 1896 | Fremantle (II) (9) | Imperials | Poss Watson | ||||
| 1897 | West Perth | Imperials (2) | Barney Grecian | ||||
| 1898 | Fremantle (II) (10) | West Perth (5) | Poss Watson | ||||
| 1899 | West Perth (2) | East Fremantle | Barney Grecian | ||||
| 1900 | East Fremantle | South Fremantle | Thomas C Wilson | ||||
| 1901 | West Perth (3) | East Fremantle (2) | Les Jones & Billy Plunkett | ||||
| 1902 | East Fremantle (2) | North Fremantle | John Atkinson Chadwick | ||||
| 1903 | East Fremantle (3) | West Perth (6) | John Atkinson Chadwick | ||||
| 1904 | East Fremantle (4) | Perth | 12.11 (83) – 3.7 (25) | Thomas C Wilson | |||
| 1905 | West Perth (4) | East Fremantle (3) | 5.11 (41) drew 6.5 (41) | Billy Plunkett & Shooter Ford | |||
| 4.7 (31) – 3.9 (27) (Replay) | |||||||
| 1906 | East Fremantle (5) | West Perth (7) | 12.3 (75) – 5.6 (36) | Thomas C Wilson | |||
| West Australian Football League (1907–1927) | |||||||
| 1907 | Perth | East Fremantle (4) | 6.6 (42) – 6.11 (47) | Jack Leckie | Claremont Showground | ||
| 6.6 (42) – 5.11 (41) | |||||||
| 1908 | East Fremantle (6) | Perth (2) | 5.7 (37) – 0.8 (8) | Thomas C Wilson | Fremantle Oval | ||
| 1909 | East Fremantle (7) | Perth (3) | 8.8 (56) – 4.6 (30) | Thomas C Wilson | WACA Ground | ||
| 1910 | East Fremantle (8) | East Perth | 5.5 (35) – 2.10 (22) | James Doig | Fremantle Oval | ||
| 1911 | East Fremantle (9) | West Perth (8) | 14.12 (96) – 7.3 (45) | James Doig | Subiaco Oval | ||
| 1912 | |||||||