Royals to take on Falcons at Medibank

ANOTHER chapter will be added to one of the West Australian Football League’s biggest rivalries when East Perth run onto Medibank Stadium on Saturday afternoon to take on old foes West Perth.

The rivalry may have lessened somewhat since the glory days of packed out WAFL matches, but the desire for East Perth to beat the Falcons still remains strong.

In 1968, when the East Perth and Geelong Football Club legend Graham “Polly” Farmer was appointed to coach the Falcons following his retirement from VFL football, many diehard members and supporters of both sides were shocked, as were some of the players.  

One of those players, former West Perth great Mel Whinnen, as written in the book Full Points: Footy's WA Football Companion about the fiery hostility between the clubs.

“West Perth had never liked East Perth that much, there was no love lost. And all of a sudden we have an East Perth coach… the players were not too rapt,” he said.

Farmer went on to lead the Falcons to premierships ironically against his former club East Perth in 1969 and 1971.

This year marks 46 years since Farmer’s appointment at the helm of the Falcons, but the overwhelming desire to beat one another still burns.

The clubs have met many times in historically significant matches including seven Grand Finals in 1922, 1932, 1960, 1969, 1971, 2002 and 2013.

The stage is set for another exciting chapter in the Royals and Falcons’ rivalry as we prepare for Saturday’s clash.