STATE LEAGUE : A TIGHT COMPETITION

In 1972, three teams held first spot on the first division competition ladder. They were Bayswater United, Windmills and East Fremantle-Tricolore. But in the end, on September 2, Tricolore sat at the top with their fifth premiership since the inauguration of the W.A. Soccer Federation in 1960. It was a truly worthy effort, following their struggling effort to fill third place the year before. Rarely has a team had to fight so consistently hard to achieve success in the most important competition in the state.

It was not till almost the last week of the competition, that one could say with certainty that Tricolore looked likely to take the crown. Tricolore had figured in a number of upsets starting with the third match of the season as they crashed to a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Olympic at the Lake Monger Velodrome. Only weeks before, Olympic had suffered their most disastrous night competition on record finishing with the worst record of any of the eight clubs involved. Tricolore, the supreme side of 1972, paradoxically tumbled against the weakest clubs in the league. After Olympic came the humiliating losses against Swan Valley (1-2), Ascot (1-2) and Kwinana United (1-2). But fortune smiled on Tricolore as the upset syndrome hit other leading league contenders.

At the start of the season they gained their most valuable acquisition in coach John Adshead. Adshead, a successful State coach, provided us with a glimpse of what he might accomplish two years earlier when he took temporary control of Kiev and almost beat Azzuri. He knows what he wants and usually get it, soliciting from players a devotion to his cause. One of the big captures was midfield ace John O'Connell, who transferred from Windmills, and proceeded to provide extra boost. At times, O'Connell was overshadowed and marked out of the game. But somehow this elusive imp always managed to pop up and score the vital winning goal.

One such moment that will live in the memories of those fortunate enough to be at Wauhop Park for one of the great matches in W.A. history, was O'Connell's winning goal in Tricolore's magnificent 5-4 victory over arch-rivals Azzurri. Within 22 minutes of the start of this game, played before 6,000 people, Azzurri had raced away to a 4-1 lead. Azzurri was home and hosed, at least this was what everyone thought. Azzurri was not the sert of side to relinquish such a lead. But in the next 68 minutes, Tricolore demonstrated what they were made of and gradually overhauled Azzurri with nail-biting, nerve-wracking, brilliant soccer that brought the entire crowd to their feet.

It is not often that supporters of either camp will give credit where credit is due. But on this day all gave recognition to a great game and a great fighting comeback. While it was a masterful team effort, who scored the winning goal? John O'Connell. O'Connell did nothing throughout the match, being marked out of the game by the tigerish Dave Brady. But after a tragic goal against his own side that tied the score at 4-4, Brady desperately ran up-field to retrieve the situation. O'Connell, suddenly released by his tormentor, found space and started to fire and, with only minutes left, scored the winner with a 25-yard booming shot that dipped just inside the far post.

At the halfway mark of the season, Windmills surprisingly held the lead, glory that they tasted for three weeks. But the biggest danger was always Bayswater United, who held top spot for eight weeks compared with Tricolore's 11 weeks. A championship is won and lost at many points throughout a season, and when a club like Tricolore finally wins by one point, but with an inferior goal average, then the finger can be pointed at many spots. However, one can pick two vital matches in the last six contests that probably proved the turning point.

Bayswater, sitting in first place on July 22, dropped an unecessary point against Ascot when the game was in their keeping with only ten minutes left to play. Dropping to second place, Bayswater had another chance to take the lead by goal average when they clashed with Tricolore on August 12. Once again, with only minutes left, Bayswater held a 2-1 lead, but the reliable O'Connell popped up with a sizzling 40-yard drive that curved into the net for a Tricolore equaliser and one point.

Tricolore's ultimate success was based on the sides ability to knit together as a team. Newcomer Fred Cartlidge tightened up the defence, while the midfield was full of talent such as O'Connell, Jeff Williams, Peter Osborne and Tommy Barber. Up front, striker Bobby Hynd, playing more as a lay-off man than as the traditional striker we are used to, managed to score 23 valuable goals to help his side produce 63 goals, the second highest in the league.

But for Tricolore it was a battle in a competition that has never been so even, and in which the general standard had again risen. Bayswater ran them close right to the last match, and must be considered the top skill side of the year, utilising the professional skill of midfield wizard Reg Davies to perfection. For such a commanding side, the attack lacked authority, while the midfield was always probing and giving support, backed by a superb defence in which Jim Sambrook, Gary Mateljan and Saverio Madaschi, in goal, were outstanding.

Bayswater's first encounter with Azzurri on April 30 will go down as the match that gave us a glimpse of the consumate skills that can be produced, even in W.A. For most of the game it was a classic encounter with both sides producing intelligent movement. That Azzurri won 2-1 really mattered little compared to the hope provided to the practised observer that greater things are around the corner. Azzurri suffered from poor direction and an obvious lack of faith in their own ability. >From a side that crushed all opposition with arrogant ease in 1971, Azzurri 1972 vintage was a fumbling shadow being flattered by their third placing.

The mounds of publicity that preceded a Malaysian international Dali Omar, who made his debut for Azzurri against Kiev on May 28, appeared justified when he notched three fine goals and created another three. But he fell from grace quickly as opponents hustled him off the ball and out of the game. Azzurri managed to reach second position three times, dropped to no worse than fifth before finally settling for third.

Kiev performed well throughout the season and deserved better than fourth position. Their big trump card was striker Len Dundo, who fired home 34 goals to become the top goalscorer in the first division. Well supported by newcomer Jeff Ruellan, who travelled from Albany each week, Kiev shook up the competition. Cracovia was an enigma of a side, rarely losing or winning by more than one or two goals. They battled close to relegation for much of the season, but in the last game of the year, beat Kiev 3-1 to snatch a meritorious fifth place on the league.

Olympic, who never seemed to recover from the traumatic experience of the night competition, lost the service of Frank Cutts before the night series, then sacked coach Peter Saninno half-way through the series. Mike Ireson brought back into the breach manfully tried to turn the tide, and partially succeeded as Olympic ended up in sixth place. Windmills lost two, drew one and won eight matches in the first half of the season to take the lead, but then, in the home stretch, reversed the situation, losing all but two of the last eleven, those two ending in draws.

Ascot was the big disappointment of the year. Finishing in the preliminary final of the night series, Ascot, with a slightly superior goal average, just edged Croatia North Perth into a relegation berth. A team full of talent and stars, Ascot was tipped by some to win the premiership, while few considered they would not make the top four. John Oavidson notched 17 goals, some with his miraculous right foot which shows no respect to distance.

Probably one of the most controversial aspects of 1972, was the federation's relegation tournament to produce a first division of ten for the 1973 season. After much soul-searching and special meetings it was decided that the 1973 competition would consist of three divisions of ten clubs each, instead of a first division of 12 and a second division of 14.

To arrive at the new formation, painful surgery was required. It was simply decided to drop six clubs from the second to the newly-formed third division. But to gain ten clubs in the first a round robin tournament involving the last four of the first division and the second placed club of the second division would meet, the winner only to stay in the first division while the rest became second division members.

>From the first division Kwinana United and Croatia North Perth, two new clubs to the first division in 1972 and Subiaco City, Swan Valley and second division Alemannia Melville made up the contestants. It was a plan that brought wide condemnation, but which eventually solved the problem. A strong argument for saving Croatia and Kwinana was the fact that their performances almost equaled Cracovia's in fifth place. Croatia was only two points behind Cracovia, while Kwinana was a point further away again. In a close hard-fought battle for survival, Kwinana beat Croatia 4-1 in their fourth and final match to snatch first division status. As expected, this final match produced much bitterness. The crowd was close to riot, while some players on the field got into personal attacks.

The first division was for much of the season a topsy turvy competition with little separating the top ten clubs. But in the final analysis, while the relegation fight was close, the top four clubs ended up well clear, by seven points from the rest.

The second division had a similar tale to tell for hard competition, and the one point victory to Stirling City over newcomers Alemannia-Melville tells its own story. In the final round of matches, it was assumed that Alemannia, leading by one point in their first year with the federation, would take the title. Only Macedonia stood in their way to an historic victory. But Macedonia stunned everyone with a 1-0 win to rob Alemannia of an automatic promotion.

However, nothing should take away Stirling City's glory, a team that had led the division for most of the season and was rarely out of one of the two top spots. Coach Frank Schaper had promised two years before that he would lead the club to division one in two seasons, and he kept his word. Looking at the situation on the second division league table one can clearly discern the fierce cutthroat year with no team really sure of the premiership till the last match was played. Therefore, it was understanding that loud protests were heard from at least six clubs who were axed to the new third division. But two special meetings and an annual meeting couldn't save them and the scene is set of a tough 1973.

ASSOCIATION CUP : ANOTHER TRICOLORE TITLE

The 1972 D'Orsogna Cup competition was a mirror of the year as a whole. It was unpredictable! All teams, first and second division, were thrown in together in the first round, though many still favour some system that brings the first division clubs in for the second round. The first round produced only one game in which first division clubs clashed. Tricolore, looking for a clean sweep of the major winter titles, were drawn against Cracovia at Wauhop Park. It was a high-standard game played before a small crowd in blustery conditions that taxed the skills of the players. Giving a complete exhibition, Tricolore coasted to a 4-2 victory, but not before Cracovia had given them a warning to tighten their play when on top.

As is always the case in knockout competition, such as the D'Orsogna cup, there were the upsets. The biggest of these was the demise of Olympic by the low second division club, South Perth, who recorded a 1-0 victory. This match ended a nightmare year for Olympic, a year they would love to forget. Another club to feel the bitter winds of defeat was Windmills. Continuing in the cup where they ended off in the league, Windmills struggled to a 6-5 victory over second division Rockingham United, but not before they were forced to a penalty system after the match had ended in a 1-1 draw after extra time.

Another second division club, Fremantle Dalmatinacs, squeeze Windmills out of the competition in the second round. This time it was a real do or die effort as Windmills held on to their tattered reputation into a replay the following week. The original match had ended in a 2-2 draw. After extra time and penalty deciders, the game was still locked in a draw at 5-5. In the replay, Dalmatinacs beat a dispirited Windmills 1-0. But Windmills was not the only club to lower their colours unexpectedly.

In the second round, Alemannia-Melville, who had provided the second division with a bright debut to senior soccer under coach Val McKenzie, sunk dashing Kiev 3-1 at Woodville Reserve. Kwinana provided a mild shock with a solid 4-1 win over Ascot, while Tricolore found relegated Subiaco City more than a handful before registering a 2-1 win.

On to the quarter-finals where class starts to tell as the pressure builds up. But once again the class came from the unexpected quarter and a season riddled with shocks continued to stun the critics. Gone was Bayswater United, downed 1-0 by Dalmatinacs, ended were the hopes of Croatia, thrashed 6-0 by Kwinana United; while the pride of W.A. soccer Azzurri tumbled to a humiliating 3-2 defeat at the hands of Alemannia, a club that didn't exist two years previous. No-one in their right mind could ever have tipped these sort of results. And all were fully deserved, without any stigma of luck attached to them.

For the federation, the hope of a massive final gate was gone, but the chance of soccer growing up beyond the domination of two clubs was becoming a reality. The semi-finals with Tricolore versus Dalmatinacs and Kwinana United versus Alemannia left only two first division clubs in the contest with one of those, Kwinana, in the dire danger of relegation and holding tenth place on the league ladder. As expected Tricolore finally stopped the rot, but were far from impressive with their 2-0 win, while Kwinana were never in danger as they plodded to a similar victory over Alemannia.

So a remarkable competition was drawing to a close with no-one tipping a Kwinana victory. The crowd that turned up at the Lake Monger Velodrome was one of the smallest final crowds on record, not even getting past the 1,500 mark. Yet the soccer turned on by these two teams deserved the biggest crowd of the season. A valuable start came Tricolore's way in the 23rd minute when Williams deep in the Kwinana penalty area, surrounded by defenders, accepted a free kick and scored without challenge. Three minuted later Tricolore increased the lead when striker Bobby Hynd latched on to a mistake by defender Martin Redpath to score from close range. Stunned by this reversal, Kwinana was jolted back into the game with a thundering 35-yardshot from Neil Horn by in a shot that gave goalkeeper Brian McIntosh no chance as it flashed just under the bar.

A lead of 2-1 at half-time seemed small for Tricolore and everyone expected an avalanche of goals in the second-half. And when Williams breached a Kwinana offside trap in the first minute of the restart to score with a beautiful volley, the writing seemed on the wall. But Kwinana's vocal supporters in the crowd had faith in their team. And it was justified when in the 74th and 76th minutes John O'Donnell and Keith Evans scored two spectacular goals to tie the score and present the possibility of ultimate upset of the season.

Tricolore, however, had too much experience in this sort of situation, and when the reliable Kwinana defender Geoff Cole committed himself to a sliding tackle on O'Callaghan in the 83rd minute, the game was as good as over. O'Callaghan easily avoided the crude, hasty challenge and crossed to an unmarked Tommy Barber, who crashed a close range shot into the roof of the net. For Tricolore it was the coveted double of league and cup. This added to their reserves' success in both competitions as well, winning the Reserve Cup 1-0 over Rockingham United.

NIGHT SERIES : BAYSWATER'S FIRST SUCCESS

Bayswater United 6 East Fremantle-Tricolore 2 ; This is the scoreline that was hard to believe, even by those who witnessed this massacre in the grand-final of the 1972 Ampol night competition. In the preliminary-round matches, semi-finals and the preliminary final, Bayswater had given little indication that they could produce such a devastating display. Before the match, observers and critics had generally been equally divided on the outcome.

Bayswater started the competition in ragged but triumphant form beating Cracovia 2-0, losing to Tricolore 1-0, and beating Olympic 1-0 to qualify for the semi-finals. Tricolore on the other hand demonstrated a dangerous attack, with a 3-1 victory over Olympic, 1-0 win over Bayswater, while the goalscoring spree continued in a 3-3 draw with Cracovia. Tricolore failed to impress in attack, while looking safe in defence, as they moved into the grand-final with a 2-0 win over Ascot in the second semi-final.

With the realisation that a loss in the first semi-final meant elimination from the competition, both Bayswater and Kiev fought out a rugged but dull encounter, with Bayswater squeaking through to the preliminary final with a 2-1 win. A mistake by goalkeeper Joe Vikor, who fumbled a simple shot, allowed winger John Davies to slam home the winner. In the preliminary final against Ascot, Bayswater, once again found goals hard to come by, but the defence proved too resilient for Ascot's attack, as they won 1-0.

Before the competition started old favourites Azzurri, and Tricolore with Kiev, Ascot and Bayswater United were considered the sides to watch. For the first time in the history of the competition, Azzurri failed to make the semi-finals. They collected only one poiht from a 1-1 draw with Windmills in their last preliminary round match. Kiev made the semi-finals, finishing second in group A with four points, the same as winners Ascot but with an inferior goal average. Their goalscoring was the best of the series as they registered eight goals in preliminary rounds, with Len Dundo getting, three, one in each mnatch.

Windmills entered their final preliminary match with a slim chance of making the semi-finals, but only if they beat Azzurri, while Ascot beat Kiev by at least two goals. History records that both matches ended in draws and Windmills ended in third place, out of the competition. Cracovia, again performed reasonably, scoring well, but conceding almost as many. Their 3-3 fight with Tricolore was a stirring match, with their two equalising goals coming in the last few minutes of play. It was an indication that Cracovia was starting to regain some of their lost prestige.

Apart from Azzurri, the biggest disappointment was Olympic. Normally a good night competition side on the small Lake Monger Velodrome pitch, they produced the worst record of all in contrast to their qualifying for the grand- final the year before. They lost all preliminary games, scoring only two goals while conceding eight, and in the process lost their stalwart defender Sandy Thomson, who later had a kidney removed following an accidental clash with Bayswater United's goalkeeper Saverio Madaschi.

So to the Grand-final, where Bayswater's super defence was expected to battle desperately with Tricolore's rampant striking force. It was a shocked crowd of more than 3,000 who sat and contemplated Tricolores chances at half-time as Bayswater held a commanding and unbeatable 4-0 lead. Goals by defenders Paul Messer, Jim Sambrook and Christian Ducasse, all from thundering long distance shots, and forward George Holzman destroyed the port side.

Tricolore's hopes of pinning back the avalanche vanished in the 52nd and 57th minutes as Holzman and winger Alex Genovese virtually sealed the issue. Consolation, if any can be applied in this situation, came from goals by Dave O'Callaghan and Bobby Hynd in the 57th and 70th minutes respectively. And who was the fly in the ointment for Tricolore? None other than that master veteran, midfield general Reg Davies, who had missed most of the early part of the competition because of broken ribs and a punctured lung suffered during the State match against the German side Hertha 03 on January 1.

Group A
Round One
Ascot 3 (Davidson 2, own goal) Windmills 2 (Leber, Love)
Kiev 4 (Lovell 2, Thorpe, Dundo) Azzurri 2 (Brady, Cooney)
Round Two
Ascot 2 (Cairnduff, Davidson) Azzurri 1 (Van Oosten)
Kiev 2 (Bartley, Dundo) Windmills 2 (Leber, Love)
Round Three
Ascot 2 (Davidson, Cairnduff) Kiev 2 (Bartley, Dundo)
Windmills 1 (O'Connell) Azzurri 1 (Andrioff)

Group B
Round One
Bayswater United 2 (Debono, J. Davies) Cracovia 0
East Fremantle-Tricolore 3 (O'Callaghan 2, Williams) Olympic 1 (Ireson)
Round Two
Cracovia 4 (Zanetta 2, Olschok, Golly) Olympic 1 (Tsoklis)
East Fremantle-Tricolore 1 (Hynd) Bayswater United 0
Round Three
Bayswater United 1 (Alfieri) Olympic 0
East Fremantle-Tricolore 3 (Williams, O'Callagham, Hynd) Cracovia 3 (Golly, Migas, own goal)

Semi-finals
Bayswater United 2 (Alfieri, J. Davies) Kiev 1 (Dundo)
East Fremantle-Tricolore 2 (Cartlidge, Williams) Ascot 0

Preliminary final
Bayswater United 1 (J. Davies) Ascot 0

Grand Final
Bayswater United 6 (Holzman 2, Messer, Sambrook, Ducasse, Genovese) East Fremantle-Tricolore 2 (O'Callaghan, Hynd)

TOP FOUR PLAY-OFFS : AZZURRI'S BIG VICTORY

The Top Four Cup, which has changed format a number of times, has become unfashionable and will be dropped from the 1973 programme. Originally conceived as a means of determining W.A's entry into the now-defunct Australian Cup, it is now just another tournament to which little prestige, if any is attached. Over the past two years, clubs have even filled their sides with new or experimental youngsters rather than foot the wage bill required for the matches involved.

In its final year (1972), the top four was played at night during midweek at the Lake Monger Velodrome under floodlights. Unfortunately, to prevent the season running into November, the series was played at the same time as the prestigious D'Orsogna Cup. The format called for the four top teams of each division to compete in a mixed competition with teams being drawn out of a hat.

In the first round, it was obvious that surprises, common in 1972, were to continue. Stirling City took care of Perth City with a 3-1 victory, while Azzurri struggled to a 3-2 win over Kiev. But Bayswater United was forced to a 2-2 draw with Alemannia Melville with penalties being used to decide the issue. In this Bayswater scored five to Alemannia's four to win 7-6. Tricolore suffered the same fate against Floreat Athena after being held to a 3-3 draw, finally running out winners 5-4.

Then came the classic Azzurri-Tricolore clash in the semi-finals. Tricolore had been in such powerful form for most of the season, while Azzurri was only a shadow of their former selves. Therefore the thrashing handed to Tricolore by Azzurri in winning 5-1 came as yet another upset. In this match striker Johnny Van Oosten, injured for much of the year and fighting to find touch, hit peak form with a hat-trick of goals. In the other semi-final Bayswater United coasted to the easiest of victories with a 7-0 win over Stirling City.

In the final, Bayswater were considered the form side, but there was enough indication that Azzurri would be a handful. In fact, they were more than a handful as they hammered Bayswater, the holders of the Top Four Cup, 7-0. The outstanding performer was Johnny Van Oosten, who gave one of the greatest displays of his career, scoring four superb goals. The normally solid Bayswater defence cracked wide open against the running of Van Oosten and Eric Marocchi, who scored two goals. Only Jim Sambrook and Paul Messer looked likely to stem the tide in the absence of Gary Mateljan, who had gone to England. Azzurri salvaged some of their lost pride, and proved that no matter how far they may appear to sink, they are always a force capable of turning the tables.

First Round
Stirling City 3 (Waddle 2, McSevich) Perth City 1 (Winrow)
Azzurri 3 (Van Oosten, Newell, E. Marocchi) Kiev 2 (Dundo, Thorpe)
Bayswater United 7 (Holzman, Genovese) Alemannia Melville 6 (Sparks, Popp) - penalties used after game ended 2-2
East Fremantle-Tricolore 5 (O'Callaghan, Williams Hynd) Floreat Athena 3 (Hallam 2, Goudouranas) - penalties used after game ended 3-3

Semi-finals
Bayswater United 7 (Debono 2, Sambrook 2, Alfieri, J. Davies, Woodard) Stirling City 0
Azzurri 5 (Van Oosten 3, Andrioff, own goal) Tricolore 1 (O'Callaghan)

Final
Azzurri 7 (Van Oosten 4, Marocchi 2, Holt) Bayswater United 0

GOLD MEDAL : REDPATH WINS BY 14 VOTES

The Rothmans Gold Medal award for the season's fairest and best player, inaugurated in 1971, has established itself as one of the major sporting prizes in W.A. Not only has a big important company backed soccer, but Channel Nine gave it nve cover. And to place the official seal of approval on the event and put soccer on the highest plane, the Premier, Mr. John Tonkin, and the Leader of the Opposition, Sir Charles Court, were special guests of honour at the dinner to announce the winner.

In 1971, Azzurri's great midfield player Brian Newell created history as the first winner of the medal, taking the award by one vote. But in 1972, it was a runaway victory for Martin Redpath of Kwinana United. Redpath was, to most, a surprise winner, as much as Newell had been the expected victor the year before. While Redpath plays in the defensive position, which always gets votes, the favourites for the medal were Jim Sambrook and Gary Mateljan of Bayswater United, Fred Cartlidge of East Fremantle-Tricolore, Newell and John Lovell of Kiev. All are defenders or midfielders.

When the curtain opened for the third and last time to start the fourth quarter of the count live on TV, Redpath was already so far ahead that only a miracle could stop his march to the rostrum to collect the medal. Redpath won by an amazing 14 votes. Second with 24 votes came veteran Peter Perich (Swan Valley), who retired from the game a few weeks later. Four votes further behind came one of the favourites, in Newell.

In the past there have been the surprise winners, and, with due respect to Redpath, he must now be numbered among them. After the award had been presented, Redpath said that he thought he had a good chance because he had played consistently, but was surprised by the margin of victory. It is the most complete success in the history of soccer's fairest and best awards. Kwinana, of course, owe a vote of thanks to Redpath in their desperate battle to stay in first division in their first year in the premier division.

An interesting success in the voting was that of Subiaco City's goalkeeper Mark O'Donoghue, the former East Perth Australian rules footballer, who was in only his second year as a soccer player. He polled 17 votes and filled fifth place. To underline the chances of a defender or midfielder taking off the coveted prize, only one specialist forward was listed among the first 17 positions. That was Kiev's Len Dundo, the first division top goalscorer for 1972 with 34 goals. Therefore, it is a mystery why both Sambrook and Cartlidge failed to poll well, because they were two of the outstanding defenders in W.A. last year.

At present votes are given by the referee who allots three for the best player of the match with two and one votes going to the next best two respectively. The leading vote getters were:
Martin Redpath (Kwinana United) 38
Peter Perich (Swan Valley) 24
Brian Newell (Azzurri) 20
Hugh Miller (Tricolore) 19
Mark O'Donoghue (Subiaco City) 17
Paul Messer, Gary Mateljan (Bayswater United), Ken Pearson (Kwinana United), Jeff Williams (Tricolore) 16
Len Dundo (Kiev) 14
Dave Brady, Vlada Knezovich (Croatia North Perth), Tommy Barber (Tricolore), John Lovell (Kiev) 13
Peter Mitchell (Cracovia) 10

South Perth, now Bayswater United defender, Chris Burton won the Langlev award for the fairest and best player in the second division with 14 votes. He gained four more than Fremantle Dalmatinacs' Johnny Almond, while D. Yeomans (Alemannia), B. Graham (Macedonia) and J. Dornan (Stirling City) polled nine votes each.

LEADING GOALSCORER : LEN DUNDO

Kiev's Len Dundo became the first player to win Ken George of Yamaha's $3-a-goal award for the season's top goal scorer. Dundo is one of the most consistent goalscorers over the years, even if he has been with a side that connot provide him with full support. He is a striker in the true sense of the word. He has the feel and inbuilt sense of direction, as far as goals are concerned and is selfish enough to want to score as many as possible.

In 1971, Dundo notched up 14 goals. A good effort, but this was a preparatory run for 1972. In 22 matches, he got 34 goals, five less than Johnny Van Oosten the year before. Dundo failed to score on only four occasions, those being against Croatia North Perth, Tricolore, Bayswater and Ascot. With only four matches of the season left, Dundo had scored 33 goals, and Van Oosten's efforts of the previous year was well within his capabilities. But he could manage only one more against Cracovia in the final game of the season.

On five occasions he scored three goals or more, with his best effort being four against his old side Swan Valley at Gingin Road. His week-by-week goal-scoring record was 1-1-2-3-0-2-3-3-1-2-2-0-1-1-1-1-2-4-3-0-0-1. Tricolore's Bobby Hynd, whose style has changed from a straight-out striker to one of a striker and lay-off merchant, once again figured prominently with 23 goals, including two hat-tricks against Windmills and Subiaco City.

Other star scorers were Eric Marocchi (Azzurri) 21, John Davidson (Ascot) 17, Van Oosten (Azzurri) 17, John O'Connell (Tricolore) 15, Ben Price (Olympic) 14, Dom Gilich (Croatia) 12, George Holzman (Bayswater United) 12, Wally Migas (Cracovia) 11, Jeff Ruellan (Kiev) 11.

In the second division, former Bayswater United and Subiaco City striker Mike Hallam became the top scorer in senior federation soccer with 35 goals for Floreat Athena. Roger King of Gosnells scored 29 goals, while Jim Miller of Fremantle Dalmatinacs, the brother of Tricolore and State captain Hugh Miller, found the net 23 times. Other major scorers were: Tommy Waddell (Stirling City) 23, Alfred Gross (Alemannia Melville) 21, Gerry Crolla (Perth City) 20, Ernie Todd (Gosnells) 17, Bob Beale (Cockburn United) 16, Steve Katris (Floreat Athena) 14, Jim Quinn (Rockingham United) 14.