Always contending
Whitford’s Warren Nel speaks to Chris Egan
Since forming in 1976, Whitford Warriors Football Club has always been a club that has been a strong contender, no matter what grade they were competing in. Like the Warriors moniker, they have been tough and uncompromising.
Tough, uncompromising and always a strong contender, but for whatever reason, never quite getting the right break to be a premiership side.
It started in their first seasons as part of the Perth Football League, as Whitford would make it through to Grand Finals in both 1976 and 1977, but couldn’t land the premiership that they chased.
Throughout history Whitford have always seemed to be in that same position of contending, being deep in finals campaigns or Grand finals, without quite getting the ultimate success in any given season.
It is summed up by former Whitford player and Life Member Warren Nel.
“We are one of those clubs that has been at the top of the ladder, but hasn’t got that real success,” Nel said.
“I played in lots of Grand finals and didn’t win.”
While there may have been a lot of Grand finals that went begging for Nel and Whitford, there has been years where being a perennial contender has paid dividends. Consider the clubs first premiership in 1986 and the circumstances that went into finally delivering the club inaugural premiership success after much heartache previous.
“We only got into the finals in the last game of the year, yet we got there and won the Grand final” Nel said.
“To be part of the inaugural premiership was pretty amazing.”
Having competed at a high level at both ‘C Grade’ and ‘B Grade’ meant that Whitford always had the desire to be an ‘A Grade’ club. The club had a strong culture and a strong bond. By adding in some strong coaching, they were finally able to make the jump to ‘A Grade’.
When they made it to ‘A Grade’ they found the same as they had experienced throughout their history. They were always good enough to contend, but couldn’t quite get all the way to the ‘A Grade’ premiership they chased.
After winning the 2003 ‘B Grade’ premiership, they followed up in the 2004 ‘A Grade’ competition by finishing the home and away season second on the ladder, but bowed out just short of the Grand final losing the Preliminary final. In 2009, they again finished the ‘A Grade’ season in third position. Always around the mark, but never quite able to grab that top flight premiership.
Now as the Perth Football League embarks its centenary season, Whitford find themselves competing in the ‘B Grade’. Like it has always been, like Warriors, expect Whitford to be contending again as finals approach. The ultimate of consistent contenders.