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
[11][12]
Records
Premierships
Current clubs
Defunct Clubs
| Club | Premierships | Runners-up | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | Season(s) | Total | Season(s) | |
| Unions/Fremantle (II) | 10 | 1887, 1888, 1889, 1890, 1892, 1893, 1894, 1895, 1896, 1898 | 0 | - |
| Rovers | 2 | 1885, 1891 | 3 | 1888, 1889, 1895 |
| Fremantle (I) | 1 | 1886 | 0 | - |
| Victorians | 0 | - | 3 | 1885, 1886, 1887 |
| Imperials | 0 | - | 2 | 1896, 1897 |
| Metropolitan | 0 | - | 1 | 1890 |
| North Fremantle | 0 | - | 1 | 1902 |
| Midland Junction | 0 | - | 0 | - |
| Centrals | 0 | - | 0 | - |
| East Perth (I) | 0 | - | 0 | - |
| High School | 0 | - | 0 | - |
| West Australian | 0 | - | 0 | - |
Consecutive appearances
Consecutive Premierships
| Premierships | Club | Sequence |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Fremantle (II) | 1892, 1893, 1894, 1895, 1896 |
| East Perth | 1919, 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923 | |
| 4 | Unions/Fremantle (II) | 1887, 1888, 1889, 1890 |
| East Fremantle | 1908, 1909, 1910, 1911 | |
| East Fremantle | 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931 | |
| 3 | East Fremantle | 1902, 1903, 1904 |
| Claremont | 1938, 1939, 1940 | |
| South Fremantle | 1952, 1953, 1954 | |
| Swan Districts | 1961, 1962, 1963 | |
| Perth | 1966, 1967, 1968 | |
| Swan Districts | 1982, 1983, 1984 | |
| East Perth | 2000, 2001, 2002 | |
| Subiaco | 2006, 2007, 2008 | |
| 2 | Subiaco | 1912, 1913 |
| South Fremantle | 1916, 1917 | |
| East Perth | 1926, 1927 | |
| West Perth | 1934, 1935 | |
| West Perth | 1941, 1942 | |
| East Fremantle | 1945, 1946 | |
| South Fremantle | 1947, 1948 | |
| East Perth | 1958, 1959 | |
| Perth | 1976, 1977 | |
| Claremont | 2011, 2012 | |
| Subiaco | 2014, 2015 | |
| Peel | 2016, 2017 | |
| Subiaco | 2018, 2019 |
Consecutive Grand Finals
Prior to 1904, the premiership and runners-up of the season were decided by position on the ladder (1st and 2nd, respectively). From 1904 onwards, a grand final was played to determine the premiers of that year. Since no grand final was played prior to 1904, despite East Fremantle either winning a premiership or being determined as the runners-up in the years of 1899-1903 (L, W, L, W, W), these years are not counted additionally towards East Fremantle's consecutive grand final appearances from 1904-1912.
| # | Club | Years | Win/Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | East Fremantle | 1904, 19051, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1910, 1911, 1912 | W, L, W, L, W, W, W, W, L |
| 6 | East Fremantle | 1916, 1917, 1918, 1919, 1920, 1921 | L, L, W, L, L, L |
| East Perth | 1918, 1919, 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923 | L, W, W, W, W, W | |
| East Perth | 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961 | W, L, W, W, L, L | |
| Subiaco | 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 | W, W, L, L, W, W | |
| 5 | Claremont | 1936, 1937, 19382, 1939, 1940 | L, L, W, W, W |
| South Fremantle | 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954 | W, L, W, W, W | |
| Claremont | 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991 | W, L, W, L, W | |
| 4 | East Fremantle | 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931 | W, W, W, W |
| East Fremantle | 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946 | W, L, W, W | |
| West Perth | 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949 | L, L, L, W | |
| East Fremantle | 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965 | L, L, L, W | |
| East Perth | 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969 | L, L, L, L | |
| Subiaco | 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988 | L, W, L, W | |
| Subiaco | 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 | W, W, W, L | |
| 3 | Perth | 1907, 1908, 1909 | W, L, L |
| East Fremantle | 1923, 1924, 1925 | L, L, W | |
| Subiaco | 1924, 1925, 1926 | W, L, L | |
| East Perth | 1926, 1927, 1928 | W, W, L | |
| East Fremantle | 1937, 1938, 1939 | W, L, L | |
| West Perth | 1951, 1952, 1953 | W, L, L | |
| Swan Districts | 1961, 1962, 1963 | W, W, W | |
| Perth | 1966, 1967, 1968 | W, W, W | |
| Perth | 1976, 1977, 1978 | W, W, L | |
| South Fremantle | 1979, 1980, 1981 | L, W, L | |
| Claremont | 1981, 1982, 1983 | W, L, L | |
| Swan Districts | 1982, 1983, 1984 | W, W, W | |
| East Perth | 2000, 2001, 2002 | W, W, W | |
| Claremont | 2010, 2011, 2012 | L, W, W | |
| South Fremantle | 2019, 2020, 2021 | L, W, L |
1 East Fremantle drew the 1905 WAFA Grand Final and was defeated by West Perth in the replay.
2 Claremont drew the 1938 WANFL Grand Final, and defeated East Fremantle in the replay.
Grand Final Matchups
Grand finals commenced from 1904, onwards. Grand final replays are not counted as individual appearances. This table is a list of all the grand final matchups in the West Australian Football League by order of how often two teams have played against each other. The table denotes the number of grand final appearances between two teams, the year(s) both teams have played against each other, and the premiership years(s) of each team (if any at all).
| # | Matchup | Grand Final Appearances | Team(s) Premiership Years | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team(s) | Premiership Years | |||
| 11 | East Fremantle vs East Perth |
1910, 1918, 1919, 1920, 1921, 1923, 1928, 1944, 1957, 1958, 2000 | East Fremantle | 1910, 1918, 1928, 1957 |
| East Perth | 1919, 1920, 1921, 1923, 1944, 1958, 2000 | |||
| 10 | South Fremantle vs East Fremantle |
1914, 1916, 1917, 1929, 1930, 1945, 1954, 1979, 1992, 1997 | South Fremantle | 1916, 1917, 1954, 1997 |
| East Fremantle | 1914, 1929, 1930, 1945, 1979, 1992 | |||
| 7 | Perth vs East Fremantle |
1904, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1955, 1974, 1977 | Perth | 1907, 1955, 1977 |
| East Fremantle | 1904, 1908, 1909, 1974 | |||
| Subiaco vs East Fremantle |
1912, 1924, 1925, 1931, 1933, 1985, 1986 | Subiaco | 1912, 1924, 1986 | |
| East Fremantle | 1925, 1931, 1933, 1985 | |||
| East Fremantle vs West Perth |
1905, 1906, 1911, 1934, 1941, 1946, 1998 | East Fremantle | 1906, 1911, 1946 | |
| West Perth | 1905 (Replay), 1934, 1941, 1998 | |||
| Draw | 1905 | |||
| South Fremantle vs West Perth |
1947, 1948, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1975, 1999 | South Fremantle | 1946, 1947, 1952, 1953 | |
| West Perth | 1951, 1975, 1999 | |||
| East Perth vs West Perth |
1922, 1932, 1960, 1969, 1971, 2002, 2013 | East Perth | 1922, 2002 | |
| West Perth | 1932, 1960, 1969, 1971, 2013 | |||
| 6 | Claremont vs Subiaco |
1987, 1988, 1991, 2004, 2007, 2011 | Claremont | 1987, 1991, 2011 |
| Subiaco | 1988, 2004, 2007 | |||
| East Fremantle vs Claremont |
1937, 1938, 1939, 1964, 1994, 2012 | East Fremantle | 1937, 1994 | |
| Claremont | 1938 (Replay), 1939, 1964, 2012 | |||
| Draw | 1938 | |||
| West Perth vs Subiaco |
1935, 1973, 1995, 2003, 2015, 2018 | West Perth | 1935, 1995, 2003 | |
| Subiaco | 1973, 2015, 2018 | |||
| 5 | Perth vs East Perth |
1966, 1967, 1968, 1976, 1978 | Perth | 1966, 1967, 1968, 1976 |
| East Perth | 1978 | |||
| Swan Districts vs East Fremantle |
1943, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1984 | Swan Districts | 1962, 1963, 1984 | |
| East Fremantle | 1943, 1965 | |||
| Claremont vs South Fremantle |
1940, 1981, 1989, 2005, 2020 | Claremont | 1940, 1981, 1989 | |
| South Fremantle | 2005, 2020 | |||
| 4 | Claremont vs Swan Districts |
1982, 1983, 1990, 2010 | Claremont | - |
| Swan Districts | 1982, 1983, 1990, 2010 | |||
| Subiaco vs South Fremantle |
2006, 2009, 2019, 2021 | Subiaco | 2006, 2019, 2021 | |
| South Fremantle | 2009 | |||
| South Fremantle vs East Perth |
1927, 1956, 2001, 2025 | South Fremantle | 2025 | |
| East Perth | 1927, 1956, 2001 | |||
| 3 | East Perth vs Claremont |
1936, 1972, 1996 | East Perth | 1936, 1972 |
| Claremont | 1996 | |||
| Subiaco vs East Perth |
1926, 1959, 2014 | Subiaco | 2014 | |
| East Perth | 1926, 1959 | |||
| West Perth vs Claremont |
1942, 1993, 2022 | West Perth | 1942, 2022 | |
| Claremont | 1993 | |||
| 2 | Perth vs Subiaco |
1913, 1915 | Perth | - |
| Subiaco | 1913, 1915 | |||
| South Fremantle vs Perth |
1950, 1970 | South Fremantle | 1950, 1970 | |
| Perth | - | |||
| Peel Thunder vs Subiaco |
2016, 2017 | Peel Thunder | 2016, 2017 | |
| Subiaco | - | |||
| 1 | West Perth vs Perth |
1949 | West Perth | 1949 |
| Perth | - | |||
| East Perth vs Swan Districts |
1961 | East Perth | - | |
| Swan Districts | 1961 | |||
| Swan Districts vs South Fremantle |
1980 | Swan Districts | - | |
| South Fremantle | 1980 | |||
| Subiaco vs Swan Districts |
2008 | Subiaco | 2008 | |
| Swan Districts | - | |||
| East Fremantle vs Peel Thunder |
2023 | East Fremantle | 2023 | |
| Peel Thunder | - | |||
| Peel Thunder vs East Perth |
2024 | Peel Thunder | 2024 | |
| East Perth | - | |||
Premiership Droughts
| + | Drought began upon club's entry to league |
| † | Drought ended upon club's exit from league |
| * | Also the longest club premiership drought |
| ° | Club has not yet won a premiership |
| × | Club exited the league without winning a premiership |
The following tables summarise the different premiership droughts for each club. The first table is limited to droughts lasting twenty or more seasons, while the other three are specific to each club (two of which span the entire competition, including all 21 teams). The duration of the drought is given as the number of full seasons contested between premierships; the season in which the drought is broken is considered to be part of the drought, and if the drought began from a club's entry to the league, the club's inaugural season is also considered to be part of the drought. Grand final replays are not included in grand final appearances.
The East Perth Football Club (Royals) currently playing in the WAFL since 1906, are only referred to as East Perth (II) when appearing on the same table along with the original East Perth Football Club (1891 - 1892), to avoid any confusion with the lesser known club (East Perth (I)).
Longest Premiership Droughts
| Club | Seasons | Start | End | Runners-up during drought |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subiaco | 49 | 1924 | 1973 | 1925, 1926, 1931, 1933, 1935, 1959 |
| Perth | 49 | 1977 | — | 1978 |
| Perth | 48 | 1907 | 1955 | 1908, 1909, 1913, 1915, 1949, 1950 |
| South Fremantle | 30 | 1917 | 1947 | 1927, 1929, 1930, 1940, 1945 |
| Swan Districts | 28 | 1934+ | 1961 | 1943 |
| West Perth | 27 | 1905 | 1932 | 1906, 1911, 1922 |
| East Fremantle | 25 | 1998 | 2023 | 2000, 2012 |
| Claremont | 24 | 1940 | 1964 | 1942 |
| East Perth | 23 | 2002 | — | 2013, 2014, 2024, 2025 |
| East Perth | 22 | 1978 | 2000 | 1996 |
| Swan Districts | 20 | 1990 | 2010 | 2008 |
| Peel | 20 | 1997+ | 2016 | — |
Table correct to the beginning of the 2026 season.
Longest club premiership droughts
| Club | Seasons | Start | End | Runners-up during drought |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centrals | 1 | 1891+ | 1891 † | — |
| Claremont | 24 | 1940 | 1964 | 1942 |
| East Fremantle | 25 | 1998 | 2023 | 2000, 2012 |
| East Perth (I) | 2 | 1891+ | 1892 † | — |
| East Perth (II) | 23 | 2002 | - | 2013, 2014, 2024, 2025 |
| Fremantle (I) | 2 | 1885+ | 1886 | — |
| High School | 1[a] | 1885+ | 1885 † | — |
| Imperials | 3 | 1895+ | 1897 † | 1896, 1897 |
| Metropolitan | 2 | 1889+ | 1890† | 1890 |
| Midland Junction | 10[b] | 1905+ | 1917 † | — |
| North Fremantle | 15 | 1901+ | 1915 † | 1902 |
| Peel | 20 | 1997+ | 2016 | — |
| Perth | 49 | 1977 | - | 1978 |
| Rovers | 8 | 1891 | 1899 † | 1895 |
| South Fremantle | 30 | 1917 | 1947 | 1927, 1929, 1930, 1940, 1945 |
| Subiaco | 49 | 1924 | 1973 | 1925, 1926, 1931, 1933, 1935, 1959 |
| Swan Districts | 28 | 1934+ | 1961 | 1943 |
| Unions/Fremantle (II) | 2 | 1890 | 1892 | — |
| 1896 | 1898 | — | ||
| Victorians | 4 | 1885+ | 1888 † | 1885, 1886, 1887 |
| West Australian | 2 | 1887+ | 1888 † | — |
| West Coast (R) | 6°[c] | 2019+ | — | — |
| West Perth | 27 | 1905 | 1932 | 1906, 1911, 1922 |
Bold indicates clubs currently playing in the WAFL.
Table correct to the beginning of the 2026 season.
Current club premiership droughts
| Club | Seasons | Start | Runners-up during drought |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claremont | 13 | 2012 | 2020, 2022 |
| East Fremantle | 2 | 2023 | — |
| East Perth | 23* | 2002 | 2013, 2014, 2024, 2025 |
| Peel | 1 | 2024 | — |
| Perth | 48* | 1977 | 1978 |
| South Fremantle | 0 | 2025 | — |
| Subiaco | 4 | 2021 | — |
| Swan Districts | 15 | 2010 | — |
| West Coast (R) | 6* | 2019+ | — |
| West Perth | 3 | 2022 | — |
Table correct to the end of the 2025 season.
Time taken to win first premiership
| Club | Seasons | Entry to league |
First premiership |
Runners-up during drought |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centrals | 1× | 1891 | — | — |
| Claremont | 13 | 1926 | 1938 | 1936, 1937 |
| East Fremantle | 3 | 1898 | 1900 | 1899 |
| East Perth (I) | 2× | 1891 | — | — |
| East Perth (II) | 14 | 1906 | 1919 | 1910, 1918 |
| Fremantle (I) | 2 | 1885 | 1886 | — |
| High School | 1[a]× | 1885 | — | — |
| Imperials | 3× | 1895 | — | 1896, 1897 |
| Metropolitan | 2× | 1889 | — | 1890 |
| Midland Junction | 10[b]× | 1905 | — | — |
| North Fremantle | 15× | 1901 | — | 1902 |
| Peel | 20 | 1997 | 2016 | — |
| Perth | 9 | 1899 | 1907 | 1904 |
| Rovers | 1 | 1885 | 1885 | — |
| South Fremantle | 17 | 1900 | 1916 | 1900, 1914 |
| Subiaco | 12 | 1901 | 1912 | — |
| Swan Districts | 28 | 1934 | 1961 | 1943 |
| Unions/Fremantle (II) | 2 | 1886 | 1887 | — |
| Victorians | 4× | 1885 | — | 1885, 1886, 1887 |
| West Australian | 2× | 1887 | — | — |
| West Coast (R) | 7°[c] | 2019 | — | — |
| West Perth | 7 | 1891 | 1897 | 1891, 1892, 1893, 1894 |
- ^ a b High School withdrew from the competition after only two rounds into the 1885 season.
- ^ a b As Midland Junction did not contest the 1911-1913 seasons, the duration of this drought was 10 contested seasons (across 13 calendar years).
- ^ a b West Coast did not contend the 2020 season, due to restrictions put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bold indicates clubs currently playing in the WAFL.
Table correct to the beginning of the 2026 season.
Game records
| Highest score | 26.13 (169) | by Perth (v East Fremantle 1977) |
| Lowest score | 0.8 (8) | by Perth (v East Fremantle 1908) |
| Highest aggregate | 265 points | Perth v East Fremantle (1977) |
| Lowest aggregate | 40 points | Subiaco v Perth (1915) |
| Highest winning margin | 96 points | by Subiaco (v South Fremantle 2019) |
| Lowest winning margin | 1 point | by Perth (v East Fremantle 1907) by Swan Districts (v Claremont 2010) |
| Highest losing score | 16.16 (112) | by South Fremantle (v East Fremantle 1979) |
| Lowest winning score | 3.3 (21) | by Subiaco (v Perth 1915) |
| Highest attendance | 52,781 | East Fremantle v South Fremantle (1979) |
| Lowest attendance | 5,308 | West Perth v Claremont (1942) |
| Premiership from lowest ladder position | 4th | by East Perth (v Claremont 1936) by Swan Districts (v East Fremantle 1963) by Claremont (v East Fremantle 1964) by East Fremantle v Swan Districts 1965) by Peel Thunder (v Subiaco 2016) |
Table correct to the end of the 2025 season.
Minor grades
Reserves premierships
|
|
|
Source where unlisted[29] |
Colts (under-19) premierships
|
|
Source[30] |
Fourths premierships (1965–1974)
|
Source[31] |
See also
References
- ^ a b "SPORTING". The West Australian. Perth: National Library of Australia. 4 October 1889. p. 3. Retrieved 15 September 2013.
- ^ "Centenary satisfaction for historian". West Australian Football Register: 24–25. 1985.
- ^ "FOOTBALL". The West Australian. Perth: National Library of Australia. 18 April 1901. p. 6. Retrieved 16 September 2013.
- ^ "WAFA becomes WAFL". The Daily News. Perth. 28 March 1907.
- ^ "Bother at Claremont". The Daily News. Perth. 13 October 1927.
- ^ Christian, Geoff; Lee, Jack; Messenger, Bob. The Footballers. St George Books. p. 32.
- ^ wafl waflw/wafl/rules and regs/2025/2025 wafl rules and regulations %5bmaster%5d %5bwafl waflw combined%5d.docx "WAFL Finals Rules & Regulations 2025". wafootball.com.au. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
{{cite web}}: Check|url=value (help) - ^ South Fremantle Football Club
- ^ South Fremantle Football Club
- ^ name="wafl-2013gf"Hope, Shayne (23 September 2013). "West Perth break 10-year drought". The West Australian. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
- ^ "WAFL Premiers & Runners Up (1904 - Present)". WAFL. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
- ^ Gauci, Ric. "Ladders (1885 - 1903)". waflfootyfacts. WAFL FootyFacts. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
- ^ "B Grade Grand Final Perth Defeat East Fremantle". The West Australian. 19 October 1925.
- ^ "B Grade Final East Fremantle Premiers". The West Australian. 27 September 1926.
- ^ "Football B Grade Final". The West Australian. 3 October 1927.
- ^ "Subiaco are premiers". Truth (Perth). 7 October 1928.
- ^ "B Grade Grand Final Subiaco Defeat West Perth". The West Australian. 21 October 1929.
- ^ "Association Final West Perth Defeats East Perth". The West Australian. 13 October 1930.
- ^ "Association Premiership Subiaco's Success". The West Australian. 26 October 1931.
- ^ "Association Premiership East Perth's One-Point Win". Sunday Times. 16 October 1932.
- ^ "Association Grand Final East Perth Wins Easily". The West Australian. 23 October 1933.
- ^ "Association Grand Final Easy Win For East Perth". The West Australian. 22 October 1934.
- ^ "Association Grand Final East Perth Win Exciting Match". The West Australian. 21 October 1935.
- ^ "Association Premiership South Fremantle's First Win". The West Australian. 19 October 1936.
- ^ "Association Premiership Claremont Outclass Perth In Grand Final". Sunday Times. 17 October 1937.
- ^ "Assn. Grand Final North-East Fremantle Succeed". The Daily News. 15 October 1938.
- ^ "East Fremantle Premiers In Seconds Grand Final". Mirror (Perth). 14 October 1939.
- ^ "League Seconds Grand Final". The West Australian. 21 October 1940.
- ^ "Reserves - Seasons". WAFL Footy Facts.
- ^ "Colts - Seasons". WAFL Footy Facts.
- ^ "Fourths - Seasons". WAFL Footy Facts.
- WAFL Premiers & Runners Up
