Ray John SCHOFIELD

PLAYER: 1943-58

GAMES: 298: West Perth 277; WA 21

PREMIERSHIPS: 1949-51

HONOURS: West Perth fairest and best 1948, 50, 53-55; WA player national football carnivals 1950, 53; WAFL goal kicking runner-up 1943; Full back in WA Newspapers team of the century

Ray Scholfield got his nickname as a child by doing a neighbouurhood job of tipping out the horse manure collected by a Chinaman called homer.  If that annoyed his boss, it was nothing compared to the frustrations Schofield cased full forwards.  His battles with champion south Fremantle full forward Bernie Naylor were the stuff of legend.  Recalling the first, Schofield said “The coach told me to go out and walk all over him.  I did.  I don’t know how Bernie walked off the oval after the match.  I must have stood on his toes a million times that day.”  The pair were adversaries in one of Schofield’s most famous efforts, the 1951 grand final.  West Perth were 17 points in front at three-quarter time but South had the breeze and Naylor to kick to.  With 2-1/2 minutes to go, West Perth led by just three points and south were storming home but Schofield and back pocket player Wally Price stood firm.  “It was like an afternoon’s kick-to-kick,” he said.  “As soon as we cleared the ball it came back.  “He coached West Perth in 1958, a year he would never forget because h had a series of 47 boils during the season.  He never had them before or since and was told by doctors they were caused by worry.  Most coaches would agree.