its name, becoming simply 'Claremont', and with the return of George Moloney in 1936 following his five seasons with Geelong Football Club in Australian football's 'big league' the VFL Claremont enjoyed its best WANFL season to date, winning 12 and losing 8 of its home and away matches to qualify for the finals in 2nd place. A 5-point 2nd semi final defeat of minor premier East Fremantle Football Club then earned Claremont premiership favouritism, a state of affairs which intensified still further when it was learned that their grand final opponents would not be Old Easts, but the Royals (East Perth Football Club), which had finished the minor round in 4th place, but had surprisingly overturned East Fremantle in the preliminary final by a solitary point. The 1936 WANFL grand final attracted 20,874 spectators to Subiaco Oval, who witnessed East Perth reaching an 11.5 (71) to 9.6 (60) victory. Claremont again finished runners-up a year later after raising hopes, first by finishing the home and away rounds with a 13–5–1 record to qualify for the finals as minor premiers, and then by overcoming East Fremantle in the 2nd semi final by 14 points. However, when the stakes were raised a fortnight later against the same opponent Claremont was found lacking, eventually going under by 10 points. In 1938 the club replaced coach Dick Lawn with Johnny Leonard, a former Sandover Medallist, who had already coached successfully at Ballarat, Geelong and West Perth. The club qualified for the finals in 2nd place and scored a 2nd semi final victory over East Fremantle, winning, 17.19 (121) to 13.18 (96). The grand final, again against East Fremantle however resulted in a draw, only the second time in WA(N)FL history. In the subsequent grand final replay Claremont won by 22 points, 14.17 (111) to 11.13 (79), breaking their premiership drought. In 1939, although the club lost the 2nd semi final against East Fremantle, 15.15 to 9.14, it won the preliminary final against East Perth 10.17 (77) to 11.5 (71). In the grand final, again facing East Fremantle, Claremont went on to win 14.11 (95) to 11.10 (76) obtaining its second premiership. 1940 saw Claremont again reach the finals, losing the 2nd semi final against South Fremantle Football Club before the club prevailed against East Fremantle in the preliminary final. In the grand final Claremont went on to beat South Fremantle obtaining their third successive