1918, but following the end of the war Perth (or Victoria Park as they were known in 1934 and 1935) was to have a long period in the doldrums. In the twenty-five open-age seasons from 1919 to 1946 Perth played in the finals only three times for just one win over East Perth in 1934. This record is made much worse by the fact that up to 1925 before were admitted four of six teams played off and to 1933 four of seven did so. From 1921 to 1923 the club suffered the ignominy of a hat-trick of wooden spoons, and though it became more competitive in the ensuing decade only in 1927, 1934 and 1939 did the Redlegs win more games than they lost. Despite the team's lack of collective success, Perth in the inter-war years was home to a number of outstanding players, including ruckman/forward Doug Oliphant, pacy centreman Cyril Hoft and full-forwards Alan Evans (who against East Fremantle in 1921 kicked thirteen of fourteen goals) and Albert Gook. Like most clubs, Perth lost a number of players due to the First and Second World Wars, with many players enlisted in the Australian Defence Force. In total, nineteen Perth players were killed on active duty in the two wars. Anthony Alexander Forrest, who played two games for the club in 1900, was killed in the Second Boer War in 1901. Postwar power and relocation Despite its failures at senior level up to 1946, Perth reached the preliminary final of the 1944 underage competition, and aided by inequitable metropolitan zoning, this group of young players allowed the club to become finals regulars along with , and from 1947 to 1951. Perth eventually settled as third in the WANFL pecking order during this period, and surprisingly even took a first-ever minor premiership in 1949 before making its first grand final for thirty-four years, only to lose to a more hardened West Perth. In 1950 they reversed the 1949 Grand Final result against the Cardinals but lost narrowly to an inaccurate South Fremantle in the premiership decider. The next four years saw Perth decline somewhat, winning only six games in 1952 and being unconvincing against the might of South Fremantle and West Perth in the other three seasons. However, with champion ruckman Merv McIntosh desperate to see his team with a premiership, Perth under experienced former Carlton centreman Ern Henfry and