Australian football is the most popular sport in Perth Western Australia, and only second to Swimming as the most played and participated sports in both the state and nationally.[citation needed]
They were crowned A-League Premiers in the 2018-19 season. In the previous National Soccer League, Perth Glory was a relatively successful team by winning the last titles of the NSL (2002-03 & 2003-04). Perth Glory's home games are played at Perth Oval, although they have played finals at Perth Stadium.
Swimming
Western Australia’s most popular sport, with the largest number of registered participants is swimming, with competition and training carried out throughout the year.
Australian rules football is the third most played sport in Western Australia, with its popularity elevated due to excellent marketing and lobbying at state and national level. Western Australia has two teams in the national league: the West Coast Eagles and the Fremantle Football Club (the "Fremantle Dockers"). Both teams use Optus Stadium as their home ground. The state's local league is the West Australian Football League (WAFL) with nine clubs representing metropolitan regions. Australian rules football is the most popular football codes in Western Australia with over 1,030,000 spectators attending WAFL and AFL matches in 2004.[1]
Perth has a strong regional field hockey competition. There are many field hockey clubs for children, men, women and veterans (over 40 year of age). Western Australia contributes significantly to the national Australian men's and ladies' hockey teams which have both been winners of Olympic Gold Medals.
The Australian Institute of Sport hockey unit has been based in Perth since 1984, when it was the first sport to be decentralised.[2]
Normally at least one international golf tournament is held in WA each year, with the Johnnie Walker Classic at The Vines Resort & Country Club in Jan 2006 as part of both the European Tour and PGA Tour of Australasia. In past years international tournaments have also been held at the Karrinyup Country Club. The Heineken Classic was held in WA throughout the 1990s and was at times the richest tournament held in Australia.
Horse racing
Horse racing is very popular with a metropolitan race meeting every Saturday, fortnightly mid week meetings and weekly meetings at one of the major country centres. The Perth Cup is the state's premier race held each New Year's Day at Ascot Racecourse. The metropolitan tracks are Ascot for the spring and summer months and
Belmont Park during the wetter autumn and winter months.
Many country towns have a racecourse and a major race day each year. These meetings are often the centrepiece of the communities activities, coinciding with other local events.
Netball
Netball is the highest female participation sport in females in Western Australia, with more than 150,000 participants. West Coast Fever plays in the National Netball League, and is the premier netball team in WA. Their home court is Perth Arena.
Despite showing some promise (particularly in the underage competitions) the Reds were not invited to join the National Rugby League in 1998 as part of the agreement to end the Super League war.
In 2012, the WA Reds were rebranded as the West Coast Pirates.[4] Both West Coast Pirates and the WA Reds played out of Perth Oval in the under-age S. G. Ball Cup, with an aim to having a number of WA-born juniors when the bid joins the NRL[5]West Coast Pirates in the 2022 NRL expansion.
Western Australia is the home of the Western Force, a professional rugby union team which plays in Super Rugby. Their home ground is NIB Stadium. The governing body Rugby Australia, under financial pressure due after funding bailouts to Rebels, Force and Reds, axed the Force from Super Rugby after the 2017 season. Andrew Forrest rescued the Perth-based Force and set up the World Series Rugby competition in 2018. From 2020, however, the Western Force were re-invited into the Super Rugby competition as Australia's fifth franchise in the tournament.
Baseball is becoming increasingly popular in Western Australia. Baseball WA is the governing body of baseball in Western Australia and oversees the organization of the sport in the area. The highest level of play in Australia is the Australian Baseball League (ABL) and has a team in Western Australia, the Perth Heat. The Heat won the inaugural championship during the 2010–2011 season and a further 3 championships in 2011-2012, 2013-2014, 2014–2015 and 15 total Claxton Shield Championships. The team plays at the Perth Harley-Davidson Ballpark.
Gel ball
Gel ball is a new but increasingly popular skirmish sport in Western Australia. Games are played at a number of locations across the state, usually at paintball fields.[7] The Western Australia Airsoft and Gel Ball Club was established in 2017, and is the main lobbying body for the sport.[8]
Lacrosse
In 2002, Perth hosted the World Lacrosse Games,[9] which included the World Lacrosse Championships (won by the United States), the Australian Youth Lacrosse Championship, a Masters (35+ year old), Grandmasters (45+), and International Open Championships.
Motorsport
Motorsport is very popular in Western Australia with numerous national and international events being held.
Rally Australia, which is a part of the World Rally Championship (WRC) was held each year on the gravel roads in the south-west jarrah forests as well as special stages held in central Perth at either Gloucester Park or on Langley Park. It was recognised as one of the best rallies internationally and attracted thousands of overseas tourists each year. There has been a large push to have the event returned to Western Australia, as of 2016 there has not been any of the required support from the state government. The final running of the event in WA occurred in October 2006.
The first round of the Australian Rally Championship is held yearly in the forests near Nannup.
The Western Australian Rally Championship is held throughout the south west between March and November. The championship is host to some of the longest running rallies in the world and has seen increasing numbers of both competitors and spectators each year.
Targa West is held near Perth and Toodyay yearly and attracts large crowds. A similar event Targa South West is held yearly in the southwest towns of Pemberton and Manjimup.
There are numerous yacht clubs in Perth and regional centres.
Water polo
A number of decorated international players have come from Perth. The Tom Hoad Cup is held each December.
Fistball
In 2023 Former West Coast EaglesWill Schofield started the first ever WA Fistball side The ID Athletic Western Fisters, The first tournament they entered was on the 16th December 2023 in Geelong.
National Champions
A list of professional sports teams from Western Australia who have won national competitions. Current as of 28 October 2023.
The Western Australian Sports Star of the Year is an individual award made to a current sportsperson selected by a committee of sports writers from The West Australian and members of the Western Australian Sports Federation, and chaired by Ron Alexander, director-general of the Department of Sport and Recreation. The award has been given since 1956.
A second award, induction to the Western Australian Hall of Champions has been made since 1983 and honours a number of sportspeople who, as products of the Western Australian sporting system, have achieved the highest level of competition. Recipients must have been retired from open competition for at least five years. The selection committee includes several prominent sports identities and members of the Western Australian Institute of Sport.
