Falcons fan ended up Demons star
Little-known fact: Perth champion Rob Wiley grew up a fanatical West Perth supporter.
One of his favourite memories is a picture taken with Cardinals star Ray Marinko when he was seven years old.
It will matter little on March 14 though, when Wiley becomes one of a select few to be inducted into Perth's Hall of Fame.
Wiley, now 59, turned into one of the Demons' greatest players, representing the club in four grand finals for two premierships and winning an incredible eight best and fairests in the first eight senior seasons he played there.
"I lived in the Perth zone, but even in my first reserves game after we had played South Fremantle at Fremantle Oval, mum and I hopped in the car and drove straight up to Bassendean to watch West Perth play," Wiley said. "But I feel incredibly lucky now to have been involved in the Perth footy club."
He played in Perth's reserves premiership team in 1973 and inherited the No.2 jumper from club legend Barry Cable when Cable rejoined North Melbourne in 1974.
"Being a West Perth supporter the No.2 was Mel Whinnen who I loved," Wiley said.
"No.2 was what I had worn all through juniors and I was really keen to get that number.
"In the end, in all my WAFL and VFL games I wore No.2. It was a real privilege to be the one to wear it after Barry Cable."
Wiley's fondest memories of Lathlain Park are of a dominant Perth team in the 1970s under Ken Armstrong, playing to packed houses.
They won the 1976 and 1977 flags and lost the 1978 decider to East Perth by less than a kick.
Wiley played 179 games for Perth and kicked 415 goals. He played 95 for Richmond and kicked 127 goals, and booted 24 goals for West Coast in 18 games in the club's first year in 1987.
The Demons haven't won a flag since 1977 and Richmond haven't won a flag since the one Wiley played in in 1980.
Wiley's memory of the powerful Demons teams is of a strong and even team led by Armstrong, a "hard taskmaster".
"He was ahead of his time with sports science but he worked you hard on the track too," he said.
"I remember in my first game against Subiaco I kicked 1.8 and in the next game I kicked 8.1 (against Claremont). During that whole week Ken had me on the track shooting for goal."
