Thirty-year-old reserves spearhead[1] Lachlan Oakley proved a perfect replacement and scored eighty goals in his only full season[2] before moving to Victoria and playing with Parkdale Vultures in the VAFA.
The premiership was a wonderful finalé for Toby McGrath, who retired for an army career after the 2004 season, but returned to WA in February and rejoined the Bulldogs to win both the Sandover and Simpson Medals.
Perennial battlers Perth suffered the largest change in fortune by falling from ten victories to three, but this was generally expected before the season began[6] due to the controversial loss of sixty-goal spearhead Chris Maguire to Swan Districts after the Demons refused to clear him,[7] future Hawthorn and Sydney superstar “Buddy” Franklin and the retiring Drew Cornelius,[6] which left them without almost their entire 2004 goal-to-goal-line.
[8] West Perth, also predicted to struggle due to the retirements of on-ballers Corey Johnson, Brendon Logan and Kim Rigoll,[9] did better than expected after losing several players and continuing their bad injury run of 2004, whilst Peel Thunder, after finally achieving a permanent WAFL licence and not having to prove itself again by 2008,[10] fell back from five wins to three.
[46] West Perth’s loss virtually seals the four after each clubs has had two byes, whilst a soaring mark by Paul Mugambwa (of whom it was said "he has the vertical leap of Michael Jordan" has the whole audience in awe.