Ray Scott

Raymond Cyril Scott (17 April 19275 January 2003) was a leading Australian rules football player and field umpire in the West Australian National Football League (WANFL).

WANFL playing career Ray Scott began playing with the West Perth Football Club (the "Cardinals") in 1944 during the WANFL's under-age competition, where he played as a ruckman or centre half-back but was nonetheless viewed as extremely promising. Scott then spent two years in the Royal Australian Navy and rejoined the club for the 1947 season, during which he was shifted to full-forward in place of future champion defender Ray Schofield. He played 190 games between 1944 and 1959.

Scott was a highly successful forward, kicking 910 goals during his WANFL career. In 1953 he kicked 143 goals (including a career high of 15 in one game), but finished second in the League's goalkicking award to South Fremantle goalkicking legend Bernie Naylor, who posted a record 167 total goals, including 23 in one game.

Scott was the WANFL leading goal kicker in 1951 and 1955, and he topped West Perth's goal kicking from 1948 to 1955. He kicked one hundred goals or more in a season four times.

Retiring from West Perth after the 1955 season, Scott played and coached in the Riverina Football League for three years, and after returning to Western Australia to play two more games with the Cardinals, took up umpiring. This was indeed remarkable as interstate matches were in those days always controlled by an umpire from a "neutral" State.

In 1972, Scott became an umpires' coach and assistant to the WANFL Umpires Advisor. In 1977 he took on the role of WANFL Umpires Advisor. He remained as coach until 1979, and thereafter he continued with membership of the Umpires Appointment Board, chairing the board in 1981 and 1982.

Awards Scott's contributions to the WANFL totalled an impressive 38 years of service as an umpire, player and administrator. As a player and umpire, he participated in 330 WANFL matches, including six Grand Finals.

This outstanding contribution to the WANFL, and the sport in general, was recognised in 1975 with the National Football League Award of Merit. The then national body gave only one award per year, and the award was given for 'outstanding service to the game'.

In 1995, Scott was awarded Life Membership of the West Australian Football League.

He was inducted in the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 1996 in recognition of his services to umpiring.

In 2000 he was included in West Perth's Team of the Century.