1936 Claremont Football Club Picnic photograph of Bill Sutherland and Jack Reeves.
Sutherland was an important if comparatively unheralded contributor to the Claremont Football Club’s first truly auspicious era between 1936 and 1940. When the Monts went top in 1938, 1939 and 1940, Sutherland played serviceably in the back pocket each time. His league career comprised 140 senior games between 1935 and 1941 and in 1946, and he was a popular winner of his club’s 1941 fairest and best award. He played 141 games for Claremont from 1935 to 1946
‘Jack’ Reeves went on to become a fine ruckman for Claremont in 96 WANFL games between 1936 and 1941 and in 1946. He was a key member of the Monts’ three successive Grand Final-winning teams from 1938 to 1940, overcoming eyesight problems to produce displays of consummate courage and skill when it mattered most.
His four interstate appearances for Western Australia included both matches at the 1937 Perth carnival when the home state came very close to securing the championship. Reeves spent much of his final season in league football as de facto coach of the club given that ostensible coach Johnny Leonard was frequently unavailable owing to business commitments. It was not a salutary end to his career, however, as Claremont finished last with just three wins from 19 games.
He played 96 games for Claremont between 1936 and 1946
