“Mr Courageous” calls time on football career

“Mr Courageous” calls time on football career

West Perth’s “Mr Courageous”, Laine Rasmussen announced his retirement last week calling time on an outstanding career that yielded 102 senior games, a premiership and a list of achievements that most aspiring footballers would dream of.

Rasmussen made his league debut in 2012 after coming through the Clubs development program where in 2011 he represented Western Australia in the National Under 18s Championships.

Laine made the transition into Senior football and quickly established himself as an elite and highly respected defender. In just his second season of senior football he achieved the ultimate success being a valuable member of the 2013 premiership team where he was gritty in defence in the soggy conditions against archrivals East Perth.

The following year he was acknowledged as one of the premier defenders in the WAFL when he was selected to play for Western Australia against the NEAFL where he destroyed the oppositions forward line. In the same year he would finish Runner-Up in the Fairest & Best just a few votes behind winner Shane Nelson.

In 2015 Rasmussen would again feature strongly for the Falcons finishing 6^th in the Fairest & Best count and helping take the team to another Grand Final. Injuries took their toll in 2016 limiting Rasmussen to just ten games and at the end of that season he decided to take a break from football and travel the world.

In 2018, Laine returned to Perth and played for Scarborough FC before returning to the Falcons in 2019 when Geoff Valentine was appointed as Senior Coach. In his two seasons under Valentine, Rasmussen has been outstanding. He was a general on the ground and a natural leader. This coupled with his determination and desire for the contest resulted in Laine being awarded the Wayne Dayman Medal in both 2019 & 2020 as the Club’s most courageous player.

On numerous occasions throughout his career Laine demonstrated his ability to push himself through injury and pain to play his role and give his all for the team. This was true right to the end when in the final game of the home and away series against Subiaco, Laine produced a best on ground performance even though he suffered a ruptured posterior cruciate ligament in his knee in a collision.

Laine would miss the 1^st semi-final win against Perth but returned for the Preliminary Final against South Fremantle putting in a brave effort against eventual premiers South Fremantle.

On behalf of everyone at the Club we send our congratulations to Laine on his wonderful contribution to the West Perth FC. His career and achievements are a reflection of his hard work and character and we wish Laine, Laura and their son Sully all the very best in the next chapter of their lives.

Laine Rasmussen – 102 Senior Games, 16 Goals

2012 – 2016 & 2019 - 2020

2013 Premiership Player

2014 State Game for Western Australia

2014 Runner-up Fairest & Best

2015 6^th Place Fairest & Best

2019 Wayne Dayman Medal

2020 5^th Place Fairest & Best

2020 Wayne Dayman Medal