The East Fremantle Football Club, nicknamed the Sharks and colloquially referred to as East Freo, is an Australian rules football club playing in the West Australian Football League (WAFL) and WAFL Women's (WAFLW). The team's home ground is East Fremantle Oval. East Fremantle is the most successful club in WAFL history, winning 30 premierships since their entry into the competition in 1898.[1] East Fremantle's last premiership was in 2023, when they defeated Peel Thunder.[2]
The increasing professionalism of teams in the Goldfields Football League attracted players away from Perth, which saw the Imperials Football Club collapse in 1897. Tom Wilson and David 'Dolly' Christy from the Imperials, along with businessman Sam Thomson, were instrumental in the foundation of the East Fremantle Football Club and its admission into the West Australian Football Association. The club adopted the Imperials' blue and white colours and many Imperials players would become part of the East Fremantle team in 1898.[3] Other sources claim that the origin of the club's colours were from the North Melbourne Football Club at the suggeston of the club's first captain Tom Wilson had played for North in the Victorian Football Association.[4] Wilson as captain and Christy as vice captain would play in East Fremantle's first game at the WACA on 11 May 1898.[5]
Tragedy would strike the club in just its sixth year, with the death of prominent player James Gullan from accidental poisoning the day after their game against South Fremantle.[6] During Gullan's time at East Fremantle he became regarded as one of the best players to ever play the game.[7]
East Fremantle became known affectionately as 'Old East' or 'Old Easts' after the admission of East Perth to the competition in 1906. The nickname continued to be used until 1983, when the nickname of 'the Sharks' was adopted.
East Fremantle has a fierce rivalry with its Port cousin, South Fremantle, and the Foundation Day Derby between the two sides is a much anticipated highlight of the local football calendar. East Fremantle's success has thus far eclipsed that of South Fremantle, who (as of 2021[update]) have won 14 WAFL premierships.
Up until 1987, Western Australia was immersed in WAFL culture and East Fremantle enjoyed a strong following. In 1987, a Perth-based club – the West Coast Eagles – joined an expanded Victorian Football League. West Coast's initial squad of 32 players included six East Fremantle players and they were coached by former East Fremantle premiership player and coach, Ron Alexander. Interest in the semi-national competition saw attendances at WAFL games start to fall, with severe consequences for the club's support base and finances. By the middle 2000s, East Fremantle was in severe trouble on and off the field, winning only nineteen of eighty matches between 2003 and 2006 and suffering severe financial difficulties,[8] though since then the club substantially recovered. The club endured a 25-year premiership drought before winning a thirtieth premiership in 2023. The Sharks once pulled on average 10,000 people to a home game. Now 1,500 people to a home game is considered a strong attendance.
East Fremantle was a foundation member of the WAFL Women's competition in 2019. They were the inaugural premiers of the competition, defeating Swan Districts in the grand final.[9]
Team of the Century
In 1997 the East Fremantle Football Club named its Team of the Century, to coincide with the club centenary celebrations. The team includes many names that have become synonymous with East Fremantle.
In 2007 the East Fremantle and South Fremantle football clubs came together to select the Fremantle Team of Legends. The Team consisted of players from East Fremantle and South Fremantle that had played at least 100 WAFL games for either club.
The East Fremantle team song is sung to the tune of "Notre Dame Victory March", which was adapted when the club changed its nickname from Old Easts to the Sharks in 1983.
Most consecutive victories: 35, between 28 July 1945 (Round 13) and 17 May 1947 (Round 3), including the 1945 and 1946 premierships
Most consecutive losses: 13, once between 18 May 1968 (Round 7) and 17 August 1968 (Round 19) and again between 11 April 1970 (Round 2) and 11 July 1970 (Round 14)
Bernie Naylor Medal: (20 total) – Ernest Kelly (1904, 38 goals), Henry Sharpe (1905, 50 goals), Henry Sharpe (1907, 48 goals), Charles Doig (1908, 26 goals), Charles Doig (1909, 38 goals), Arthur Rawlinson (1917, 46 goals), Joseph Lawn (1919, 55 goals), Dinney Coffey (1923, 36 goals), George Doig (1933, 106 goals), George Doig (1934, 152 goals), George Doig (1935, 113 goals), George Doig (1936, 109 goals), George Doig (1937, 144 goals), George Doig (1941, 141 goals), George Prince (1949, 82 goals), Bob Johnson (1966, 92 goals), Kevin Taylor (1979, 102 goals), Neil Lester-Smith (1989, 90 goals), Rod Tregenza (1999, 86 goals), Rod Tregenza (2000, 86 goals)
Prendergast Medal: (10 total) – Bill Taggart (1954), Joe Angel (1977), Kevin Taylor (1978), Jon Stagg (1994), Leigh Willison (2002), Morgan Cooper (2007), Conor Davidson (2008), James Murray (2010), Timothy Viney (2011), Benjamin Harding (2017)
Jack Clarke Medal: (6 total) – Mark Amaranti (1985), Graham Ralph (1989), Matthew Cremin (2000), Andrew Green (2001), Jacob Green (2013), Joshua Browne (2021)
On Saturday 2 June 2012, the East Fremantle Football Club inducted 52 individuals into the inaugural East Fremantle Football Club Hall of Fame. Nine inductees were also given 'Legend' status. Only Players, Officials and Volunteers that served the club between 1898 and 1986 were deemed worthy to be inducted.
Roll of honour
At the outbreak of World War I many players from Western Australia enlisted in the armed services, East Fremantle Football Club players killed in action include:
↑ Lee, Jack (1998). East Fremantle Football Club: celebrating 100 years of tradition: a trilogy of history. Palmyra, WA: Bill Benbow & Associates. ISBN0646358812.
↑ "James Gullan". The Spectator. Western Australia. 16 July 1903. p.14. Retrieved 25 October 2022– via National Library of Australia.
↑ Lewis, Ross; 'Sharks Rule Dunbar Safe: disappointed East Fremantle Fans Smell Coach's Blood But Not Club Bosses'; The Game, p. 15, from The West Australian, 24 April 2006
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