131-618: The Fremantle Football Club , nicknamed the Dockers or colloquially Freo , is a professional Australian rules football club competing in the Australian Football League (AFL), the sport's elite competition. The team was founded in 1994 to represent the port city of Fremantle , a stronghold of Australian rules football in Western Australia . The Dockers were the second team from the state to be admitted to
262-638: A dominion , leagues were also established in the major cities. This renewed popularity helped encourage the formation of the Australasian Football Council , which in 1908 in Melbourne staged the first national interstate competition, the Jubilee Australasian Football Carnival , with teams representing each state and New Zealand. The game was also established early on in the new territories. In
393-462: A minor premiership in 2015 and reached the 2013 Grand Final , losing to Hawthorn . High-profile players who forged careers at Fremantle include All-Australian Matthew Pavlich , Hall of Fame inductee Peter Bell , and dual Brownlow Medal winner Nat Fyfe , who previously captained the club under both Ross Lyon and current head coach Justin Longmuir . Originally based at Fremantle Oval ,
524-650: A scratch match at the Richmond Paddock adjoining the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). This was the first of several "kickabouts" held that year involving members of the Melbourne Cricket Club , including Wills, Bryant, W. J. Hammersley and J. B. Thompson . Trees were used as goalposts and play typically lasted an entire afternoon. Without an agreed-upon code of laws, some players were guided by rules they had learned in
655-487: A causal link with Australian football. In Melbourne , in 1858, in a move that would help to shape Australian football in its formative years, private schools (then termed " public schools " in accordance with nomenclature in England) began organising football games inspired by precedents at English public schools . The earliest match, held on 15 June, was between Melbourne Grammar and St Kilda Grammar. On 10 July 1858,
786-517: A century. State of Origin rules, introduced in 1977, stipulated that rather than representing the state of their adopted club, players would return to play for the state they were first recruited in. This instantly broke Victoria's stranglehold over state titles and Western Australia and South Australia began to win more of their games against Victoria. Both New South Wales and Tasmania scored surprise victories at home against Victoria in 1990. The term " Barassi Line ", named after VFL star Ron Barassi ,
917-567: A finals match qualified them for a semi-final to be played against the Geelong Cats at the MCG the following week. In a one-sided contest, the Dockers lost by 69 points. The 2011 season saw Fremantle lose just once in the first six rounds before ending the year in 11th position after losing their final seven games. Fremantle's collapse was considered a result of a heavy injury count that began in
1048-419: A game for either medical or tactical reasons. Players on the playing surface can be swapped with those on the interchange bench at any time. They must though pass through a designated "Interchange Area". In the event a player fails to pass through this area correctly, or if too many players from one team are found to be on the ground at a time, a free kick will be awarded to the opposing side. While there
1179-673: 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. 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
1310-399: A mark is taken, a small protected zone is established on the field, extending 10 metres (11 yd) either side of "the mark" and the player who marked the ball, with a small protected corridor between "the mark" and the player. The opposition player is permitted to jump, but is not allowed to move from their position on "the mark". Any other movements result in a distance penalty (50 metres in
1441-404: A modified cricket ground . Points are scored by kicking the oval ball between the central goal posts (worth six points), or between a central and outer post (worth one point, otherwise known as a "behind"). During general play, players may position themselves anywhere on the field and use any part of their bodies to move the ball. The primary methods are kicking , handballing and running with
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#17327876330351572-507: A player breaks a rule, a free kick is awarded to the opposing team, from the location that the misconduct occurred, or the ball's current location—whichever is closer to the team's scoring zone. As when a mark is taken, this location is called "the mark", and the same protections regarding the space apply. East Fremantle Football Club The East Fremantle Football Club , nicknamed the Sharks and colloquially referred to as East Freo ,
1703-618: A predominately purple home jumper, Fremantle wore the Starlight Foundation logo, a yellow star, above the highest chevron for their Purple Haze game. Since 2003, the AFL has hosted an annual Heritage Round . Until 2006, Fremantle wore a white guernsey with three red chevrons, to emulate the jumper worn by the original Fremantle Football Club in 1885. However, in 2007, the selected round had Fremantle playing Sydney, who also wear red and white. An alternative blue and white striped design
1834-584: A promising start to the 2024 AFL season , winning their first three games, before two close losses in Adelaide and a shock loss in Western Derby 58 surrounded their season with uncertainty. The Dockers rebounded, losing just one of their next six games before the mid-season bye to sit inside the top eight. They were entrenched inside the top eight for much of the year and were in the top four as late as round 20, before losing their final four matches. This
1965-566: A proposed hybrid code of Australian football and rugby league , the predominant code of football in New South Wales and Queensland, was trialled without success. In Queensland, the state league went into recess for the duration of the war. VFL club University left the league and went into recess due to severe casualties. The WAFL lost two clubs and the SANFL was suspended for one year in 1916 due to heavy club losses. The Anzac Day match ,
2096-505: A second-tier status. The VFA merged with the former VFL reserves competition in 1998, adopting the VFL name. State of Origin also declined in importance, especially after an increasing number of player withdrawals. The AFL turned its focus to the annual International Rules Series against Ireland in 1998 before abolishing State of Origin the following year. State and territorial leagues still contest interstate matches, as do AFL Women players. In
2227-464: A select few ways as defined by the Laws of Australian Football, published by the AFL. The ball can be propelled in any direction by way of a kick or a clenched fist (called a handball )—deemed a correct disposal. Failure to dispose of the ball in one of these two methods will result in a free kick to the opposing team. If the ball is not currently in a player's possession, it can be moved legally through
2358-516: A semi-final at the MCG in front of a crowd of over 90,000, losing the game by 20 points. After losing their opening 2 games of the 2023 AFL season , Fremantle recorded their first win in the 56th Western Derby , beating the Eagles by 41 points. Despite a mid-season resurgence, beating both 2022 Grand Finalists in consecutive weeks, the Dockers would fade out to finish 14th on the ladder. Fremantle had
2489-552: A similar situation existing in Western Australia in the sport, the VFL pursued a more national competition. Two more non-Victorian clubs, West Coast and Brisbane , joined the league in 1987 generating more than $ 8 million in license revenue for the Victorian clubs and increasing broadcast revenues which helped the Victorian clubs survive. In their early years, the Sydney and Brisbane clubs struggled both on and off-field because
2620-498: A slightly modified version of the Victorian game in 1879. The South Australian Football Association (SAFA), the sport's first governing body , formed on 30 April 1877, firmly establishing Victorian rules as the preferred code in that colony. The Victorian Football Association (VFA) formed the following month. Clubs began touring the colonies in the late 1870s, and in 1879 the first intercolonial match took place in Melbourne between Victoria and South Australia . To standardise
2751-511: A standalone Fremantle reserves side in the WAFL was rejected by the other WAFL clubs. A similar host club system was used in 1999 when South Fremantle was the aligned club but was cancelled after a single season. Australian rules football Australian rules football , also called Australian football or Aussie rules , or more simply football or footy , is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an oval field , often
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#17327876330352882-477: 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
3013-406: A technique known shepherding when the ball is within 5 metres (5.5 yd) of an opposition player. Shepherding involves the use of a player's body to push, bump or otherwise block an opposition player, providing they do not have possession of the ball. If a player takes possession of the ball that has travelled more than 15 metres (16 yd) from another player's kick, by way of a catch within
3144-427: A uniform code known as "Victorian rules". In 1866, the "first distinctively Victorian rule", the running bounce , was formalised at a meeting of club delegates chaired by H. C. A. Harrison , an influential pioneer who took up football in 1859 at the invitation of Wills, his cousin. The game around this time was defensive and low-scoring, played low to the ground in congested rugby-style scrimmages. The typical match
3275-518: 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. East Fremantle's last premiership was in 2023, when they defeated Peel Thunder . The increasing professionalism of teams in
3406-405: Is analogous to a basketball center and as such rucks are typically the tallest player on the team. Lifting teammates is not allowed so the ruck may only jump to reach the ball. If the ruck does not take possession of the football, it must must be tapped or fisted, which is known as a hit-out. An effective hit-out that passes the ball to a teammate is known as a hit-out to advantage. In the event
3537-460: Is known as the Goal Line. Around the perimeter of the field, two white lines are drawn between the set of behind posts in an arc-shape, marking the field of play. Other field markings include: The 50m arcs, centre square, centre circle and goal square are used at the beginning of each quarter or after each goal. With each team permitted a maximum of six players in each 50m arc, with one in
3668-588: Is named after the Fremantle Derby games between East and South Fremantle in the West Australian Football League , which for almost 100 years have been considered some of the most important games in the local league. The 1979 WANFL Grand Final holds the football attendance record for the now-closed Subiaco Oval of 52,781. The Dockers and the St Kilda Football Club have seen a number of controversial events between them, most notably
3799-470: Is no set uniform, the basic equipment for Australian football consists of a guernsey, shorts, socks and boots, with additional pieces of apparel such as headbands and gloves additionally being permitted. Players may wear certain pieces of protective equipment, such as helmets or arm guards, if approved by the relevant controlling body. Mouthguards are strongly recommended for all players. Players are not permitted to wear jewellery, or other materials which
3930-493: Is officiated by at least five match officials, known as an umpire . These match officials are placed into three categories based upon their roles and responsibilities, with varying minimum numbers of Umpires required depending on position: At AFL level, a video score review system is utilised. Only umpires are permitted to request a review, and only scoring shots and potential scoring shots are permitted to be reviewed. An Australian rules football may only be propelled forward in
4061-783: Is used. The ball must be inflated to a pressure of 69 kilopascals (10.0 pounds per square inch). There are no defined laws regarding what material a ball must be made from, but standard AFL match-used balls are produced by Sherrin using cowhide leather. While there is no standard colour of the ball, red and yellow are most common and the only colours used at AFL level. Yellow is used for games beginning after 3 pm or in an enclosed stadium, due to its greater visibility, and to assist score reviews. Unlike other forms of football which are played on rectangular fields, Australian rules football playing fields are oval-shaped, and are between 135 and 185 metres (148 and 202 yd) long and 110 and 155 metres (120 and 170 yd) wide. At either end of
Fremantle Football Club - Misplaced Pages Continue
4192-525: The AFL siren controversy at York Park in 2006. The match was sent into a state of confusion with Fremantle leading by one point when the siren (which had not been very loud all game) was not heard by the umpires who then allowed St Kilda tagger Steven Baker to score a point after time had elapsed and, as a result, the match ended in a draw. The outcome of the game was taken to the AFL Commission and it
4323-492: The Australian Football League , while the league itself also uses this name for local competitions in some areas. Primitive forms of football were played sporadically in the Australian colonies in the first half of the 19th century. Compared to cricket and horse racing , football was considered a mere "amusement" by colonists at the time, and while little is known about these early one-off games, evidence does not support
4454-465: The COVID-19 -affected 2020 AFL season , which was shortened from 22 matches to 17. Fremantle would lose their first four games before finding form and finishing 12th on the ladder with 7 wins and 10 losses. The 2022 AFL season would prove to be a breakout year for the Dockers, who qualified for finals for the first time since the 2015 AFL season and were in contention for a top-4 finish throughout
4585-434: The Dockers brand of clothing, challenged the club's right to use the name "Fremantle Dockers", specifically on clothing. As a result, the club and the AFL discontinued the official use of the "Dockers" nickname in 1997. However, it remained in common usage both inside and outside the club, and continued to appear in the official team song "Freo Way to Go" and as the title of the official club magazine Docker . In October 2010,
4716-765: 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
4847-462: The Sydney Swans , by 25 points to advance to their maiden AFL Grand Final . In the 2013 grand final , the Dockers were defeated by Hawthorn by a margin of 15 points. In 2014, the club reached the finals for the third successive year with a top-four finish and 16 wins, but despite earning a double chance, they were knocked out after losses to Sydney away and Port Adelaide at home. Nat Fyfe
4978-485: The Sydney Swans . In 2006, against St Kilda at Aurora Stadium in Launceston , they played in a controversial Round 5 match (dubbed " Sirengate ") that initially ended in a draw. However, the AFL overturned the draw result the following Wednesday after the match; the controversy was due to an off-field error made by the timekeepers not sounding the siren for long enough to confirm that the umpires heard it, as well as
5109-481: The West Coast Eagles , who they play twice each year in the home and away season , in the fiercely contested " Western Derby " matches (Pronounced / ˈ d ɜːr b i / in Western Australia). West Coast were victorious in the first nine games, before Fremantle won in round 16, 1999, after which has prompted a fairly even Derby result with Fremantle at 25 and West Coast at 24 Derby wins. The term "derby"
5240-407: The field umpire has deemed to be either potentially dangerous or increase the risk of injury to other players. Australian rules football is played with an ellipsoid ball, between 72 and 73 cm (28 and 29 in) in long circumference, and 54.5 and 55.5 cm (21.5 and 21.9 in) in short circumference. For women's competitions, a smaller ball size of 69 and 53 cm (27 and 21 in)
5371-3128: 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) There continue to be players from East Fremantle who move onto AFL /VFL, and AFLW playing careers, see List of East Fremantle footballers who have played in the VFL/AFL . Sandover Medal : (13 total) – Lin Richards (1931), Jim Conway (1950), Jack Clarke (1957), Ray Sorrell (1961, 1963), David Hollins (1971), Graham Melrose (1974), Brian Peake (1977), Murray Wrensted (1985), Craig Treleven (1995), Adrian Bromage (1998), Rory O'Brien (2013), Blaine Boekhorst (2022) Simpson Medal (in Grand Final): (11 total) – Alan Ebbs (1945), Frank Conway (1957), Ray Sorrell (1962), Norm Rogers (1964), Dave Imrie (1965), Gary Gibellini (1974), Kevin Taylor (1979), Clinton Browning (1992), Mark Amaranti (1994), Adrian Bromage (1998), Milan Murdock (2023) Simpson Medal (in State Game): (5 total) – Ray Sorrell (1962), Kevin Taylor (1982), Paul Harding (1991), Craig Treleven (1995), Rod Tregenza (1999) 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) Chesson Medallists: (2 total) – Greg Brown (1972), Doug Winning (1973) All-Australian team : Jack Clarke (1953, 1956, 1958, 1961), Alan Preen (1958), Norm Rogers (1958), Ray Sorrell (1958, 1961), Brian Peake (1979 (c), 1980, 1986 (c)), Tony Buhagiar (1979), Kevin Taylor (1983), Peter Wilson (1986) Tassie Medal : Brian Peake (1979) Head coach Assistant coaches Updated: July 2020 Source(s): Playing list , Coaching staff The Australian Football Hall of Fame
Fremantle Football Club - Misplaced Pages Continue
5502-612: The 2010s, the AFL signalled further attempts at expanding into markets outside Australian football's traditional heartlands by hosting home-and-away matches in New Zealand, followed by China. After several failed bids since the early 1990s for a Tasmania-based AFL team, the Tasmania Football Club secured the 19th AFL license in 2023, and is set to compete by 2028. In a standard match, a team may consist of anywhere between 14 and 18 players who may be permitted on
5633-558: The 21 teams to have ever played in the VFL/AFL league. Because of this unimpressive win record, they are yet to win a premiership. This fact has earned them the nickname "Flagmantle", which is an optimistic joke used by fans. The Dockers' halcyon years took place between 2013 and 2015, where they earned three successive top-four finishes to go with their only grand final appearance ( 2013 ) and their only minor premiership ( 2015 ). Fremantle played its first drawn match in Round 8, 2013, against
5764-464: The AFL). The player who was awarded the mark may then choose to either dispose of the ball over "the mark" or may choose to attempt disposal via a different method, in which case the field umpire will call "play on"—a verbal instruction to continue play. "Play on" may also be called if the umpire deems the player awarded the mark to be taking an unreasonable amount of time to dispose of the football. Once
5895-472: The AFLW using 17 minutes per quarter. For any given match, two timekeepers are appointed to officiate the duration. The timekeepers record all relevant statistics for the match, such as total quarter duration and score by each team. Additionally timekeepers are required to sound a siren prior to and at the conclusion of each quarter until such time they are acknowledged by the field umpires. To stop and recommence
6026-641: The ANFC, and later the Australian Football Championships (AFC) ran a night series , which invited clubs and representative sides from around the country to participate in a knock-out tournament parallel to the premiership seasons, which Victorian sides still dominated. With the lack of international competition, state representative matches were regarded with great importance. Due in part to the VFL poaching talent from other states, Victoria dominated interstate matches for three-quarters of
6157-539: The British Isles, "others by no rules at all". Another milestone in 1858 was a 40-a-side match played under experimental rules between Melbourne Grammar and Scotch College , held at the Richmond Paddock. Umpired by Wills and teacher John Macadam , it began on 7 August and continued over two subsequent Saturdays, ending in a draw with each side kicking one goal. It is commemorated with a statue outside
6288-622: The Crows in Adelaide the following week, ending their finals campaign. In 2013, Fremantle finished the home-and-away season in third position with a club-best 16 wins. In their qualifying final against the Cats in Geelong, the Dockers produced a first-round upset with a 15-point victory to advance through to a home preliminary final. In the preliminary final, the Dockers defeated the reigning premiers,
6419-1270: 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. Highest Score: Round 17, 1944 – 33.23 (221) vs. South Fremantle at Fremantle Oval Lowest Score: Round 13, 1898 – 1.2 (8) vs. West Perth at The WACA Greatest Winning Margin: Round 17, 1944 – 201 points vs. South Fremantle at Fremantle Oval Greatest Losing Margin: Round 10, 1981 – 178 points vs. West Perth at Leederville Oval Most games: Brian Peake 304 (1972–1981 & 1985–1989) Most goals: George Doig 1,111 Record Home Attendance: Round 3, 1979 – 21,317 vs. South Fremantle Record Finals Attendance: 1979 Grand Final – 52,781 vs. South Fremantle at Subiaco Oval Most consecutive victories: 35, between 28 July 1945 (Round 13) and 17 May 1947 (Round 3), including
6550-676: The East Fremantle team in 1898. 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 . Wilson as captain and Christy as vice captain would play in East Fremantle's first game at the WACA on 11 May 1898. Tragedy would strike
6681-641: The Fremantle AFL team. Players recruited from the WAFL have remained with their original club, and players recruited from interstate have been allocated to teams via a draft system. Since the 2014 season, the Peel Thunder Football Club has served as the host club for the Fremantle Dockers, an arrangement which will see Fremantle's reserves players playing in the WAFL for Peel Thunder Football Club . An attempt to field
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#17327876330356812-500: The Fremantle Football Club would undergo a thorough review of all areas, including the club's team name, song, guernsey, and logo in a bid to boost its marketability. However he later confirmed that the purple colour will be maintained as it had become synonymous with Fremantle. Fremantle Football Club had its original training and administration facilities at Fremantle Oval from 1995 until 2017. On 21 February 2017
6943-583: The Irish game evolved in a similar direction. Another theory, first proposed in 1983, posits that Wills, having grown up among Aboriginals in Victoria, may have seen or played the Aboriginal ball game of Marn Grook , and incorporated some of its features into early Australian football. There is only circumstantial evidence that he knew of the game, and according to biographer Greg de Moore's research, Wills
7074-703: The MCG at the Parade Hotel, owned by Bryant, and drafted ten rules: "The Rules of the Melbourne Football Club" . These are the laws from which Australian football evolved. The club aimed to create a simple code suited to the hard playing surfaces around Melbourne, and to eliminate the roughest aspects of English school games—such as "hacking" (shin-kicking) in Rugby School football—to reduce the risk of injuries to working men. In another significant departure from English public school football,
7205-560: The MCG, and the two schools have since competed annually in the Cordner–Eggleston Cup , the world's oldest continuous football competition . Since the 1920s, it has been suggested that Australian football may have been derived from the Irish sport of Gaelic football . However, there is no archival evidence in favour of a Gaelic influence, and the style of play shared between the two modern codes appeared in Australia long before
7336-576: The Melbourne rules omitted any offside law . "The new code was as much a reaction against the school games as influenced by them", writes Mark Pennings. The rules were distributed throughout the colony; Thompson in particular did much to promote the new code in his capacity as a journalist. Following Melbourne's lead, Geelong and Melbourne University also formed football clubs in 1859. While many early Victorian teams participated in one-off matches, most had not yet formed clubs for regular competition. A South Yarra club devised its own rules. To ensure
7467-692: The Melbourne-based Bell's Life in Victoria and Sporting Chronicle published a letter by Tom Wills , captain of the Victoria cricket team , calling for the formation of a "foot-ball club" with a "code of laws" to keep cricketers fit during winter. Born in Australia, Wills played a nascent form of rugby football while a pupil at Rugby School in England, and returned to his homeland a star athlete and cricketer. Two weeks later, Wills' friend, cricketer Jerry Bryant , posted an advertisement for
7598-409: The SANFL's Port Adelaide (1997), the only pre-existing club outside Victoria to join the league. In 2011 and 2012, respectively, two new non-Victorian clubs were added to the competition: Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney . The AFL, currently with 18 member clubs, is the sport's elite competition and most powerful body. Following the emergence of the AFL, state leagues were quickly relegated to
7729-489: The Volga Boatmen ", which was dropped in 2011, leaving only the original composition of Walther. Due to its unconventional style, the song is derided by many opposition supporters and defended with equally fierce loyalty by many fans. "Every other team song sounds like a ' Knees Up Mother Brown ' from previous eras. We've got a backbeat", boasted author and Fremantle fan Tim Winton . In 2021, in response to being named
7860-467: The WAFC $ 4 million. On 21 July 1994, the names "Fremantle Football Club", "Fremantle Dockers" and the club colours of purple, red, green and white were announced. A first training session for the inaugural squad was held on 31 October 1994 at Fremantle Oval . The team endured some tough years near the bottom of the premiership ladder, until they finished fifth after the home and away rounds in 2003 and made
7991-479: The WAFC. Prior to this, a two-tier arrangement was in place, with a Board of Management between the board of directors and the commission. The initial club chief executive officer was David Hatt , who had come from a hockey background, and the inaugural club chairman was Ross Kelly , who had played for West Perth . It was a deliberate act by the commission to avoid having administrators from either East Fremantle or South Fremantle in key roles, as they wanted
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#17327876330358122-636: The West Coast Eagles and the VFL, a second WA franchise was not legally possible until after the 1992 season. Moreover, the model of a joint venture between two WAFL clubs was opposed by the West Australian Football Commission (WAFC). On 14 December 1993, the AFL announced that a new team, to be based in Fremantle, would enter the league in 1995, with the provisional name "Fremantle Sharks." The licence had cost
8253-412: The anchor symbol as the basis for all of their guernseys . The home guernsey was purple, with a white anchor on the front separating the chest area into red and green panels, representing the traditional maritime port and starboard colours. The colours also acknowledged Fremantle's large Italian community , which historically has been associated with the city's fishing community. The away or clash guernsey
8384-581: The annual game between Essendon and Collingwood on Anzac Day, is one example of how the war continues to be remembered in the football community. The role of the Australian National Football Council (ANFC) was primarily to govern the game at a national level and to facilitate interstate representative and club competition. In 1968, the ANFC revived the Championship of Australia , a competition first held in 1888 between
8515-415: The ball is in dispute at all times except when a free kick or mark is paid. Players can tackle using their hands or use their whole body to obstruct opponents. Dangerous physical contact (such as pushing an opponent in the back ), interference when marking, and deliberately slowing the play are discouraged with free kicks, distance penalties , or suspension for a certain number of matches depending on
8646-436: The ball. There are rules on how the ball can be handled; for example, players running with the ball must intermittently bounce or touch it on the ground . Throwing the ball is not allowed, and players must not get caught holding the ball . A distinctive feature of the game is the mark , where players anywhere on the field who catch the ball from a kick (with specific conditions) are awarded unimpeded possession . Possession of
8777-442: The case of Sydney , denial of access to grounds, the influence of university headmasters from Britain who favoured rugby, and the loss of players to other codes inhibited the game's growth. In 1896, delegates from six of the wealthiest VFA clubs— Carlton , Essendon , Fitzroy , Geelong, Melbourne and South Melbourne —met to discuss the formation of a breakaway professional competition. Later joined by Collingwood and St Kilda ,
8908-435: The clock, the field umpires are required to signal to the timekeepers to indicate when the clock should be stopped or restarted. Between each quarter, a break is observed to allow players a rest period. Two six-minute breaks are observed between the first and second quarters, and the third and fourth quarters. A longer 20-minute break is observed between the second and third quarter, commonly known as half-time . Each game
9039-459: 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 . During Gullan's time at East Fremantle he became regarded as one of the best players to ever play the game. 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
9170-420: The club moved its training and administration facilities to Cockburn ARC , a professional sports training facility and community recreation centre that was constructed in 2015–17 at a price of $ 109 million, located in the suburb of Cockburn Central . The team's home games are played at Optus Stadium , a 61,000 seat multi-purpose stadium located in the suburb of Burswood . The club began playing home matches at
9301-406: The club to be bigger than just representing Fremantle. Kelly resigned at the end of 1998, replaced by Ross McLean . Whilst he presided over some key financial decisions, including the building of the club's administrative and training centre at Fremantle Oval and the deferment of the licence fee to the AFL, it was Fremantle's lowest point onfield, culminating in a two-win season in 2001 which saw
9432-424: The club win its first finals game in the semi-final against Melbourne at Subiaco Oval. The club subsequently earned a trip to Sydney to play in its first ever preliminary final, where they lost by 35 points at ANZ Stadium to the Sydney Swans . In 2007, following Chris Connolly's resignation midway through the season, Mark Harvey , a three-time premiership player with Essendon , was appointed caretaker coach for
9563-407: The club's first Brownlow Medalist . Season 2016 marked Matthew Pavlich's final season in the AFL, as Fremantle missed the finals following a 10-game losing streak to start the year, finishing in 16th position with just four wins. Ross Lyon was sacked as coach on 20 August 2019 after the club failed to qualify for the finals. He was replaced by Justin Longmuir . Longmuir's first season was during
9694-453: The club's new number one ticket holder, Tame Impala frontman and Fremantle local Kevin Parker released a new Fremantle "pump-up" track to be played at home games. Bolstering the Fremantle connection, the song draws inspiration from AC/DC . The club is owned by the West Australian Football Commission (WAFC). Since 2003, a board of directors controls the operation of the club, on behalf of
9825-427: 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, 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
9956-594: The club's training and administrative facilities are now located nearby at Cockburn ARC in Cockburn Central , whilst its home ground is the 60,000-capacity Perth Stadium in Burswood . Fremantle has also fielded a women's team in the AFL Women's league since the competition's inception in 2017. They are currently coached by Lisa Webb and captained by Angelique Stannett . Their most successful season
10087-486: The club. During his seven matches for 2007, Harvey coached the Dockers to four wins and three losses. The club came 11th that year, and Harvey was appointed full-time coach at the end of the season. The following year saw the club slump to 14th. In Round 15, 2009, Fremantle recorded the lowest score in its history and of the 2000s, scoring only 1.7 (13) to the Adelaide Crows' 19.16 (130). It scored just one point in
10218-504: The clubs formed the Victorian Football League (VFL), which held its inaugural season in 1897 . The VFL's popularity grew rapidly as it made several innovations, such as instituting a finals system, reducing teams from 20 to 18 players, and introducing the behind as a score. Richmond and University joined the VFL in 1908, and by 1925, with the addition of Hawthorn , Footscray and North Melbourne , it had become
10349-436: The coach Damian Drum be sacked mid-year. McLean resigned following an inadvertent breach of the salary cap . In early 2001 Hatt accepted a government job and Cameron Schwab was appointed. After weathering the fallout from the disastrous 2001 season, Schwab and the new chairman, local West Australian retailing businessman Rick Hart , set about rebuilding the club. A former recruiting manager, Schwab focused on building up
10480-490: The code took hold during a series of gold rushes . Likewise, when New Zealand experienced a gold rush , the sport arrived with a rapid influx of Australian miners. Now known as Australian rules or Australasian rules, the sport became the first football code to develop mass spectator appeal, attracting world record attendances for sports viewing and gaining a reputation as "the people's game". Australian rules football reached Queensland and New South Wales as early as 1866;
10611-466: The competition, following the West Coast Eagles in 1987. Both Fremantle and the West Coast Eagles are owned by the West Australian Football Commission (WAFC), with a board of directors operating Fremantle on the commission's behalf. Despite having participated in and won several finals matches , Fremantle is one of only three active AFL clubs not to have won a premiership (the others being Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney ), though it did claim
10742-698: The early years of the West Australian Football League (WAFL), winning 24 of the first 34 premierships. Since 1897, Fremantle Oval has been the main venue for Australian rules football matches in the city. Until the opening of Perth Stadium in 2018, the record attendance for an Australian rules football game in Western Australia stood at 52,781 for the 1979 WANFL Grand Final between East Fremantle and South Fremantle at Subiaco Oval . Champion footballers who forged careers playing for Fremantle-based clubs include, among other Australian Football Hall of Fame inductees, Steve Marsh , Jack Sheedy , John Todd , George Doig , William Truscott and Bernie Naylor . Despite
10873-409: The field of play, it is deemed as a mark . To be awarded a mark, it must be deemed that the player sufficiently controlled the ball and took possession prior to it being touched, touching the ground, or in the case of a contest, being spoiled by an opponent. Upon a mark being taken, one opposition player may choose to stand on the point on the field where the mark was taken, known as "the mark". When
11004-413: The field, two sets of posts are erected in a straight line to indicate the scoring areas on the field, each with two kinds of posts, named the goal posts and the behind posts respectively. The goal posts are placed first, located 6.4 metres (7.0 yd) apart from each other, with a behind post being placed a further 6.4 metres to the side of each goal post. The name for the field line between two goal posts
11135-401: The finals for the first time. The elimination final against eighth-placed Essendon at Subiaco Oval was then the club's biggest ever game, but ended in disappointment for the home team, with the finals experience of Essendon proving too strong for the young team. They then missed making the finals in the following two seasons, finishing both years with 11 wins, 11 losses and only 1 game outside
11266-487: The first laws of Australian football in May 1859. Australian football has the highest spectator attendance and television viewership of all sports in Australia, while the Australian Football League (AFL), the sport's only fully professional competition, is the nation's wealthiest sporting body. The AFL Grand Final , held annually at the Melbourne Cricket Ground , is the second-highest-attended club championship event in
11397-448: The first half and the only goal scored came in the third quarter. After finishing sixth in 2010, the club played in the finals for the first time since 2006. The team played Hawthorn at Subiaco Oval, and despite being considered underdogs, went on to win by 30 points. The win came from strong performances from Luke McPharlin and Adam McPhee who limited the impact of Lance Franklin and Luke Hodge, respectively. The team's second ever win in
11528-627: The first match in Darwin . The game went on to become the most popular sport in the Territory and build the highest participation rate for the sport nationally. Both World War I and World War II had a devastating effect on Australian football and on Australian sport in general. While scratch matches were played by Australian " diggers " in remote locations around the world, the game lost many of its great players to wartime service. Some clubs and competitions never fully recovered. Between 1914 and 1915,
11659-536: The formation of the Adelaide Football Club , the oldest football club in Australia outside Victoria. It devised its own rules, and, along with other Adelaide -based clubs, played a variety of codes until 1876, when they uniformly adopted most of the Victorian rules, with South Australian football pioneer Charles Kingston noting their similarity to "the old Adelaide rules". Similarly, Tasmanian clubs quarrelled over different rules until they adopted
11790-435: The goal square and four players in the centre square with one in the centre circle. If this is breached, a free kick is awarded. A game lasts for 80 minutes, split into four-quarters consisting of 20 minutes playing time, with the clock being stopped for stoppages in play such as scores, or at the umpire 's discretion, e.g. for serious injury. Leagues may choose to employ shorter quarters of play at their discretion, such as
11921-424: The knees (a low tackle or a trip ) or above the shoulders (a high tackle ), the team with possession of the football gets a free kick. Furthermore, tackles deemed to be dangerous by the umpire and those conducted from front-on while an opposition player has their head over the football are deemed to be prohibited contact, and will incur a free kick against the offending player. Additionally, players may perform
12052-450: The long history of Australian rules football in Fremantle, the expansion of the then-Victorian Football League into Western Australia, took the form of a state-wide club, with the creation of the West Coast Eagles, in 1987. Soon afterwards, there were negotiations between WAFL clubs East Fremantle and South Fremantle , regarding formation of a second WA-based VFL club, as a joint venture. Due to exclusive rights clauses in contracts between
12183-478: The match. Lyon became Fremantle's longest serving and most successful coach before being sacked in 2019. He later returned for a second coaching stint at St Kilda in 2023, and his first game back was against Fremantle. Head coach Assistant coaches Updated: 19 November 2024 Source(s): Players , Coaches For most of Fremantle's history, players have played for various West Australian Football League (WAFL) teams when not selected to play for
12314-568: The new national capital Canberra both soccer and rugby had a head start, but following the first matches in 1911, Australian rules football in the Australian Capital Territory became a major participation sport. By 1981 it had become much neglected and quickly lagged behind the other football codes. Australian rules football in the Northern Territory began shortly after the outbreak of the war in 1916 with
12445-518: 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 ) have won 14 WAFL premierships. Up until 1987, Western Australia was immersed in WAFL culture and East Fremantle enjoyed
12576-458: The on-field performance by recruiting high-profile players in Trent Croad , Peter Bell and Jeff Farmer , as well as coach Chris Connolly and with Hart then focused on enhancing the corporate and financial standing of the club. The club membership grew every year from 2002 until 2008 and the final licence payment was made to the AFL in 2005. Schwab chose to return to Melbourne in 2008 and
12707-401: The phasing out of many of the game's kicking styles and the increasing use of handball; while presentation was influenced by television. In 1982, in a move that heralded big changes within the sport, one of the original VFL clubs, South Melbourne, relocated to Sydney and became known as the Sydney Swans . In the late 1980s, due to the poor financial standing of many of the Victorian clubs, and
12838-407: The player has disposed of the ball, or "play on" is called, normal play resumes. Rucking is the only specialist skill and is performed by a ruck, the term for designated players from each side to which umpire sends the ball to commence play. Only a nominated ruck may contest ball-ups and throw-ins. They are the only player allowed within the 10 metre circle at a centre bounce. Functionally the role
12969-429: The player penalised for ' holding the ball ', except if the umpire deems there was a lack of prior opportunity to do so. The ball carrier may only be tackled between the shoulders and knees from the front or side. If the player forcefully contacts the opposing in the back while performing a tackle, the opposition player will be penalised for a push in the back . If the opposition tackles the player with possession below
13100-436: The playing surface at any given time. Each team may have up to four interchange (reserve) players who may be swapped for those on the field at any time during the game. Although some leagues in less populated areas may use as few as 12 players. In addition, some leagues notably including the AFL, have each team designate one additional player as a substitute who can be used to make a single permanent exchange of players during
13231-437: The pre-season. In September 2011, Mark Harvey was sensationally sacked by the club in favour of still-contracted St Kilda coach Ross Lyon . Fremantle qualified for the finals in 2012 after finishing in seventh position. In their elimination final against Geelong , the Dockers won their first ever finals game away from home with a 16-point victory at the MCG behind Matthew Pavlich 's six goals. Fremantle subsequently lost to
13362-609: The preeminent league in the country and would take a leading role in many aspects of the sport. The time around the federation of the Australian colonies in 1901 saw Australian rules undergo a revival in New South Wales, New Zealand and Queensland. In 1903, both the Queensland Australian Football League and the NSW Australian Football Association were established, and in New Zealand, as it moved towards becoming
13493-530: The premiers of the VFA and SAFA. Although clubs from other states were at times invited, the final was almost always between the premiers from the two strongest state competitions of the time—South Australia and Victoria—with Adelaide hosting most of the matches at the request of the SAFA/SANFL. The last match took place in 1976, with North Adelaide being the last non-Victorian winner in 1972. Between 1976 and 1987,
13624-572: The season before finishing fifth with fifteen wins, six losses, and one draw. Fremantle's return to finals saw them play the Western Bulldogs in an elimination final at Optus Stadium . Fremantle were dominated in the early stages of the game, with the Bulldogs holding a 42–1 lead at the nine-minute mark of the second term. Fremantle would go on to kick 11 of the last 13 goals to win the game by 13 points. Fremantle next faced Collingwood in
13755-564: The severity of the infringement. The game features frequent physical contests, spectacular marking , fast movement of both players and the ball, and high scoring. The sport's origins can be traced to football matches played in Melbourne , Victoria , in 1858, inspired by English public school football games . Seeking to develop a game more suited to adults and Australian conditions, the Melbourne Football Club published
13886-452: The siren not being loud enough for the field umpires to hear over the roar of the crowd in the first place, and Fremantle were eventually declared as one-point winners with no protest from St Kilda. It marked the first time a game result had later been overturned since 1900. The club is nicknamed the "Dockers" in reference to Fremantle's history as a port city. Shortly after the club was launched in 1994, Levi Strauss & Co. , which produces
14017-467: The sport across Australia, delegates representing the football associations of South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Queensland met in 1883 and updated the code. New rules such as holding the ball led to a "golden era" of fast, long-kicking and high-marking football in the 1880s, a time which also saw players such as George Coulthard achieve superstardom, as well as the rise of professionalism , particularly in Victoria and Western Australia , where
14148-472: The sport experienced a period of dominance in the former, and in the latter, several regions remain strongholds of Australian rules, such as the Riverina . However, by the late 1880s, rugby football had become the dominant code in both colonies, as well as in New Zealand. This shift was largely due to rugby's spread with British migration, regional rivalries and the lack of strong local governing bodies. In
14279-401: The strong association that members and fans have with the "Dockers" nickname led the club to form a new arrangement with Levi Strauss & Co which allows the club to officially use the nickname "Dockers" everywhere including on clothing and other brand elements. This name change was made in conjunction with changes to the club logo and playing strip. Until 2011 the Fremantle Football Club used
14410-414: The substantial TV revenues they generated by playing on a Sunday went to the VFL. To protect these revenues the VFL granted significant draft concessions and financial aid to keep the expansion clubs competitive. The VFL changed its name to the Australian Football League (AFL) for the 1990 season , and over the next decade, three non-Victorian clubs gained entry: Adelaide (1991), Fremantle (1995) and
14541-613: The supremacy of the Melbourne rules, the first-club level competition in Australia, the Caledonian Society's Challenge Cup (1861–64), stipulated that only the Melbourne rules were to be used. This law was reinforced by the Athletic Sports Committee (ASC), which ran a variation of the Challenge Cup in 1865–66. With input from other clubs, the rules underwent several minor revisions, establishing
14672-400: The top eight. After an average first half to the 2006 AFL season , Fremantle finished the year with a club-record nine straight wins to earn themselves third position at the end of the home and away season with a club-best 15 wins. In the qualifying final against Adelaide at AAMI Stadium , the Dockers led for the first three-quarters before being overrun by the Crows. The following week saw
14803-412: The usage of other means, such as punching. While in possession of the ball, players may run with the ball, but are required to either bounce or touch the ball on the ground at least once every 15 metres (16 yd). Tackling is a technique employed by players used to force opposition players to dispose of the ball when they are in possession. Failure to dispose of the ball when legally tackled may see
14934-514: The venue in 2018, having previously played home matches at Subiaco Oval from 2001 onward and before that the WACA Ground from 1995 to 2000. The official song of Fremantle is " Freo Way to Go ", a truncated version of the club's original song, "Freo Heave Ho", written by Ken Walther . "Freo Way to Go" was adopted in 2011 following a poll on the Dockers' official website, beating out three other newly composed songs, including "Freo Freo", which
15065-402: The wealthiest clubs in the league and their surprise recruitment of Ross Lyon to replace Mark Harvey as coach at the end of the 2011 is seen as an example of their ruthless drive for sustained success. In 2014, Harris resigned as president and was replaced by the then vice president, Perth property developer Dale Alcock . Fremantle's biggest rivalry is with the other Western Australian team,
15196-482: The world . The sport is also played at amateur level in many countries and in several variations . Its rules are governed by the AFL Commission with the advice of the AFL's Laws of the Game Committee. Australian rules football is known by several nicknames, including Aussie rules, football and footy. In some regions, where other codes of football are more popular, the sport is most often called AFL after
15327-429: Was "almost solely influenced by his experience at Rugby School". A loosely organised Melbourne side, captained by Wills, played against other football enthusiasts in the winter and spring of 1858. The following year, on 14 May, the Melbourne Football Club was officially established, making it one of the world's oldest football clubs . Three days later, Wills, Hammersley, Thompson and teacher Thomas H. Smith met near
15458-556: Was a 20-per-side affair, played with a ball that was roughly spherical, and lasted until a team scored two goals. The shape of the playing field was not standardised; matches often took place in rough, tree-spotted public parks, most notably the Richmond Paddock ( Yarra Park ), known colloquially as the Melbourne Football Ground. Wills argued that the turf of cricket fields would benefit from being trampled upon by footballers in winter, and, as early as 1859, football
15589-540: Was all white with a purple anchor. Since the end of the 2010 home and away season, the home jumper is purple with three white chevrons, and the away jumper is white with purple chevrons. One game each year is designated as the Purple Haze game, where an all-purple jumper with a white anchor is worn. This game is used to raise money for the Starlight Children's Foundation . After the guernsey re-design to
15720-485: Was allowed on the MCG. However, cricket authorities frequently prohibited football on their grounds until the 1870s, when they saw an opportunity to capitalise on the sport's growing popularity. Football gradually adapted to an oval-shaped field, and most grounds in Victoria expanded to accommodate the dual purpose—a situation that continues to this day. Football became organised in South Australia in 1860 with
15851-406: Was also met with widespread criticism and was accused of backstabbing St Kilda by many Saints supporters as the club was made aware that Fremantle had approached Lyon during St Kilda's lead-up to its finals campaign. The two clubs contested a highly anticipated Friday night match in Round 4 of the 2012 AFL season at Etihad Stadium , with Fremantle winning by 13 points and Lyon being booed throughout
15982-632: Was awarded the Leigh Matthews Trophy for winning the AFL Players' Association MVP award. In 2015, the club were crowned minor premiers for the first time in their history, earning their first piece of silverware with the McClelland Trophy . However, the club failed to convert this into a grand final appearance, losing to Hawthorn by 27 points in its home preliminary final. Fremantle ended their season with Nat Fyfe becoming
16113-510: Was catalysed by injuries to key position players, including captain Alex Pearce, leading goalkicker Josh Treacy, and starting ruckman Sean Darcy. The Dockers finished 10th with a record of 12 wins, 10 losses and one draw, just half a win behind Carlton in eighth place. After struggling in their early start-up years, Fremantle have continued to struggle over the years, with an overall win percentage of 45.52% as of July 2024, ranked 16th out of
16244-435: Was coined by scholar Ian Turner in 1978 to describe the "fictitious geographical barrier" separating the rugby-following parts of New South Wales and Queensland from the rest of the country, where Australian football reigned. It became a reference point for the expansion of Australian football and for establishing a national league. The way the game was played had changed dramatically due to innovative coaching tactics, with
16375-885: Was created in 2002 and the first induction took place in 2004. Twenty-two former East Fremantle players and coaches have been inducted: Ron Alexander (2004), Simon Black (2017), David Christy (2004), Jack Clarke (2004), Charles Doig (2017), George Doig (2004), Jerry Dolan (2004), Doug Green (2006), Paul Hasleby (2015), Percy Johnson (2010), Chris Mainwaring (2005), Steve Malaxos (2005), Steve Marsh (2004), Gerard Neesham (2005), Brian Peake (2004), Con Regan (2015), Norm Rogers (2004), Jack Sheedy (2004), Ray Sorrell (2004), John Todd (2004), William "Nipper" Truscott (2004) and Shane Woewodin (2022). Five have been elevated to Legend status: George Doig (2004), Steve Marsh (2005), Jack Sheedy (2005), John Todd (2004) and William "Nipper" Truscott (2004). On Saturday 2 June 2012, 52 individuals were inducted into
16506-430: Was decided during the week that as the siren had gone Fremantle were judged to be the winners, disallowing Baker's point. During the 2011 off-season, Fremantle sacked coach Mark Harvey and replaced him with then-St Kilda coach Ross Lyon in controversial circumstances. The move was met with much criticism towards Fremantle's president, Steve Harris, and CEO, Steve Rosich, claiming that they had "backstabbed" Harvey. Lyon
16637-440: Was established in 1996. Ten former East Fremantle players have been inducted: Simon Black (2020), David Christy (1996), Jack Clarke (1999), George Doig (2002), Bob Johnson (2012), Steve Marsh (2006), Brian Peake (2013), Jack Sheedy (2001), Ray Sorrell (2016) and William "Nipper" Truscott (1996). East Fremantle's 1974 premiership coach, John Todd , was inducted in 2003. The West Australian Football Hall of Fame
16768-430: Was replaced as CEO by Steve Rosich , who had previously worked for the West Coast Eagles . A year later Hart resigned as president and Steve Harris , who runs The Brand Agency and had produced advertising for Fremantle since 2002, took over at the end of 2009. Harris had been on the board since November 2008, the first club chairman or president to have previously served on the board. The club has developed into one of
16899-597: Was the 2020 season , in which the team was undefeated, but was ultimately cancelled without a premiership awarded due to the COVID-19 pandemic . The port city of Fremantle , Western Australia has a rich footballing history, hosting the state's first organised game of Australian rules in 1881. Fremantle's first teams, the Fremantle Football Club , the Union/Fremantle Football Club and East Fremantle Football Club , dominated
17030-587: Was used, based on the jumper worn by the East Fremantle Football Club in their 1979 WAFL Grand Final win over the South Fremantle Football Club . This Fremantle Derby held the record, prior to the opening of Optus Stadium , for the highest attendance at a football game of any code in Western Australia, with 52,781 attending at Subiaco Oval . In September 2008, newly appointed CEO Steve Rosich confirmed that
17161-420: Was written by Fremantle-based indie rock group and the Dockers' then-number one ticket holder, Eskimo Joe . The poll took place around the same time that the club's guernsey and logo were also updated. Unlike other AFL team songs , "Freo Way to Go" is played to a contemporary rock tune. "Freo Heave Ho" also had a section based on Igor Stravinsky 's arrangement of the traditional Russian folk song, " Song of
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