| East Fremantle | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 | |||
| Names | |||
| Full name | East Fremantle Football Club | ||
| Nickname(s) | Sharks (1983-present) Old Easts (1906-1982) | ||
| 2023 season | |||
| After finals | 1st (WAFL), 1st (WAFLW) | ||
| Club details | |||
| Founded | 1898; 127 years ago (1898) | ||
| Colours | Blue, White | ||
| Competition | West Australian Football League (men) WAFL Women's (women) | ||
| President | Ennio Tavani | ||
| CEO | Adrian Bromage | ||
| Coach | Bill Monaghan (WAFL) | ||
| Captain | Kyle Baskerville (WAFL) | ||
| Premierships | List
| ||
| Grounds | East Fremantle Oval (capacity: 20,000) | ||
| WACA Ground (capacity: 15,000) | |||
| Uniforms | |||
| |||
| Other information | |||
| Official website | effc.com.au | ||
TheEast Fremantle Football Club, nicknamedthe Sharks and colloquially referred to asEast Freo, is anAustralian rules football club playing in theWest Australian Football League (WAFL) andWAFL Women's (WAFLW). The team's home ground isEast 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 defeatedPeel Thunder.[2]
The increasing professionalism of teams in theGoldfields Football League attracted players away from Perth, which saw theImperials Football Club collapse in 1897. Tom Wilson andDavid '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 theWest 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 theNorth Melbourne Football Club at the suggestion of the club's first captain Tom Wilson had played for North in theVictorian Football Association.[4] Wilson as captain andChristy as vice captain would play in East Fremantle's first game at theWACA on 11 May 1898.[5]
Tragedy would strike the club in just its sixth year, with the death of prominent playerJames Gullan from accidental poisoning the day after their game againstSouth 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 ofEast 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 theFoundation 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 – theWest Coast Eagles – joined an expandedVictorian 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 between2003 and2006 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 theWAFL Women's competition in 2019. They were the inaugural premiers of the competition, defeatingSwan Districts in the grand final.[9]
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.
| B: | George Mavor | Con Regan | Michael Brennan |
| HB: | Doug Green | Carlisle 'Bub' Jarvis | Norm Rogers |
| C: | Ray Sorrell | William 'Nipper' Truscott | Chris Mainwaring |
| HF: | Jack Sheedy (c) | George Prince | Alan Preen |
| F: | Vic French | George Doig | Alan Ebbs |
| Foll: | Jack Clarke | Brian Peake (vc) | Jim Conway |
| Int: | Graham Melrose | Lin Richards | David Hollins |
| Coach: | Jerry Dolan | ||
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.
| B: | Brad Hardie (SF) | Con Regan (EF) | Jack Clarke (EF) |
| HB: | Norm Rogers (EF) | Frank Jenkins (SF) | Carlisle 'Bub' Jarvis (EF) |
| C: | John Todd (SF) | Ray Sorrell (EF) | William 'Nipper' Truscott (EF) |
| HF: | Len Crabbe (SF) | John Gerovich (SF) | Maurice Rioli (SF) |
| F: | Jack Sheedy (EF) (c) | Bernie Naylor (SF) | George Doig (EF) |
| Foll: | Stephen Michael (SF) | Brian Peake (EF) | Steve Marsh (SF & EF) (c) |
| Int: | Doug Green (EF) | Tom Grljusich (SF) | Graham Melrose (EF) |
| Dave Woods (EF) | |||
| Coach: | Jerry Dolan (EF) | ||
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.
| Premierships | |||
| Competition | Level | Wins | Years won |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Australian Football League | Men's Seniors | 30 | 1900,1902,1903,1904,1906,1908,1909,1910,1911,1914,1918,1925,1928,1929,1930,1931,1933,1937,1943,1945,1946,1957,1965,1974,1979,1985,1992,1994,1998,2023 |
| Women's Seniors | 2 | 2019,2023 | |
| Men's Reserves | 14 | 1926, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1950, 1951, 1962, 1970, 1989, 1993, 1994, 2001, 2008, 2024 | |
| Colts(Boys U19) | 11 | 1962, 1966, 1969, 1973, 1981, 1987, 1992, 1998, 2001, 2010, 2017 | |
| Rogers Cup(Girls U19) | 1 | 2022 | |
| Fourths(1965–1974) | 2 | 1972, 1974 | |
| Other titles and honours | |||
| Competition | Level | Wins | Years won |
| Rodriguez Shield | Multiple | 7 | 1957, 1977, 1985, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2023 |
| State Premiership | Men's Seniors(1902–1924) | 5 | 1902, 1904, 1906, 1909, 1910 |
| Finishing positions | |||
| Competition | Level | Wins | Years won |
| West Australian Football League | Minor premiership(men's seniors) | 34 | 1900,1902,1903,1904,1907,1908,1909,1910,1911,1914,1916,1917,1921,1924,1928,1929,1930,1931,1932,1933,1934,1936,1938,1941,1945,1946 (undefeated),1954,1958,1964,1974,1985,1992,1998,2023 |
| Runners-up(men's seniors) | 29 | 1899,1901,1905,1907,1912,1916,1917,1919,1920,1921,1923,1924,1934,1938,1939,1941,1944,1954,1955,1958,1962,1963,1964,1977,1984,1986,1997,2000,2012 | |
| Wooden spoons(men's seniors) | 4 | 1898,2004,2006,2018 | |
| Minor premiership(women's seniors) | 2 | 2022,2024 | |
| Runners-up(women's seniors) | 2 | 2022,2024 | |
Highest Score: Round 17, 1944 – 33.23 (221) vs.South Fremantle atFremantle Oval
Lowest Score: Round 13, 1898 – 1.2 (8) vs.West Perth atThe WACA
Greatest Winning Margin: Round 17, 1944 – 201 points vs.South Fremantle atFremantle Oval
Greatest Losing Margin: Round 10, 1981 – 178 points vs.West Perth atLeederville 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 atSubiaco Oval
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)
There continue to be players from East Fremantle who move ontoAFL/VFL, andAFLW playing careers, seeList 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): (7 total) –Ray Sorrell (1962),Kevin Taylor (1982),Paul Harding (1991),Craig Treleven (1995),Rod Tregenza (1999), Milan Murdock (2024, 2025)
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: (7 total) – Mark Amaranti (1985), Graham Ralph (1989), Matthew Cremin (2000), Andrew Green (2001), Jacob Green (2013), Joshua Browne (2021), Declan Pauline (2024)
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)
| Senior list | Coaching staff | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Head coach Assistant coaches
Updated: July 2020 | |||||||
TheAustralian Football Hall of Fame 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) andWilliam "Nipper" Truscott (1996). East Fremantle's 1974 premiership coach,John Todd, was inducted in 2003.
TheWest Australian Football Hall of Fame was created in 2002 and the first induction took place in 2004.
Twenty-three 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) andShane Woewodin (2022). Charles Sweetman (2009)
Five have been elevated to Legend status:George Doig (2004),Steve Marsh (2005),Jack Sheedy (2005),John Todd (2004) andWilliam "Nipper" Truscott (2004).
On Saturday 2 June 2012, 52 individuals were inducted into the inauguralEast 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.
At the outbreak ofWorld War I many players from Western Australia enlisted in the armed services, East Fremantle Football Club players killed in action include:
