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Written by Steve Errington
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The Founders
The
club was formed in some haste at a meeting held 20 April 1900
at the old Club Hotel - where the Orient Hotel now stands in
High Street. Haste was needed because the once invinsible Fremantle
Football Club that normally carried the hopes of football followers
at the port was in debt and disarray.
The new
season was only a month away. It was unthinkable that sport-mad
Fremantle would not be represented when the season started in
May so Tom O'Beirne and Griff John hatched a plan:
they would simply abandon the old club and form a new one in
its place. O'Beirne, publican of the Club Hotel and former president
of the Fremantle Football Club, and John a young man who had
played on the wing for Fremantle for the past three seasons,
knew they had to move fast.
Registering
the club
The
WA Football Association had already called for applications
for new teams and was to hold its annual meeting on April 18.
To beat the deadline John appointed himself secretary of the
non-existent South Fremantle Football Club and applied to join
the Association. Finding a name was easy because the South Fremantle
Cricket Club was already doing well in the WACA competition.
As it happened the Association meeting was postponed until Monday
23rd.
The players and
the committee
John
and O'Beirne rounded up the Fremantle players for
a meeting at the Club Hotel on the Friday night and the rest
was straight forward. They already had the players, an Oval,
changerooms and a trainer. They kept the Fremantle colours of
red and white, and confirmed John as secretary.
Disaster struck but
the club was resurrected
Led
by George 'Smiler' Wills, the new club did well in its
first year, finishing runners-up. However, over the next three
seasons the performance fell away badly and, in April 1904 a
Fremantle newspaper confidently reported that South Fremantle
would not appear again. However, the club decided to carry on
and centreman Harry Hodge took over as skipper, but the
season was a disaster. The club won only one game. Something
had to be done, and it was.
Five members
of East Fremantle's premiership eighteen were recruited to the
ranks together with several Victorian players and the club surged
into the top four in 1905, only to lose the semi-final. In 1906
the Southerners were minor premiers for the first time, but
again lost the semi-final. Eight times in nine seasons the club
would make the semi-finals, never once advancing further.
Victories in 1914,
1916 and 1917
With
Joe Coates settling in to a long term as coach the red-and-whites
took the next step in 1914, not only advancing to the final
but winning it, only to lose the challenge match. Still the
club could claim to have been premiers one week though the Great
War cast a shadow over this achievement. In 1916 Frank Collins
took over as captain, commencing a four-year term, and immediately
led his men to a grand final victory. In 1917with a team barely
changed, Collins' men won a second premiership and collected
the Green Stripe Whisky Cup now displayed in the social club
foyer.
1919 - slipping back again
In
1919 Bonny Campbell switched from defence to attack and
become one of the State's greatest full-forwards but the following
season the club had again slipped back to last place.
1927 - more wins!
In
1927, with ruckmen Johnny Campbell and Jerry Sunderland
carrying all before them, and new full-forward Sol Lawn
in superb form, the club won both semi-final and final only
to lose the challenge match.
1928 - 1932
In 1928 Jack Rocchi won the club's first Sandover Medal,
and in 1929 and 1930 the club again played off in the final
without success. 1931 ushered in a period of slow decline for
the club, made tragic in 1932 by the death of popular young
captain-coach Ron Doig who succumbed to injuries received
in a semi-final.
1936 - 1938 club hits
rock bottom and up again
The
club hit rock bottom in 1936 - a year redeemed by the arrival
of the three Hayward brothers, pioneering Aboriginal
footballers. Bill Hayward would later be compared to
Stephen Michael. Scranno Jenkins won the Sandover
Medal in 1937 and the club's coming rise to power began in 1938
when Bert Chandler was appointed captain-coach, casually
moving from full-back to kick a staggering 120 goals in his
first year.
1939
The
star recruit of 1939 was Clive Lewington and the club
again reached the finals, played after the outbreak of the World
War.
1940
Jack Polinelli commenced a record eleven year term as
president, Bev Morris was well into a 29 year period
as treasurer, and Frank Harrison - the "prince of secretaries"
- took office for the first time.. The team again made the grand-final.
1941
The
the club found a brilliant young full-forward in Bernie Naylor
but finished only third. However, with Australia under increasing
threat of invasion, the League switched to an under-age competition
in which South Fremantle fared badly despite unearthing young
footballers in Eric Eriksson, Norm Smith and Frank
Treasure who would be key players in the great days to come.
1944- 1948
The young red-and-whites went totally without a win. Things
changed dramatically in 1945 with the resumption of the senior
competition. Frank Harrison returned as secretary and
immediately set about rebuilding club spirit. Aided by the almost
accidental recruitment of goldfields rover Steve Marsh
the Southerners climbed into the grand final but finished runners-up
for the fifth time since winning consecutive premierships in
1916-17.
Naylor
returned in 1946 and kicked 123 goals but the team stumbled
in the first semi-final. The breakthrough came the following
season when Polinelli and Harrison recruited a proven
coach. Ross Hutchinson had already coached East Fremantle
and West Perth to flags when he joined South Fremantle as captain-coach
in 1947. Clive Lewington won the Sandover Medal, Bernie
Naylor kicked another 108 goals and he, Steve Marsh
and Frank Treasure enjoyed the first of six premiership
victories they would share together.
Pre-war
veterans Dave Ingraham, Frank Jenkins and Corp
Reilly were also part of the club's first premiership in
thirty years. The following season Clive Lewington took
over as captain, and the new recruits included Charlie Tyson
who, that October, enjoyed the first of his five premierships
with the club.
1949
Clive Lewington added coaching duties to his captaincy.
1950
The Southerners failed to make the grand final but won another
flag in 1950.
1951
The red-and-whites lost the grand final by just three points.
1952
Steve Marsh finally won a Sandover Medal.
1953
Bernie Naylor booted a staggering 167 goals, and South Fremantle
won another two premierships.
1954
A Derby grand final in 1954 saw the Southerners make it three
in a row, with a record winning margin. Bernie Naylor,
having kicked another 133 goals for the season, retired while
still at his best and the glory days were almost over. Naylor
had topped the club's goalkicking list for ten seasons and kicked
a total of 1034 goals for the club, despite the long war service
that interrupted his career. Unbelievably, a young replacement
appeared immediately.
1955
Local junior John Gerovich kicked 74 goals in 1955, and
would be the club's leading goalkicker for no less than eleven
seasons, his high-marking genius a delight to all lovers of
the game. Young rover John Todd also had a sensational
debut, winning the Sandover Medal at the age of seventeen. The
Southerners came third in 1955.
1956
The red-and-whites fought back to make the grand-final in 1956
but lost to East Perth. Steve Marsh left to coach East
Fremantle - the club he had intended to join in 1945 - and the
golden years were definitely over.
For twelve
seasons the club had been in the four, had played in nine grand-finals
and had won six. In the next forty-three seasons the red-and-whites
would play in nine grand finals and win only three.
In the
lean period before the next flag in 1970 a string of long-serving
players carried the hopes of supporters. The club enjoyed wonderful
on-field service from Don Byfield (239 games), John
Colgan (220), John Gerovich (221), Gary Scott
(255), Tom Grljusich (258), Fred Seinor (219)
and Brian Ciccotosto (211) who saw the club through some
unrewarding years.
1957-1969
After the retirement of Lewington in 1958 the youthful John
Todd was appointed captain-coach for one season. He was
followed as coach by Marty McDonnell, a former Footscray
and Victorian player who immediately steered the team back into
the four and began the drawn-out process of turning Southerners
into Bulldogs. However, the on-field improvement wasn't sustained
and the sixties was the club's worst decade with the team finishing
last in four seasons. Off the field, members were at least able
to watch games in comfort, the social club premises named in
honour of club founder Griff John, having been built
on the club's own land in 1960.
1970
It was another Victorian, captain-coach Hassa Mann who
took the club soaring from last in 1969 to a premiership in
1970. Brian Ciccotosto won the Simpson Medal.
1971
Mann's men fell back to sixth in 1971.
1972
The highlight of 1972 was the arrival of Sebastian Rioli,
an Aboriginal player with a touch of magic. Brian Ciccotosto
made the All-Australian team.
1975
In 1975 Rioli was joined by a wonderful trio in Basil Campbell,
Stephen Michael and his brother Maurice Rioli,
and the team shot up from fifth to a grand-final appearance.
Brian Ciccotosto was captain but the team lost by a record
margin. Attendances at WAFL matches peaked during the 1970s
and an average of over ten thousand spectators watched each
South Fremantle qualifying match.
1977
The increasing professionalism of football saw the club's first
full-time general manager appointed in 1977.
1978
The year Foundation Day Derbies became a regular fixture, the
club returned as a power in the football land. Mal Brown,
a one-time Souths supporter who had risen to football fame at
East Perth, took over as coach after finishing his playing career
in red and white.
1979-81
Led on the field by former Richmond rover Noel Carter the
club made the grand final in 1979, defeated Swan Districts in
the 1980 grand final and were runners-up once again in 1981.
Ruckman Stephen Michael won Sandover Medals in 1980 and
1981 while Maurice Rioli won Simpson Medals for his grand
final performance in the same years.
1982-83
The club entered 1982 under the control of a Board of Directors
as the traditional style of club administration was swept away.
On-field, the club slipped from the four in 1982 before recovering
to secure the minor premiership in 1983.
1984-85
Brad Hardie was club captain in and transferred to Footscray
and won the Brownlow Medal in 1985.
Since
the club began, no less than 63 South Fremantle players have
gone on to play VFL/AFL football.
These players
played in VFL premiership sides: Harvey Kelly (Carlton
1907-08), Norm McIntosh (Richmond 1921), Bert Beard
(South Melbourne 1933), Colin Beard (Richmond 1969)
and Bruce Monteath (Richmond 1980).
1987
Mark Bairstow, the 1986 Sandover Medallist, joined Geelong
and Nicky Winmar commenced a long career with St Kilda.
David Hart, Wally Matera and John Worsfold
made their VFL debuts with the new West Coast Eagles in 1987.
Jon Dorotich played for Carlton.
1989
Craig Edwards became the club's eighth Sandover Medallist
the same year. Peter Sumich joined the West Coast Eagles.
Maurice Rioli returned after a distinguished career with
Richmond and led the team into the grand final in 1989. With
the advent of West Coast, attendances halved at a time when
all clubs were trying to meet increased player payments. A stock
market crash and the collapse of 'WA Inc' exacerbated the club's
financial position.
1990
Peter Matera joined the West Coast Eagles.
In
1990 supporters had to rally to the cause, and a Save Our Souths
campaign brought the club back from the edge of financial collapse.
1991
Glen Jakovich joined the West Coast Eagles.
1992
John Worsfold led them to premiership glory. David Hart
joined his former Bulldog teammates for a repeat performance
of 1994. In later years players returning from VFL/AFL service
made a big impact. Wally Matera returned, won the Best
and Fairest award and Mal Brown, in a brief return to coaching,
guided the club into yet another grand final appearance.
1993
Brad Hardie reappeared and was the club's leading goalkicker.
1994
In 1994 Jon Dorotich and Peter Worsfold returned from Carlton
and Brisbane. Dorotich would kick 352 goals in the next four
seasons and Worsfold became the longest serving captain in the
club's hundred year history.
1995-1998
Attendances fell further in 1995 when the Fremantle Dockers
joined the AFL. South Fremantle Best and Fairest Peter Bell
was the first Docker signed but few Bulldogs have followed him.
Scott Watters was the inaugural vice-captain and James
Clement and Clem Michael established themselves as
Docker regulars while Peter Bell moved on to play in
two North Melbourne premierships.
In 1995
John Todd who had twice coached the club before enjoying
success elsewhere, returned for a third spell in charge of the
Bulldogs. His efforts were crowned with success in 1997 in a
dramatic grand final where South Fremantle came from behind
to defeat old rivals East Fremantle by six points and end a
seventeen-year premiership drought.
1999
In season 1999, the club's one hundredth, South Fremantle became
the 'host club' for most of the spare players for Fremantle
Oval co-tenants, the Fremantle Dockers.
Boosted
by the injection of talent the Bulldogs climbed from sixth to
earn the minor premiership. However, the host club arrangement
saw much home-grown talent leave the club (a career move that
brought Gus Seebeck a Sandover Medal) and which saw local
draftees playing against their old clubs, to the fury of rival
clubs and their supporters.
The club
entered the finals with the worst of both worlds - antagonism
from the football public and muted support from the Dockers
who refused to release all eligible players for the finals campaign.
South Fremantle supporters at least had the pleasure of seeing
their team play in a grand final in the centenary year, though
the day was spoiled by the cruel absence through suspension
of key player Marty Atkins, victim of a "dobber" following
an unremarked and harmless incident in the second semi-final.
That, and the strength of West Perth, runners-up the previous
year, denied supporters a fairytale rise from sixth to a premiership
in the centenary year.
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WAFL Ladder| Team | P | Pts | % | | Subi | 13 | 48 | 180.97 | | SF | 13 | 32 | 118.87 | | SD | 12 | 32 | 97.53 | | Per | 12 | 26 | 110.83 | | WP | 12 | 26 | 109.66 | | Peel | 13 | 24 | 76.13 | | EP | 12 | 16 | 70.74 | | EF | 12 | 12 | 78.08 | | Clar | 13 | 8 | 87.82 |
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