Fremantle Football Club (1881–1899)
| Fremantle | |
|---|---|
| Names | |
| Full name | Unions Football Club (1882–89) Fremantle Football Club (1890–99) |
| Club details | |
| Founded | 1882 |
| Dissolved | 1899 |
| Colours |
blue and white (1886) red and white (1887–99) |
| Competition | WAFA |
| Ground(s) | Fremantle Park |
The Fremantle Football Club was an Australian rules football club based in Fremantle, Western Australia, that played in the Western Australian Football Association (WAFA) from 1886 to 1899. The club was known as the Unions Football Club from 1882–89.
Unions was formed in 1882 at the same time as the original Fremantle Football Club. A few months after the football season had begun that year, an editorial in The West Australian captured the unfamiliarity of Western Australians with Australian rules football at the time.
It seems a pity however that the Perth players do not all play the same game; while three of the clubs are governed by the rules known as those of the Rugby Union, the fourth (which goes by the name of the Union Club) plays the Victorian game; and there is every reason to believe that the latter club is in the right. The Victorian or "Bouncing" rules are those which are universally adopted in the other Australian colonies; why then should West {sic} Australia be the exception? It is needless here to enter into an argument as to which is the better of the two games, but supposing West {sic} Australia were to receive a challenge at football from one of the sister colonies, what must; be our reply? "We are not able to accept your challenge, because we do not know your rules."
The club was not invited to participate in the formation of the Western Australian Football Association in 1885, at the time being considered a "junior club". As was the norm of the time, the club also occasionally played matches under the rugby union rules.
In 1886, Unions was admitted to the WAFA, giving the city of Fremantle two representatives in the competition. The club finished last in their first season, and in games early in the season, were allowed to field additional players to compensate for the team being considered a junior club. The original Fremantle Football Club disbanded at the end of the season, and many of its players transferred to Unions. The club also took Fremantle's colours of red and white, having previously worn black and white.
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