South Fremantle | ||
---|---|---|
Names | ||
Full name | South Fremantle Football Club | |
Nickname(s) | Bulldogs, Souths | |
2014 season | ||
After finals | 7th | |
Home-and-away season | 7th | |
Leading goalkicker | Ben Saunders (59 goals) | |
Best and fairest | Ryan Cook | |
Club details | ||
Founded | 1900 | |
Colours | Red White | |
Competition | West Australian Football League | |
President | Haydn Raitt | |
CEO | Stuart Kemp | |
Coach |
Paul Hasleby (2012–2014) Todd Curley (2015) |
|
Captain(s) | Ryan Cook | |
Premierships |
List
|
|
Ground(s) | Fremantle Oval (capacity: 18,000) | |
Uniforms | ||
|
||
Other information | ||
Official website | southfremantlefc.com.au |
The South Fremantle Football Club, nicknamed the Bulldogs, is an Australian rules football club, based in Fremantle, Western Australia, playing in the West Australian Football League (WAFL). It was formed in 1900 and plays its home games at Fremantle Oval.
The Fremantle Football Club (originally known as Unions and unrelated to either an earlier club and the current AFL club of the same name) had won ten premierships in the fourteen years that they were in the WA Football Association (now known as the West Australian Football League). By 1899, however, the club suffered from financial problems that caused the club to disband. The South Fremantle Football Club was formed to take their place following an application to the league by Griff John, who would be appointed secretary of the new club, with Tom O'Beirne the inaugural president. Most players, however, were from the defunct Fremantle club.
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.
They won their first premiership in 1916 and went back-to-back in 1917, both times defeating their local rivals, East Fremantle in the final and challenge final. The 1930s were not as successful, marred by the death of the 23-year-old captain-coach Ron Doig as a result of injuries sustained in a match. After World War II, South experienced their greatest era, with the arrival of future Hall of Fame members Steve Marsh, Bernie Naylor, John Todd and Clive Lewington. Between 1945 and 1956 they would win six premierships, be runners-up three times and make the finals in every season. Since then, however, they have won five more premierships, in 1970, 1980, 1997, 2005 and 2009.