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A history lesson on the red and whites

By Mr Dandalooa

South Fremantle has a rich history steeped in greatness and success.

The club was formed in haste in April 1900 at the old Club Hotel (now Orient Hotel) in High Street, because the once unbeatable Fremantle Football Club that was the centre-point of footy south of the river, was in debt and disarray.

With the new season just weeks away Tom O’Beirne and Griff John hatched a plan that they would simply abandon the old club and form a new one.

O’Beirne, who was then a publican of the Club Hotel and former president of the Fremantle Football Club, and John, a strapping youngster who had played on the wing for Fremantle for three seasons, knew they had to move fast. And they did.

While the club’s foundations were made in haste, the Bulldogs have developed some superstar athletes over the century.

Ninety years ago, Bonny Campbell epitomised the greatness Bulldogs fans have come to expect from their team.

He switched from defence to attack to eventually become one of the state’s greatest full-forwards despite the club at that time remaining at the bottom of the ladder.

Some six years later in 1927, South Fremantle shook off its losing ways and with ruckmen Johnny Campbell and Jerry Sunderland carrying all before them, and new full-forward Sol Lawn in fantastic form, the club won both semi-final and final only to lose the challenge match.

A year later, Jack Rocchi won the club’s first Sandover Medal, and in 1929 and 1930 the club again played off in the final, but without success.

A new period of slow decline in the 1930s for the club was made tragic in 1932 by the death of popular young captain-coach Ron Doig who succumbed to injuries received in a semi-final match.

It was in the late 1940s that after the club’s first grand final win that real greatness began to protrude from the failures of decades past.

Few players exploded onto the football scene as sensationally as did John Todd in 1955.

As a teenager (just 17-years-old), he represented WA and won South Fremantle’s fairest and best award, becoming the youngest ever winner of the Sandover Medal. 

However, Todd sustained a serious knee injury against East Perth in 1956 and the road to recovery was long and hard.

But after several aborted comeback attempts he finally returned to something approaching his best late in the 1958 season, a year which saw him again receive the red and whites’ premier individual award. 

The following year, aged just 21, he took over as South Fremantle coach, but stood down after just one year.  He would later eke out a reputation for himself as one of WA football’s finest ever coaches.

WA football has seen numerous talented stars, but few could top South Fremantle’s Bernie Naylor.

In a 10-season, 194 game League career, Naylor booted 1,064 goals, adding a further 45 in 16 interstate matches, and in 1946 and kicked 123 goals, leading the team to the semi-finals.

After being named club champion in 1953, Naylor bagged eight goals in that season’s winning grand final against West Perth.

And then there is Stephen Michael.

Few could dispute that Michael was one of the best players produced in WA.

He was a consistent performer and all-round brilliant player with endurance that made him a player of his time. 

Runner up in the 1979 Sandover Medal, Michael went on to win the award in each of the next two seasons. 

His season in 1983 came to an abrupt end when he was accidentally shot in the knee during a hunting trip.  The injury didn’t finish his career, but did seriously undermine his form and after struggling on for two further seasons he announced his retirement.

At his best, Michael was probably as close as footballers come to the ‘complete package’. 

His five club champion awards and 17 interstate appearances during an 11 season WA(N)FL career provide additional evidence of his quality.

Then there’s Steve Marsh and Frank Treasure, plus a host of more great and contemporary South Fremantle players.

The South Fremantle Football Club has a long and rich tradition from its first premiership in 1916 (there’s 11 in total) to the nine Sandover Medallists it has produced.