The tentatively named “Fremantle Sharks” received the go-ahead yesterday in Perth when the AFL chief executive, Mr Ross Oakley, announced that the league had granted a license to the West Australian Football Commission. Mr Oakley said the new team gave the competition a balanced number and now the only way for another club to enter the competition would be if a Melbourne-based club were to merge or fold. It also paves the way for a five-week final series, for the introduction of a final eight and for regular Monday night football. The Dockers line up for the first match against an AFL team, a practice match against Essendon. Credit:The Age Archives The WAFC will pay $4 million for the license, which it will pass on to a new company formed to operate the club. Unlike when West Coast, Brisbane and Adelaide entered the league, the license fee will be used to reduce the AFL’s debt rather than being distributed to the existing clubs.

The new club will be built from scratch, but will have as its base the South Fremantle and East Fremantle clubs, both powerhouses of the WA Football League. As yet the club has no official name, no jumper – although blue, red and white vertical stripes have been suggested – and no home ground. But it is expected to be based at Fremantle Oval and play its home games at both Subiaco Oval and the WACA ground. This means that AFL football will be played in Perth every weekend. Former Fremantle chief executive, David Hatt, unveils the inaugural logo and colours. Credit:Tony McDonough Victorian clubs generally welcomed the announcement, particularly as it spells the end of the unwieldy bye. But some expressed reservations. West Coast now faces serious competition for the hearts, minds and dollars of the people of WA. “We have estimated a reduction in profits… at somewhere around $800,000,” said general manager, Mr Brian Cook. “We also anticipate a 10 per cent drop in membership…”

The new club already had several unofficial applicants for the coaching job. The dual Hawthorn premiership coach Alan Joyce put his hand up last night, as did Gerard Neesham, who has coached Claremont to seven WAFL premierships. Gerard Neesham, the club's first coach, at training in 1995. Credit:The Age Archives ------ Fremantle, a footy-mad town perfect for an AFL team Western Australian football legend Mal Brown coached South Fremantle in 182. The former Richmond player, a passionate supporter of the port city buying its own AFL team, explains Fremantle’s special place in WA football culture.

Gerard Neesham addresses his players during the break at a 1995 Ansett Cup, pre-season match. Credit:The Age Archives Fremantle is the capital of football in Western Australia and the move to locate a second AFL side there is the best thing that’s ever happened to the game in WA, including the Eagles’ admission. It means there will be competition at last in WA, that people will be able to watch AFL football every weekend and that there will be rivalry that you just don’t get in a one-team town. Fremantle has always had an incredibly strong football culture. Freo people are the beer and pie and sandshoe brigade; they’re working class – wharfies and fishermen and market gardeners – and basically, they don’t trust anyone north of the river. It takes time to be accepted as a Fremantle person, even if the yuppies are starting to come through and buy all the warehouses. Eagles supporters tend to be more the champagne and caviar set.

The inaugural logo. South Fremantle has produced an outstanding number of champions, such as Mark Bairstow, Nicky Winmar, Maurice Rioli, Brad Hardie and many of the West Coast’s stars including John Worsfold, Peter Matera, Peter Sumich and Chris Mainwaring. Chris Waterman, Michael Brennan, Paul Harding and Andrew Lockyer all come from the eastern part of town, although it’s fair to say that East Fremantle hasn’t produced as many champions. Both clubs have been going for more than 100 years and the supply of quality players hasn’t stopped. I wouldn’t be surprised if the new club, assuming it is Fremantle-based, gets 15,000 members within the first 18 months. And sponsorship will come flooding in, if the club handles it correctly.

And that’s the crucial thing. The new side must be based in Fremantle and have Fremantle people associated with it for it to succeed. Any move to base the club at (outer suburban) Joondalup or the WACA ground would be madness in my view. It would be the silliest thing the AFL could do. Loading The rivalry between these two Fremantle clubs – South and East – is intense. I remember some nights when players used to have fights at training when the two clubs trained at the same ground. They’ve got the same rivalry as Collingwood and Carlton or Richmond and Carlton and it’s going to be very hard for them to come together and support the one team. The America’s Cup in 1987 has helped spruce up the city and prepare it for big crowds and big sporting occasions. There was a stage when more people around the world knew where Fremantle was than Perth.

Alan Bond is the patron of South Fremantle and, despite what some people think of him, is a hero in Fremantle. Fremantle people love a villain and a larrikin, blokes like Bond and John Miller, the jockey who won the Melbourne and Caulfield Cups on Galilee in 1966. This is great news for the city. It will be the biggest day there since Foundation Day in 1979 when 53,000 people went to Fremantle Oval to watch the local derby. I just hope now the best interest of Fremantle footy are served and not the self-interest of those people involved in the new team.