The First Premiership - East Fremantle FC

1900
The First Premiership

After being runners-up in the previous season, East Fremantle was hopeful of topping the list in the last year of the century. These hopes were fully realised. With all the last season's players available, the side was strengthened by the promotion of Richardson from the Claremont juniors, but the great gain of the season was the acquisition of Freddy Roberts, who had greatly distinguished himself on the side of last years premiers, West Perth.

Roberts was the beau ideal of the back man, for he possessed great pace, resolution and was a rare judge of flight and bounce. Few defenders have made fewer errors of judgment.

The club's first ruck was the strongest in the competition for Christy's ground play was a perfect compliment to the high marking of Jim Thomas, and Sweetman as a rover had reached about his prime.

The change rucks, however, were anything but strong, and there were other lines of weakness. An exception was the half back line consisting of Wilson, Roberts and "Hooky" Doig.

The Season opened as late as May 26th against the new club, South Fremantle, which replaced the once famous but now defunct Fremantle side. East Fremantle won decisively - 5.7 as against 1.5. The defeat of West Perth followed at the Oval, the scores being 6.15 to 5.10 in Easts' favour, H Loel, the states best half forward at the time, kicking the whole of West Perth's goals.

Perth was defeated at the W.A.C.A. ground easily enough, and East Fremantle had won it's first three matches. A crushing defeat administered by West Perth had a salutary effect. It must be said, however that the W.A.C.A. ground was unfit for play, for the leading football writer wrote about this game: "The ground was half above and half under water".

Eight in a Row

East Fremantle won its next eight matches. In all these, Christy stood out, and on the season's form was the Coast's best follower, while at half forward C. Wakely was a tower of strength. Of these matches, the most notable was that against West Perth at Fremantle Oval on July 23rd, the final score being East Fremantle 11.4, West Perth 4.6.

Christy's form in the ruck or spelling at half forward was such that the main report read: "Dolly Christy on Saturday gave full evidence that he is the best follower on the Coast and his consistency is marvellous". As he kicked 4 goals and Wakely 5, the side's other forwards were not very prominent that day.

Not until a few years later was the system of semi-finals, final and challenge games instituted. Every match previously counted, and the premiership was occasionally a forgone conclusion a month before the end of the season.

On August 18th,  a fine win at the expense of South Fremantle (15.11 as against 5.5) virtually settled the premiership. Two days later the leading scribe wrote: "A great deal was due to Christy, Sweetman and the author (Dolph Heinrichs) who were undoubtedly the pick of the 36. Christy kicked 4 goals, Heinrich marked and kicked unerringly and 4 goals were placed to his credit. Roberts, Wilson and S. Doig were sound in defence".

East Fremantle found difficulty in shaking off Perth, the winning margin being merely 6 points, and equal difficulty with South Fremantle. South fought with great tenacity, and East Fremantle had many anxious moments before victory came, and with it the Club's first Premiership.