East Fremantle boasts the longest unbeaten run in
Australian football - 36 wins in a row from July 28, 1945, to May 17, 1947 - and
that includes an unbeaten premiership.by Jack Lee
Some of the East Fremantle Football Club's records have been claimed, with good reason, as Australian records, and many others are almost certainly WA records. It is certain, however, that there is only one other club in Australia - Port Adelaide (SA) - that can be compared with the Sharks in the 20th century.
Perhaps East Fremantle's proudest achievement has been the number of premierships won between 1900 and 1994 - 28 - and the number of times it has been runner-up - 26 times. That means that in 94 years the club has been in contention for the title 54 times.
On The Field:
East Fremantle boasts the longest unbeaten run in
Australian football - 36 wins in a row from July 28, 1945, to May 17, 1947 - and
that includes an unbeaten premiership.
Out of the top four only once from 1900 to 1952 - and that was in the Great War
year of 1915.
Most wins in the 20th century; the first to record 1,000 victories; the first to
reach 200 wins against another club.
The only club to have a surplus of wins over losses against every other club in
WA.
Won all the important anniversary titles - 1929 (state centenary), 1979
(sesquicentenary), and 1985 (the anniversary of Australian football in WA).
Won nine premierships between 1900 and 1911 - and, according to respected
historian Dolph Heinrichs, there were grave doubts about premiership losses in
1905 and 1907.
Among The Players:
The most decorated player in WA, if not Australia, was W.J. (Nipper) Truscott,
whose achievements included:
five times chosen in WA
Australian Carnival sides - 1908, 1911, 1914, 1921 and 1924 - a total that would
have been six but for the intervention of the Great War. The record was
shared by Foster Williams (SA) and Arthur Hodgson (Tas);
listed in the Sport Australia
Hall of Fame and the WA Hall; one of only two WA players listed in The Makers
Of Australia's Sporting Tradition; and previously listed in The
Australian Dictionary of Biography;
represented WA in cricket, and partnered Harry Snook to an Australia pairs
championship victory in bowls;
is
believed to have played more than 400 games, for Mines Rovers, East Fremantle
and WA in a career that spanned about 20 years.
In 1961, when the Carnival was won by WA, East Fremantle set a national record
when four of our players were chosen in the All Australian team. They were
Jack Clarke, Alan Preen, Ray Sorrell and Norm Rogers.
Jack Clarke won All Australian selection a record four times - 1953, 1956, 1958
and 1961.
In 1979, Kevin Taylor became the first specialist rover to kick more than 100
goals in a season.
In 1945, Alan Ebbs won the first Simpson Medal (awarded for the best individual
performance in either a grand final or an interstate match).
East Fremantle shares with South Fremantle the record attendance for a grand
final - 52,781 in 1979.
Merv Cowan's name appears on the club's honour board 44 times - 22 as delegate,
13 as president, 5 as secretary, twice as captain, once as vice-captain, and
once when he was made a life member. He played 169 games between 1948 and
1957.
Where now?
or