Bulldogs fully supportive of Friday night football at Fremantle Oval

FRIDAY night football matches at Fremantle Oval have become among the most popular fixtures in the WAFL in any season and the South Fremantle Football Club fully intends to continue them going forward.

South Fremantle has hosted its first two home matches of the 2014 WAFL season on a Friday night at Fremantle Oval against Perth and East Perth, and will also finish the year with Friday night matches against Subiaco and Peel Thunder, and is very happy to be doing so.

After having just one Friday night fixture in 2013, South Fremantle requested from the WAFL to have more scheduled in 2014 and is very happy with the resultant four games to be played under lights at Fremantle Oval.

The South Fremantle Football Club is firmly of the belief that players, members and supporters all alike are fully supportive of Friday night football at Fremantle Oval and all enjoy the experience immensely in particular when the weather is fine at the start and towards the end of the season.

The atmosphere at the night games is tremendous and it provides the option of a terrific night out for spectators with the heart of Fremantle just a minute’s walk away plus with the facilities at Fremantle Oval offering food, drinks, coffee, ice cream and of course the bar.

“The club is looking forward to the night games at the end of the season,” chief executive Stuart Kemp said.

“Our members and fans love coming down on a Friday night and enjoying themselves and we can’t wait for the two games fixtured against Subiaco and Peel.  Night footy is something different in the WAFL and it’s here to stay. We will be working closely with the WAFC to schedule more in 2015.”

The South Fremantle Football Club would like to clarify some claims in The West Australian today.

The club has received no negative feedback whatsoever about the lighting at Fremantle Oval with players, coaches, spectators and members of the media mentioning nothing whatsoever negative in regards to lighting for the night fixtures.

As president Haiden Raitt said, the request of night fixtures will again be reviewed for 2015 but with the overwhelmingly positive response from players, members and supporters, it is unlikely the Bulldogs will not be playing night games once again at Fremantle Oval in 2015.

South Fremantle vice-captain and 160-game veteran Craig White has played in numerous of those night fixtures at Fremantle Oval, and they too are among his highlights of any WAFL season.

“Night games at Fremantle Oval are great. As long as the weather is permitting and it’s not freezing, the night games tend to work. They work well with the facilities upstairs, so the fans enjoy that part of it as well,” White said.

“The players like it because you get an extra day’s break and get to enjoy a Saturday afternoon which is rare during the footy season. The more we can play on a Friday night the better, but obviously we have to work in with the WAFL’s fixturing and all of that.

“All the boys enjoy getting out there for a night game when the weather is good like it always is at this time of year. The lights are good, it’s a quick ground and in dry conditions it’s a really good night for the players out there, but the fans watching on also.”

South Fremantle coach Paul Hasleby is also firmly in favour of night football at Fremantle Oval.

“I was a little bit disappointed we only had one Friday night game last season so it’s good to have a few more this year. It gives the opportunity for the players to have some weekends free and everyone loves playing under lights,” Hasleby said.

“We normally get a good crowd down there on a Friday night in the middle of Fremantle Oval as well, so it’s nice to have a few more games.”

By Chris Pike