CLUB LEGENDS HONOURED

WORDS COURTESY OF BEN SMITH
– THE WEST AUSTRALIAN

South Fremantle will be unveiling their new signage ahead of NAIDOC Round with Indigenous legends Benny Vigona and Basil Campbell getting honoured.

Fremantle Community Bank Oval will have different signage this weekend, with South Fremantle honouring two of their former favourites.

To celebrate their NAIDOC Round clash with Claremont on Saturday, the Bulldogs have renamed their home ground’s end for this week’s game in tribute to Benny Vigona and Basil Campbell.

The end North of the Oval has been renamed the Campbell End, while the Hospital (South) end will be dubbed the Vigona End.

Vigona spent nine years at the Bulldogs and kicked 220 goals in 165 games and was a four-time State representative while Campbell kicked 122 goals in 102 games for the Bulldogs and represented WA in 1977.

The pair both hail from the Northern Territory, are both hall of fame members and life members and were also part of South Fremantle’s 1980 premiership victory.

Vigona admitted the honour had taken him by surprise and over his playing years he came to understand how important the club was to the local community.

“We just came here to play footy and to get this is an honour, but we came here to get the ball and see what happened,” he said.

“It took me a few years to understand it was important for the local mob and I started thinking about giving back to the club.

“I thought we were only coming down for the function going on. This was out of the blue.”

Campbell said it was an honour to be recognised, but did admit he preferred the other end during his playing days, as that was where he kicked most of his goals.

“It’s a great feeling to be recognised. We were only young men back then, but the comradeship and training and all that was good,” he said.

“It was a very family oriented club. All the boys from down here, Aboriginal boys, we all got on well together.”

For those unable to make it to the game, the AFL website will have a live stream with special NAIDOC content.

Basil Campbell- Credit: Jackson Flindell/The West Australian

Benny Vigona – Credit: Jackson Flindell/The West Australian