Round 7 ANZAC Day Preview v East Fremantle

SOUTH Fremantle hosts the first Fremantle derby this ANZAC Day at Fremantle Oval with bounce down at 4.15pm with the Bulldogs out to knock off the Sharks to record their first win of 2013.

The Bulldogs might have lost their first five games of the season, but derbies in history have always been home to some of the great upset results and a win this ANZAC Day at Fremantle Oval would be just the tonic to get South Fremantle’s 2013 season off and running.

South Fremantle loses former Shark and experienced swingman Andrew McCarrey to a knee injury with Adam McIntosh and Jacob Martinez pressing to return after strong showings in the reserves last week against Subiaco.

Premiership midfielder Reece Adams is also a chance to return after resting his aching body last week against the Lions while Tim Kelly is pressing for a debut and what better occasion for the youngster to get his opportunity.

The ANZAC Day derby will be the fifth straight year that the two clubs have met to commemorate the occasion and already the tradition has built quite the rich history.

The first meeting was perhaps the most memorable of all back in 2009 in front of 5484 people at Fremantle Oval when the Bulldogs stormed home to win by six points.

It was a controversial finish with East Fremantle’s Rob Young penalised for a dubious deliberate out of bounds call deep in his defensive pocket with scores tied and only seconds left on the clock.

Toby Bairstow took the resultant free-kick, snapped the goal right through the middle and South Fremantle celebrated a thrilling victory on its way to the premiership of that year.

It was onto East Fremantle Oval in 2010 where the Sharks were impressive winning by 46 points in front of another healthy crowd of 3335.

It was back to Fremantle Oval in 2011 and 4225 people attended to see the Bulldogs impress with a 29-point win on the way to another finals appearance in John Dimmer’s last season as coach.

Last year’s ANZAC Day fixture was one to forget for the Bulldogs, though, with the Sharks running out 85-point winners at East Fremantle Oval with 2408 fans watching on.

Hasleby is proud of the fact that there is now a traditional Fremantle derby on ANZAC Day and feels there’s no better occasion for his young side to get the chance to show what they are made of.

“I love getting to play on any big occasion like this where you get to run out in front of a bigger crowd than normal, but to also play your part in being respectful to the ANZAC’s and what they did,” Hasleby said.

“It’s great for a young player to experience that emotion of going out there and battling with your teammates. We are all mates and we need to stick together, and find a way to fight through this.”

When Hasleby played one season in the WAFL with South Fremantle after his AFL career with Fremantle he played on ANZAC Day for the Bulldogs in 2011, but it was his first derby back in 1999 that he will never forget.

He was playing for East Fremantle that day and played alongside the late Chris Mainwaring, Earl Spalding, Scott Spalding, Marshall Stockden, Wayne Allard, Brad Pozzi, Stephen Bilcich and even current Bulldog Kris Miller. South Fremantle did win by four points though.

He is now hoping that his young group can make this year’s ANZAC Day derby a day that they won’t forget for all the right reasons as well.

“My very first derby had 15,000 people there packed into Fremantle Oval and it was an experience that I have never forgotten,” Hasleby said.

“I’m not sure we will get 15,000 this week, but to play in front of a bigger crowd than normal is as close as we get to playing in a finals-like atmosphere. That will hold these young guys in good stead so the more chances we get to do it the better.”

By Chris Pike