WA Day Foundation Derby Countdown – 14 days to go

THE Foundation Derby on WA Day is always the biggest occasion of any WAFL season outside of finals and South Fremantle is guaranteed of heading into the clash with East Fremantle at Fremantle Community Bank Oval on top of the ladder.

The Sharks could very well be second too depending on what happens this weekend while the Bulldogs have the bye leading into the clash.

We are going to countdown to the Foundation Derby on WA Day, which falls on Monday June 6 by taking a look at 15 of the greatest wins by South Fremantle over East Fremantle on the famous occasion.

NUMBER 15 – 1978
South Fremantle 21.13 (139) defeated East Fremantle 14.14 (98)

NUMBER 14 – 2006
South Fremantle 35.13 (223) defeated East Fremantle 9.12 (66)

A record winning margin for Monday Derbies and an all-time winning margin against old rivals East Fremantle, the 2006 Foundation Derby is notable for being one of the most one-sided derbies in history.

In retrospect the warning signs were evident pre-match to a one sided affair with South Fremantle sitting third on the ladder and East Fremantle last with just one win.

As reigning premiers South Fremantle opened its campaign against East Fremantle in Round 1 and with a thumping 98-point win. In the week before the Foundation Derby, South Fremantle had been pipped by Subiaco in one of the great modern WAFL clashes.

As a result, South Fremantle was desperate to rebound and it was their old rivals that were on the receiving end.

In a stunning half of football, South Fremantle kicked 10.3 in each of the first two quarters to amass a whopping first half score of 20.6 and lead by 112 points at half-time.

The margin ballooned further to 150 points by three quarter-time before a somewhat competitive final quarter left the final margin at 157.

The massive winning margin saw South Fremantle’s percentage raise 17.85 per cent and a week later took top spot after beating East Perth.

It was a star-studded South Fremantle team coached by the great John Dimmer.

It included inspirational captain David Gault, Clint Jones, Hayden North, Paul Duffield, Theo Adams, Paul Mugambwa, Ashton and Kyle Hams, Andrew Siegert, Ryan Webb, Evan Hewitt, Adam Hay, Keren Ugle, Ray Smithers, Roger Hayden, Daniel Gilmore, Ashley Sampi and Ryan Murphy.

All 22 had a big impact as well and 15 of them scored goals led by five to Murphy, four to Kyle Hams, three to Hewitt, three to Hayden, three to Siegert, three to Tony Bourke, three to Jones and two each to North, Daniel Gilmore and Sampi.

Gilmore had the biggest day statistically of his career with 40 possessions and 11 marks while Hay dominated the ruck with 23 touches and 21 hit outs while Webb, Jones, Duffield, Ashton Hams, Smithers and North all had more than 20 disposals.

It wasn’t the worst looking East Fremantle side on paper either featuring Brownlow Medallist Shane Woewodin along with Ryley Dunn, Harry Taylor, Liam Anthony, Andrew Foster, Michael Collica, Ryan Webster, Kris Miller, Leith Teakle, Andrew McCarrey and Tim Malseed. The latter three would all end their WAFL careers with South Fremantle.

Subiaco and South Fremantle proved to be the two dominant teams of the season with the Bulldogs making it through to a second straight grand final, but it wasn’t quite to be back-to-back flags with the Lions prevailing in the grand final.

That proved to be somewhat of a changing of the guard at the Bulldogs with it being the final WAFL game for 2005 premiership stars Evan Hewitt, Ryan Webb and Matt Clucas.