WA Day Foundation Derby Countdown – 5 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) 

NUMBER 13 – 1959, 1960, 1961
1959 – South Fremantle 12.17 (89) defeated East Fremantle 11.12 (78)
1960 – South Fremantle 11.7 (73) defeated East Fremantle 10.12 (72)
1961 – South Fremantle 7.15 (57) defeated East Fremantle 7.8 (50) 

NUMBER 12 – 1907
South Fremantle 6.8 (44) defeated East Fremantle 4.9 (33) 

NUMBER 11 – 2007
South Fremantle 15.15 (105) defeated East Fremantle 13.13 (91) 

NUMBER 10 – 2008
South Fremantle 18.11 (119) defeated East Fremantle 14.6 (90) 

NUMBER 9 – 2003
South Fremantle 13.9 (87) defeated East Fremantle 13.8 (86)  

NUMBER 8 – 1990
South Fremantle 12.13 (85) defeated East Fremantle 11.6 (72) 

NUMBER 7 – 1992
South Fremantle 12.19 (91) defeated East Fremantle 10.11 (71) 

NUMBER 6 –2011
South Fremantle 12.16 (88) defeated East Fremantle 11.5 (71) 

NUMBER 5 – 1993
South Fremantle 15.10 (100) defeated East Fremantle 14.9 (93)

One year on from the historic 1992 Foundation Day Derby, another 10,386 people ventured to East Fremantle Oval for another classic Derby clash.

Though both sides had lost their previous weekend’s fixture, both Fremantle teams had started the 1993 season strongly with South Fremantle in second position and East Fremantle just percentage outside the top five going into the clash. 

After a tight opening half, South Fremantle squeezed out a 10-point half-time lead.

The third quarter it is where South Fremantle would make its run as a five-goal to three quarter saw the Bulldogs take a seemingly match-winning 27-point lead at the final change.

East Fremantle would not go down quietly, though, and stormed back into the match in the last quarter threatening to take the lead. In the end some strong composure from a veteran team would see South Fremantle home by seven points. 

In an even goal kicking performance it was the Spinks brothers that had the biggest impact with a young Brett leading the way with three goals and older brother Jason kicking two for South Fremantle. Russell Williams and Cliff Collard would also kick two goals for the Bulldogs.

South Fremantle was buoyed by a number of great names of the club's history with Wally Matera, Rod Grljusich, Tom Bottrell and Warren Campbell all representatives of the club who had famous relatives attached to the club in the years past. 

Unfortunately for South Fremantle the derby success was as good as it got in the 1993 season, as the side stagnated in the second half of the year to finish the home and away season in fourth position.

With finals played at Subiaco Oval, it was the fifth placed Subiaco who had home ground advantage against South Fremantle in the elimination final and it was the Lions who prevailed by 26 points to finish off the season for the Bulldogs.?