South Fremantle continues to lead way in Indigenous development

SOUTH Fremantle could very well have the richest Indigenous heritage of any football club in the country and this Saturday the Bulldogs host Claremont in what has now become the traditional NAIDOC Week match at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

South Fremantle's heritage of Indigenous players includes the club having named its own Indigenous Team of the Century in 2009, having four Bulldogs players named in the AFL's Indigenous Team of the Century and had around 100 players of Aboriginal backgrounds representing the club.

South Fremantle and Claremont have set the standard in the WAFL with NAIDOC celebrations largely because of the Indigenous players historically who have come through their ranks, including Stephen Michael, Wally, Phil and Peter Matera, Jeff Farmer, Maurice Rioli, Nicky Winmar (South Fremantle), and Jim and Phil Krakouer, Irwin Lewis and son Chris (Claremont).

South Fremantle continues to be a favoured home for Indigenous talent with the likes of Tim Kelly, Jacob Martinez, Marlion Pickett and Steven Edwards in the league side.

Dominic Warrell, Josh Collard, Tyson Pickett and Bailey Matera are also currently plying their trade in the reserves for the Bulldogs, and Shai Bolton, Antionne Forrest-Yarran, Tere Teio-Yarran and Boyd Woods among those who have played colts football with South Fremantle in 2016.

Claremont will also likely be represented by Francis Watson, Gerrick Weedon and Christopher Oakley.

The Bulldogs and Tigers have now met in NAIDOC Week clashes each year since beginning the concept in 2007.

Claremont won that first clash at Fremantle Oval but South Fremantle was represented by Keith Pickett, Keren Ugle, Tommy Corbett-Wynne and Peter Narkle.

The Tigers again won by 10 points in 2008 again at Fremantle Oval with Ugle and Shane Tipuamantamerri playing for the Bulldogs before South Fremantle thumped Claremont at the port in 2009 by 78 points.

Ugle, Jeff Farmer and Toby McGrath played that day for South Fremantle with Jayden Woods lining up for Claremont.

Claremont got back to the winner's list in 2010 winning by 27 points with McGrath representing South Fremantle and Jarrod Ninyette lining up for the Tigers.

It was played at Claremont Oval in 2011 with the Tigers winning a thriller by three points with Alroy Gilligan and Gerrick Weedon playing for Claremont, and Woods and McGrath for South Fremantle.

Claremont also won by 55 points in 2012 at Claremont Oval with Weeden playing for the Tigers and Woods and Jordan Wilson-King for the Bulldogs.

It was another thrilling contest at Fremantle Oval in 2013 with Claremont beating South Fremantle 13.16 (94) to 14.6 (90). Nick Winmar had 15 possessions for the Tigers while Tim Kelly impressed for South Fremantle with 18 disposals and a goal with Kaiden Matera and Jacob Martinez also playing.

The 2014 edition of the annual contest took place at the Claremont Showground with the Tigers winning by 22 points on a day where Toby Bairstow played his 100th game for the Bulldogs but injuries to the likes of Ryan Cook, Adam Guglielmana and Ashton Hams proved costly.

Martinez was one of the best players on the ground for South Fremantle with 23 possessions, 10 marks and seven inside-50 entries.

Then last year against the Claremont Showground, it was Claremont who held off a fast-finishing South Fremantle to win 9.10 (64) to 8.12 (60) with the Tigers making it seven of eight wins in the NAIDOC Round battles over the Bulldogs.

Francis Watson played for Claremont and finished with 15 possessions and five tackles while Tim Kelly, Jacob Martinez, Marlion Pickett and Traye Bennell were all out there for South Fremantle.

It has become an annual event for the WAFL to celebrate NAIDOC Week with the clubs wearing special jumpers designed by Aboriginal artist Richard Walley which continue to be a big hit with the artwork made up on them.

The NAIDOC Week celebration only continues to showcase South Fremantle and its rich history with Indigenous footballers.

Back in 2005, four South Fremantle products were given the biggest accolades possible with Stephen Michael, Maurice Rioli, Nicky Winmar and Peter Matera all named in the AFL’s Indigenous Team of the Century which recognised the great Indigenous players from 1904 to 2004 from across Australia. 

The South Fremantle Football Club then followed suit in 2009 and named its own Team of the Century that reads like a who's who of the great Indigenous footballers that the game has seen.

It was far from an easy task to pick the best 22 either from the 78 players at the time that had represented South Fremantle dating back to Jimmy Melbourne who was the first Aboriginal to play senior football in Australia.

As in any such team there are hard luck stories to miss out and selectors Mal Brown, Brian Ciccotosto and Ray Wilson rated life member and premiership player Keren Ugle, Ashley Sampi, Cory McGrath, Warren Campbell, Willie Rioli, Michael Cockie and Shane Tipuamantamerri as the unluckiest casualties.

The quality of those products is highlighted by the fact that some of the team, named at a gala dinner prior to the traditional NAIDOC Week clash against Claremont, are all-time greats of the game.

Ruckman Stephen Michael, the entire centre-line of Peter Matera, Maurice Rioli and Nicky Winmar, and forward pockets Jeff Farmer and Phil Matera, are just some of the names that have been acknowledged as champion players nation-wide.

Current or recently-retired AFL players Ashley McGrath (Brisbane Lions), Shannon Cox (Collingwood), Roger Hayden (Fremantle) and Mark Williams (Hawthorn) all earned a spot.

While Peter and Phil Matera (West Coast) and Winmar (St Kilda and Western Bulldogs) didn’t spend a lot of time in the red-and-white jumper, they all acknowledge the role South Fremantle played in their development up to the AFL ranks.

Former great Bill Hayward was named on the interchange and his career dates back to the 1936 and 37 seasons.

Toby McGrath and Jeff Farmer were both current players named in the team at the time.

It was a real family affair as well with the Matera's (Peter, Phil and Wally), McGrath's (Toby and Ashley), Michael's (Stephen and Clem), Rioli's (Maurice, Sebastian and Dean) and Collard's (Brad and Cliff) all selected.

Stephen and Clem Michael form the father-son combination in the ruck with the legendary Stephen also named captain, with Maurice Rioli his deputy and Mal Brown coach, after being at the helm during the careers of nine of the 22 players selected.