LOOKING BACK: AMAZING WA DAY MEMORIES

IT is the biggest day on the West Australian football calendar and as a result everyone will have their own WA Day or Foundation Derby moments to cherish and South Fremantle memories to last a lifetime.

Considering what a highlight playing on then Foundation Day and now WA Day for both Fremantle clubs has been for such a long time, it's no surprise the memories created on the occasion and the way big time plays, and big time player performances stick in the memory bank.

In total, South Fremantle and East Fremantle have played in Foundation Derbies on the WA Day holiday Monday 61 times over history with the Bulldogs having won 36 of those meetings including the past six in-a-row.

It has been every year from 1978 onwards, aside from the COVID year of 2020, where the game has been played on the Monday public holiday as well.

That makes this week's encounter at Fremantle Community Bank Oval the 46th consecutive derby either on WA Day or previously Foundation Day except for 2020.

Let's take a look at some of those memorable moments and standout performers that stick out from the derbies in that time.

It was a sixth straight WA Day Derby win last year for the Bulldogs even with the Sharks going on to win the premiership when they did battle in torrential conditions at the WACA Ground.

South Fremantle kicked the last three goals of the game to win by 14 points in a game featuring just seven goals with a breakout performance from the unheralded Kaden Harbour with three goals.

The 2022 edition was a memorable affair at Fremantle Community Bank Oval with South Fremantle holding on for the two-point win having stormed back from a 27-point deficit in the second half.

In the end, the Bulldogs kicked six consecutive goals to grab the lead and hold on when Cam Eardley missed a late shot for the Sharks to make it 13 straight derby wins overall.

Mason Shaw and Cody Ninyette kicked four goals each in the 16-point win in 2021 that was the last WA Day Derby played at East Fremantle Oval.

Then back in 2019 and future premiership captain Dylan Main kicked four goals as South Fremantle won by 32 points also at East Fremantle Oval.

It was Brandon Donaldson who kicked four goals in the 73-point win in 2018 at Fremantle Community Bank Oval which came after the 145-point thumping for the Bulldogs at Shark Park in 2017.

Haiden Schloithe dominated with 38 possessions and four goals while Tim Kelly was remarkable with seven goals and 35 disposals while Blaine Johnson also kicked five goals.

East Fremantle's last win on WA Day came in 2016 but before that was a memorable and thrilling five-point Bulldogs win in front of a crowd of 7209 at East Fremantle Oval in 2015.

South Fremantle went on to kick the last four goals of the game with Paul Mugambwa nailing the winner on his left boot at the 25-minute mark of the final term.

East Fremantle won by 15 points in 2014 but back in 2013 and South Fremantle won by 66 points at East Fremantle Oval with Ashton Hams starring with 31 touches and two goals, and the club's longest serving captain Ryan Cook picking up 30 disposals.

The Sharks kicked four goals to one in the last quarter for the eight-point win in 2012 but the year prior to that in front of 7531 fans at Shark Park, South Fremantle won by 17 points with Theo Adams starring with 32 possessions.

The Bulldogs also won by 29 points at home in 2011 with Cory Dell'Olio kicking three goals and Ashton Hams racking up 30 touches.

The Sharks won by 55 points in 2010 and by a solitary point in 2009 in what was one of the more dramatic and memorable games in recent memory in front of 11,051 fans at East Fremantle Oval.

South Fremantle would go on to win the premiership but lost Jeff Farmer prior to the game and Peter Bell in the opening minutes, and went down by the point despite four goals from Farmer's replacement, Nathan Phillips.

Ryan Murphy kicked six goals in the 29-point win at home for South Fremantle in 2008 while he also kicked five in the 14-point victory of 2007.

All the records tumbled in 2006 with South Fremantle delivering the most dominant of demolition jobs with the 35.13 (223) to 9.12 (66) victory in front of 8129 supporters at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

That was South Fremantle's biggest ever score and the 157-margin was the biggest ever in derbies with Murphy kicking five goals, Kyle Hams four and three each all to Andrew Siegert, Evan Hewitt, Roger Hayden, Tony Bourke and Clint Jones with Daniel Gilmore running riot with 40 possessions.

South Fremantle also won by 63 points the previous year with three goals apiece to Adams and Ryan Webb while in 2004, the Bulldogs also thumped the Sharks by 82 points with four goals to Ray Smithers, and three each to Siegert and Hayden North.

It was a one-point heart stopper won by South Fremantle at Shark Park in 2003 with Michael Brown kicking four goals while the Bulldogs won back in 2001 by 30 points as well three goals apiece to Chris Tindale and Keren Ugle.

East Fremantle did win in 2000 by 32 points after another thriller in 1999 where South Fremantle scored the four-point win with Justin Longmuir, Peter Worsfold, Daniel Schell and Brad Bootsma all kicking two goals.

The Sharks won by 50 points in their premiership year of 1998 while also winning in South Fremantle's premiership year in 1997 with the 37-point victory at Shark Park.

Jon Dorotich kicked seven goals and Peter Sumich five in the 63-point win for the Bulldogs in 1996 in front of a crowd of 7777 at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

It was back to the thrilling finishes with the Sharks kicking five goals to one in the last quarter to win by two points in 1995 despite Phil Matera kicking six goals for the Bulldogs. Andrew Lockyer kicked nine for East Fremantle.

East Fremantle won by 38 points in 1994 after South Fremantle's seven-point win in front of a crowd of 10,386 at East Fremantle Oval in 1993.

The Bulldogs won by 20 points in front of a monster crowd of 18,130 in 1992 after East Fremantle's 21-point win in 1991, and South Fremantle's 13-point victory in 1990 with Glen Jakovich kicking four goals.

The 1989 edition was a remarkable contest featuring 41 goals between the two teams with East Fremantle winning by five points with Neil Lester-Smith kicking six goals for the Sharks, and Richard Geary five for the Bulldogs.

South Fremantle won by 22 points in 1988 with Gordon Gatti kicking three goals while East Fremantle kicked 22 goals in a 41-point win in 1987 with five goals apiece from Roger Kerr and Clinton Browning despite six goals for the Bulldogs from Mark Jackson.

East Fremantle won big by 94 points in 1986 despite 31 possessions for South Fremantle from Mark Bairstow in his Sandover Medal year.

The Sharks also won by 49 points in 1985 but South Fremantle scored the thumping 67-point win in 1984 in front of 17,932 fans at Fremantle Community Bank Oval with 51 scoring shots to 29.

Wally Matera, Dorotich and Brad Hardie all kicked four goals with David Hart racking up 31 possessions and Rod Grljusich 27.

Perhaps the most memorable Foundation Day Derby of long-time fans took place in 1983 at East Fremantle Oval in front of a crowd of 17,560 where South Fremantle won by a point.

Stephen Michael took a monster mark before kicking a late behind to tie scores up with the crowd at a fever pitch. In the end, Noel Carter received a high free-kick from outside the 50m arc as the siren sounded.

In the most remarkable finish, he launched a torpedo into the breeze and it sailed through for one of the more famous behinds in WAFL history as South Fremantle won by a point on a day where he racked up 35 possessions while Nicky Winmar had 21 disposals.

East Fremantle won by 13 points back in 1982 but a year prior South Fremantle had a thumping 86-point win in front of 15,212 fans at East Fremantle Oval with seven goals each to Hardie and Bruce Monteath.

The Sharks won a tight affair by eight points in 1980 and back in 1979, it was a day with 40 goals scored and South Fremantle had 50 scoring shots to 35 in the eventual 15-point victory.

Mark Jackson kicked four goals in the win for South Fremantle with three goals apiece to Stephen Michael and Basil Campbell.

Then 1978 was the year when the Foundation Day match ups became a locked in annual event with a 41-point South Fremantle win with five goals apiece from Don Haddow, Joe McKay and Michael.

Now this Monday presents another chance for the next chapter to be written into the history books.