North Fremantle Football Club
Encyclopedia
The North Fremantle Football Club was an Australian rules football
club which competed in the West Australian Football League
from 1901 to 1915.
North Fremantle started out in the First Rate Junior Association, the state's second tier competition. They were premiers in 1897 and four years later were admitted, along with Subiaco
, into the Western Australian Football Association (later renamed the West Australian Football League).
In preparation for their inaugural WAFA season, North Fremantle signed three East Fremantle players who had been members of the 1900 premiership side.
Briefly in 1902, North sat on top of the WAFA ladder after beating East Fremantle by 22 points in their local derby. They however never made it to a Grand Final in the league, despite winning more games than they lost in their initial seasons.
The club suffered because of war and in 1915 they, due to lack of players, went into 'voluntary recession'. Fremantle were no longer able to support a third club and North, not helped by winning just two of their last 35 league matches, left the league.
Notable footballers to play for the club include Bill Bushell
, Bill Goddard
, Sam Gravenall
and Phillip Matson
.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
club which competed in the West Australian Football League
West Australian Football League
The West Australian Football League is an Australian rules football league based in Perth, Western Australia. The WAFL is the second-most popular in the state, behind the nation-wide Australian Football League...
from 1901 to 1915.
North Fremantle started out in the First Rate Junior Association, the state's second tier competition. They were premiers in 1897 and four years later were admitted, along with Subiaco
Subiaco Football Club
The Subiaco Football Club, nicknamed the Lions, is an Australian rules football club in the West Australian Football League . It was founded in 1896, and admitted to the WAFL in 1901, along with North Fremantle...
, into the Western Australian Football Association (later renamed the West Australian Football League).
In preparation for their inaugural WAFA season, North Fremantle signed three East Fremantle players who had been members of the 1900 premiership side.
Briefly in 1902, North sat on top of the WAFA ladder after beating East Fremantle by 22 points in their local derby. They however never made it to a Grand Final in the league, despite winning more games than they lost in their initial seasons.
The club suffered because of war and in 1915 they, due to lack of players, went into 'voluntary recession'. Fremantle were no longer able to support a third club and North, not helped by winning just two of their last 35 league matches, left the league.
Notable footballers to play for the club include Bill Bushell
Bill Bushell
Bill 'Joe' Bushell was an Australian rules footballer who played with St Kilda in the Victorian Football League , Sturt in the South Australian Football League as well as both North Fremantle and Subiaco in the West Australian Football League .Bushell, a defender, started his career at North...
, Bill Goddard
Bill Goddard (footballer)
William 'Bill' Goddard was an Australian rules footballer who played for South Melbourne, Carlton and St Kilda in the Victorian Football League ....
, Sam Gravenall
Sam Gravenall
Sam Gravenall was an Australian rules footballer who played with St Kilda in the Victorian Football League .From Wesley College, Gravenall was a forward and had his first season at St Kilda in 1903. He didn't appear for the club again until 1906 and the following year went to Western Australia,...
and Phillip Matson
Phillip Matson
Philip Henry Matson was a highly successful player and coach of Australian rules football in the early 20th century, chiefly in Western Australia.-Early Sporting Life:...
.