Every year I look at the East Fremantle players in the AFL and construct a team based on them. I wish this made me feel better that East, the greatest club in true football history, have not won a WAFL flag since 98. It doesn’t, but at least it reiterates our strength and undercuts those who claim WAFL flags by aligning themselves with Dockers and Eagles, or by salary cap cheating.
East Fremantle 2015 AFL TEAM
B Sheppard McPharlin Hooker
HB Johannisen Taylor Ibbotson
C Yeo DSwallow PCripps
HF JCripps Kennedy Fasolo
F Ryder Clark Palmer
R Sandilands ASwallow Masten
I Paparone Griffin Lucas Duffy
The team boasts a magnificent backline and a powerful and diverse forward line. The midfield, the powerhouse of the team over the last decade is a bit thinner but there’s a lot of promise for years to come. When one considers the players who East have contributed to the AFL since the usurping of the natural order – Kerr, Cousins, Woewodin, Cassissi, McManus, Carr, Mainwairing, Chick, Brennan et al, there can be little doubt that without national intrusion, the Blue and Whites premiership flags would stretch the length of Moss St.
…and a special mention to my fave “Old East” Tony Buhagiar. Best wishes for the “Demolition”. Simon