20 Year Celebrations

[scon]

It is being written by Les Everett. He's a former Freo Board member and used to write (occasionally?) for the Freo Herald. And obviously a massive Freo fan. He ain't Matt Price but he's a pretty good writer.

Also used to do the yearbooks and is still behind the http://australianrules.com.au/ website.
Certainly knows both club and town like the back of his mauler;footballing scholar and club stalwart.
Is it worth asking how much you would bet Silent Alarm??

 

[Silent Alarm]

The general emphasis of what the Steves have planned for the 20th concerns me somewhat. It all sounds very "we were so crap, but forget all that and just look at us NOW!!!" - and while there is an element of truth in this, there have been so many things that FFC can and should celebrate from across its entire history that I'd hate to see the anniversary sacrificed to the present.

The Fremantle Dockers have been ahead of the AFL curve in a lot of respects and because of our lack on onfield success, this hasn't been recognised as much as it should. OK, so Neesham's revolutionary playing style, Drum breaking the Eagles' mental hold over us in derbies, Connolly's tireless extra-curricular efforts in promoting Freo so we could grow strong financially, and Harvey's grunt work in presiding over almost a total rebuild of the list from scratch can't match Lyon's coaching record - but all these have contributed in a positive way to our history and I hope they all get their due.

Yeah I really don't like it, either. I think the Steves are a bunch of arrogant tools in all honesty. I thought the badge redesign, the re-adoption of 'Dockers,' and the jumper move was all good – simply because it was a good looking result. If they butchered the jumper it'd obviously be different. I still love the old anchor and four-colours but you know, my dislike of the Steves doesn't stem from the typical membership-microwavers' reasons: relocation, redesigning, Lyon.

But the way they won't acknowledge anything is pretty disrespectful to the people who weren't idiots and toiled hard. I'm sure there's people I don't know about at the club who have made Freo a good little club. And that's not to mention the guys who'd run themselves stupid and come close to winning games off their own boots, and if not being able to, at least attempting to.

What this 20th anniversary thing is even celebrating is beyond me. As far as I can see all that's happening is a different looking logo (which cheapens the design), a jumper full of names (which is a money-making exercise: members'll pay to be on there), and a few gala dinners that are just about getting money while not really acknowledging the old days. There aren't flags to look back on but there's other things.

 

[Fred Ziffel]

Yeah I really don't like it, either. I think the Steves are a bunch of arrogant tools in all honesty. I thought the badge redesign, the re-adoption of 'Dockers,' and the jumper move was all good – simply because it was a good looking result. If they butchered the jumper it'd obviously be different. I still love the old anchor and four-colours but you know, my dislike of the Steves doesn't stem from the typical membership-microwavers' reasons: relocation, redesigning, Lyon.

But the way they won't acknowledge anything is pretty disrespectful to the people who weren't idiots and toiled hard. I'm sure there's people I don't know about at the club who have made Freo a good little club. And that's not to mention the guys who'd run themselves stupid and come close to winning games off their own boots, and if not being able to, at least attempting to.

What this 20th anniversary thing is even celebrating is beyond me. As far as I can see all that's happening is a different looking logo (which cheapens the design), a jumper full of names (which is a money-making exercise: members'll pay to be on there), and a few gala dinners that are just about getting money while not really acknowledging the old days. There aren't flags to look back on but there's other things.

All well and good and fanciful young fella but the majority of people are not inclined to celebrate failures.
Fremantle did not have many successes if any at all.

We did not have visionaries and although it could be argued many of the things Freo did were different, it was merely novelty value.
For people who liked the old multi coloured jumper and bold anchor that is fine and they can have a valued sentiment for it but not everybody will share it.

I am thankful the past does not represent the future.
For me personally I have never missed a Fremantle game at Subiaco and the WACA and i am glad I saw them all.

Many stalwarts believe, myself included, that we are where we are right now inspite of our early management not because of them.
Our inaugural CEO if I am not mistaken was a public servant meaning ostensibly our " good little footy club " was indeed a government department.

The present administration are not being disrespectful of the inaugural team they just don't see much point in acknowledging mediocrity.

 

[E Shed]

Beautifully articulated Fred.

 

[PurpleGreenRed]

Perhaps the 25th Anniversary is more suitable to celebrate. After all by that time we should have 5 )) flags in the bag and be the team of the decade!
In all honesty I don't expect the club to do anything significant in the "Celebrate 20 years" front because I don't believe they regard their membership base as that important.
I know that sounds harsh but you can't have it both ways can you? You can't have a commercially viable club and one that is member driven. If you did the members would have the club focussed on their needs.

 

[PerthBoy87]

Hi to all Dockers supporters.

First of all, congratulations on 20 years in the AFL. I remember the Dockers very first AFL game (for premiership points) against my team Richmond, Round 1, 1995 at the MCG, Richmond won by five points.

In a way the Dockers in the early years were a bit like Richmond - a bit of a rabble, bad recruiting and the footy department wasn't that good. However I say all of this in no disrespect to the Dockers or the Docker supporters.

But now look at the Dockers.............probably on the verge of their greatest era after doing it tough for so many years (like my team Richmond). The Dockers ride is a bit like the Richmond ride - supporters of both clubs have taken the good with the bad..........and the frustration along the way too.

What I would of liked to see..........to celebrate 20 years in the AFL.................the Dockers play Richmond in Round 1 of this year because Richmond were the Dockers first ever opponent for premiership points. I think it would of been a fitting way to kick of the 20 year celebrations. But not too be.

Well done Dockers and well done to the Dockers supporters for sticking by your team through thick and thin. From a supporter who doesn't got for either WA club (even though I live in Perth) I think it's fair to say the Dockers supporters (in general) will stick by their team through bad times, unlike the Eagle supporters who jump ship when times get tough for their team and then hob back on the bandwagon when the good time come around. Anyway that's my opinion.


Cheers.

 

[scon]

David Hatt was as you say a public servant and a lazy bureaucrat in terms of drive,work-ethic and goal setting

All well and good and fanciful young fella but the majority of people are not inclined to celebrate failures.
Fremantle did not have many successes if any at all.
Our inaugural CEO if I am not mistaken was a public servant meaning ostensibly our " good little footy club " was indeed a government department.

I've spoken to the owners of Indian Pacific who owned the Eagles and their yarn was that the WAFC was under clear instruction to appoint an inaugural FFC board that was cynically unambitious/determined not to acheive.
Career bureaucrat David Hatt was perfectly suited to head up an organisation with just such a brief.

 

[Freo Big Fella]

Our initial corporate structure was symptomatic of the fact the WAFC wanted the second license like they wanted a hole in the head, so they set the club up as cheaply as possible.

 

[slicedndiced]

David Hatt was as you say a public servant and a lazy bureaucrat in terms of drive,work-ethic and goal setting

I've spoken to the owners of Indian Pacific who owned the Eagles and their yarn was that the WAFC was under clear instruction to appoint an inaugural FFC board that was cynically unambitious/determined not to acheive.
Career bureaucrat David Hatt was perfectly suited to head up an organisation with just such a brief.

Indeed.

Are you aware of a PhD thesis done on our initial set up?

It is heavy going, as they all are, but very enlightening, in a disturbing manner.

I have it on file if you're interested.

 

[scon]

Indeed.

Are you aware of a PhD thesis done on our initial set up?

It is heavy going, as they all are, but very enlightening, in a disturbing manner.

I have it on file if you're interested.

Rings a vague bell sliced.Murdoch doctorate?I'm largely fishing-not-reading these days but yes I'd be interested to take it to the hammock with a 6 pack.
Cheers.

 

[such is fyfe]

Indeed.

Are you aware of a PhD thesis done on our initial set up?

It is heavy going, as they all are, but very enlightening, in a disturbing manner.

I have it on file if you're interested.

I'd be very interested in this if you have it so easily accessible.

 

[slicedndiced]

Anyone interested needs to PM me with contact details as I only have it in pdf format on my puter

 

[barbs]

Has anyone that purchased the 20 year recognition jumper, received it yet? Since the recognition round is scheduled against GWS which is just over a week away I would've thought that they would've sent them out by now.
I will give the club a call on Monday but thought I would just see whether anyone else had any info.

 

[freoextra]

Has anyone that purchased the 20 year recognition jumper, received it yet? Since the recognition round is scheduled against GWS which is just over a week away I would've thought that they would've sent them out by now.
I will give the club a call on Monday but thought I would just see whether anyone else had any info.

Nope, ordered it straight away paid the dough and as per all things shop wise nothing has arrived.

 

[Purple_Blood93]

I missed out on the guernsey, I'll never forgive myself for that.

I've pre-ordered the book, can't wait for that.

 

[sansian]

Has anyone that purchased the 20 year recognition jumper, received it yet? Since the recognition round is scheduled against GWS which is just over a week away I would've thought that they would've sent them out by now.
I will give the club a call on Monday but thought I would just see whether anyone else had any info.

I think they are due to be delivered after the 7th July. I can't wait for it to get here.

I assume that they dont want anyone wearing them before the team does.

 

[estibador]

Did I read somewhere on here that we were having a legends game of past players as a curtain raiser to the GWS game? Is that still happening?

Btw that thesis on our formation bushie was talking about is available here for anyone who's interested. It is indeed an illuminating read on the difficulties we faced in the early days. I knocked it off in a single sitting one lazy afternoon with a 6-pack for companionship - which I think is the only way I'd ever manage to get through any thesis.

http://web.archive.org/web/20110301...-VVUT20060919.123019/public/03chapters5-7.pdf

 

[afreofan]

I think they are due to be delivered after the 7th July. I can't wait for it to get here.

I assume that they dont want anyone wearing them before the team does.

Received mine in the mail box this morning and it looks great!

 

[clivenator26]

My jumper iarrived, haven't see it yet but thankfully my wife & kids decided to open it and have a sticky beak.

 

[DardySingh360]

Why are we not wearing the anchor this week? Perfect chance to wear our 1995 home jumper, it's a bit disappointing.

 

[Borry]

Would love to see the inaugural guernsey come out for this one, but I think the admin are trying to distance themselves from it as much as possible, which in some ways is disappointing.

 

[estibador]

Yeah I think it would have been a nice touch to wear the original jumper for this one.

 

[Allikat]

In some ways it would've been a nice touch, but they're a bit ugly. Plus, I think the all purple & chevrons are a bit of a show of how much we've grown as a club.

 

[Kram]

Didn't like it back in the day but would've liked to see the green terror back for a game. Actually thinking about it probably losing about 90% of the time when wearing it wouldn't have helped..

 

[sansian]

Got my 20th Year Jumper today.

I am right next to Byron Shammer. Two great no 3's next to each other.