Bring the club back to Freo

[Allikat]

Great post.

The fact half the big talkers on here don't even live in Fremantle is a laugh. My family were wool workers, wharf workers and played for Souths and Easts... I'm not going to let some bloke who started following football in 2005 tell me where my club should be.

Were you even born in 2005?

I'm from the northern suburbs of Perth, and I live in Melbourne now, so are you saying I shouldn't be a Freo supporter? I'd love to see how long it'd survive with a supporter base of just Freo hippies. Freo oval wasn't up to standard, the council wouldn't come to the table, and the new ground has given the club so much more to work with! Stop confusing list issues with training ground issues. The cockburn facilities are world class and we're lucky the guys that run the club had the balls to tell the locals to shove it and move to a place that'll really pay off once the list gets a bit better.

 

[Halfbaked]

What I can't believe is that someone posts something to get a reaction and everone just starts reacting.

 

[dockshark]

I was born in Freo and have lived there for 3 periods. In my view it has got progressively worse as a place to live each time and I honestly can’t see myself going back.

If that makes me less entitled to a view than some then so be it.

 

[Dirty_banchez]

We just rename Cockburn to "Greater Fremantle". After Cockburn we can take the Perth CBD. A new Schlieffen plan.

Problem solved.

 

[Admiral Byng]

Great to see how a Silent Alarm post has so united the rest of the forum...

 

[its free real estate]

Sure it’s an emotional thread, but in hindsight we WERE promised big things. The koolaid drinkers claimed injuries would reduce once we left that minefield Freo oval surface. Well how’s that going?

I also clearly remember being promised 2 ovals. And how you couldn’t have 2 ovals at Parry St. And this was gonna be the difference being able to replicate every stadium around Australia. How’s that going?

I’m mature enough to know bricks and mortar make **** all difference. But some idiots actually believed this new building would have an effect. How we could recruit some big names with our shiny new facilities. How’s that going? We’ve brought in some expats - but no big names yet.

It might be the best training facility in the world - I wouldn’t know. But what I do know is that it ain’t in Fremantle and our club is the poorer for it. Whatever shade of purple we wear now, our club has a distinct shade of beige to it...

What differentiates us from West Coast these days?

We're no longer based in Freo. There's nothing especially unique or identifying about our jumper - theirs with the wings is more quirky / original if anything. Our song was stripped of it's more offbeat elements, it's about as banal and s**t as theirs. Our culture is hardly something to be proud of given the number of off field incidents in recent years - theirs has been more squeaky clean the past decade than us.

What are we now? Just a franchise, like West Coast. What differentiates us and them is that they are regularly good, and we are so often awful. We're not Fremantle, we're s**t West Coast.

 

[Nightrain]

The OP reminds me of the time George Grjlusich (sp?) of all people, said on radio circa early 2000s, in front of a panel of other grown men (the majority who agreed with him), that the reason for our poor performances from inception was because of our anchor moniker. Couldn't believe what I was hearing.

Strange how some will try and read the tea leaves instead of accepting what is right in front of them.

 

[Steinfreo]

I think we’re seeing a lot of what’s wrong with our club in this thread.

There’s a hardcore section of supporter base that thinks our club should be just for Freo people and be based in Freo and everything the club does should revolve around Freo.

Well, I’m sorry to tell you, the reality is that the majority of Freo supporters don’t live in Freo and nor should they. The club would be a financial mess if that were the case.

Like it or not, we’re the second Western Australian team in the AFL and whilst the Freo name was adopted, it needs to be more than a Freo team. We’re another west coast team but with an identity in Freo. That’s all!

The whole East vs South thing was what ****** the club in the early years and set the team back years. Get over it. The quicker the supporters get their head around the fact we’re a Western Australian football team operating in Victorian competition the sooner we start moving forward and actually claim some success.

Stop holding us back.

Maybe we should rename them south west coast *silly people.

 

[TheMcManusNose]

This thread is genuinely unhinged

 

[stax on the mull]

The OP reminds me of the time George Grjlusich (sp?) of all people, said on radio circa early 2000s, in front of a panel of other grown men (the majority who agreed with him), that the reason for our poor performances from inception was because of our anchor moniker. Couldn't believe what I was hearing.

Strange how some will try and read the tea leaves instead of accepting what is right in front of them.

Its funny mentioning G.G. because he was the one who pushed for a new football stadium to be built in Cockburn.

 

[Crippa]

The OP reminds me of the time George Grjlusich (sp?) of all people, said on radio circa early 2000s, in front of a panel of other grown men (the majority who agreed with him), that the reason for our poor performances from inception was because of our anchor moniker. Couldn't believe what I was hearing.

Did he say it was bad feng shui? You know, like it's made us be anchored to the bottom of the ladder instead of flying high?

 

[Hazelsnuts]

Its funny mentioning G.G. because he was the one who pushed for a new football stadium to be built in Cockburn.

Because George needed money and he wanted to sell the club his market garden to build the oval.

 

[stax on the mull]

Because George needed money and he wanted to sell the club his market garden to build the oval.

That must have been the year he planted too many purple onions that didn't sell and it made his grudge against Fremantle unbearable.

 

[Hazelsnuts]

Rubbish. I have lived about 1 km from the ETAF for two years and I love it. I much prefer it to South Fremantle where I was previously.

It’s a great place to live with good proximity to everything we require. If you think Cockburn is a ‘******* dump’ then I strongly suggest you avoid Leonora and Cue.

Don’t go dissing Leonora, 2 pubs in a town of stuff all.
Central for grub, the Whitehouse for boobs....... it’s got everything.
Wash your mouth out.
Edit: I had to say this my missus is from Leo and uncle and auntie own the pub

 

[Hazelsnuts]

What a load of wank, I was born and lived in Howard St Freo, went to school at South Tce Primary, Fremantle boys high school. Went to South Freo games as a little tacker with a south player who was a neighbour. Sports carnivals and school footy played on Freo oval .Worked as a truck driver carting of the wharf for Grieve and Piper where Tom Naylor Bernies brother was my boss .I class myself as a Freo veteran. To me Cockburn bleeds Freo as well. So many champions of South Freo came from that area. Grulisichs,Gerovich, Todd ,Hardie,Troode, Bauskis , Glucina and many more. Its total bullshit that Freo has lost its idenity moving to Cockburn.

Missing the point in this dick waving contest aren’t we?
My ggg grandfather came to Freo as a convict in 1858, got released with trade -silversmith/blacksmith became a jeweller. Built 2 pubs - The Railway and the Swan hotel....etc, etc.... My mum was born in Lily street over the road from the Lombardos, uncle on Lefroy street, John Todd was the butcher on the corner, blah blah- all fact.
Means fcuk all in this conversation really.
But the real reason I’m pissed we left Freo is because the joint had heritage, our club craves it, we need it and we had that to promote over the West Coast fcuktards...
We could watch training at Freo oval and have a beer at the Souths clubrooms, essentially a place to replicate a real club environment.
That’s the problem with all AFL clubs at the moment they all seem businesses and we need a club, a social setting like the old days, give more a sense of belonging, Port have Alberton common to both SANFL and AFL clubs.

 

[Admiral Byng]

Missing the point in this dick waving contest aren’t we?
My ggg grandfather came to Freo as a convict in 1858, got released with trade -silversmith/blacksmith became a jeweller. Built 2 pubs - The Railway and the Swan hotel....etc, etc.... My mum was born in Lily street over the road from the Lombardos, uncle on Lefroy street, John Todd was the butcher on the corner, blah blah- all fact.
Means fcuk all in this conversation really.
But the real reason I’m pissed we left Freo is because the joint had heritage, our club craves it, we need it and we had that to promote over the West Coast fcuktards...
We could watch training at Freo oval and have a beer at the Souths clubrooms, essentially a place to replicate a real club environment.
That’s the problem with all AFL clubs at the moment they all seem businesses and we need a club, a social setting like the old days, give more a sense of belonging, Port have Alberton common to both SANFL and AFL clubs.

What the club craves is a couple of premierships above anything else. Writing its own history rather than borrowing it from somewhere else. There is a strong tradition of footy in and around the greater Fremantle area, but none of that is directly the club's heritage. That heritage can only come from achieving new things.

 

[dockshark]

Don’t go dissing Leonora, 2 pubs in a town of stuff all.
Central for grub, the Whitehouse for boobs....... it’s got everything.
Wash your mouth out.
Edit: I had to say this my missus is from Leo and uncle and auntie own the pub

I didn’t get beaten up last time I was there, so that’s something.

 

[salim malik]

Missing the point in this dick waving contest aren’t we?
My ggg grandfather came to Freo as a convict in 1858, got released with trade -silversmith/blacksmith became a jeweller. Built 2 pubs - The Railway and the Swan hotel....etc, etc.... My mum was born in Lily street over the road from the Lombardos, uncle on Lefroy street, John Todd was the butcher on the corner, blah blah- all fact.
Means fcuk all in this conversation really.
But the real reason I’m pissed we left Freo is because the joint had heritage, our club craves it, we need it and we had that to promote over the West Coast fcuktards...
We could watch training at Freo oval and have a beer at the Souths clubrooms, essentially a place to replicate a real club environment.
That’s the problem with all AFL clubs at the moment they all seem businesses and we need a club, a social setting like the old days, give more a sense of belonging, Port have Alberton common to both SANFL and AFL clubs.

Paying millions in players ,coaches, staff, ceo ,salary,s means clubs are big business.
The days of volunteers,social clubs, chook raffles, sausage sizzles and cake stands raising funds is long gone. You want a succesfull club you need dollars, its no coincidence the 2 grand finalists are the 2 richest in the comp. There was nil money in Freo, the money and potential membership base is Aust wide ,not a small hamlet
like Fremantle.

 

[Nodgey]

I don't understand how being based in the heart of Fremantle was/is seen as a hindrance to growth. My input to this thread was how the ETAF was sold on the premise it would somehow deliver big things. Well it hasn't. And it was never going to. After all, how can a building make any difference? What does make a difference is history and culture and a duty to preserve and honour that culture. IMHO we have discarded what little culture we had.

 

[Steinfreo]

Paying millions in players ,coaches, staff, ceo ,salary,s means clubs are big business.
The days of volunteers,social clubs, chook raffles, sausage sizzles and cake stands raising funds is long gone. You want a succesfull club you need dollars, its no coincidence the 2 grand finalists are the 2 richest in the comp. There was nil money in Freo, the money and potential membership base is Aust wide ,not a small hamlet
like Fremantle.

Financially 'nonviable' clubs are making finals and grand finals. maybe not this year. I dont remember the Bulldogs being a financial powerhouse, GWS definitely arent, North made a prelim a few years ago. Melbourne I think are pretty povo. There doesnt really seem to be a correlation between profits and football department spending, some of the richest clubs have the lowest spending (2017 data). I just think Rosich has done it the way he knows how and that has come at the cost. You need heritage and culture particularly in the bad times, during the good times winning is enough. I remember my absolute first post on Bigfooty was a pro cockburn post but now its happened I just cant shake these negative feelings towards the move.

Despite what you suburbanites think, the main party for our first flag will be in Freo not Cockburn so youll have to drive or catch the train sorry.

 

[FreoRicci]

Been said so many times but will say it again.

Blame the Green Fremantle council. They didn't want to expand, didn't want to redevelop Freo oval. Big limits on what the club could do. Barely any major changes, when we were lagging behind the big clubs in terms of facilities and condition of the ground.

Pushed the club into moving and ultimately making the hard choice. So there it is, blame the greedy council.

 

[Quokka]

It's just a pity the Fremantle Council wanted us to fill it with wind turbines, modern art and a vegan prayer room.

And when we said no Brett Kirk left us .

 

[freo84]

I don't get the negative feedback on moving from an outdated building to a state of the art facility just because it isn't in Fremantle. If that's all you have to complain about then the club is going alright.

I'm more concerned with the coaching, player management and whether we can recruit the players we need rather than where we are based.

Culture is something that gets thrown around a lot which makes me giggle. Culture seems to only ever get brought up when you're losing. No one seems to question the culture of a winning team. Time to build a new culture in a rapidly growing suburban area that has huge potential and upside that the club couldn't have ever got in Fremantle.

Most of the bigger clubs have moved from their historic sites to updated facilities and we need to keep up or be left behind as a basket case.

TLDR; The results will come guys. Be patient. I know your hurting. I am as well. Rebuilds suck. Losing sucks. Eagles suck. But it is what it is and the club isnt moving back.

 

[FreoRicci]

Essendon ain't at Windy Hill.

West coast will be moving faculties soon too.

The original VFL clubs got grants and approvals to redeveloped their home grounds. See Arden St. the community wanted them to stay and expand.

Freo council didn't. Simple as that

 

[FreoRicci]

Which couldn't be further from the truth.

You know East Freo are moving there and sharing facilities with South?

So? Two WAFL clubs moving there so the council can generate at least some profit. Hardly anything