SuperFreo!

Bumpin' around the town, like when you're driving a Range Rover

2008-08-06T19:51:00.003+08:00

I wonder if the cops ever ask these guys to blow into the bag?

(South Street, White Gum Valley)

Off duty

2008-03-04T19:06:00.001+09:00

The Hilton Hilton

2008-03-03T18:55:00.011+09:00

Wandered up to Hilton for a coffee this mornin', only to find the coffee emporium shut.

Oh well, got to snap this, at the Police and Community Youth Centre at Paget Street, instead.

Check me parrot blog

2008-01-15T18:41:00.000+09:00

Any coincidence that, just as the Indian cricket side enters Western Australia, an introduced pest, the Indian Ringneck Parrot is found happily flitting around the Marri trees of Fremantle?

Everybody needs good neighbours

2008-01-04T22:21:00.000+09:00

I spied this sign while walking along Hampton Road in friendly old Freo town on Wednesday.

They're just a pack of ...

2007-10-27T15:54:00.001+08:00

I expect they sell a good shoe at the Booragoon Home Centre down on Leach Highway, but I can't vouch for their scruples.

ING off!

2007-08-27T19:24:00.000+08:00

By way of update on the uninspiring, yet adequate, ING building proposed for the port, some chump running for council at the upcoming elections letter-dropped me over the weekend to say he didn't like it.

Three words to you, lifted from the front of my letter box, Beret Boy.

NO JUNK MAIL.

Freo Star shoots through

2007-08-27T18:34:00.000+08:00

Yesterday I wandered into ol' Freo town, as I do on a reasonably regular basis to source blog fodder.

Anything's fair game, and it was a lovely walk in, interrupted but once by a short-lived thunder storm.

On arrival about 2.30pm, I noticed the South Terrace cappuccino strip, as usual on a Sunday, was jam-packed with the kinda people I prefer not to asssociate with.

You know, those peopley-type people.

Hence, I disappeared into Myer to procure two pairs of Y-fronts, and zipped back across the Terrace to High Street for a coffee. There I whiled the afternoon away in my own pleasant company, breaking only for a stroll down and back to Esplanade Reserve – where the corellas were in full voice.

Later, as the shops were closing, and V8-driving Bevans and Charmaines supercharged their ways home along the Terrace to their Coogee McMansions, the thunder (ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah!) of a more ominous-looking storm threatened to delay my egress from the now-forlorn port city.

"Quick!" I thought. "To the trusty Freo Star!"

The trusty Freo Star is a free mini-bus service the council is trialling to link Freo's suburbs to its historic heart. However, when I reached the Star's terminus, behind the synagogue near South Fremantle Oval, I found the Star strangely stagnant, locked behind foreboding wire gates.

The Star was not rolling anywhere, not yesterday at any rate. Perhaps never again.

"What ever happened to the trusty Star?" I pondered as the dark clouds began to urinate on my long parade home. "I was only on it a fortnight ago. Is its six-month trial up? At any rate, I was never told of such."

My vote in October's local government elections to the councillor or mayor (c'mon Taggers!) who can bring poor, forgotten, Starry-boy back.

Silent September

2007-08-18T15:39:00.001+08:00

Dockers are dead for another season, following their Woewodinful loss against St Kilda this arvo.

The poor portsiders never did seem to get off the ground this year. Whether it was too many beers down at Pav's pub, too many cappuccinos on the strip, or too much fishing down the wharf I dunno.

All I know is they're not much of a footy side at present, and they should axe Chris Tarrant.

ING, ING a song

2007-08-16T12:09:00.000+08:00

The beret-wearers down in old Freo town have their knickers in a twist about the proposed ING development at the port.

To all these baby-booming nairsaywellers who used their redundancy packages to buy up big in the port city when real estate was cheap, and have utterly sterilised it with their calls for zero change, I say chill out a bit and recognise the port is an industrial place.

A bit more industrial-looking architecture down there won't kill ya.

And a few decent shops may actually generate a bitta life down there to help kick along such much-needed infrastructure as a commuter ferry service to Perth.

Moreover, beret-wearers, I join ING's patron saint Billy Connolly in saying: "Why don't you go take a f@!% to yourselves?"

So five minutes ago

2007-04-29T13:59:00.000+08:00

Now let's see ...

In the half-hour I have left of this weekend until the Dockers game airs, should I practice all that shorthand I'm rapidly falling behind in?

Or should I mop the house?

Or should I blog?

That's a no-brainer, really.

A place of non-sequence

2007-04-22T22:41:00.000+08:00

Well, my recent embarassing outing appears to have cleared the decks, with the Dockers this afternoon winning their first game of the 2007 season against an ageing Melbourne side.

Meanwhile, I've just finished watching an ABC dramatisation on Fremantle's most famous citizen (outside Matthew Pavlich) - Western Australia's own wartime prime minister John Curtin.

Only it turns out ol' JC lived not in the fair port city of Freo but instead in toffy-nosed Cottesloe. So if he had've been the member for Fremantle in this day and age he'd probably have been a bloody West Coast Eagles supporter.

No, I take that back. Despite having to deal with his own Eagles-style addiction demons, history has shown Curtin to be a sensible man with Australia's best interests at heart.

The jig's up

2007-04-15T20:52:00.000+08:00

By unwittingly swapping this (and his other two blogs) over to bloody new blogger, and being too slow-witted to create another account before it was all too late, SuperFreo! (i.e. me) has been outed as his alter-ego Grumplestiltskin (i.e. me).

As an avid reader of both gentlemens' blogs, you may have suspected something fishy - with the two coincidentally showing up in the same places, gratuitously linking to one-another, and spookily leaving comments on your site within 25 seconds of each other.

But now it's official. SuperFreo! is dead (except in Grumplestiltskin's head).

Long live Grumplestiltskin.

I was happy in the Hasleby of a drunken hour,

2007-04-15T10:32:00.000+08:00

but heaven knows I'm miserable now.

Ayeawa, mate.

2007-04-05T11:11:00.000+08:00

I wandered down to Fremantle Town last Sunday to see what I could see.

Lo and behold, the place was packed, with the usual Sunday ya-ya being topped up by the West Coast Blues and Roots Festival.

On the roof of the festival's big-top were the Australian flag, the Aboriginal flag, and of course the Jamaican flag.

It was all so very Freo.

The Italian connection

2006-12-13T22:09:00.000+09:00

Fremantlians, I hope you're sitting down. For I have some rather shocking news, straight from the windblown slopes of Beaconsfield.

Viz: Romano's deli now has a ticket machine at its counter to regulate the queue.

Imagine how impressed I was on Sunday when, waddling in for my three slices of Porchetta and small tub of pickled capsicum, I noticed this startling innovation.

Imagine too, how relieved I felt when one of the local nonnas breezed past the machine and, ticketless, stepped to the counter to get served before me.

Reverse racism and reverse ageism in one - and oh, so very Freo.

Fremantle sea change

2006-12-13T21:53:00.000+09:00

So, Matthew Pavlich today took over from Peter Bell as Dockers' cap'n.

Josh Carr will be the Pav's VC, in what Dennis Cometti calls a "scaled down leadership group".

Commetti manago-babble aside, the new combo will work well. A bit like when Tubby Taylor and Steve Waugh took over from Captain Grumpy at the helm of the Aussie cricket side.

Foreman material

2006-11-10T20:02:00.002+08:00

I've been remiss in failing to note the death of WA sports compere extraordiaire, Wally Foreman - who was buried yesterday.

When I first arrived in WA, I thought he was just another one of those shiny-arsed sticklers whose prominence owed more to bedding Ben Cousins or Brian Burke than to any innate talent.

However, a couple of months back, I had cause to speak to Wal'. Although not knowing ol' SuperFreo! from Adam Goodes, the bloke spent 25 minutes helping me out with a piece of Olympic trivia - and he was at work at the time.

Now that's a regula fella.

I'll miss your broadcasts, Wal.

But is it art?

2006-11-05T12:04:00.000+08:00

... by scrawling Superfreo! graffiti.

Darkside, dockside.

2006-11-05T11:58:00.000+08:00

Renegades - we're the people with our own philosophy.

We change the course of history ...

Homeapathy

2006-11-05T11:11:00.000+08:00

With all those portents flying around so far out from the footy season, it's a great time to give all those imitation Fremantle sites - you know the ones with the snazzy graphics and in-depth interviews - the brush.

In your heart of hearts, you know good ol' Superfreo! is the true home of Port City gossip and half-arsed football opinion. Bookmark him now.

He's not fancy. But he's cheap.

Three little maids in attendance come.

2006-11-05T11:00:00.000+08:00

Even that prodigal troubadour of the Freo music scene, Bob Evans AKA the dude from Jebediah AKA Stephen "Bernie" Larkham, was back in town - fresh from his acclaimed performance as Yum Yum in Dave Grohl's rock opera rendering of the Mikado.

Curtin's for the Dockers

2006-11-05T10:48:00.000+08:00

The former member for Fremantle was in fine form, goading his constituents to get their Dockers' membership levies in for the 2007 season.

Dockeranda

2006-11-05T10:44:00.000+08:00

The portents for a Dockers' flag next season were all around when I walked down to Fremantle yesterday. Even the trees had turned purple.

Talkin' in code to the clams in the clouds

2006-10-20T20:45:00.000+08:00

Everyone's favourite band of animal feteshists, the Presidents of the United States of America, is back in Fremantle for one night only, Thursday October 26.

To be joined by local hipsters, Burton Cool Suit, POTUS has been elected to rock Freo's ass until midnight. Tickets for the Metropolis, South Tce, gig on sale now from www.heatseeker.com.au, 78 Records, Mills Records & Planet Video.

And when they lay together, little creatures all come out.

2006-10-19T19:35:00.000+08:00

I was horrified to read in the investment media today that Little Creatures - Fremantle's brewery unique with the boutique physique - is one-third owned by Japan's, nee New Zealand's, Lion Nathan.

That sucks, and more sellout to Lion Nathan is reportedly around the corner.

Back to the Cooper's Mild for me.

Goodes on ya

2006-09-25T21:53:00.004+08:00

It's great to see Adam Goodes, who's carried great form into the finals, take out tonight's Chas Brownlow. His counter-attack certainly played a huge part in sinking the Dockers last week.

Let's hope Goodsey takes his excellent form into the grand final.

SuperFreo, way to go. Hit 'em real hard in the Brownbelow.

2006-09-25T21:53:00.003+08:00

No disrespect to the current players, Cousins aside, but when I won the first of my three Brownlows it wasn't one of these whussy share things like Herd-burgler/Voss, or Goodes/Riccuito et al.

Nope, when I took out the the 1983 Brownlow for instance, there was no Dermet Brereton, no Leigh Matthews on that stage at the Prince Patrick Hotel. Just me, Ted Whitten, Bert Newton and my Brownlow.

Scott West, young man.

2006-09-25T21:53:00.002+08:00

Another exciting thing is seeing Scott West stretching and rotating his neck, in preparation for his Brownlow presentation speech.

I notice too that after his return from the dunny he's stopped drinking - a sure sign he thinks he's in with a shot.

Personally, I'd like to see Akermanis win it again. I think he's sitting at the doggies' table anyway.

Brownlow results

2006-09-25T21:53:00.001+08:00

It's a toss-up what's more interesting:

1/ Watching Footscray's Scott West having to wait at the ballroom door for a break in the Brownlow presentation so he can finally relieve his bladder of those half-dozen Crownies, or

2/ Watching the telecast of the pre-season draft.

Results to be published here after the 2007 draft telecast.

Vale Freo

2006-09-24T21:30:00.000+08:00

At least we have two 2006 derbies to cling to over the long, cold off-season.

Fremantle of success

2006-09-16T21:34:00.002+08:00

I see the West Coast Seagulls won their semi tonight. No prizes for second though. The Dockers did the same thing last night. At the same ground too.

Both predictable results, but the tipping from here on in gets a mite difficult. While I can't see the Seagullers beating the Crows in Adelaide next weekend, it would do the Dockers a favour if they did.

Dockers vs Sydney at the Olympic Stadium? You may as well pit Run DMC vs Aerosmith. Sydney is a tough proposition be it in Perth, or abroad in the Eastern States. Still, Freo's flair should carry the day, catapulting them into their first grand final.

Sheesh I hope it's not against the Crows though.

Swan song

2006-09-09T21:36:00.000+08:00

As wished for, the Swannies did do the Eagles tonight - by less than a goal. I don't like the Eagles, but I doff my hat to 'em, especially Juddy.

Ben Cousins can get knotted.

Adelaid em on me

2006-09-09T17:14:00.001+08:00

It's hard to see how the poor old Dockers could have played better against Adelaide today. They tried their darndest, but as has so often been the case over the years, they were outmuscled.

Still, all is not lost with a home final next week, which if they win - let's not forget - hands them their most successful season ever. And the Dockers have lots of up-and-comers who'll be better next week for today's experience.

Hopefully, Chris Connolly will be able to find a way for his midfielders to get the ball to the likes of Pavlich and McPharlin a bit more. I think Aaron Sandilands could still play a decisive role up-front this year as well.

No disrespec' to old True Blue, who's entitled to follow whatever team (s)he chooses, but sheesh I hope the Eagles get done this evening.

Well, what about them Dockers??

2006-08-27T20:30:00.000+08:00

Nice to see Peter Bell take out the Glendinning Medal from today's derby. For a moment, I thought the establishment would pick Ben Cousins, or some other Docker wannabee, as best on ground.

Try as he might, there's no way Glendinning could pick old golden boy Judd again, because, frankly, he had a Schammer.

Good on the Wiz too for giving ol' Juddy a touch-up. Perhaps old silken-slipper is a little biff-shy?? Time and Barry Hall will tell.

Dock of Seagulls

2006-08-19T20:32:00.002+08:00

The Channel 10 commentators were scratching their heads tonight at some wag in the Subiaco crowd who was sporadically ringing a cow bell:

"What is that for?!" asked Robert Walls.

"Peter Bell gets his 23rd posession," replied the other commentator. "Der, I dunno Wallsy."

BTW, Schammer just kicked another goal. Progress score: Dockers 114, St Kilda 54.

Could 2006 see the first Western Derby grand final?

Derby time, derby time across WA. Derby time, derby time, hey, hey, hey.

2006-08-19T20:32:00.001+08:00

Best banner at the footy tonight:

WE HATE WEST COAST.

Saints cop a Schammering

2006-08-19T20:32:00.000+08:00

I just saw Byron Schammer kick a goal. What's going on?!?!

Dockers leading 68-31.

I take back what I said two blogs ago.

Shaun on his side

2006-08-19T16:22:00.000+08:00

Rove Live as a chat show is no longer buzzin'.
The best thing about Rove Live now is his cousin.

Hung, drawn in quarters

2006-08-19T16:07:00.000+08:00

After the Dockers murdered the Crows last weekend, they face a very tough test tonight against the Dockers of the east, otherwise known as St Kilda.

I usually pick the Dockers in the tips because they're a ripper team. This week, however, I'm confused.

If history were the sole guide the Dockers should win, so they won't. Yet, if form over the past century is anything to go by, St Kilda shouldn't win - so perhaps they will.

Think I'll pick a tie.

The Eagle has handed.

2006-08-04T21:38:00.000+08:00

With West Coast's win tonight, the AFL Flag has narrowed to a 2 horse race - Adelaide and Fremantle.

Dockers up, Seagulls suck.

2006-07-23T17:26:00.000+08:00

As the sun sets on Subiaco, it looks like the Dockers have landed a knockout thump on demonic Melbourne. Add that to last week's victory over the Maggies and you've got a club on the rise.

The West Coast Seagulls on the other hand are in freefall. Which is how it should be.

Mock my Tudor

2006-07-23T16:53:00.000+08:00

Check out my other new blog - Mock my Tudor - here.

It's a goody.

SuperFreo!

Corinthian Column

2006-07-21T21:52:00.000+08:00

Check my new blog, which profiles the grandest Mediterranean mausoleums across the City of Fremantle and beyond.

I was happy in the haze of a drunken hour ...

2006-07-08T21:42:00.000+08:00

With the Dockers on their way to an unlikely victory against bottom-placed Essendon last night, I got a little tipsy and, with good ol' Freo 5 goals ahead, fell asleep on the couch 15 minutes out from the fulltime siren.

After the game, when I awoke, my other half told me Freo had lost, in a thriller, by two points.

Thank God she was lying.

Western suburbs Roosters

2006-07-02T20:47:00.000+08:00

Looks like the Fremantle Roosters RLFC is in for a tussle with the City of Fremantle over unpaid rates or some such.

Should be an interesting matchup.

Swan song

2006-07-02T20:39:00.000+08:00

That last quarter fade-out by Fremantle, after it had led at every change, was diabolical.

For the rest of the 2006 footy season this site will be following the Rugby League.

Hammer the hammer. Byron the Schammer. Maradona the scammer

2006-06-28T22:43:00.000+08:00

... not that I consider European football a boring game.

On the contrary, it's right up there with the hammer-throw as worthy of attention once every four years.

Shockeroos

2006-06-28T22:39:00.000+08:00

Based on what I saw in Germany, I'm sticking by my pre-world cup prediction that the Socceroos will win it before the millennium is out.

Yep, it was terribly sad they got knocked out, but well done for getting to the top 16.

And well done to the Socceroonies for getting knocked out. Now we can get our minds back to real sports where the players don't dog it quite so much and the refereeing is somewhat more consistent.

Byron Schammer

2006-06-17T17:19:00.000+08:00

Byron Schammer's now under the hammer.
What's going on with his kicking stammer?

Subiaco shocker. Recruit Flacco as a Docker.

2006-06-17T17:04:00.000+08:00

That first half against the Cats (Dockers down by 40 points) was enough to drive a man to drink - a Rogers', from the stable of local brewer Little Creatures, actually.

Oh God, they've been back on the field 30 seconds and Geelong has already scored again.

Bring on Brazil.

Big Pav

2006-06-17T16:32:00.000+08:00

Dockers champion Matthew Pavlich
did not learn his skills in an education system designed by Liliana Ravlich.

Paul Medhurst

2006-06-17T16:18:00.000+08:00

Paul Medhurst
could do worse.
But as a goal getter,
he could do much better.

Troy Cook

2006-06-17T16:13:00.000+08:00

Troy Cook,
dreadlocks flowing.
Doesn't look,
where he's going.
Barrels through where others fall.
He's the human wrecking ball.

Sandilands

2006-06-17T16:08:00.000+08:00

To this amateur punster,
ruckman Aaron Sandilands,
he looks like Herman Munster,
but he has much better hands.

Cockburned

2006-06-10T22:08:00.000+08:00

I see, from this weekend's Fremantle Herald, that Cockburn city has missed out on the super stadium it had proposed to the WA Government taskforce looking into such things.

The Cockburn site woulda been a beauty, unsullied by inner-city complications. However, the taskforce in its wisdom chose two compromised sites in East Perth and Subiaco for further examination.

Another example of north-west-of-the-river-white-of-tooth-blue-of-eyeism if ever I saw one.

Go Dockers.

Multicolouralism

2006-05-28T16:31:00.000+08:00

It's been a while, I know, but I'd been busy preparing my costume for the Fremantle multicultural festival which is winding up as I type.

I donned the purple, green, red and white and went as a disaffected Dockers fan.

There were a few of us staggering 'round South Terrace as is turns out.

Bloody Brisbane Lions.

Each way bet leads to debt.

2006-05-08T21:51:00.000+08:00

Please note my against-the-odds derby tip - a Dockers win by the slimmest of margins - very nearly came true, with Fremantle winning by less than a goal as the sun set on Subiaco.

I only wish I hadda picked them in my work comp', where my money was riding on it.

Rosella unsavoury rice

2006-05-08T21:36:00.000+08:00

I totally agree with Ross Glendenning.

It was very unsavourory when those rotten West Coast Eagles supporters booed poor old Chris Judd after Saturday's derby. Very unsavoury indeed.

Points for persistence

2006-05-04T19:40:00.000+08:00

For those who live on the South Pole, the Australian Football League awarded Fremantle the disputed points from last week's game against St Kilda.

The main reason the national footy bureaucrats gave for their exemplary decision was the fact St Kilda is not a real port city on account of it being in Victoria.

Yesterday afternoon, as word of the announcement spread across Fremantle, students, office-workers and prisoners alike streamed from their dank workaday lodgings out onto the historic streets to give thanks to the man who lobbied hardest for the AFL's belated decision - Councillor Les Lauder.

Smash-up Derby

2006-05-01T22:59:00.000+08:00

With Chris Judd in such swift, suave form for the West Coast Seagulls, it's hard to pick the Dockers in Saturday's derby.

But, hey, you only live once.

Dockers by a dodgy point after the siren.

Docker logic

2006-05-01T22:51:00.000+08:00

Oh, look. You didn't expect me to just leave it at that did you?

I love the Dockers. They're really the only team I could ever support - Brisbane Lions and Collingwood aside. However, they're still at the stage the Lions were at in the late 1990s before they started winning away games consistently.

Except with the Dockers, for away games read pressure games. The really good sides win these by a point. They don't find far-out ways to lose them by a point. Too much indecision and too many skill errors come crunch time costs the Dockers time and again.

That said, St Kilda should do the honourable thing and hand the points to Fremantle. For it is widely recognised the Dockers are the greatest team in the land.

The curse of Launceston

2006-05-01T22:48:00.000+08:00

Regarding Sunday's farcical full-time follies, the less said the better.

Needless to say however, the Australian Football League must strip St Kilda of its two points and transfer them to the mighty Fremantle Dockers.

Lethal

2006-04-25T11:36:00.000+08:00

Leigh Matthews is copping flack over his vigorous rallying of the Brisbane Lions during a quarter time break last weekend.

From what I saw on TV, there was nothing in it.

Winning four premierships as a player with Hawthorn, Matthews was probably the best footy player ever. He coached Collingwood to its only premiership since 1958 and the Lions from AFL cellar-dwellers to three premierships in a row. If anyone deserves to be cut some slack for unconventional coaching antics, it's him.

A tale of two Dockers

2006-04-23T22:53:00.000+08:00

Unfortunately, both the Cincinnati and Fremantle Dockers went down this weekend.

Cincinnati 48-33 against the Louisville Cats then 67-27 to the Kansas City Power in their first 20-minute-a-half tournament of the year, and Fremantle in a vapid performance in attack against Adelaide.

While Freo had some outstanding players in defence (Peter Bell, Byron Schammer, Antoni Grover, Shaun McManus) and the Wiz was good in attack, indecisiveness and simple handling errors from the midfielders hurt the Dockers time and again in crunch situations.

Cincinnati is blooding new players. They were playing a long way from home. And the US league is an amateur one. Their Fremantle counterparts can no longer fall back on such excuses.

FREMANTLE: 9.5 (59)
ADELAIDE: 9.16 (70)
GOALS: Fremantle: Farmer 3, Polak 3, Pavlich 2, M Carr.
Adelaide: Biglands 2, Bode 2, Burton 2, Reilly, Ricciuto, Goodwin
INJURIES: Fremantle: McPharlin (lower back). Adelaide: Perrie (knee)
REPORTS - Burton (Adel) for striking Dodd (Frem)
CROWD - 35,090 at Subiaco Oval, Perth

WKRP

2006-04-22T09:38:00.000+08:00

A little birdie tells me Fremantle's sister club, the Cincinnati Dockers, is playing its first game of the season this weekend - in a tournament in Louisville, Kentucky.

Louisville and Cincinnati (then called 'The Tremor') played the USA's first official game of Australian football ten years ago this year. Carn the lads from Ohio!

Bell's brilliant career

2006-04-17T20:30:00.000+08:00

I see players' association president and Freo captain Peter Bell has had his contract with the Dockers extended until the end of 2008.

Good on Belly and the Dockers. That timing will take him up past the next federal election, when he'll probably take over from Carmen Lawrence as federal member for Fremantle. You heard it here first.

Vosstradamus

2006-04-16T20:45:00.000+08:00

Avid readers of this blog may note I tipped a Dockers victory and Paul Medhurst to score two goals against Port Adelaide in today's game.

With a Medhurst double contributing to a rare Dockers win at Adelaide's Football Park - the House of Shane - I'm feeling pretty chuffed with myself. Yes, I'm pretty darn clever. Good looking and modest too.

Former Port premiership player Josh Carr had a Herculian game against his old side, Shaun McManus scored his first then second goals since the 2004 season, and Indian rubber man Luke McPharlin chimed in with 3 majors.

The Wiz was effervescent in both attack and defence. He is, in short, the complete small footballer.

However, the team is still disturbingly indecisive when in goal-scoring range, which could cost it dearly against the better teams, like Adelaide, which it plays at Subiaco next weekend.

On the upside, the Freo fadeout so evident last year (and almost last week) was arrested this week, with players such as Des finishing with a Headland full of steam.

FREMANTLE: 15.20 (110)
PORT ADELAIDE: 11.13 (79)

GOALS
Fremantle: McPharlin 3, Medhurst 2, Headland 2, J.Carr 2, McManus 2, Farmer, Black, Bell, Pavlich
Port Adelaide: Lade 4, Mahoney 2, Pettigrew, Thompson, Pearce, S. Burgoyne, Dew

INJURIES - Fremantle: Nil, Port Adelaide Wilson (hamstring)
REPORTS - Nil
CROWD - 25,042 at Football Park, Adelaide

Off and on

2006-04-15T22:47:00.000+08:00

There's been much speculation in Western Australia over whether the Dockers should be as involved as they are in community work.

Some say it's good the team gives generously to the commmunity. Others say selflessness has long detracted from the side's onfield performance.

I'm in the first camp. If you look across the football fence to rugby, community work has never hurt the ACT Brumbies. I think this, and engaging THE WHOLE community (rather than pricing all but an elite pocket out of its games), is a lesson the Western Force could learn from its counterparts in the national capital.

To illustrate. Jeff Farmer. The Wiz. Every footy fan knows he has anger management issues. But last week I was visiting a family which has a disabled son. They're mad Dockers fans and the father told me whenever he and the lad are down at Fremantle Oval watching training, the Wiz is always the first player to bolt across afterwards to say g'day.

This dad and his son both struck me as intelligent people - certainly not the type who'd be hoodwinked by superficial glam. The dad acknowledged the Wiz can at times be a dill off the field but, as far as his family is concerned, Jeff Farmer is a champ.

Perhaps gestures like the Wiz's, repeated over the years by the club as a whole, is why the Dockers now have the second highest number of members in the Australian Football League - despite mediocre playing performances for most of the club's still short history.

When a premiership flag does finally come Fremantle's way, it will be all the more sweet - because it will be delivered by a club that gives a damn.

Footy tipping

2006-04-14T22:16:00.000+08:00

In the battle of the portsiders at Adelaide's Football Park on Sunday, Fremantle should prevail over Port Adelaide - mainly because everyone loves the Dockers and no-one likes Port Adelaide.

Dockers by 2 goals. The Wiz and Pavlich to have blinders as usual, and Paul Medhurst to chime in with three, make that two, goals of his own.

Our Jezza

2006-04-13T14:35:00.001+08:00

Over here - in the west that is - we scoff at that half-baked mark Alex Jesaulenko took in the 1970 VFL final.

Instead, we rightly acknowledge the real mark of the century as the one taken by South Fremantle legend (yes, legend - around here he is a legend) John Gerovich over East Fremantle's Ray French in the 1956 WAFL preliminary final.

When Gero took that mark, his hands were 12 feet off the Subiaco turf.
Here's the only photograph of Gero's specky which I think you'll agree was a screamer.

So much so that South Fremantle Football Club last night launched an appeal to finance a bronze statue of the leap. At the function, the club president told us that in 1961, when he visited London, a copy of the above photo was hanging on the wall of Australia House.

That must have been when Sir Les Patterson was High Commissioner.

Shane Parker sighting

2006-04-13T13:35:00.000+08:00

Last Friday I was buying a sanger from a greasy spoon just down the street from Dockers HQ when who should wander in but Dockers' defender Shane Parker. He had unusually skinny carves.

A nong waiting for his pork roll at the counter looked at Parks and said, "a bit of unrest at the club, eh?", to which Parker replied, "I haven't seen any of it."

Parks 6, Nong nil.

Freo, highs and lows. Hit 'em real hard in the cods below.

2006-04-10T21:09:00.000+08:00

Did anyone catch the Wizzardly Wiz's game against Carlton at Subiaco on Saturday night?

I know I did.

What a pearler he had. That sneaky goal, where he dodged what seemed like 25 bluebaggers and popped the pill over his shoulder for a six-pointer, was pure bliss. And he should now be acknowledged for what he is - the best (possibly only) tackler in the Australian Football League.

When the game looked almost won, Wizzy dutifully toed the footy out on the full then spilled a sitter of a mark, refusing to shirk his responsibility to make the match interesting once more. Which, of course, is the mark of a true Docker and why footy fans far and wide acknowledge us as the greatest team in Western Australia. (If not the western world).

So many sentiments, so few breath mints.

2006-04-10T21:03:00.000+08:00

How do I thank someone who tackles hard yet floats like a balloon?
It isn't easy but I'll try.
If you wanted a post,
I would write across my blog in letters,
that would soar (like you) into the sky,
To Wiz with love.

(love you Wiz)
xxxx

Superfreo! is go.

2006-04-10T20:38:00.000+08:00