Sharks wave their flags

by LES EVERETT

IT'S derby time again and Saturday's game at East Fremantle Oval is important for both teams.

South Fremantle simply has to keep winning to ensure it plays in this year's finals while a victory for the Sharks will make it possible for them to avoid the wooden spoon.

But this Saturday has even greater significance with East Fremantle putting on a triple premiership reunion. When you've won as many premierships as Old East most years will mark some kind of anniversary, this it's 30 years since the 1974 flag, 25 since 1979 and 10 since 1994.

Some premierships are better remembered or gain greater status than others but there's something special about each of the three to be celebrated this week.

1974 marked a beginning for coach John Todd. His coaching career began prematurely at South in 1959 but 1974 gave him his first premiership.

Old East finished on top of the ladder and beat Perth in both the second semi and the grand final. Gary Gibellini shared the Simpson Medal with Perth's David Pretty and went on to play in premiership teams in 1976 and 1977 with the Demons.

Other players of note in the 1974 team were Tony Micale, the most most success WAFL coach in recent years, the flambouyant Noel Avery, recent CBC coach Kerry Coates, Sandover Medallists David Hollins and Graham Melrose and back player John Glrjusich who was later to find fame as mayor of Cockburn.

In 1979 East won a derby grand final in front of a record 52,781 fans. Tony Buhagiar, Doug Green and Brian Peake were the survivors from 1974; Kevin Taylor kicked seven goals and brought up his century for the season on his way to winning the Simpson Medal; the team included future coaches Ken Judge and Rod Lester-Smith and Peter Le Cras the father of 2003 Simpson Medal winner Brent. Wayne Cormack played in the premiership team but can't remember it. His was knocked out in an apparent case of mistaken identity by someone on the lookout for the champion Peake.

But the real quiz night teaser is to name the coach of East Fremantle in 1979.

It was, of course, Brad Smith whose on-field heroics had helped East Perth to a premiership in 1978.

In 1994 the Sharks went into the grand final as underdogs against Claremont but set up victory by kicking 10 goals to three in the first half. Judge led the team to his second premiership as coach while the Tigers were guided by Mark Riley who took over mid-season when Gerard Neesham was appointed coach of the new AFL team which was to be based in Fremantle.

Mark Amaranti played the game of his life kicking four goals and winning the Simpson Medal but the real hero was unfashionable ruckman Justin Sanders.

Current Sharks coach Andrew Lockyer was in the team along with inaugural Docker Shaun McManus, Steve Malaxos, Gary Dhurrkay, Paul Harding and 1995 Sandover Medallist Craig Treleven.

Sanders put so much into his first half effort that he needed to be packed in ice during the long break.

Celebrations on Saturday will include a premiership luncheon hosted by Dave Warner, followed by the derby and a back to the seventies show performed by Dave Warner from the Suburbs supported by Midget & The Farrellys.

Wayne Cormack played in East Fremantle's 1979 premiership team but can't remember it.

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