Fans want to keep Dockers in Freo

THE Dockers are celebrating their Western Derby win this week, but prominent members of the Fremantle community have little to celebrate as they rally to keep the team in the port city amid fears of a move to Cockburn.

Fremantle personalities have voiced their disapproval at the news that the club could be leaving its base at Fremantle Oval, where it has been located since its inception in 1995, for a potential new development at Cockburn Central.

Former Fremantle mayor Peter Tagliaferri, who is a major player in the new Keep Freo in Freo campaign, said he believed the football club should stay in Fremantle where it belonged.

“The club used Fremantle to get its licence through the AFL and has used the existing football culture of the city to make the club what it is today,” he said.

“To shift away from that base would be a serious betrayal to the many thousands of people who have supported it since its inception.

“It's a bizarre move by the football club and I do not believe it has consulted with its membership base or with the City of Fremantle which has been very supportive of the club in its needs and wants.”

Former councillor John Dowson said the club should not be discussing the move at all.

“Dockers management should be more concerned with further embedding the team into Fremantle rather than ripping it out of Fremantle,” he said.

Fremantle Dockers chief executive Steve Rosich said the club had made no firm decision on a site for its new training and administration facility.

Visit www.facebook.com/freooutrage to take part in the Keep Freo in Freo campaign.

What everyone else is thinking

Mark E

09/08/2012

Steve Rosich has no concern for the soul of this club. He has systematically dismantled that, and now wants it to move out of its heartland. A Football Club is more than science, and is not a business. We don't want to be a corporate organisation like the West Coast Eagles, with their prerecorded chants and 80's theme song.

Was Rosich there in 1997 when we marched, thousands of us, to the Esplanade to hear Ben Allan say this, "My name is Ben Allan, and I play for the FREMANTLE Dockers! Our players are proud to be based in Fremantle and feel part of the city". Surprisingly we are hearing nothing from Ben, now a current board member.

Why stop at Cockburn? Why not just almagamate with the Weagles and be done with it? We all know thats where Rosich hearts lies.

Rachel

RJ, it wasn't our intention to sour the Derby win (at all!) and I'm sorry if this story has. We wanted to report the Derby alongside the campaign to stop the consideration of a move because both are big local news. I do however acknowledge the headline is misleading in the context of the image. We are doing a follow-up canvassing some other opinions from fans - get in touch if you'd like to be involved.

Eastside Massive

The club has stagnated and needs revival. A move to Cockburn makes sense if they want to push for a stronger, more viable club. Unless you're happy with how things are currently of course. "Yay, you might make the 8"... Woot woot...

Stanley

08/08/2012

When all is said an done, there is only the one true footy team in Freo; WAFL South Fremantle :)

Brian

Note that they're investigating moving just their base ... ie, training facilities, club management etc, to Cockburn Central ... it wouldn't affect where they actually play games.

Who cares where they train? They're very limited with what they can do at Freo oval (their current base), so for the growth of the club, it makes sense to look at options like this.

It was said only the clubrooms and training rooms would be relocated to Cockburn. Where is the oval at Cockburn Central, all the parking spaces around there are taken up by train commuters. This move apears to be an excuse to have another "posh" footy club pub. Ban the footy pubs in the footy clubs. Clubs Should be alcohol and smoke free zones for the younger fans to go into.

RJ

07/08/2012

I am in the photo and have everything to celebrate, Saturday was a huge turning point for my beloved Fremantle Football Club - Proud Loyal and Passionate is what I sign up for not wing wing wing - I am disgusted that this celebration is being ransomed by the gazette and a fringe minority or Fremantle people.
Truly get over yourselves.

Phil

Ccokburn is next door to Freo. It has better parking, will have better facilities, better transport access, and with 1/3 of the cities population living around and south of it, wouldn't this build a better base for Freo? Seems logical log term - where they are is always going to be limited.