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Dick Lawrence Oval has been home to Junior Aussie Rules Football since around 1953 – Hilton Park JFC

A young boy showed himself to be a potential champion and went on to play in the 16’s Grand Final for Hilton Park JFC – JOHN TODD.

In 1987 the Fremantle Hawks JFC was formed from the merger of two previously dominating clubs in the SFFC Junior District - Hilton Park JFC and South Fremantle JFC. In 1987 these clubs were not capable of running independently

Brownlow medalist Brad Hardie and Sandover & Simpson Medalist Andrew Krakouer also played junior football with this club

In 2010 FHJFC fielded 8 x teams INCLUDING 14s, 15, & 16/17s plus AUSKICK

 

However, in 2010 the Fremantle Hawks JFC again struggled to field competitive teams in the Youth grades - 14's to 16/17's there was not enough players to field a 13's team in 2010. The 13's players who were keen to remain with the Hawks played up in the 14's.

The FHJFC were bleeding talented players to neighboring more successful, competitive clubs.

The family friendly, community minded junior football club was in dire straights

So in 2010 to stem this exit of Youth aged players from the Hawks, a working party was formed to look at strategies to implement that would ensure the longevity of the Fremantle Hawks JFC.

The July 12, 2010 the Hawks Committee meeting voted unanimously to put in place all resources to develop these strategies.

It was recommended by the President Dave Frewin, an avid Eagles supporter to approach the Fremantle Football Club to enquire as to what assistance they could provide to market the Hawks to the wider community and to recruit new players. 

The working party sent off a passionate request.

In response to the letter to the FFC the working party was invited to meet with David Crute, Community Development Manager FFC and Wade Spilker Community Programs Officer, on Monday July 26.

The FFC were very sympathetic to the plight of the Hawks and in the words of David Crute “you couldn’t have a picked a better time to make this approach”. FFC were in the hunt for another metro Community Club and offered the working party with an option to become a partner club of the FFC. 

This partnership would provide the support of the FFC Marketing department to promote junior football for the Freo Hawks. The option provided for new sets of playing jumpers, fundraising options, match day tickets, Doig Medal tickets, priority visits of Docker players to meet and greet Hawks players, families, etc.

The Hawks priority was to the retention of our locality name = FREMANTLE.

Due to AFL licensing regulations, the proposed name could not be Fremantle Dockers, but, could for example, be Fremantle City Dockers JFC

In July 28 2010 a packed Special Meeting of Fremantle Hawks JFC Members, Parents/Guardians held in the Freo Hawks celebrious meeting rooms/change rooms voted unanimously to form a partnership with the Fremantle Football Club, and to look at a name change to the Fremantle City Dockers Junior Football Club and new club colours of Purple and White. 

The 2010 AGM in October ratified the new name Fremantle City Dockers Junior Football Club and the new colours of Purple and White

As a part of the many benefits of Partnership Freo City Dockers, Y4 & Y12 teams have participated in Docker’s Curtain Raiser games at Subiaco Oval and Opus Stadium, in fact Pips’s Y12 Team was the 1ST Male Team in Dockers Colours to play at Optus Stadium. Yes, they gazumped their Big Cousins 

We can ask was this change of name, Colours and the Partnership a success?

Membership skyrocketed - membership now averages 500 players.

Large group of participating female players

8 x premierships 

2018 – 7 x Y12 players became Life Members

2019 – 9 x Y12 players became Life Members.

7 x players in the SFFC Colts and Reserves 

2 x ex AFL Dockers coaching

And Our guest speaker tonight is none other than the CEO of Fremantle Football Club

BUT, importantly the colour purple flourished – especially on the likes of avid Eagles Supporters Dave Frewin, Rob Clayton and All the Clayton family, Rob the Computer Man and of course our very special Mark Roberts. Joy to see!!

We had one hiccup, a young lad in about Y7, requested a transfer, he refused to wear the purple. 

 

We the Freo City Dockers Community do thank Dave, David and Wayde and, also Tim Adams for their encouragement and support back in 2010 and beyond and we continue to thank the Graeme “Millsy” and the Fremantle Dockers for their ongoing support

You the audience are all part of a very special junior football club

Thank you