AFL 1998 – Twenty Years On: Fremantle Dockers (15th)

This was the end of the innovative Neesham era in all of its glory at Journeymen Central.

Many in this list had already done their best work elsewhere or subsequently found form at other clubs. Andrew McGovern’s boudoir legacy lives on to this day.

The Dockers heeded the advice of the Record sages, picking up Modra and Pavlich in the next couple of years, but remained in the figurative dolDrums until a short lived resurgence under Chris Connolly in the mid-00s.

If you’ve bumped into any of these jokers from Freo at your local servo or bottle-o or perhaps working as your local garbo or journo, let us know in the box belo(w).

 

 

AFL Debuts 1998: Brad Dodd, Brendon Feddema, Paul Maher, Clem Michael, James Walker

Kept Under Wraps 1998: Michael Clark, Tony Delaney, Cameron Jackson, John Neesham, Martin Whitelaw

Never Heard of Him: Cameron Jackson

Delisted at end of 1998: Gary Dhurrkay, Brendon Feddema, Tony Godden, Troy Johnson, Quenton Leach, Martin Whitelaw, John Neesham, Cameron Jackson

Traded at end of 1998: Scott Chisholm (to Melbourne), Kingsley Hunter (to Western Bulldogs)

Retirements at end of 1998: nil

 

Thanks to australianfootball.com , draftguru.com.au , afltables.com 

This entire series is available here

 

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About Mark 'Swish' Schwerdt

Saw my first SANFL game in 1967 - Dogs v Peckers. Have only ever seen the Dogs win 1 final in the flesh (1972 1st Semi) Mediocre forward pocket for the AUFC Blacks (1982-89) Life member - Ormond Netball Club -That's me on the right

Comments

  1. Greg Harding went on to play 9 games for the Eagles, and has coached at my Swan Districts since then. First as Colts coach with my nephew, and then had some 3rds/4ths as league coach for 7 seasons. Reasonable record given the uneven/unfair WAFL competition with the alignment clubs and Subiaco’s financial clout from the old stadium deal. Back coaching the Swans colts now for more money than the league coach, as the WAFL have taken Colts management away from the clubs. Good footy knowledge. Dubious people skills.
    Gary Dhurrkay died in a car crash in the NT in 2005.
    Shaun McManus is a breakfast FM radio “celebrity” in Perth.
    Clive Waterhouse sounded in good spirits in this recent interview with Dennis Cometti in the West. https://thewest.com.au/sport/fremantle-dockers/the-dennis-cometti-qa-fremantle-cult-hero-clive-waterhouse-ng-b88916504z
    Amazing that he never kicked an Australian rules footy until he was 17 but obviously a real sporting talent with great coordination and athleticism (if confused decision making).
    Swish – is Clive the greatest sports star to come out of Para Hills? How did Elizabethans view their migrant mountain neighbours back in your day? No love lost from memory.

  2. Mick Jeffrey says

    Cameron Jackson was plucked from basketball where he basically sat on the bench for both North Melbourne Giants and Perth Wildcats in the NBL.

  3. Les Everett says

    Chris Bond yesterday announced he was moving on from the club.
    Scott Chisholm hosted walking tours around Freo during NAIDOC Week… ever active and looks like he could still play.
    Andrew McGovern had a couple of sons but nobody told Fremantle’s recruiters about them.
    Peter Mann and Stephen O’Reilly are on the Dockers board.
    Dale Kickett works assisting Indigenous people into employment.
    Craig Callaghan runs Neesham’s Clontarf Foundation at Coodanup College (near Mandurah). He played in a few premierships for Waroona.
    Anthony Jones won the Sandover Medal in 2007. Finished up as WC Evil as the runner and other fitness things.
    Daniel Bandy played some excellent footy for Claremont and now sells real estate in Mandurah.
    Quentin Leach was diagnoses with testicular cancer in 2016 and underwent chemo. Has been successful in business.
    I spoke to James Clement at a Dockers game last year he described himself as a footy agnostic. Has worked in commercial fishing. Will barrack for the Pies this weekend I think.
    Matthew Burton was a ruck coach a Freo for a while. Now works in finance.
    I saw Mark Gale at a Dockers game at Perth Stadium earlier this year.
    Jason Norrish will be quoted in a post on scoreboardpressure.com later today.
    Tony Godden is the club’s merchandise manager.
    Kingsley Hunter was a teachers working with disengaged kids last time i saw him.
    Brad Dodd filled in as coach of East Fremantle a few years ago… luckily didn’t get the job.
    Luke Toia was selling real estate around Bunbury last time I looked.

  4. Mark 'Swish' Schwerdt says

    Thanks PB – as someone who lived in Para Hills myself from 1976-1990, the answer is a resounding “no”. Clive played for Para Hills in the dying days of the SAFA, they were in A3 of that comp when they won the flag he referred to. Para Hills was where the pommy kids with smarter but less attentive parents migrated to. The views out to Bolivar were much coveted.

    Ta Mick – he was probably worth the punt at 205cm

    Bewdy Les – that was right in your water… I mean wheelhouse, as they say.

  5. Geez plenty of recycled players,Swish see re above from Les that Daniel Bandy may be competing against the king of Mandurah in the real estate game,Craig Balme

  6. Interesting as always. Also interesting to see Neesham seems to be getting increasing recognition for his tactical innovations during his time at the Dockers. May have had limited success at the time but certainly eventually changed the way coaches think about footy.

  7. Les Everett says

    Excuse the typos in my comment…

    Rulebook’s observation may add fuel to the rumour that Neil Balme will take over the footy job at Fremantle soon…. and help his brother while watching Peel at Rushton Park, Mandurah.

  8. Mark 'Swish' Schwerdt says

    I nearly had Martin Whitelaw down as my “never heard of him” (which I hadn’t), but discovered that he had a season at Prospect in 2001, after his one game in purple. West Coast had a Paul Whitelaw on their list who had two seasons without a game in the firsts.

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