East Fremantle Cricket Club: A History in Blue and White

Since 1897, East Fremantle Cricket Club has brought people together through cricket, friendship and a shared pride in the blue and white. Today, our home at Preston Point Reserve on the banks of the Swan River is where that history continues, with familiar faces welcoming the next generation of players.

​

Across more than a century, the club has experienced premiership success, long waits between flags, remarkable individual performances and interruptions caused by war and economic hardship. Generations of players and members have helped build the East Freo we know today.

​

The early years

Club records trace EFCC to the 1897/98 season, with Dr Birmingham serving as its first president and the club fielding a side in the WACA competition.

Our first premiership arrived in 1903/04. Competing in the Fremantle Junior Cricket Association, which was actually a senior competition despite its name, East Fremantle defeated Coogee in the grand final of a six-team competition.

The club moved into the Fremantle Senior Cricket Association in 1905/06 before returning to the WACA competition in 1907/08, alongside South Fremantle, North Fremantle and Fremantle.

Although the historical records have gaps, they document another premiership in 1913/14, when East Fremantle defeated Lumpers in the Fremantle Turf & Matting Association grand final.

​

War, hardship and a golden era

Cricket stopped during the First World War, with no play from 1915/16 to 1918/19. When competition resumed in 1919/20 through the Fremantle Districts Cricket Association, the club was known as High Street East Cricket Club.

Economic hardship led to the club disbanding between 1926 and 1930. Its return in 1930/31 marked the beginning of one of the strongest periods in EFCC’s history.

After finishing runners-up to South Fremantle in its first season back, East Fremantle went on to win four consecutive premierships from 1932/33 to 1935/36.

That era also produced an extraordinary performance from Bill Doig. In one match, he clean bowled all 20 opposition batsmen, taking 10/6 in the first innings and 10/15 in the second. He also top-scored with 40 not out. It remains one of the standout stories in the club’s published history.

​

Rebuilding after the war

The Second World War brought another interruption, with no cricket from 1941 to 1945. East Fremantle returned to reach consecutive grand finals in 1945/46 and 1946/47, finishing runners-up to Mosman Park and South Fremantle respectively.

Premierships proved harder to come by in the years that followed, although the club collected back-to-back Treloar Shields in the late 1940s, a competition contested by the bottom four sides.

A breakthrough came in 1962/63, when East Fremantle defeated Lumpers Union to win the Second Grade premiership and earn promotion to First Grade. It ended a premiership drought of approximately 27 years.

During this period, Les Capes took all ten wickets for 47 runs in an innings against Lumpers. In the second innings, Capes and Norm Rogers took five wickets each.

Another Second Grade premiership followed in 1967/68. While the next flag would take time, the club continued to grow, fielding four sides by 1977/78.

​

A premiership decided by one run

Few moments in the club’s history compare with the 1987/88 First Grade premiership.

East Fremantle only secured its finals place through an outright victory in the last qualifying match of the season. The side then defeated Kardinya in the grand final by just one run, winning the club’s first First Grade premiership in 52 years.

Ten years later, the 1997/98 season delivered another memorable flag. Coming from fourth position, East Fremantle defeated Kenwick to win the Second Grade two-day premiership, with captain Brodie Renouf leading the way with an unbeaten 116.

In 2001/02, EFCC won its first club championship. All five sides reached the finals and four progressed to grand finals. Although none came away with a premiership, it was a significant achievement across the club.

​

Success across the grades

As one-day cricket became an established part of the South Metropolitan Cricket Association, East Fremantle continued to build its record across different formats and grades.

Recent seasons have delivered consecutive First Grade flags in 2022/23 and 2023/24, followed by the One Day A premiership in 2024/25.

In 2025/26, our One Day E side added another special chapter. Built around bringing youngsters into senior cricket and encouraging dads to play alongside their sons, the team fielded nine father-and-son combinations across the season and finished as premiers.

It was a season that brought together returning players, new friendships and the chance for families to share a premiership.

​

The people who make East Freo

The club’s history belongs to its players, volunteers, committee members, supporters and families, as well as the names on the premiership boards.

Our Life Members list recognises generations of contribution, including Les Capes, Trevor Sprigg, Vic and George Strnadica, and more recent inductees Blake Lawrie in 2025 and Matt Quigley in 2026.

The annual Sprigg-Rourke Memorial Match between East Fremantle and Phoenix honours Trevor Sprigg and Frank Rourke. The tradition of both clubs coming together afterwards keeps their memory and the friendships between the clubs alive.

Family connections remain just as visible today. Fathers, sons and daughters have shared EFCC colours, with many familiar surnames continuing through the generations.

​

The next chapter

In 2026, East Fremantle Cricket Club officially adopted the nickname The Bullsharks, giving the club a shared identity as it enters its next chapter.

For 2026/27, East Fremantle is fielding six senior sides. It is a proud step forward, made possible by the work of the cricket department, committee, players, volunteers and sponsors.

From the club’s first side in 1897/98 to the teams taking the field today, every generation has added something to East Freo’s story.

There are more games to play, more memories to make and more names to add to the club’s history.

​

Roll em Bowl em.