1880 -1928

1896 historical photo depicting Fremantle and Imperials footy clubs playing at Fremantle Oval. Fremantle morphed into South Freo. in 1900 and Imperials disbanded in 1897 and became East Freo. in 1898.

In the early 1880's Rugby Union was the major code in Western Australia.

 Fremantle Football Club actually started as a Rugby Union club in the early 1880's playing in a Rugby Union competition comprising of Hale (High) School, Perth Rovers, a side called Schoolboys, and Perth.

 Apparently after a meeting of the Perth clubs and Fremantle in 1885 all the clubs changed to Victorian Rules (short version) . 

However Rugby didn't disappear from the Fremantle/Perth area and there was two different Fremantle sides (Wanderers & Pioneers)  playing in the  rugby union competition formed in the late 1890's and 1900s which included clubs with names such a Pirates (later to become Cottesloe), Nomads, Swan (Rangers & Wallabies), Sydney  and City , Northern, and Athletic with the later two mentioned clubs joining  together to become South Perth.

 It wasn't until 1928 that the Fremantle Club reformed with the same striped jumper design from 1880s.

In 1948 they switched to Rugby League. 

Fremantle Oval  was also used for early games of rugby union and the first documented game of rugby league at the ground was Great Britain playing an exhibition game there in 1946.

1885 Fremantle 

1898 June