History

Revo Fitness Stadium

Before 1925, the “Claremont Recreation Ground” served as a Cricket and Soccer Ground, with no fence, native bush on the eastern side, near the Showgrounds, with the remaining area a sandy wasteland. Upon Claremont-Cottesloe’s admittance to the ‘A’ Grade of the WAFL competition in 1925, for the 1926 season, the council spent 5000 pound to bring the ground up to standard for league football, including the dumping of rubbish around the perimeter to create the sloping banks and the construction of a grandstand.

As the new ground and grandstand were not yet ready, the team played all home games of 1926 at the Claremont Showgrounds. The first game played at Claremont Oval was on April 30 1927, where East Fremantle trounced Claremont-Cottesloe, 19.10 to 4.12.

Claremont Oval has been used by the club as a home ground from that game forth, except in 1945 and 1946, where, due to the grandstand fire in 1944, and the condition of the playing surface, the club shared with Subiaco at Subiaco Oval. In 1944 the grandstand built in 1927, was burnt to the ground, destroying much of the club’s history, records, equipment and premiership pennants. For over 10 years afterwards, old army tin sheds served as the changerooms for teams playing at Claremont Oval.

The facilities at Claremont Oval were built in 1956, and 1970 (the R.J.Kyle Pavilion), replacing the ‘tin sheds’ and they helped move the club into a new era of professionalism. Claremont Oval continues to serve the club well, and in 2002, Claremont played its 700th league match at the ground.

Redevelopment

Between 2014-2017 the Claremont Football Club played their home games at the Claremont Showgrounds.

In May 2017 the CFC moved back to its traditional home at Claremont Oval into a new $14 million, state-of-the-art building which forms the hub of the Claremont on the Park precinct.

Not only does the facility cater for the needs of Claremont members and supporters on match days and during the week, but it also attracts clientele from the wider community with its extensive function facilities, modern gymnasium, physiotherapy and medical suites, café and other commercial tenancies.

2013
Claremont dominated the competition and finished the season with 17 wins and three losses to head the premiership table, four games clear of West Perth in second place. But a late season slump saw the Tigers lose to East Fremantle in the final round of qualifying matches before losing by four points to West Perth in the second semi-final and then being walloped by 63 points by East Perth in the preliminary final. The reserves side finished in seventh position and the colts, coached by Ben Dyer, finished on top with 18 wins from 20 qualifying-round matches before winning a thrilling grand final against South Fremantle, with Alec Waterman being adjudged the best player on the ground and being awarded the Mel Whinnen Medal. Midfielder Jake Murphy won the E. B. Cook Medal as the league side’s fairest-and-best player with 358 votes, just three ahead of dominant ruckman Mark Seaby and star forward Ian Richardson, who headed the club’s goalkicking list with 46 majors. David Crawford retired after notching his 200thsenior appearance in the preliminary final. Andrew Browne, Chad Jones and Paul Medhurst also announced their retirements. Murphy, Richardson, Crawford and Ryan Neates were members of the WA side which defeated Victoria by 17 points. Claremont won the Rodriguez Shield for a record 16thtime. Four Sandover medallists, one Brownlow medallist, one Tassie medallist and seven Simpson medallists were chosen in the club’s Greatest Ever Team, with George Moloney captain and Gerard Neesham as coach.
2014
The club moved to the Showgrounds, with the tired and out-dated facilities at Claremont Oval being demolished in the first stage of the major redevelopment after ten years of planning. Michael Broadbridge was appointed league coach to replace Marc Webb, who had accepted a job as a development coach with the Fremantle Dockers. Ken Venables retired after serving with distinction as president for ten years and Kevin Somes, a club committeeman from 1992 to 1997, was elected president. Jake Murphy was appointed captain to replace the retired Andrew Browne. The league side made a very tardy start before winning eight of its final nine qualifying-round matches, including the final six in a row to finish with 11 wins from 20 matches to be fifth, one game behind the fourth-placed Swan Districts. Playing at the Showgrounds was a pleasant interlude where the senior side won seven of its nine contests. The reserves lost the preliminary final to West Perth and the colts were defeated in the grand final. Champion centreman Luke Blackwell won the E. B. Cook Medal as the league side’s fairest-and-best player for the fourth time to equal Denis Marshall and Graham Moss. Blackwell, at the age of 27, decided to draw the curtain on an outstanding career, and he was joined in retirement by other great stalwarts in Trinity Handley, Matt Orzel and Andrew Foster.
2015
The Showgrounds was again club’s home ground and the league side made a terrible start to the season, losing its first five matches before recovering to finish with ten wins and ten losses for fifth place and again missing the finals. Robust defender Matt Davies won the E. B. Cook Medal, polling 343 votes to finish ahead of full-back Brandon Franz (336). Former Claremont players shone in the AFL competition, with Nat Fyfe winning the Brownlow Medal and burly forward Jesse Hogan the Rising Star in an outstanding debut season. Speedy midfielder Ryan Neates was the club’s sole WA representative in the victory over South Australia at Lathlain Park. Notable retirements were those of Mark Seaby, Kepler Bradley and Tom Willett. The club’s colts side, ably led by coach Ross McQueen, won the premiership with a fine victory over Swan Districts, with small forward Tom Gajewski being awarded the Mel Whinnen Medal as the best afield.
2016
Former club champion Graham Moss was appointed CEO after acting in an interim capacity in 2015. Again, the Showgrounds served as Claremont’s home ground and the most significant recruit was powerful midfielder Jye Bolton from VFL club Werribee. The dynamic Bolton enjoyed a magnificent debut season with the Tigers, not only winning the E. B. Cook Medal but the Sandover Medal and the Simpson Medal as WA’s best player in the 134-point victory over Tasmania at Bassendean Oval. The Tigers finished a disappointing seventh with seven wins and 13 losses. Eight of those defeats were by fewer than eight points. The reserves side, coached by Kepler Bradley, finished with 15 wins, including 11 in a row, to end the season in second spot behind East Perth. Claremont went on to win the premiership, with a victory over East Perth in the grand final. The colts won the premiership, with an 18-point victory over East Perth in the grand final, and coach Ross McQueen received the prestigious J. J. Leonard Award for excellence in the WAFL for 2016.
2017
Darren Harris was appointed senior coach to take over from Michael Broadbridge, who retired after three years in the job. Finally, Claremont’s magnificent new premises were completed, and the Tigers resumed playing at Claremont Oval with a thrilling three-point victory over East Fremantle in round 12 on June 10. But losing six matches in a row from round four was the major reason why the side finished seventh, with eight wins and 12 losses. Losing three matches by less than a goal in the second half of the season didn’t help Claremont’s bid to appear in the finals. Leg injuries restricted captain Jake Murphy to ten matches and vice-captain Ian Richardson did a splendid job as his replacement. Teenager Bailey Banfield won the E. B. Cook Medal as the league side’s fairest-and-best player. The 19-year-old polled 373 votes and finished ahead of Jye Bolton (346), Keifer Yu (344) and Richardson (343). Bolton, Jack Bradshaw and Mitch Andrews were members of the WA side which scored an historic victory over Victoria in Melbourne. The reserves side won 14 matches to finish second before being eliminated, losing to Subiaco in the preliminary final. The colts won through to the grand final, but were defeated by East Fremantle.
2018
Grant Povey, a WAFL premiership player with the Tigers in 1987, took over as club president, with Kevin Somes retiring after four years at the helm. And football manager Darcy Coffey was promoted to the position of CEO, replacing the retiring Graham Moss. Ian Richardson was chosen as the captain of the league side and he celebrated his 200thsenior match with the club with a 24-point win over East Perth in round 16. Claremont won six of the eight final qualifying-round matches to finish in fourth spot before beating East Perth by 28 points in the elimination final and losing by 53 points to West Perth in the first semi-final. Beau Maister and Keifer Yu, the much admired and highly respected stalwarts of the club, retired after wonderful careers. Maister, winner of the Simpson Medal when he kicked five goals to play a major role in Claremont’s win over Subiaco in the 2011 grand final, represented the Tigers in 154 senior matches, as well as playing 23 matches for the West Coast Eagles and 21 for St Kilda. Yu, a member of Claremont’s winning Foxtel Cup side in 2012, made 104 senior appearances with the Tigers. He also played in the club’s colts 2009 premiership side and in four premiership sides with the reserves. Brilliant midfielder Jye Bolton won the E. B. Cook Medal as Claremont’s fairest-and-best league player, polling 357 votes to finish ahead of Jared Hardisty (331) and Kane Mitchell (313). He also won the Sandover Medal for the second time and the Simpson Medal for the second time for his best afield performance when WA defeated South Australia in Adelaide. Mitchell was Claremont’s other State representative. Claremont’s reserves side, coached by Steven Armstrong, finished in third place on the premiership table with 12 wins and six losses before bowing out when beaten by Subiaco in the preliminary final. The Claremont colts, with seven wins and 11 losses, finished sixth. Former Claremont player Tom Mitchell shone for Hawthorn and was rewarded for his magnificent season with the Brownlow Medal.
2019
Revo Fitness became the club’s new major sponsor and Claremont Oval assumed the name Revo Fitness Stadium. Claremont’s league side, led by coach Darren Harris and co-captains Ian Richardson and Kane Mitchell, continued its improvement, winning 12 and losing six games to finish third on the premiership table. The Tigers went down by seven points to South Fremantle in the qualifying final before bouncing back with a thrilling six-point victory over the West Coast Eagles in the second semi-final at home. But Claremont disappointed in managing just 4.9 to lose by five goals to South Fremantle in the preliminary final. Claremont’s State representatives when South Australia defeated WA by seven points at Optus Stadium in May were Mitchell, Jye Bolton and Bailey Rogers. Mitchell, a hard-running, determined and fearless midfielder, won the E. B. Cook Medal with 323 votes, finishing ahead of Dec Mountford (320), Rogers (310) and Bolton (292). Mitchell finished third in the Sandover Medal and Bolton was fourth. Former Claremont player and Fremantle Dockers star Nat Fyfe won the Brownlow Medal for the second time. A quartet of wonderful players — Richardson, Jake Murphy, Jess Laurie and Jack Bradshaw — retired at the end the season. Between them, they played 540 league matches, 27 Foxtel Cup games and eight games for the State. The reserves, coached by Brayden Duckworth, won 15 and lost only once in 16 qualifying-round contests (against Perth in round 16). Then, in the second semi-final the Tigers defeated West Perth by 77 points before the Falcons turned the tables and beat Claremont by six points in the grand final. The colts coached by Ross McQueen, finished the qualifying rounds in second spot with 11 wins and five losses and ended the season on a high, beating Peel Thunder in a thrilling grand final in which Claremont’s Jack Cooley was awarded the Mel Whinnen Medal as best afield. McQueen’s record as a coach at Claremont was then three colts and three reserves premierships. He has accepted a job with the WA State academy program, working with the 16s and 18s squads.

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