Club History/Club Song

Club Song

Its a grand old flag
Its a high flying flag
Its the emblem for me and for you
Its the emblem of the team we love
The team of the red and the blue
Everyheart beats true
For the red and the blue
And we sing this song to you
Should auld acquaintance be forgot
Keep your eye on the red and the blue

history1 The Palmyra Junior Football Club has a rich tradition dating back to when the club was established in 1956. In the early days the club would train at the Palmyra Primary school and would play the matches at the ground now known as Henry Jeffrey Oval located in East Fremantle.

A majority of the club functions were held at the local hall in Tamar Street in Palmyra. The club formed a strong association with the Wagin football club in the 60’s and had a playing arrangement with them annually taking turns travelling to the respective clubs for the yearly game. In the late 60’s the club took a trip to Kalgoorlie staying at well known racing identity and publican Wally Hannah’s Palace Hotel. Wally’s son played with Palmyra.

The club colours are red and blue - red for South Fremantle and blue for East Fremantle. Jumpers changed from the original Melbourne Football Club /West Perth Football Club to today’s modern Demons Jumper in 1999 due in large part to the input of Michael Kennelly the then President. Original Jumper & 1956 - 1989 First Change of Jumper 1989 - 1999 Change to Modern (Melbourne Style) -1999 - Current.

The Demons name change came from a vote by all members sent out by Mike, from the original name of Palmyra “Raiders”. Before the donation of the siren that is currently used, all games started and finished with a hand-rung bell. One Coach, Jim Sheehy, in the early 1980’s used to pick kids up in the back of his panel van and his “catch cry” to get kids to go after the ball was “ice cream, ice cream” he said all kids wanted to get an “ice cream”.

Research was started by Rod Felmingham (life member) on all players from Palmyra JFC who made it to WAFL or AFL level and started the placement of plaques on the Club Wall. This list of all players and current to today can be found on this web page. In 1986/87 Club numbers were approximately 30 in total consisting of under 9’s and under 11’s. This was a very difficult time for the Club and it was thought that it may fold or amalgamate with another close proximity club but thanks to the persistence of the then Committee and namely Rod and Rosalie Felmingham this was averted and numbers have been growing steadily since to what they are today.

history2 The clubrooms were on the Northern side of the oval in the Melville Lions Club where existing Skate Park is now. This included kiosk and small clubroom with access (with permission) to use Lions Club Hall for club events. We used the change rooms under the then Palmyra Rugby Union Club. (The Rugby Club is now situated at Tompkins Park and that area is now the Melville Tennis Club.) In late 80’s early 90’s Melville Council wanted Palmyra JFC to move to Attadale (Troy Park) so the Rugby Club could take over the “Wreck”. A couple of women did most of the negotiating at the time to get them to change their minds (which is just as well otherwise the club wouldn’t exist now we’d all be bombers!). Then they came up with the offer for us to have new clubrooms about where the old clubrooms were but over closer to the big building, it would include toilets, kiosk and small hall with terraced steps down to oval. Events following these plans meant that this did not eventuate.

In 1993 the rugby club moved to its new clubrooms at Tompkins Park because the WARU decreed that all first grade clubs must have two rugby fields which were simply not available at Melville Reserve, also the Melville City Council began to seriously consider the construction of a major recreation centre at Melville Reserve on the old hockey pitch / tennis club sites adjacent to Canning Highway. This required the relocation of the tennis club to the rugby pitch. Thus the Palmyra Junior Football Club was able to take over the current clubrooms from the Melville Football Club which had moved upstairs to share the old Rugby Club Rooms with the Tennis Club. With the clubrooms we now have, there was no patio roof out the front and the kiosk (canteen) would get flooded all the time when it rained. We applied for a grant from the Government and the then members and committee erected the current iron patio.

The Club celebrated its 40 year re-union in 1996 where we had Ken Judge (former Palmyra player and then coach of Hawthorn) come and give a speech to Life Members and other interested parties while over for a game against West Coast Eagles. At this time a photograph was taken in the large sunken area on the south-west corner of the oval of all members, life members, committee etc - this photo has somehow gone into hiding but every effort is being made to find it and have it on display. In 2006, the club celebrated its 50th year, a truly remarkable journey of a club that has galvanized during the hard times to become a force in the association today and continues to grow.

Palmyra Junior Football Club WAFL / AFL / VFL / State Players

Here is the list of Palmyra Junior Football Club players that have gone on and played league football at the WAFL, AFL / VFL and State level.

Anderson, Clayton (East Fremantle)
Barrett, Kim (East Fremantle)
Bayens, Ron (Subiaco, South Fremantle, WA)
Becu, Bob (East Fremantle)
Collica, Michael (East Fremantle, Hawthorn, West Coast)
Dedman, Neil (East Fremantle)
Dobson, Mal (East Fremantle)
Dobson, Mark (East Fremantle)
Donnes, Mick (East Fremantle)
Durnthaler, Glen (East Fremantle, Subiaco)
Fruend, Peter (South Fremantle)
Holt, Ken (East Fremantle,WA)
Jager, Ben (West Perth)
Jez, Mick (East Fremantle, Carlton)
Johnson, Alan (Perth, Melbourne, WA)
Johnston, Jeff (East Fremantle)
Judge, Ken (East Fremantle, Hawthorn, Brisbane, WA)
Kenney, Gary (East Fremantle)
Kerr, Roger (East Fremantle, Perth)
McCaffery, Peter (East Fremantle)
McKay, Joe (South Fremantle, WA)
McCorry, Calvin (East Fremantle)
Martin, Leigh (South Fremantle)
Metcalf, Peter (East Fremantle)
Morcom, David (East Fremantle)
Neesham, John (East Fremantle)
O’Brien, Harry (Collingwood)
Richardson, Colin (East Fremantle)
Shadbolt, Doug (East Fremantle)
Turner, Ray (East Fremantle)
Tyson, Peter (South Fremantle)
Tyson, Ross (East Fremantle)
Warburton, Ian (East Fremantle)
Wilcox, Ron (East Fremantle)

Life Members

Here are the many volunteers who have been awarded life membership of the Palmyra Junior Football Club.

1963 Ted McCaffery
1963 Ray Vaughan
1964 Cyril Harper
1965 Ron Renfrey
1966 Kevin Leahy
1967 George Luck
1967 Ken Dobson
1967 Matt Strang
1968 Kath Davis
1968 Tom Murphy
1968 Merle Metcalf
1971 Cliff Davis
1971 Bob Judge
1973 Leon Phillips
1975 Val Townson
1976 George Dunkley
1981 Val Timewell
1983 Ron Adams
1987 Des Miller
1988 Thelma Miller
1997 Rosalie Felmingham
1997 Rod Felmingham
2002 Mike Kennelly
2005 Peter Pilcher
2005 Gail Beck (Hodgekiss)
2006 Vivienne Morgan
2006 Darren Bilton