Sharks’ success not all beer and skittles for Bill Monaghan Friday, April 1, 2022 - 1:30 PM - by Mark Readings

The date was Saturday August 14 last year and it could go down as a defining day for Bill Monaghan and the East Fremantle Football Club. 

The Sharks dismantled Subiaco by 44 points at Leederville Oval in a performance which showed a long-awaited return to finals could become reality in 2022. 

After the stunning upset, the coach decided a reward was appropriate. 

“It’s the first time in 12 or 13 years of coaching senior footy that I sent someone over the road to buy a couple of cartons of beer, and we sat on the changeroom floor, and we actually soaked it in for half an hour afterwards. 

The players had been used to getting kicked in the guts and beaten and it was a real moment for us, defeating the eventual Premiers. 

We hope that was a turning point for the group,” Monaghan said. 

The Sharks ended the season in sixth position, but their spike in form gave long suffering supporters hope. 

“We finished the season really well last year, but there’s a little bit of a rider on that. 

We played a few teams that were coming up to finals and sometimes the training loads are different. 

Our form though in the last five or six weeks was outstanding”. 

Former AFL player Jonathon Marsh looms as a critical player again for the Sharks. 

“I’m not sure if he produced this terminology, but we run with it anyway and it’s the Dustin Martin or Jake Stringer type of role where they do a lot of centre bounce work and then play forward of centre. 

The weapons he brings as a third or fourth tall forward, along with his power and long kicking from the midfield makes him one of the most valuable players in the League,” Monaghan said. 

East Fremantle is eyeing off a flying start to the year with matches against Peel, Swan Districts, East Perth, and West Coast. 

“If we’re going to be any good, we should win the majority if not all those games, but it doesn’t always work that way. 

We’ll get to the stage where we’ll roll up to any ground and think we’re going to win every match we play,” Monaghan predicted. 

Monaghan re-signed with the Sharks last year until the end of 2023, ending speculation about his future at Moss Street. 

The 52-year-old has been at the helm since 2019 when he took over from Rob Wiley. 

East Fremantle begins its season against Peel Thunder on Good Friday in Mandurah.