From “The Vault”

Stories from the club’s 68-year history

The merger of Applecross and Mt Pleasant JFCs

The competition for boys from sports such as soccer and the move to single age groups challenged the smaller junior clubs to field teams. Applecross and Mount Pleasant JFCs already had a history of ad hoc mergers for older age groups through the 1970s and early 1980s and it was clear that there was going to be a consolidation of clubs in this area. 

The East Fremantle Junior Football Council understood these pressures and supported consolidation to enable clubs to be sustainable. The first merging in the area took place between Ardross and Brentwood JFCs at the end of 1981 to form the Karoonda JFC (which in recent years has renamed itself Booragoon JFC). 

Discussion on merging Applecross and Mt Pleasant occurred during 1985 and agreement was reached to merge the clubs at the end of that season. Agreement was reached that the 9s-13s would play at Gairloch Oval and 14s-17s would play at Shirley Strickland Oval. Training for the 9s, 10s and 11s would be at Gairloch Oval and all other teams at Shirley Strickland Oval. 

Importantly, both clubs agreed to retire their current jumpers which for Applecross was the St Kilda style jumper and for Mount Pleasant the black and yellow coloured jumper and return to the Hawthorn style jumper and colours and called the merged club the “Hawks”.