To win a premiership is always the ultimate for a club and it’s supporters, but to do it from last is the sweetest.  Hassa Mann’s  South Fremantle combination were on top of the world when they grabbed the 1970 flag from the favourites, Perth.

It was a special time for number one ruckman and later captain Fred Seinor , having been a standout big man for the club throughout the lean years of the sixties.  Graeme Reilly, South’s full back who had lined up for Western Australia against South Australia that year, was enjoying playing with his elder brother John on his return from a stint in the VFL.

Little did we know that both would be struck down early in their life by the same affliction.  In Reilly’s case, only four and a half years later, in the prime of his career.

Graeme Reilly was the son of one of the club’s alltime greats Jack “Corp” Reilly.  He debuted in 1965 as a forward but, although having undoubted talent, never quite made it as a regular when tried as a forward or ruckman. 

After taking a season off in 1967, Reilly came back and was reborn as a defender, where he found his niche. A long striding , big kicking full back(especially the dropkick into play) he formed an impregnable last line of defence with brother John, who also represented his state.

During the 1974 season, Reilly collapsed one night at training.  In the words of forward Ray Bauskis: ”We were doing circle work. I ran past Graeme and he handballed to me.  Out of the corner of my eye I saw him go down.”  Tests were done and the diagnosis was a brain tumour.  After having treatment here and abroad, he returned to training, but tragically, succumbed to the condition in February, 1975.

Graeme Reilly played 132 games for the Bulldogs and it was a tragic loss, not only for South Fremantle, but WA Football.

Fred Seinor came to South from Mines Rovers, in the strong Goldfields competition, via Rockingham. A spring heeled Jack, he was one of the top ruckmen in the State in an era of top ruckmen. Farmer, Slater, Moss, McIntosh, Mycock, Fitzpatrick, Dempsey  and others graced the scene in those halcyon days.

Seinor was  adept around the ground and as a forward, but it was as a tap ruckman that he excelled, usually giving inches away to opponents but he compensated for that with his spring. The 1970 premiership was his highlight, but he played three times for Western Australia, twice as vice captain, and captained South in 1968,relinquishing it to playing coach Hassa Mann in 69. He was at the helm again in 1973 and 74, winning the Walker Medal for Fairest and Best in 1973.

Seinor  played 219 games in the red and white V. In what may be a surprise to many, he maintained that out of all the top aerial opponents he faced, he found Claremont’s country recruit Alan Mycock the hardest to beat.

Fred Seinor was diagnosed with the dreaded brain tumour , and after a long struggle passed away in October, 2001.Fred Seinor wore the number 25 with distinction, and it was only fitting that the great Steven Michael should continue it’s dominance in later years.

Both Seinor and Reilly were and are held in high esteem at South Fremantle. In the case of Graeme Reilly it was a tragic case of a player cut down in the prime of his career, just after achieving State selection, when he was on the way to carving his name as an all time great fullback.  Fred Seinor was a class ruckman, among South’s alltime elite tapmen, and a well respected life member of the club.