The story goes that, one cold day last July, Cameron Schwab was on his way back to Fremantle Oval after doing some charity work at a local soup kitchen when he happened across Trevor Nisbett waiting outside the courthouse. Trevor explained that he was just waiting for a bus and, once Schwabby politely changed the subject, the two got talking about the weather. They’d just reached the consensus that it was bloody cold when Nissy had one of his legendary brainstorms. (or “Red Army Ideas” as they call them down Subiaco way).

“We should play this game in the summer, Schwabby.”

“Just picture it. A beautiful balmy evening, a packed Subiaco Oval and us sucking squirt up in the corporate boxes.”

So, they agreed to organise a Derby for February and that’s how Fremantle and the Eagles wound up running onto Subiaco Oval at 7 o’clock on a Sunday night in 35 degree temperatures. ....more