The Fremantle Football Club extends its condolences to the family of Quenton Leach, who passed away on Monday after a long battle with cancer. 

An inaugural Fremantle Docker, Leach played 56 games for Fremantle between 1995 and 1998, including the club’s first game in 1995 against Richmond at the MCG. 

Primarily a defender, Leach will long be remembered for being the first Fremantle player to secure a win with a goal after the siren. 

His goal against Brisbane in round eight of the 1997 season gave Fremantle a five-point win at Subiaco Oval.

Leach, 47, had a strong relationship with Fremantle’s inaugural senior coach Gerard Neesham, playing under Neesham at Claremont, including the Tigers’ 1993 WAFL Grand Final win. 

He is survived by wife Shannan and children Ella, Oliver and Jackson.

Former Fremantle player Brad Wira paid tribute to his former teammate at Fremantle and Claremont, saying Leach was a ‘lovable larrikin’.

“‘Leachey’ would light up the room, he would make everyone laugh and I think that’s what everyone will miss about him,” Wira said.

“He was a Marist boy, he played at Claremont and he was an inaugural Freo player. He’s touched a lot of football people over his 47 years and everyone will have a Quenton story, that will make them smile and remember him today and into the future. 

“He was a gun footy player and probably one that didn’t play at the elite level as long as he should have.

“While we didn’t have a lot of success in those early years, some of the friendships formed over that era are some of the most important friendships of everyone’s lives.

“As we all got older, it was clear he was a great family man and I know everyone who played with him will be thinking of Shannan, his three children, Ella, Oliver and Jackson, his brother Jason and all immediate family.”