AFL grand final: Recap as Fremantle Dockers suffer grand final heartache against Brisbane

Fremantle will have one chance to Wharfie Time this afternoon and Brisbane football manager Danny Daly is making sure the Lions are prepared, confirming Chris Fagan played it in the team meeting yesterday

A reminder it can only be activated after a Fremantle goal.

There had been some conjecture given the conditions to drop Mason Cox and bring in Jaeger O’Meara.

But the Dockers coach shuts down any such thoughts.

“Mason Cox will play; no late changes.

“The forecast probably eased off a little bit but we prepped the guys for wet weather; you need to be strong in the contest but our game doesn’t change too much.

“It feels like a lot of the week has been normal which we’ve lent into and hopefully that holds us in good stead,” he says.

“The job’s done for the coaches in terms of prep but it’s over to the players now.”

The Dockers have just run onto the field for their warm up. They were met by a huge roar. They are warming up in front of the Ponsford Stand at the city end. Freeeeo is ringing out from fans.

Mzungu kicked Freo’s first in 2013. Hopefully, Dudley doesn’t come after six behinds.

Isaiah Dudley, Brennan Cos, Chris Scerri and Shai Bolton are among some players who have entered the venue.

Dudley looks chilled, just signed some autographs on fence as he made his way back into rooms.

Jackson, Wagner, Switkowski walking ground - having a few casual shots at punt road end goals.

The streets of Fremantle are rapidly filling with purple passion as thousands of fans and locals descend on the port city to cheer on the boys from home.

Just after 10am, the Cappuccino Strip was already a sea of purple, white, and anchors, with dedicated supporters turning every pub, cafe, and park into a cauldron of footy fever.

For Tanya and Simon Vulinovic, there was no second option for where to spend the day.

“We’ve been supporting them since day dot,” Mr Vulinovic said.

“We met after a football game so we wouldn’t have got married if it wasn’t for Freo.

“You’ve got to be in the heart of Freo. I mean, being in Melbourne is one thing, but I think this will just be amazing if they win.

“This is going to be the biggest party since America’s Cup.”

Local families have also gone all-out to get into the spirit, including East Freo mum Amy Hill, who spent the week crafting custom Docker gear for 5-year-old Story and 3-year-old Lumi.

“The kids have got into the footy this year,” she said.

“I made them purple capes this week. I’m not typically a footy girl, but I’m a Freo girl so we pulled out the purple.“

For others, the stakes could not possibly be higher.

Indi Ruby, Elise Roscoe and Scarlet Nicholas said “their lives depend” on Fremantle winning today.

“We wouldn’t be here if we knew that Freo couldn’t win,” Ms Ruby said.

“Someone’s got to hold it down at Freo, you know, it’s f...ing wharfie time!”

And the prime viewing real estate did not come easy.

Keen supporters began camping out as early as 6am to secure front-row seats along the strip, determined not to miss a second of the action.

“It was worth it,” Adrian DeCarolis said.

“I’m starting to feel nervous, but good, we can do it.”

https://www.instagram.com/reels/Ddu9jbGTW74/

As an aside, is it looks like Kylie Minogue will perform in the rain with her stage being set up.

“At the hotel I was feeling it a bit but now that we’re here the nerves have settled,” he says.

“Everybody’s a little bit different. The advice from the guys that have been there is just be yourself, and I’ve just tried to keep a smile on my face.

“They’ve got so many guys that can hurt you so you don’t want to fixate on one but we do want to go at them.

“I’m just really happy to be here and just want to crack in here.”

Serong was the first out on the ground. As the stage is prepared for Kylie Minogue, Serong is warming up and kicking the ball to himself.

He even acknowledged some fans in the crowd who were giving their utmost support

“You always feel like you’re a little bit not part of it because I never played, but I don’t think about it too much,” he says.

“I think the review after the Sydney game was a fierly blunt fierce reviwe but genrally speaking they’re a good and selfless group but on that day personal glory overruled team effectiveness.

“No, I don’t think (we’ll make a late change), we’ll stick with the team that we’ve got and we’re accustomed to slippery conditions, but it’s going to make for a pretty tight scrap.”

Craig O’Donoghue has caught up with the Dockers superfan.