More than 3,000 Fremantle Dockers fans packed Cockburn ARC for the club’s final open training session in Western Australia before Saturday’s AFL grand final.
The ticketed event sold out within minutes, with supporters cheering and screaming as the Dockers trained on Wednesday morning. Others who missed out watched from cars parked at the top of the oval, peering over the stands for a glimpse of the team.
Fans were able to collect autographs and take selfies after the session before the players were escorted from the oval into the clubrooms.
Michael Volmink admitted he had called in sick to attend and said he was “over the moon” to see the team in person. The 25-year-old, who moved from South Africa in 2012, has supported Fremantle ever since.
“My first friend I made told me that I’m a Dockers fan, I didn’t even know what a Docker was, but I’m very grateful to him because 14 years later, I’m still here,” he said.
Volmink said he had greater belief in Fremantle than he did before the club’s 2013 grand final appearance.
“I have such belief in the boys, I’ve seen us come back from big margins and they’ve been resilient all year,” he said. “We’ve been the most consistent team all year, and I think that’s going to show on Saturday.”
One supporter arrived dressed as a unicorn in tribute to ruckman Luke Jackson, who has been given the nickname “the unicorn”.
“I came down today to see the unicorn, the real unicorn, there’s nothing he can’t do,” the fan said. “I’m very confident, we’ve got a unicorn who can do anything.”
Monique Nobbs and her 10-year-old son Zac brought a handmade sign asking midfielder Andrew Brayshaw for his boots. Zac counts Brayshaw as his idol and plays in midfield himself.
“We thought that this might attract him and give us his boots, even if they might be smelly, we don’t care,” Ms Nobbs said. “He’s such an amazing player and he’s my son’s idol, we just love Brayshaw.”
Zac said he was pleased to secure autographs from Isaiah Dudley and Josh Tracey, although Brayshaw remained his favourite.
“I just love that he’s a midfielder, and in my footy, I’m a midfielder too . . . he just doesn’t run out of steam,” he said.
Mother and daughter Karina Vinci and Sandy Comley, who have followed Fremantle since the club was created, said they would wear their lucky charms, including lucky underwear, for the grand final.
“I’m just real excited, you just can’t contain yourself, can you? I can’t focus, I can’t do nothing,” Ms Vinci said. “I can’t think of anything that means more to me.”
She acknowledged Brisbane had significantly more grand final experience but said she would be delighted that Fremantle had reached the decider regardless of the result.
“The way I see it is, we’re going up against a team that’s very experienced . . . they’ve been there the last three years or so and we’re taking a bunch of young kids,” she said. “If we do lose . . . we’re going to be up there in the final, I don’t care either way, I’m just happy they got there.”
Long-time supporter Liam Feist said he would fly to Melbourne with his family on Friday to watch the match, describing the trip as a “once in a lifetime opportunity”.
“I’m really excited, a little bit nervous . . . I’m looking forward to the week ahead, I’ve been a longtime supporter,” he said.
“I’ve been a fan since their inception in ‘94. I was 14-years-old at the time, and now having my kids here with me today, and being able to watch these boys train, I’m really grateful for the opportunity.”
Former Fremantle player Lee Spurr, who was part of the club’s 2013 premiership side, watched the session from the sidelines and said he felt proud of his old team.
“I was pretty nervous watching the prelim, but now that they’re there, I feel like I’m almost playing,” he said.
Spurr said the Dockers had been the best team throughout the season but would need to maintain their focus against an experienced Brisbane side.
“They’ve got to remember they’re the best team all year, they’re fantastic, they’re the team to beat . . . I don’t think there’s anyone in the AFL that can match them,” he said.
His advice to the players was simple: “Turn your phone off and get some sleep.”
