Excited Fremantle fans have made it clear they will go to extraordinary lengths to be part of the club’s second grand final, with one supporter facing another marathon journey to Melbourne.
Amanda Tagliaferi drove almost three hours from Wilyabrup to Perth Airport before flying to Sydney for Saturday night’s preliminary final.
Now she will fly home, drive back to Busselton for a few days before making the long trip to Melbourne for her first grand final at the MCG.
“We’ve driven up to Perth, flown over to here, now we’ll fly back, get into the car, drive down to Busselton and then do it all over again,” she told The West Australian while walking back to her hotel from the SCG.
“It will be my first time at a grand final at the MCG. We’re in the ballot so I’m highly confident that I’m going to get one at least.”
Ms Tagliaferi never gave up hope the Dockers could overcome Sydney, even when they slipped 28 points behind.
She said the Fremantle fans packed into the SCG had produced an extraordinary atmosphere.
“I felt confident that they would come out in the last quarter and kill it,” she said.
“We were sitting in the Bill O’Reilly Stand and the Dockers fans there made it sound louder than Optus Stadium.”
Her friend Susan Arthur has already decided to stay in WA rather than make the trip to Melbourne.
She said watching the grand final surrounded by family, friends and the passionate purple army would be just as special.
“I’ve said I’m going to Fremantle with my family for the finals. That will be amazing,” she said.
“Everyone will be there. It’ll be fantastic.
“I would be very grateful and appreciative to see them win. It’ll be fantastic for all the effort that has gone into getting to this point.
“It’ll be the culmination of many, many years of work by them.”
