Everything you need to know about the Fremantle Dockers and Brisbane Lions clash

Have you been swept up in Flagmantle fever, but have no AFL experience?

Perhaps you have been invited to a grand final party, but have never watched an Australian Rules match in your life, and you are worried you might ask the wrong thing.

Well, don’t despair, WAtoday has you covered.

Here are some of the most common, and unusual, questions asked of our reporters during the past week ahead of Saturday’s big match.

So, what is the grand final, and why is it so important?

This is the final match of the AFL season where the ultimate winner of the 2026 season will be decided.

It’s our version of America’s Super Bowl, the biggest game of the biggest sport in the nation. And this year’s match-up is a pearler. More on that later.

But didn’t Fremantle finish on top of the ladder? Why aren’t they the winner?

The Dockers finished the season on top, which makes them the minor premiers. However, once the regular season ends, the finals series begins, and that’s where teams are eliminated until only two sides are left.

So, who are the two teams that are in the grand final?

This year’s decider will be played between the Fremantle Dockers and the Brisbane Lions. But the game is being played in Melbourne at the MCG (we’ll get to that in a bit).

OK, Fremantle lost the first week of finals – why weren’t they knocked out?

Because Fremantle finished on top of the ladder, they earned a second chance. The top four teams at the end of the regular season get an opportunity to lose the first final they play and still stay in the race.

So while the Dockers lost to Hawthorn in the qualifying final, they still had a chance to make the grand final by winning their next two matches.

Brisbane also lost their first final but made it through to Saturday’s decider.

So if two non-Victorian teams are playing, why is the game being held in Victoria?

Several reasons. The main argument is tradition as the MCG is regarded as being the home of football and there have only been a handful of grand finals played away from the venue.

Another reason is logistics. The venue is the largest stadium in Australia and can hold 100,024 people at full capacity, meaning more people can attend the match.

The final reason is, well, money. The AFL signed funding and hosting agreements – extended through 2059 – locking in the MCG as the exclusive home of the premiership decider with the Victorian Government.

Why are Brisbane the favourite to win?

Experience is the major factor here. The Lions have played in the last three grand finals, losing the first in 2023 to Collingwood, before reversing that result against the same opponents the following year. Brisbane then won last year’s grand final against Geelong and are looking to make it three premierships in a row.

But if Fremantle won the minor premiership, then why aren’t they the favourites?

There is a common belief that finals experience is a crucial factor when it comes to winning premierships (although this is not always the case).

The Dockers have only ever made it to play in one grand final throughout their 32-year history as a club, when they lost to Hawthorn in the 2013 decider.

While the club comfortably won the minor premiership this year, including winning 14 games in a row, they also lost several matches towards the end of the season.

Brisbane’s playing at the MCG on grand final day for the past three years makes them the more experienced team and therefore the favourite.

People keep saying that this is an historic grand final. Why?

Arguably all grand finals are historic. However, there are big stakes at play on Saturday. Brisbane get the opportunity to record their second “three-peat” – when a side wins three grand finals in a row – an achievement only held by the Lions sides of 2001 to 2003 and the Hawthorn team of 2013 to 2015 during the modern era of the AFL.

Meanwhile, Fremantle are chasing their first-ever premiership so whoever wins on Saturday can lay claim to making history.

So who is the guy with the hair for Fremantle, and why do they keep booing him?

The “guy with the hair” is Fremantle captain Alex Pearce – and the fans are not booing him.

Pearce is known by the nickname “Moose”, and while it sounds like a resounding boo from the crowd when he gets the ball, it is actually just the crowd chanting his nickname.

Brisbane also have a player that draws a similar response named Bruce Reville, who played in last year’s grand final. Although in his case the fans are shouting “Bruce” instead of “Moose”.

Unfortunately, Reville is unlikely to play in this year’s decider, although maybe that will save some confusion.

What’s with the tall guy for Fremantle who is the only one wearing glasses?

That is Mason Cox, who has only been at Fremantle this season after being delisted by Collingwood last year.

The US-born footballer wears prescription glasses as protection after suffering a serious eye injury in 2019 that required multiple surgeries to correct. At one stage he was legally blind before his eyesight returned.

Why are some players so tall and others so short – wouldn’t tall ones be better?

The tallest players on the field are generally ruckmen or key forwards and their height gives them an advantage when marking the ball or during the ruck contest.

The smaller players are often quicker and faster around the ground and primarily play as small forwards or defenders.

Interestingly, the tallest and shortest players in the grand final both play for Fremantle, with Mason Cox at 211cm and Isaiah Dudley at 168cm.

If they are professional footballers, why do they keep missing shots on goal?

This one is a bit tricky. One reason is the oval shape of the ball, which means players need to be very precise about how the ball drops on the foot when it is kicked.

There are also factors like fatigue and mental pressure, which can impact a player and make them miss. Professional footballers, particularly forwards, spend hours practising goalkicking, but that does not guarantee they won’t miss an easy shot on goal.

So when is it, and where can I watch it?

The pre-match entertainment, this year featuring Australian music icon Kylie Minogue, officially kicks off at 11.30am AWST before the match begins at 12.30pm. Due to broadcasting rights, the match is only shown live on Channel 7, although a repeat is available on streaming platforms Kayo and Foxtel.

While some venues throughout WA have already sold out of tickets for special grand final events, WAtoday recently published a list of local spots with a Fremantle flavour where people can go and watch the big match.

I don’t have a team, so who should I go for?

WAtoday would never suggest that you support our local Fremantle team over the side of our sister outlet, Brisbane Times.

However, if you are based in Western Australia and Fremantle win, then there will be literal parties in the streets as long-suffering Dockers fans celebrate their maiden premiership.

Plus, Brisbane have won the last two, so let’s not be greedy.