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In Fremantle, belief is no longer a quiet hope – it is a public spectacle.
With the Fremantle Dockers perched firmly at the top of the AFL ladder and a minor premiership locked away with a game still to play, players and die-hard fans are priming for a historic finals campaign.
Mayor Ben Lawver believes the Dockers are an “integral part” of the Port City’s story.
The city plans to turn its famed Cappuccino Strip purple – purple road, bunting, balcony banners, tree wraps – and is also urging local businesses to join in the Flagmantle fever, with bragging rights on offer for the best window display.
If the Dockers make the big dance, the city has plans to host a major “live site” on the strip to give fans the opportunity to gather in the heart of the town and watch the game on big screens.
“Turning Fremantle purple is a visible show of support for the club, its players, members and fans, but it’s also about bringing our community together and creating an atmosphere that reflects the pride we all feel in our home-town team,” Lawver said.
Fremantle Chamber of Commerce chief executive Chrissie Maus said the Port City’s blood “runs purple”, and this was a moment for the town to turn the volume up.
“When Freo gets behind something, we don’t tend to do it quietly and nor should we,” she said.
Here’s how the Port City plans to turn it on as the Dockers storm towards finals.
The Federal Hotel
Right in the heart of Freo is the Federal Hotel, which locals know will always get into finals spirit.
This year the hotel will ramp up the experience for each of the Dockers final games, expanding beyond into Paddy Troy Mall, to open up capacity for as many as 2000 fans in the heart of Fremantle.
No tickets are required for finals games and all rounds will be shown, whether they are home or away games.
If the Dockers make it into the grand finals, Federal Hotel digital brand coordinator Emma Paruscio said reckons it will be a bigger event than the FIFA World Cup.
The games will also be shown live and loud at the Federal’s sister venues South Beach Hotel, 8 Knots Tavern and the Bicton Tavern.
“Across all four venues, we’re preparing for a huge Grand Final day and, if Fremantle makes it, what could be an incredible day for the local community,” Paruscio said.
Culleys Bakery and Cafe
A short walk from the Federal is one of Fremantle’s oldest family owned and operated cafés and bakeries.
If their front window wasn’t patriotic enough, the bakery has also prepped pies and cupcakes in honour of their beloved team.
“Freo is the Dockers – they’re very passionate about it around here,” owner Michael Culley said.
“We did it last year, and it went really well. So we’re doing it again, and we’re doing it a little bit early, we didn’t want to put the mocker on them or anything, but now that they’re definitely going to finish pretty much on top, we thought we’d run with it.”
Culley said the last time the Dockers made it into the finals, the famed Cappuccino Strip came to life.
“We love the Dockers, we love Freo, and Freo fans are probably the most passionate I’ve seen,” he said.
“That was the busiest day we’ve ever had, like by triple.”
Varsity Bar
Around the corner near the FOMO building sits Varsity, which has transformed into “the ultimate destination for Freo diehards”.
“Thanks to our mates at Pirate Life and the Fremantle Dockers, the whole venue has been decked out in purple and white,” Varsity marketing coordinator Jaslyn Tumilty said.
“We’ll be slinging $12 pints of Pirate Life all the way ’til the end of season, plus a very Freo Burger of the Month coming in September.”
(It’s worth noting Dockers legend Nat Fyfe was an early investor in brewers Pirate Life, before the company was sold to Anheuser-Busch InBev, which was later acquired by Asahi Beverages.)
And if the Dockers make it to the grand finals, Varsity will be hosting a massive block party.
“We’re taking over Newman Court with big screens, a massive beer garden, heaps of indoor and outdoor seating, indoor and outdoor bars, and an atmosphere that rivals the Melbourne Cricket Ground,” Tumilty said.
“Free entry, cheap beers, purple food specials. It’ll be epic. As close to experiencing the footy at the MCG as you can get. Loud, rowdy and purple.”
South Freo Continental
If you’ve seen a Fiat driving around town that resembles a purple Sherrin football, chances are it’s from South Freo Continental.
Carlo Noto has his Dockers-inspired car parked at his brother Sergio’s cafe most days, and says it’s been a photo opportunity for fans of all ages.
“It’s the best thing I’ve ever done. It’s just a little toy,” he said.
With his lifelong friend and deputy mayor of Fremantle Fedele Kamada in the passenger seat, Noto drove the car to Optus Stadium to watch the Dockers beat the Adelaide Crows and officially lock away the minor premiership on Friday.
“We took it to the stadium, and it was just a laugh. People were just beeping the horns, and they’d give us a thumbs up,” he said.
Both the Notos and Kamada families are foundation members of the Fremantle Dockers, and have their fingers and toes crossed that this year is the one to remember.
“If Fremantle pull it off, it will be something special,” Noto said.
Kamada said he was hopeful the Dockers would come to Fremantle to celebrate with their long-term fans.
“That would be ideal,” he said.
“I think supporters would love to see that.
“Fremantle is the spiritual heart of the club, obviously, and it would be very special for our supporters to see that.
“And when you talk about supporters, obviously we love the team and the players, but when you’ve supported a club for over 30 years, it’s also about the people you go to the games with, and the relationships that you’ve built.
“To share that experience together is very special.”
Kamada said local fans have suggested the Dockers come to Fremantle on a double-decker bus if they won the grand final.
The Wray Hotel
As the unofficial home base for the Dockers Purple Army, fans have not wasted time to book in at the Wray Hotel.
Venue manager Nicolo Cartesan said they have been fully booked out for the grand final since the end of April.
“We have a lot of people already booked in. We’re sitting at 460, roughly, already booked in, and I have a waitlist of 350 on top of that. It’s going to be a big day,” he said.
But have no fear, the hotel has plans to fit more people in – or out.
“We are applying for the extended license for the car park. If that gets accepted, we’re going to do the whole car park with tables and screens,” Cartesan said.
“There’s going to be a couple of bars around, and a kitchen outside.
“That’s going to be very big, and we’re planning to roughly 1200 to 1300 people on that day.”
Fans will also have the chance to go in the running to win a Yamaha R3 signed by Dockers players and coach Justin Longmuir.
Fremantle City Dockers junior football club
As finals loom, the up-and-coming generation of Dockers players are still hitting the field and are fired up with purple spirit.
With ex-Dockers player Matt Carr as one of the coaches and his son Jarren a recent draft for the team his dad played 162 games for, the club has a history of producing great talent.
Fremantle City Dockers JFC president Connor Magee said it was an “incredibly exciting time” for football in Fremantle.
“To see the Fremantle Dockers with a genuine opportunity to do what we’ve been waiting for many, many years – it creates an incredible buzz right across our community,” he said.
“As a partner club and the only junior football club in the City of Fremantle, we see firsthand the positive impact the Dockers have on our young people.
“Their success inspires the next generation to pick up a football, get involved and dream big. We can’t wait to see what this finals campaign brings”.
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