AI-generated summary
The Fremantle Dockers have never won an AFL premiership, maintaining a long-standing premiership drought despite consistent fan support.
Fremantle fans have been left heartbroken following a shock seven-point loss to the Brisbane Lions in Saturday's grand final.
Despite the Dockers leading for most of the game, the Lions were able to claw back a 17-point deficit with just four minutes left in the final term.
In Fremantle, more than 40,000 people took over the Cappuccino Strip and sold out venues across the Port city.
The atmosphere in Fremantle was electric for the first three quarters — at one venue, fans were screaming and jumping on tables.
However, there was a noticeable shift in the atmosphere as the minutes ticked away late in the game, with many fans visibly distressed as the Lions piled on late goals.
At the siren, collective moans of disappointment echoed throughout Fremantle's venues.
At one point, tension led to a physical altercation in the crowd with multiple police and security trying to break up the fight.
One man was escorted away by police, with an ambulance called to attend to a woman seen on the ground.
Devastated fans
Fans were seen holding each other and crying.
One fan, Layla, said she felt sad but hopeful because of the fight the Dockers put up.
"And then in the last minute, my heart just broke."
Harry Thorn was also in Fremantle to watch the game. He said it ran in his family to support the Dockers.
"I'm a little bit disappointed that we've never won a [grand] final, but we're gonna get there one year," he said.
Tayla Bowden was brought to tears when the final siren rang and said she was left devastated and shocked.
She said being a Fremantle supporter was about a balance of hope and despair at the same time.
"We have stuck with them for 32 years and we love them, no matter what. We haven't got a premiership yet, it's hard," she said.
"They're hard to love and you can't help but love them at the same time. The culture is the biggest thing."
Fremantle's Cappuccino Strip cleared quickly after the loss, with some devoted fans remaining in the city venues.
Some of the Fremantle dockers signs had been taken down with rubbish on the streets.
Fremantle's players and travelling party were due to return to Western Australia today.
Cameron Butcher, a 26-year-old elite cyclist from Wollongong who received a heart transplant after his pacemaker saved his life eight times, is competing in cycling, tennis, swimming and six-a-side soccer at the Australian Transplant Games in Launceston, which began on Saturday and runs until October 3.
Fremantle Dockers' viral 'Wharfie Time' celebration, involving dimmed lights and AC/DC's Hells Bells, backfired in the 2026 AFL Grand Final as Brisbane Lions used it as motivational fuel to score four goals in four minutes and overturn a 17-point deficit, winning the premiership after Fremantle had led with 4:18 remaining.
Fifteen-year-old Mark O'Connor from Darwin has been selected for Australia's U-15 FIFA World Cup squad set to compete in Baku, Azerbaijan next month, marking a milestone for Northern Territory football and inspiring regional players through his journey from local clubs to national representation.
Lachie Neale played in the AFL grand final after winning an appeal against a one-game suspension for striking Jack Ginnivan off the ball, then exchanged playful social media messages with Ginnivan referencing the incident, and indicated he will likely join Collingwood as a free agent next season after eight years with the Brisbane Lions.
Brisbane Lions players and supporters celebrated their 2026 AFL grand final win over Fremantle in Melbourne bars overnight, with players drinking from the premiership cup at a South Yarra bar and fans reliving the victory in Fitzroy, despite cold and wet weather at the MCG where over 100,000 spectators attended and police reported minimal incidents.
Alex de Minaur overcame a bloodied knee from a diving volley to defeat Alexander Zverev 2-6, 7-6(7-5), 11-9 at the Laver Cup in London, securing Team World's lead after Europe's overnight advantage vanished. The Australian extended his perfect singles record against Europe in the competition and praised his team's underdog spirit.