The Matagarup Bridge that links East Perth with Optus Stadium is more than just a footbridge to Michael Walters, and he hopes it can become just as meaningful to Fremantle supporters. 

The bridge is set to open for the first time ahead of Fremantle’s clash with Port Adelaide on Sunday, making Freo fans the first to utilise the new 370m structure to access an event at Optus Stadium.

Walters said the bridge only added to the ‘incredible’ stadium and its precinct.

“As you know I’m easily excited by something, (such as) my goals,” Walters said. 

“But I just love playing here at Optus Stadium and I love the little things like the bridge.

“It’s going to bring a lot of people together and a lot of people to games with this bridge opening.”

“For it to open around the same time as NAIDOC week, it couldn’t have been at a better time.”

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Fremantle’s no.1 ticket holder and Indigenous elder Richard Walley explained the meaning behind the word ‘matagarup’, which lends the name to the bridge.

Ahead of the clash, which is celebrated as the 2018 NAIDOC game, presented by Woodside, Walley said fans will be crossing the river in a similar fashion to Indigenous Australians thousands of years ago. 

“Our people used to live all along this river. It was a camping ground, fishing ground, a play ground - it was everything wrapped into one. It’s a very significant place,” Walley said.

“Our people used to cross over the river many times. They used to wait for the seasons, with the lower tides and during the summer when the sand bars were up, you’d cross over.”

“Where you cross over, that would be in the shallow waters called the ‘matagarup’. It’s something that the bridge is emulating and it’s happened for thousands of years - but we can now cross over all through the year.”

Walters said he expected a tough test against the fourth-placed Port Adelaide. 

“It’s a challenge that we really want to take on,” Walters said. 

“We haven’t played great over the past two weeks. We have a few leaders out and it’s on to the next person to step up and play their role. 

“Over a consistent period this season, we’ve had a lot of young boys step up and play their role.

“We need them to keep on going and growing as players and it’s up to us leaders to lead from the front.”