Have you ever wondered what it’s like to run out onto Subiaco oval and hold the banner as the Dockers charge through it? Have you ever wondered what goes on before the game, down in the rooms of your favourite team? Do you know what it’s like to experience a Friday night blockbuster and to be involved in a sell out crowd?
Aimed at allowing you to experience, and become more familiar with your club, "OGG's BLOG" will bring you into a world that exists behind the scenes.
Feel free to comment and ask questions regularly, as well as make suggestions into what you’d love to see and hear within the Dockers, or at their games.
Hope to hear from you all soon…
Matthew Ogg
oggsblog@fremantlefc.com.au
FRIDAY NIGHT BLOCKBUSTER v COLLINGWOOD
There’s something special about a Friday night clash at Subiaco Oval, particularly when the AFL’s two best clubs are battling for the number one spot, in front of a sell-out crowd. The feeling of excitement begins at home when putting on your team’s colours and getting your big purple flag out of the cupboard. It builds as you cram into the train, or battle the traffic on the roads to get to your regular parking spot before anyone else can. As you arrive at the game, the feeling becomes electric. The hot chips smell more inviting, the doughnuts taste better, and the merchandise van is always carrying a new accessory or article of purple clothing that you desperately need before you can go in and find your usual seat.
This amazing build up before the first bounce is just a typical part of us Docker’s fanatics weekend, and when Collingwood is the opposition, you just know there is going to be some ‘friendly debate’.
I was lucky enough to be one of the 41,624 strong crowd at the big game on Friday night. This is how it happened, from my eyes…
The banter began the moment I walked out of my front door and down to the bus stop. Several cars beeped, calling out ‘Let’s Go Freo’ as they drove past, followed by a thumbs up. Supporters of the opposition also made their voices heard, but weren’t as pleasant in their chants.
Vocal Collingwood supporters jeered Freo fans on, as the train continuously became more and more overcrowded. ‘Hey fence sitters, did you get your Dockers gear out of the cupboard and blow of the dust this year cause they are winning’, one Magpie fan stated, as a battle of both clubs team songs rang loudly throughout the train.
As more people endeavoured to pile into the squashed carriage, Freo fans welcomed each other, and found room for them to come on board, while joking that those in the black and white should exit and catch the next train. ‘Freo, Way to go’ and ‘Carn the Pies’, was bellowed all the way to West Leederville station, and continued as the mass of supporters piled down the walkways and out into the shadows of Subiaco Oval.
With top spot on the AFL ladder up for grabs, numerous fans made the trip over from Melbourne, just to be a part of the action. One of these fans was Collingwood’s number one supporter, Joffa ‘the man with the golden jacket’ Corfe.
As I approached him, wearing as much Freo apparel as humanly possible, I asked him if he really thought his boys could overcome our red hot Dockers.
“Mate, I’m very, very confident,” he said.
We then shook hands, wished each other luck, and moved to our seats.
It’s amazing who else you meet at the football, as fellow strangers become mates to unite and cheer on the team.
I sat directly behind Grant Thompson, who informed me he had been a Docker's member, and sat in the same section for over 10 years. He just recently had to move from his original seat to a few rows behind, purely because he encouraged other family members and friends to join, and there were no longer enough seats next to him to accommodate for them all.
Another one-eyed Freo supporter, Denise McLean, made the trip down from Geraldton, a town five hours north of Perth, after winning the tickets in a competition on fremantlefc.com.au.
“A lot of the trip was along dirt roads to get here,” Denise said.
“We packed a lunch and left this morning,” she joked.
As the game began, the crowd was becoming obviously frustrated, as several decisions turned into Collingwood goals. Although Freo went into quarter time four goals down, the crowd had great belief in their team, commenting that the second quarters were often our strongest.
This proved true as the Dockers came out, kicking an array of goals and igniting the Freo faithful. When Matthew Pavlich snapped a goal over his head from the goal square, the crowd was in full roar, chanting ‘FREO’ with such deafening force that it made it nearly impossible to hear yourself scream. Stephen Hill also achieved this thunderous ovation, after splitting the middle of the goals from 55 metres out.
Although the game took a turn for the worse, with Collingwood piling on a seven goal third quarter, Dockers fans continued to show their passion, backing their boys 100 per cent throughout the remainder of the game.
Judging by the reaction of the crowd, it will not be long until the numbers 21 and 32 dominate the backs of most Fremantle jumpers. Michael Barlow and Stephen Hill were the obvious favourites throughout the game, as fans constantly demanded that the ball be in their possession, cheering at every opportunity when it was.
As the game concluded with a loud round of applause from the loyal Freo followers, I spoke with young Jesse Dart, who has made several appearances on the Footy Show, is well known by the Fremantle Football Club, and is currently on the Sunday Times advertisements.
When asked what he thought went wrong tonight, Jesse stated that the Magpies were simply too good, and were much cleaner in their disposals.
“Collingwood dominated most of the game,” he said.
“We [the Dockers] just had too many turnover kicks.”
Although the final scoreboard wasn’t what many had hoped, Fremantle supporters still left the game with a sense of achievement and confidence, excited to see how their team will improve for next week’s game against the Swans at the SCG.
Well that’s my insight into what it’s like being at a sold out Friday night blockbuster. Make sure you come back to "OGG's BLOG" every Monday after Fremantle home games, as I share with you different aspects of the club. In two weeks, I’ll be joining the Cheer Squad behind the goals to share the game experience with some of the biggest die-hard Freo fans.
Feel free ask me any questions or make comments about your own experiences at the game by emailing me at oggsblog@fremantlefc.com.au
I hope to see you at the next game when we take on the Roos.
Matthew Ogg
