Email reveals Fremantle’s Grand Final preparations hours before surprise September loss

Fremantle’s necessary pre-planning for a potential Grand Final appearance went to a surprising extent, and may have contributed to coach Justin Longmuir’s public statements they’d focused too much on the finals stage.

Midweek Tackle’s Corbin Middlemas revealed on Fox Footy on Wednesday night that the minor premiers sent an email to key stakeholders requesting expressions of interest in a charter flight and post-grand final function on the same day as their surprise 32-point loss to Hawthorn in their qualifying final.

Watch every match of the 2026 Toyota AFL Finals Series before the Grand Final LIVE with no ad-breaks during play on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.

WHAT'S GAMBLING REALLY COSTING YOU? Set a deposit limit. For Free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.

The email had no connection with any players or coaches within the football club, but appears to have raised a few eyebrows, given it came out before they’d even qualified for a preliminary final.

“Justin Longmuir said the other night there’s been too much focus on the stage leading into the Hawthorn game — putting the cart before the horse. Not the players, but the people around the players,” Middlemas began.

“Subsequently, this email found its way to me, which was sent to key stakeholders at the footy club on the 3rd of September. That was the day of Fremantle’s qualifying final ... It was basically inviting them on the charter flight for the grand final for $1,200 per person — and to the potential post-match grand final for $375 a head.

“Key stakeholders were also asked if they could please let the club know and RSVP on Monday the 7th of September. Now, we know what happened on the night of the 3rd of September!”

While the club understandably needed to plan for the trip east should it eventuate, it was specifically the early call for fans to buy post-Grand Final function tickets that drew criticism.

In a statement provided to Midweek Tackle, Fremantle said: “In line with the AFL Finals Series commencing, communications were shared with staff and life members to outline our internal processes should the Club qualify for the AFL Grand Final.

Cox to return via WAFL | 00:28

“Being a non-Victorian Club, these logistics need to be discussed as it is important that we provided clarity as early as we could, to allow our people to focus on delivering in their roles throughout the finals series without distraction or uncertainty about what it would look like for them, in the event that we were lucky enough and good enough to make a Grand Final.”

Fremantle made amends for their loss to the Hawks with a stunning 14-point win over Geelong last Friday night, which now sees them fly east to to take on another underdog in Sydney.

“There’s a huge financial boon that comes with that (a minor premiership) so I can understand if you’re the commercial team you would have one eye on that (maximising revenue),” Middlemas added.

“I feel for Justin though. He has admitted in the past this is a side that has struggled with expectation, to have so much going on around them.

“I can understand the charter flights ... I think the function probably could’ve waited in retrospect. If you announced on the Monday of grand final week ‘Hey, we’re going to put this function on’ ... you’re not going to have an issue filling it!’”