‘Follow the purple’: Fremantle becomes WA’s beating heart as State unites behind Dockers

As Fremantle touched down in Melbourne on Thursday afternoon, they leave behind a State united in purple.

Footy fans have rallied around the Dockers as they enter just their second-ever grand final in the club’s 31-year history.

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There’s purple sausages, purple Freo flags at golf course holes, Flagmantle tattoos already inked, Wharfie Time plastered across one of the city’s biggest buildings and statues of all shapes and sizes decorated in Freo’s finest.

It’s a wave of confidence left back in Western Australia as success-starved fans dare to dream.

“It’s our time,” multiple Dockers fans told foxfooty.com.au.

Back in July one dedicated fan began a Fremantle Dockers convoy Facebook group – and it quickly grew as thousands of like-minded fans jumped on board.

Another chartered her own Fokker flight – with those seats snapped up too.

And after their thrilling preliminary final win over Sydney last Friday night, it was start your engines as fans began the pilgrimage to the MCG.

Club favourite Hayden Ballantyne got on board the ‘Longmuir coach’ – an eight-bunk bus that headed across the Nullarbor.

“My 15-year-old son is going over the Nullarbor with my parents at the moment in a caravan – that’s how strong it is in my household,” ex-Docker Daniel Bandy told foxfooty.com.au

“Three or four weeks ago, the doubters were there! (But) I think WA should ride the wave, get involved. Follow the purple and stuff the Victorians.

“Just really proud of the club.”

And for those left back in WA, they’ve turned the State into a sea of purple.

Fremantle, where the Dockers began and their heart belongs, has emerged as the celebration hotspot, with street lights, buildings and homes all decorated.

A massive mural is still being completed on the famed cappuccino strip, paying tribute to Dockers Murphy Reid, Andy Brayshaw and co.

Three-thousand fans turned out to farewell Freo’s players on Wednesday at the club’s main training.

That crowd figure had to be capped due to capacity limits, with dedicated fans turning out including young Oli Busby who hopes to celebrate his birthday on Sunday with a premiership.

Or the likes of the Sheehan family who have been with the Dockers from day one.

Bandy believes Fremantle are in the midst of a “perfect storm”, entering the grand final only days after alignment side Peel Thunder claimed their own WAFL flag.

“The beauty about the list, they’ve probably got a two or three year window. This is just the start of it,” he shared.

Fremantle will becomes the State’s beating heart on Saturday as multiple watch zones are set up in public areas for fans to get together and watch the game.

Already, Fremantle Oval has sold out while a number of venues are experiencing the same demand for viewing spots.

It’s officially Wharfie Time in WA.