Story perspectives

AFL Grand Final: Fremantle Dockers Meet Brisbane Lions

By Drooid · Sep 25, 2026, 6:07 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Fremantle Faces Grand Final

Fremantle Dockers will face Brisbane Lions in the AFL Grand Final on Saturday.
Coach Justin Longmuir, 2026 AFL Coaches Association Senior Coach of the Year, led a 19-win season.
Thousands of “purple army” fans drive the 3,000-km Nullarbor, paying $3.22 per litre diesel.
Return airfares to Melbourne have risen to $6,000 as supporters scramble for seats.
Woodside, sponsoring Fremantle since 2012, confirmed the partnership runs through at least 2027.

Summary

Kevin Parker Masks Woodside

The “Woodside, get off my chest” campaign gained renewed social-media momentum.
Musician Kevin Parker of Tame Impala wore a Dockers jersey with the Woodside logo hidden onstage in the U.S.
Federal Labor MP Josh Wilson posted a family photo in a Dockers shirt, also masking the Woodside badge.
AFL chief Andrew Dillon said officials are reviewing “Wharfie Time” at the MCG while fans debate a possible unfair advantage.

History

Historical Context

In 1995, the Australian Football League enforced the Tobacco Advertising Prohibition Act, ending $12 million in cigarette sponsorship and reshaping club financing. Woodside Energy seized the void, signing a five-year partnership with the Fremantle Dockers in 2002, injecting AU$8 million annually into the club. The 2026 Grand Final clash between Fremantle and Brisbane mirrors shift, as fans like Justin Longmuir’s supporters spend $3.22 per litre diesel on the Nullarbor. Consequently, AFL chief Andrew Dillon’s review of “Wharfie Time” could prompt stricter sponsorship guidelines, echoing the 1995 regulatory legacy for future.

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Fremantle Faces Grand Final

Fremantle Dockers will face Brisbane Lions in the AFL Grand Final on Saturday.
Coach Justin Longmuir, 2026 AFL Coaches Association Senior Coach of the Year, led a 19-win season.
Thousands of “purple army” fans drive the 3,000-km Nullarbor, paying $3.22 per litre diesel.
Return airfares to Melbourne have risen to $6,000 as supporters scramble for seats.
Woodside, sponsoring Fremantle since 2012, confirmed the partnership runs through at least 2027.

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