AFL grand final: Live coverage of the day before the decider as Fremantle Dockers complete final preparations

As night falls on Melbourne, that’s where we leave today’s coverage.

Join us nice and early tomorrow morning for what will be a GIANT day - and hopefully a historic one for everyone who bleeds purple!

Thanks, get a good night’s sleep, and see you then!

Thirteen years ago, 90 Dockers fans boarded a bus bound for the MCG, brimming over with hope and anticipation ahead of a 45 hour journey which had taken 19 years to begin.

Much has changed for those passengers in the years since, but not their dedication to their favourite footy club.

Rhianna Mitchell caught up with them this week.

A timely reminder: Pat Voss has booted 15 goals in just 3 career games at the MCG!

Jye Amiss today said Voss will relish the occasion and both he and Josh Treacy will be happy to get out of his way if he’s running amok.

Getting you up to speed on the key events out of Friday in Melbourne:

- The forecast remains wet for Saturday, with 1-8mm of rain scheduled, but Justin Longmuir insists he’ll have no late changes to his side (namely regarding Mason Cox).

- The Dockers have rallied around Brennan Cox, who took part in the parade in a ute alongside Luke Ryan but missed out on a recall. Alex Pearce said this: “I gave him a bit of a hug, but the thing with Brennan is he’s got such great character and one of the first things he said was ‘don’t worry, I’ll still give to the group’ and that’s what he’s done.”

- All eyes were on Lachie Neale at the parade. He copped a raucous ‘FREEE-OOO’ chant from Dockers fans, with one even donning a shirt with his courtroom sketch on it from Tuesday’s tribunal hearing.

- Sydney CEO and Freo great Matthew Pavlich said his family were all wearing purple this weekend, and now that his Swans are out of the finals, he wants to see the Dockers win. “Obviously I wish my new team would be there… but I’m all-in on a Fremantle victory,” he said.

- Freo had an hour-long training run on the MCG, in front of a whopping crowd that was estimated to be around 20,000. It was a light run for Alex Pearce, but that’s not out of the ordinary for the veteran this year.

Another good grand final story is that of Neil Erasmus.

He says a more relaxed approach to footy has paid huge dividends this season after he considered leaving the Dockers last year.

Erasmus rejected overtures from other clubs at the end of 2025, and after playing every game this season, he says staying has clearly paid off.

Now this is some serious dedication - and a Glen Quartermain story that’s well worth a read.

A diehard Fremantle couple who live in the heart of Kentucky bluegrass country and have dedicated their farm to the Dockers - including having a goat named Dudley and a barn kitten called Vossy - ​have made the trek from the US to the MCG.​

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Out of all the pieces of content we’ve produced today, this one has been the most popular by far: Vision of Lachie Neale copping a loud ‘FREEE-OOO’ chant from fans as he makes his way along the grand final parade route.

Watch it here!

Stepping away from the Freo grand final spotlight for one moment...

West Coast have met with Jack Viney - the veteran Melbourne midfielder who won a flag at Optus Stadum in 2021 - as they weigh up adding more experience onto their young list ahead of next season.

Here’s the story.

There’s a Brisbane Lions legend and a West Coast Eagles great on the Norm Smith Medal voting panel.

Michael Voss, Chris Judd, Shaun Burgoyne and Herald Sun journalist Lauren Wood are all on the panel, which will be chaired by Andrew McLeod.

Paul Chapman was earlier this month announced as the man who will present the medal to this year’s winner.

Shortly after the Dockers had wrapped up, Brisbane took to the MCG turf for their own training run.

Lachie Neale appeared in good spirits as he went through his paces, having escaped suspension by the skin of his teeth.