To their fans, the Dockers are the perpetual underdogs, a team that — according to historian Les Everett — was started to "dilute the West Coast Eagles".
The Dockers joined the competition in 1995, with futuristic purple footy shorts that were the "roomiest shorts in the AFL" compared to the tight fits of the 1980s.
As for the spirit of Wharfie Time, "it's passion, resilience and having that fight to never give up," said wharfie Jenson Chattaway.
The club won its first game at the hallowed MCG and its first Western Derby, officially stepping out of the Eagles' shadow.
A year later, in 2000, Matthew Pavalich joined the Dockers.
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The club won its first game at the hallowed MCG and its first Western Derby, officially stepping out of the Eagles' shadow.
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It's a Dockers dream 32 years in the making — Fremantle are just one win away from premiership glory.
To their fans, the Dockers are the perpetual underdogs, a team that — according to historian Les Everett — was started to "dilute the West Coast Eagles".
Victorian clubs feared the Eagles were "getting too powerful" following their 1991 grand final appearance and premierships in 1992 and 1994.
The Dockers joined the competition in 1995, with futuristic purple footy shorts that were the "roomiest shorts in the AFL" compared to the tight fits of the 1980s.
Coach Gerard Neesham paraded the team on the Fremantle Cappuccino Strip, reporters at the time "one of our briefs was to be innovative and we have definitely been that."
On the docks of Fremantle, wharfies still wear those purple beanies but in 2026, they have club logos.
As for the spirit of Wharfie Time, "it's passion, resilience and having that fight to never give up," said wharfie Jenson Chattaway.
The football club instead relied on 1000 donations of $1,000 each from their original fan group, the Harbour Masters.
The club won its first game at the hallowed MCG and its first Western Derby, officially stepping out of the Eagles' shadow.
"Fremantle played, Tony Modra kicked 10 goals."
A year later, in 2000, Matthew Pavalich joined the Dockers.
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