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

As we await some news from Freo’s training session... why not have a go at our Dockers quiz?

There’s 30 questions sorted into easy, medium and hard categories.... so if you reckon you know who booted Fremantle’s first goal in the 2013 grand final among other bits of trivia, then you should give it a crack!

It’s been a remarkable 18 months for Oscar Allen, who has gone from a horror year at the Eagles in 2025 to playing in a grand final for his new club in 2026.

He opened up about a range of topics earlier today.

Matthew Pavlich is on the ground in Melbourne, and while he was overseeing Sydney in his role as CEO in last week’s prelim final, he’s left no doubt as to where his allegiance lies this week.

“I’ve got lots of my family here… they’re all wearing purple,” he told The West Australian’s Craig O’Donoghue.

“I’m excited for them and excited for my old club.

“Obviously I wish my new team would be there… but I’m all in on a Fremantle victory.

“I think we can acknowledge that I had a long history at the club and there’s a lot of people that I know there that I hope do well.

“We were fierce rivals last Friday night.

“Hopefully, we can beat the Lions. Hopefully, the old team can beat them.”

The parade’s done, and the players are filtering out to turn their attention to the all-important last training session at the MCG.

Freo will hit the track in half an hour’s time at 12.30pm local / 10.30am WA time, while the Lions get their chance for a run there an hour after that.

Alex Pearce and Josh Dunkley hold the cup aloft as the parade festivities start to draw to a close.

For the record? The first one to let go of the cup - which some believe is bad luck - was Pearce. The previous three seasons have seen the captain who lets go first suffer a loss on grand final day, for whatever that is worth...

The cars have reached their destination at the Footy Fest site, and the Dockers get a massive reception as they take the stage to the Freo anthem!

Premiership cup ambassador Luke Hodge hears some boos from the crowd after he leans toward his former club Brisbane for his grand final tip.

What kind of reception did Dockers fans give Lachie Neale as he rolled by?

Watch it below!

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There’s also a fan wearing a shirt that’s fresh off the printer with a courtroom sketch of Neale from Tuesday’s tribunal hearing...

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Luke Ryan is riding alongside Brennan Cox - and Cox’s son Arlo - after the defender’s heartbreaking news at selection yesterday.

“It’s pretty cool that I get to do it (be in the grand final parade) with my best mate and his kid,” Ryan said.

“I feel for him. He’s my best mate.

“I’m pretty sad he’s not out there with me.

“But win, lose or draw, we’re still best mates, and I love sharing this experience with him.”

Ryan says Cox learnt of the decision with a bit of time to digest it before Thursday afternoon’s team announcement.

“I found out a couple of days ago. We drive each other to training every day still,” he said.

“I’ve just been around as much as possible. Stick our arms around him and support him.”

Isaiah Dudley talking about the advice he received from his uncle Eddie Betts, who played in a grand final with Adelaide in 2017:

“Enjoy the moment, soak it up, and when it comes to game day, just do my thing,” Dudley says.

Neale compares his less-than-ideal lead-in to last year’s calf battle and a foot issue from the year before: “I feel like I’m well-equipped to deal with it.”

Admits that for most of the week, he felt like the decision wasn’t going to go his way.

Rates Freo’s midfield: “The depth they’ve got through there now... it’s going to be a great battle.”

Says he’s feeling fresh and ready to go: “It’s probably the best I’ve felt body-wise going into a grand final... across the last four years.”