How do I feel as a Freo supporter? To put it simply: I am terrified.
As a club, things don't normally go this well for this long, and in the past there has normally been a cliff coming up shortly.
The harbour side's collective supporter base tends to feel less like the ever-confident Collingwood or Geelong fans and more like George Costanza on Seinfeld, "God would never let (Freo) be successful; he'd (end the league) first. He'd never let me be happy."
For Fremantle fans God, in this example, are the football gods that control the intangibles of the AFL.
That fear of success is spurned from years in the doldrums and being in the shadow of West Coast. It is something that is unfortunately ingrained in purple and white hearts.
As Fremantle fans, we have been here before. I remember in 2015, the Dockers sat at 12-1 at this point of the season. Then as I sat behind the goals at the Subiaco Oval preliminary final I watched a Tommy Sheridan slip and Cyril Rioli goal break 40,000 hearts in seconds.
The feeling that something is about to go wrong is a constant. Even before the club's record-breaking 124-point victory over North Melbourne at the weekend, nerves were high that we would let this one slip.
However, as the season goes on it is hard not to start pondering, 'Would I rather watch us win our maiden premiership at the MCG or back home in one of the pubs along High Street?' But those thoughts are quickly put to bed as nothing but a daydream.
But, if myself and fellow Freo fans were prepared to be heartbroken, we would have to admit that out of all of the Dockers' best seasons, this one does feel different.
The talent is undeniable, but also the players seem more assured of the game plan and less prone to 'Dockery'. They know what to do in any scenario, have confidence and conviction in their actions and they know all their teammates ticks, patterns and football intricacies.
So where to go for the Freo tragic?
The loss or losses will come. But the love and passion will remain.
When talking to a Fremantle supporter, the majority will spill out the old rhetoric of, "Still a long way to go", "We have been here before", "Don't want to get ahead of ourselves". Which is all fair, but just know deep down in our hearts, where we dare not look for too long, the belief 2026 could be the year we break away from mediocrity and into history is there.
It's just from years of pain and disappointment, we don't want to admit it until that possible final siren goes on grand final day. Only then can we concede this club has arrived. Albeit we will be screaming with passion and quiet hope along the Dockers' way.
