Dockers Finals Push Takes Shape Ahead of 2026 AFL Season Run

Fremantle Dockers open their final eight-game stretch on July 18 with a home fixture against Melbourne at Optus Stadium, setting up a direct path into the 2026 finals series if results align over the next two months.

The timing matters because the AFL ladder tightens quickly after the mid-season bye period, and the Dockers sit one win outside the top eight with 11 rounds remaining. A strong finish would mark the first finals appearance since 2015 and deliver extra revenue through two potential home games at the 60,000-capacity venue.

Training blocks locked in at Subiaco and Joondalup

Pre-finals preparations centre on the club’s base at the Fremantle Football Club headquarters in Cockburn Central alongside weekly sessions at the WAFL’s Lathlain Park facility and the City of Joondalup’s HBF Arena. Local programs such as the Dockers’ community clinics at Subiaco Recreation Reserve have already drawn 1,200 junior participants this month, feeding directly into membership drives that have lifted paid numbers past 52,000.

Club data shows average home attendance this year sits at 38,450, up 4,200 from 2025, while corporate hospitality packages for potential finals matches start at $295 per seat. The next home game on July 25 against Adelaide will test whether that momentum carries through the winter schedule.

Tickets and travel plans for September

Supporters planning ahead can secure three-game finals packages through the club’s website from August 1, with prices ranging from $85 for general admission to $180 for reserved seats. Those living north of the river can use the Joondalup train line direct to Optus Stadium on match days, cutting travel time to under 35 minutes.

With the AFL finals schedule due for release on August 24, the Dockers will hold an open training session at Lathlain Park on August 28 to give members a first look at any late changes to the lineup before the September campaign begins.