Fremantle fans have been left with few affordable travel options as the team inches close to its second-ever AFL grand final appearance at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. 

The team’s performance this season saw it finish top of the ladder.

The Dockers have reached the grand final just once in the club’s 30-year history, losing to Hawthorn in 2013.

Freo member George Penter has been a fan since he was a child and regularly attends home games held at Optus Stadium.  

“I’m really excited to go over there – it would make my year, it would make my life if Freo won the premiership,” he said. “I would cry. It would mean so much to me, genuinely.”

With direct return flights between Perth and Melbourne currently priced at $1,700 for the September 25-27 weekend, Mr Penter has looked into other options to make the trip more affordable.

Alternative routes being considered by fans include flying to Adelaide and hiring a car for the eight hour drive, and even flying to Melbourne via Bali. 

AFL Fans Association President Ron Issko said price hikes are an ongoing issue.

“It seems a little bit unfair because doubling and tripling prices makes it really difficult for interstate fans to travel,” he said.

While the AFL and airlines operate independently, Mr Issko maintained more could be done to help supporters. 

“It’s not something that we can actually control, but it wouldn’t hurt the AFL to have a word to the airlines to say – do [airfares] have to be that much? And could the AFL come up with some kind of package to help interstate fans travel when [flight] prices go up?” he said.

Virgin Australia is the official airline partner of the AFL, a partnership set to continue until at least 2030.

In a statement, a Virgin Australia spokesperson said the airline would monitor demand throughout the AFL finals and add more flights where possible to keep fares affordable.

Despite having previously offered travel packages for members and supporters for interstate finals matches in 2012 and 2013, a Fremantle Football Club spokesperson told Western Independent the club “doesn’t have access to support or facilitate fan travel arrangements at this stage”.

Closer to home, the City of Fremantle’s media and community relations advisor Emily Groves said the port was ready to welcome excited fans.

“We’ve got such a huge array of pubs and places to watch [the finals series], and you’re surrounded by like-minded people who are also Fremantle supporters, so there is a real buzz about Fremantle at the moment,” she said.

The excitement surrounding the finals has benefitted local businesses, with accommodation in Fremantle almost booked out for the grand final weekend. 

“I think people are realising that if you can’t get to Melbourne for the grand final…then Fremantle would be the next best place to be,” Ms Groves said.

Fremantle is set to face Geelong in the sold out semi-final game at Optus Stadium on September 11, with the winner advancing to a preliminary final.