Freo heave ho

 Freo heave ho, we are the Freo Dockers.

Saturday, I watched my first Australian rules football game. Australia has four types of football: gridiron (American football), soccer (futbol), rugby, and its most popular, Australian Rules (aka footy). This is an insane sport. Check it out. There are 36, huge arm, pure muscle men running around on an oval field bigger than any other field. I still don't understand the rules, so if you're interested, there's always Google.

Turns out I came here at an exciting time. Perth has two AFL teams: West Coast Eagles and the Fremantle Dockers. The Dockers are a newer team and played in their first ever semi-final on Saturday against the Sydney Swans. They crushed them 99-74 (I must have a little bit of numbers OCD because I really wanted them to reach an even 100). Now they take on the Hawthorne Hawks from Sydney in the Grand Final this coming Saturday, the Super Bowl of Australia.

Now, in honor of the Dockers, Perth has gone purple.

This building displays its message across the Perth Skyline

 Transperth has gotten into it

And this awesome couple on the train in their matching Dockers vintage jackets and scarves.

 

Even my office is purple. (They decorated last week and my initial reaction was, Who's birthday is it?)

All this purple is unfortunate for Perth's other team, the West Coast Eagles. I'm not pledging my allegiance to either team yet so I've gotta show some unbiased love. I do know Freo has a ridiculous theme song.

Last night, I was given the heads up to watch the Brownlow Medal award show. It's the award given to the "fairest and the best" player in the AFL. The umpires vote for three players each game of the season and players who have been suspended at any point during the season are inelgible to win (though their votes are still tallied so they could have the highest overall score). The votes are revealed one-by-one and tallied at a gala where the players transform from grit to gentleman.

 Third Place Dane Swan

It is also a red carpet event where the dresses of the night make tomorrows fashion and entertainment news.

I don't think I'll try to play AFL while I'm here (I'd like to keep my joints and face intact). I think I will stick to the Australian female sport of netball...