Wharfie Time
| Wharfie Time | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Frequency | ad-hoc |
| Venue | Optus Stadium (principally) |
| Inaugurated | August 6, 2023 |
| Founder | Matthew Pavlich |
Most recent | September 26, 2026 |
| Organised by | Fremantle Football Club |
Wharfie Time is a slogan used by the Fremantle Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).[1] It is used by the club as a crowd activation, typically during the last quarter of selected home matches at Optus Stadium.[2]
During the activation, big screens at the venue show a container ship crashing through waves, accompanied by the sound of a heartbeat and the tolling bell intro from the AC/DC song "Hells Bells"; this is used to rally the team and excite the crowd in the remaining minutes of a close match.[1]
Although Wharfie Time was first activated late in the 2023 AFL season, its popularity and prominence grew substantially in 2026, with Fremantle winning that year's minor premiership. Its apparent ability to energise the club and "spook" opposing sides became a major talking point in the football world, with some crediting its use as a factor in Fremantle's on-field success.
Wharfie Time was infamously employed with just over four minutes remaining in the 2026 Grand Final after Fremantle had extended its lead to a game-high 17 points. Its opponents, the Brisbane Lions, responded with four goals in quick succession to win the match and claim its third-straight premiership. Several Lions players remarked post-game that hearing the bells motivated the team to lift their game and ultimately finish victorious.
Origins
[edit]The Fremantle Football Club was founded in 1994 to represent the port city of Fremantle.[1] The club is nicknamed the "Dockers" in reference to Fremantle's maritime and dockworker heritage; "wharfie" is a slang term for a dockworker.[1] A 2026 report in the Australian Financial Review dates the "wharfie time" phrase back to the club's early years in the AFL, when commentators supposedly used the term to refer to the Dockers' frequent Sunday afternoon timeslots.[3]
Matthew Pavlich speech (2009)
[edit]It’s a part of our folklore. It’s embraced by the club. It’s been embraced by the Fremantle community and fans.
It’s pretty powerful. It’s astonishing to think that it all came from one Friday night against Hawthorn all of those years ago in a mumble jumble pre-game speech to the players.
The slogan first gained public visibility in round 8 of the 2009 AFL season during Fremantle's match against Hawthorn at Subiaco Oval.[4] Speaking before the start of the match (while fitted with a microphone for Seven Sport's broadcast), then-Fremantle captain Matthew Pavlich told his teammates: "Hey, put on your Superman capes, boys – it's wharfie time".[5][6] Fremantle lost the match by 22 points.[7]
Quizzed by media in the week following the match as to the backstory behind the "wharfie time" concept, Pavlich's teammate Luke McPharlin was stopped by club officials from explaining its lore, but an article in The West Australian at the time said it was "understood to underpin the core values the players have committed to this season".[8]
Vision of Pavlich's speech was later replayed on a 2016 episode of Friday Front Bar ahead of his 350th AFL game, where the hosts poked fun at the concept of "wharfie time" and struggled to explain what the phrase actually meant.[9]
Continuation of "wharfie ethic" (2014)
[edit]A 2014 newspaper interview with the since-retired McPharlin and his former teammates Shaun McManus and Paul Hasleby elaborated on the meaning of the term for the first time. While Pavlich's reference to "Superman capes" was born out of a speech in a team meeting by McManus almost two years earlier, where the latter likened pulling on an AFL club guernsey to donning a Superman cape, the "wharfie time" concept was a new addition based on the values and standards of the playing group.[6]
It was about getting down and getting dirty, let's get into it. It's about recognising our heritage.
As Hasleby explained, the "wharfie spirit" was manufactured in a similar fashion to the "Bloods culture" at Sydney, which had reached public prominence after the Swans' drought-breaking 2005 premiership. "At the time, the thinking was that wharfies and how they were hard workers was worth adopting into our values. To everybody else, it probably didn't mean much, but to the players who were kicking around in that environment, it meant a hell of a lot."[6]
Midfielder Matt de Boer, then in his sixth season at the club, said the phrase was still relevant to his current teammates, explaining "we've really bought into the wharfie terminology and look to bring the wharfie ethic to games and put the work boots on."[6]
Introduction of fan activation (2023–2025)
[edit]A version of the Wharfie Time activation was launched for the first time during Fremantle's round 21 match against Brisbane in the 2023 AFL season. The activation was the brainchild of Pavlich, who would later say that Wharfie Time became "the people's thing".[10] Players and fans were given no warning prior to its introduction, as the club "deliberately kept a veil of secrecy" in a bid to grow the concept organically.[11]
The activation was later expanded on as it grew in both familiarity and popularity over the coming seasons, becoming aligned with exciting finishes to Dockers home games.[11] In March 2025, Fremantle uploaded a video to its Docker TV YouTube channel outlining the changes to the gameday experience at home matches for the upcoming season; the introduction of the AC/DC song "Hells Bells" during Wharfie Time and the pre-match coin toss was announced.[12]
Activation criteria
[edit]Conjecture has reigned across the football community as to both who declares the use of the Wharfie Time activation and at what stage of a game it can be employed.
A May 2026 Code Sports article documenting the history of Wharfie Time revealed that the supposed "trigger" for use of the activation was when the Dockers were within two goals of the opposition deep into the fourth quarter of a game.[11] Published after the activation's first use for 2026 during the Dockers' round 9 defeat of Hawthorn, the article also specified that it was Fremantle's game day events team – led by Kellie Black and Olivia Minutillo – who motioned to the scoreboard operators when to activate Wharfie Time on that occasion.[11]
On an early August 2026 episode of The Agenda Setters, co-host Caroline Wilson declared that the ultimate call for when to activate Wharfie Time rested with the club's chief executive officer Simon Garlick. "He won't admit it," Wilson said. "I've quizzed him about it, he refuses to say it's him – he is the man who has the link to the scoreboard (operator)."[13]
Usage
[edit]2023 season
[edit]Use of the Wharfie Time activation, albeit in its nascent form, took place for the first time in Fremantle's round 21 home game against Brisbane during the 2023 AFL season. Following a banana kick goal from Michael Frederick with one minute and nine seconds remaining that cut the margin to two points, a purple and white wave video was displayed on the LED screens around Optus Stadium alongside the phrase "wharfie time".[14] The Dockers lost the game by three points.
2024 season
[edit]The slogan was revived during the second week of Sir Doug Nicholls Round in round 11 of the 2024 AFL season, when Fremantle (competing that week as Walyalup) played host to Collingwood at Optus Stadium. Trailing by 25 points midway through the final quarter, the Dockers rallied with four straight goals to cut the margin to a single point. With less than two minutes remaining, the activation then appeared. The game ultimately finished in a draw.[15][16] Wharfie Time was later used in a round 22 loss to Geelong, activated during a brief centre-square stoppage before the Cats kicked the sealer just seconds later.[11]
2025 season
[edit]The activation was used on four occasions by Fremantle during the 2025 AFL season, this time accompanied by the soundtrack of AC/DC's "Hells Bells". After its use in a loss to Collingwood in round 9, it was revived for wins over St Kilda (round 16), Hawthorn (round 18)[17] and Carlton (round 21). It was activated for the final time that season during the elimination final loss to Gold Coast.[11]
2026 season
[edit]When the beat gets going, you can feel your whole body vibrating. It's insane. The crowd is electric.
It certainly lifts us, and I reckon it potentially spooks the opposition because they've never experienced it before. It's a massive advantage for us.
During the 2026 AFL season, Wharfie Time became the subject of increased attention and the activation was used by Fremantle during three matches.[1] The club finished the season as the minor premiers and had a 14-match winning streak that lasted from round 2 until round 17.[18] In April 2026, the AFL applied to trademark the phrase.[19] This attracted the ire of Pavlich, who said that while "the reality is the AFL is a commercial beast and they can do what they like", his view was that it was "the people's term".[11]
In its round 9 match against Hawthorn at Optus Stadium, Fremantle activated Wharfie Time while losing by four points with four minutes remaining in the final quarter; the Dockers would subsequently kick three goals to win by 15 points.[20] After the match, Hawthorn player Dylan Moore said he was unsure what Wharfie Time was until it was activated and described it as "quite distracting".[21] Hawthorn returned to Optus Stadium to play Fremantle in the first qualifying final and won by 30 points.[22][23]
During Fremantle's semi-final against Geelong, the club activated Wharfie Time after its lead was reduced to eight points with 75 seconds remaining; Patrick Voss kicked a goal from a centre clearance moments later and Fremantle won the match by 14 points.[24]
2026 grand final
[edit]Ahead of the 2026 AFL Grand Final against the Brisbane Lions, which was played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), the AFL gave Fremantle the ability to activate Wharfie Time, on the condition that it was only played once and only after a goal.[25] Speculation had mounted throughout the week as to whether the activation would be allowed, given grand finals have typically been considered "neutral" matches with no fan activations for either competing side.[26]
With four minutes and eighteen seconds remaining in the grand final, Fremantle activated Wharfie Time after Patrick Voss kicked his third goal to give the Dockers a 17-point lead (the highest lead of the match).[27] Around one minute later, Brisbane's Charlie Cameron kicked a goal, followed by goals from Zac Bailey and Logan Morris that put the Lions ahead by one point.[28] In the final seconds of the match, Morris kicked another goal and Brisbane won by seven points.[28]
Brisbane players Sam Draper and Josh Dunkley said the club had prepared for Wharfie Time to be used, with the Lions viewing the activation as a "trigger" to "go up a notch".[29][30] Former AFL player Jason Dunstall described the activation as the "worst Wharfie Time call of all-time" and compared it to "celebrating too early or prematurely".[28] Despite many claims to the contrary by Brisbane players, Fremantle senior coach Justin Longmuir said post-match that the use of Wharfie Time was not a factor in the result and he would "of course" want it to continue being used in 2027.[31]
List of activations
[edit]Between its debut in 2023 and its most recent use in the 2026 Grand Final, the Wharfie Time activation has been displayed on 11 occasions. Of those 11 matches, five ended in wins and five in losses, with one draw. Despite its reputation, only once did the Dockers win a game after trailing when Wharfie Time was activated.
| # | Match | Opponent | Venue | Time[a] | Score at activation | Margin at activation | Final score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Round 21, 2023 | Brisbane Lions | Optus Stadium | 1:09 | 11.8 (74) – 11.10 (76) | Behind by 2 points | 11.8 (74) – 11.11 (77) | Lost by 3 points |
| 2 | Round 11, 2024 | Collingwood | Optus Stadium | 1:49 | 11.8 (74) – 10.15 (75) | Behind by 1 point | 11.9 (75) – 10.15 (75) | Drew |
| 3 | Round 22, 2024 | Geelong | Optus Stadium | 1:44 | 9.8 (62) – 9.13 (67) | Behind by 5 points | 9.8 (62) – 10.13 (73) | Lost by 11 points |
| 4 | Round 9, 2025 | Collingwood | Optus Stadium | 11:23 | 11.8 (74) – 13.6 (84) | Behind by 10 points | 12.11 (83) – 15.7 (97) | Lost by 14 points |
| 5 | Round 16, 2025 | St Kilda | Optus Stadium | 0:49 | 10.15 (75) – 9.15 (69) | Ahead by 6 points | 11.15 (81) – 9.15 (69) | Won by 12 points |
| 6 | Round 18, 2025 | Hawthorn | Optus Stadium | 6:42 | 12.3 (75) – 9.10 (64) | Ahead by 11 points | 12.5 (77) – 9.10 (64) | Won by 13 points |
| 7 | Round 21, 2025 | Carlton | Optus Stadium | 4:49 | 12.4 (76) – 10.6 (66) | Ahead by 10 points | 15.4 (94) – 10.7 (67) | Won by 27 points |
| 8 | Elimination Final, 2025 | Gold Coast | Optus Stadium | 7:24 | 11.6 (72) – 10.13 (73) | Behind by 1 point | 12.7 (79) – 11.14 (80) | Lost by 1 point |
| 9 | Round 9, 2026 | Hawthorn | Optus Stadium | 4:08 | 9.15 (69) – 11.7 (73) | Behind by 4 points | 12.16 (88) – 11.7 (73) | Won by 15 points |
| 10 | Semi Final, 2026 | Geelong | Optus Stadium | 1:15 | 17.12 (114) – 16.10 (106) | Ahead by 8 points | 18.12 (120) – 16.10 (106) | Won by 14 points |
| 11 | Grand Final, 2026 | Brisbane Lions | MCG | 4:18 | 12.17 (89) – 10.12 (72) | Ahead by 17 points | 12.17 (89) – 14.12 (96) | Lost by 7 points |
Use by women's team
[edit]Fremantle's AFL Women's (AFLW) team has utilised the Wharfie Time activation on a single occasion, during Sir Doug Nicholls Round in round 3 of the 2026 AFLW season. Hosting Carlton at Cockburn ARC Oval while competing as Walyalup, Gabby O'Sullivan kicked a running goal with 1:32 remaining on the clock to draw the Dockers within 7 points of the Blues, 6.5 (41) to 7.6 (48). Wharfie Time was then activated by Fremantle. Despite numerous forays forward, the Dockers could not surpass the Blues and eventually lost, 6.6 (42) to 7.6 (48).[32]
Notes
[edit]- ↑ The amount of time remaining in the fourth quarter when Wharfie Time was activated, represented by minutes and seconds.
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 5 Hytner, Mike; Harmon, Steph (23 September 2026). "It's AFL grand final week – why is everyone talking about 'Wharfie Time'?". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 24 September 2026. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
- ↑ Schmook, Nathan (30 August 2026). "AFLW match report: Blues hang on in a thriller against fast-finishing Dockers". Carlton Football Club. Archived from the original on 5 September 2026. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
- ↑ Wootton, Hannah (2026-05-05). "Wharfie time! AFL's bizarre move hints at title favourites". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ Meadows, Neroli (27 July 2016). "What the AFL world thinks of Matthew Pavlich". Fremantle Football Club. Archived from the original on 26 September 2026. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
- ↑ DiFabrizio, Michael (19 April 2010). "Why it's suddenly Wharfie Time at Fremantle". The Roar. Archived from the original on 14 November 2018. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 Green, Warwick (17 May 2014). "Super Pav has a heart of purple". The Mercury. p. 74.
- ↑ Schmook, Nathan (15 May 2009). "Hawks win in west". AFL.com.au. Archived from the original on 18 May 2009. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
- ↑ Butler, Steve (2009-05-23). "Famous night for Freo: inspirational first puts Dockers in touch with the greats". The West Australian. p. 122.
- ↑ Front Bar Entertainment (29 July 2016). Friday Front Bar: It's wharfie time (Video). AFL.com.au. Event occurs at 11:35. Archived from the original on 27 September 2026.
- ↑ Patterson, Emily (8 July 2026). "He is Fremantle's favourite son, but now he's back as part of the enemy". AFL.com.au. Retrieved 27 September 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Reilly, Eliza (15 May 2026). "How Matthew Pavlich's infamous Wharfie Time speech became the Dockers' most lethal weapon". Code Sports. Retrieved 27 September 2026.
- ↑ Docker TV (2025-03-19). What's new at a Freo GAMEDAY in 2025!. YouTube.com. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ Kempton, Josh (4 August 2026). "Fremantle Dockers make request to AFL to use 'Wharfie Time' on grand final day". The West Australian. Retrieved 27 September 2026.
- ↑ "Match Replay: Fremantle v Brisbane". AFL.com.au. 7 August 2023. 2:02:51. Retrieved 27 September 2026.
- ↑ Quartermain, Glen (25 May 2024). "Thriller a fitting show for big stage". The West Australian. p. 165.
- ↑ Rogers, Samantha (19 July 2024). "No room for error". The West Australian. p. 8.
In the final minutes of Fremantle's clash with Collingwood in round 11, a warning echoed around Optus Stadium. With one solitary point separating the Dockers and the Pies, Wharfie Time was declared.
- ↑ "Match Replay: Fremantle v Hawthorn". afl.com.au. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
- ↑ Schmook, Nathan (14 August 2026). "Freo clinches minor premiership with gutsy win over Crows". Fremantle Football Club. Archived from the original on 26 September 2026. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
- ↑ Philipps, Michael (5 May 2026). "A good omen? AFL eyes 'Wharfie Time' trademark as Freo push through sickness to climb ladder". WA Today. Archived from the original on 27 July 2026. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
- ↑ Schmook, Nathan (7 May 2026). "Brilliant Dockers surge past Hawks to win eighth straight". AFL.com.au. Archived from the original on 11 May 2026. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
- ↑ Slevison, Andrew (15 May 2026). "How "chaotic" Wharfie Time rattled the Hawks". SEN. Archived from the original on 19 May 2026. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
- ↑ "'We didn't know what was going on': Hawks ready if Wharfie Time returns". AFL.com.au. 29 August 2026. Archived from the original on 11 September 2026. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
- ↑ Somerford, Ben (3 September 2026). "Red-hot Hawks blow finals series apart with boilover win over Dockers". AFL.com.au. Archived from the original on 6 September 2026. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
- ↑ "Wharfie Time rings as Dockers beat Cats in epic semi". ESPN. 11 September 2026. Archived from the original on 26 September 2026. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
- ↑ Rogers, Michael (24 September 2026). "AFL makes 'Wharfie Time' call ahead of Grand Final". AFL.com.au. Archived from the original on 26 September 2026. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
- ↑ Woodcock, Mitchell (22 September 2026). "AFL Grand Final 2026: Chief executive Andrew Dillon reveals latest on Fremantle Dockers' 'Wharfie Time'". The West Australian. Retrieved 27 September 2026.
During the finals, the home side has been able to have their goal stings and make it like a home game. The grand final is more neutral.
- ↑ Pollard, Kyle (26 September 2026). "AFL grand final quick hits: Lions use Wharfie Time to their advantage as Josh Treacy misses a sitter". ABC News. Archived from the original on 26 September 2026. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
- 1 2 3 Faulkner, Will (26 September 2026). "'Worst use of all time': Freo's brutal 'Wharfie Time' backfire that sparked all-time Grand Final comeback". Fox Sports. Archived from the original on 26 September 2026. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
- ↑ Black, Sarah (26 September 2026). "'It's all worth it': Allen reveals hidden toll, and what Draper thought of Wharfie Time". AFL.com.au. Archived from the original on 26 September 2026. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
- ↑ Snape, Jack (26 September 2026). "Brisbane inspired by Fremantle's Wharfie Time in AFL grand final, says Josh Dunkley". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 26 September 2026. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
- ↑ Schmook, Nathan (26 September 2026). "'No sugar-coating it': Wharfie Time not to blame as Dockers reel from GF loss". AFL.com.au. Archived from the original on 26 September 2026. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
- ↑ "AFLW last two mins: Blues survive 'Wharfie Time' to deny Dockers in thriller". AFL.com.au. 30 August 2026. Retrieved 27 September 2026.
