Excitement completely overcame our footy loving state when the first rumours of the WA Grand Final arose, and what a magic moment it was when the official announcement was made. The incredible honour to host a Grand Final was shared by every West Aussie, and the perfect opportunity to showcase the world's most beautiful sporting facility, Optus Stadium on a world stage. And didn't Perth turn it on!
The clash between two Victorian teams, the Western Bulldogs and the Melbourne Demons, was a blockbuster before it even began. Both teams had shared the top of the ladder throughout the season, and locals picked sides and donned team colours as the date drew closer. But three quarters of thrilling footy and one last 30-minute domination decided the final result – a Melbourne Demons drought-breaker that added more historical significance to the event.
Here are some of our favourite snapshots from the week that changed footy history forever.
Optus Stadium on game day by AFL Photos
The Saturday in September finally arrived and in true fashion, Perth turned it on with a stunning 27 degrees! Absolutely perfect footy conditions. Fans we’re eager and arrived early to experience the buzzing festival atmosphere. Boats lined the Swan River and fans enjoyed the pre-game celebrations at The Camfield and across the pop-up bars on the Optus Stadium lawn.
Matagarup Bridge on game day by AFL Photos
Named after the Noongar word for Heirisson Island and the surrounding, the Matagarup Bridge is a game day pilgrimage for any footy fan, linking the city to the stadium. Thousands of West Aussies made the journey across our picturesque Swan River, taking in the beauty of Optus Stadium and the afternoon of footy that was to come.
People's Parade in Forrest Place by City of Perth
For Grand Final week, Forrest Place was renamed “Footy Place.” And despite two Melbourne clubs vying for the title, footy-loving West Aussies threw their full weight behind the teams. Merchandise sold out across the city, and barbers were giving away free mullet haircuts to those wishing to channel the power of Bulldog Bailey Smith.
The club captains squared off in Kings Park. Max Gawn, left, had scored five goals in the preliminary final. Marcus Bontompelli, right, had finished second in the Brownlow Medal count – also held at Optus Stadium, just a few days earlier. Despite the Bont kicking three goals on the day, it was Gawn who held aloft the cup in the end.
Optus Stadium by AFL Photos
Over 61,000 West Australians were at the game, and they got in the spirit, too – the crowd was a sea of red, white, and two shades of blue. It was the highest attendance for an AFL match at Optus Stadium. 180,000 queued online for the 10,250 general admission tickets. For those that got in, the atmosphere was electric and fans got to experience the day to night atmosphere of the stadium's state of the art features.
Birds of Tokyo and the WA Symphony Orchestra by AFL Photos
A who’s who of WA rock royalty provided the non-footy entertainment, culminating in a half time spectacular featuring Birds of Tokyo and the WA Symphony Orchestra… and a lot of fireworks. They performed their track “Unbreakable”.
Christian Petracca, winner of the Norm Smith Medal by AFL Photos
The player judged best on ground, Christian Petracca, had this to say about the 2021 Toyota AFL Grand Final: “Optus Stadium was an unbelievable spectacle. The crowd was crazy, the atmosphere was awesome” he remembers on a day that the Melbourne Demons sure did #GiveEmHell in what became a premiership heaven in Perth.
The people and personalities of Perth really get behind their footy colours, so much so that even the iconic ‘Eliza’ statue unveiled a new outfit. This bronze sculpture in the Swan River is regularly dressed in various costumes, sitting adjacent to the iconic Blue Boat House and Kings Park’s Mount Eliza. While Eliza is an ode to the old Crawley Baths from the early to mid 20th century, in 2021 she was all about the latest AFL premiers!
Published October 2021.