Perth · Wadjuk Noongar Country
I am the water beneath your feet. The tap you drink from. The wetlands you walk past. The trees that shade your street.
The Noongar people have always known me — not as a resource, but as a living being.
I am Gnangara. And I have been looking after you since the day you arrived.
You've been with Gnangara your whole life. You just didn't know it.
Since the 1970s, rainfall has been declining. More water drawn out than soaks in. And Gnangara — quietly, without complaint — has been absorbing it all.
1,000GL lost since 1980. That's 1,000 Optus Stadiums full of water. Gone.
I am still here. Still standing. But Perth is taking more than I can give.
Every drop saved is strength restored.
I am Gnangara. I need you — now.
How to show up
I pledge to...
Gnangara, I want you to know...
This is how you've touched my life...
Every voice adds to Gnangara's strength.
You are not alone in this.
These are the people who chose to show up for the water beneath their feet.
Your name belongs here too.
Gnangara has been looking after you your whole life.
An honest, slightly biased, very Perth take on the weekend.
Cyclone Narelle circled. The roof was shut. Richmond arrived without Nankervis, without Lynch — and without a prayer. Freo were wayward early — 1.5 in the first — but it didn't matter because Richmond weren't scoring at all. Josh Treacy was a menace: four goals, 12 marks, completely unplayable. Caleb Serong looked like the best midfielder in the league — three Brownlow votes, no debate. Shai Bolton quiet by his standards, yet still found ways to impact.
60-point demolition. Three wins from three at Optus Stadium. Top four talk is over — this is a statement.
9:30am WST. Adelaide. The earliest away game in AFL history — and West Coast nearly stole it. Harley Reid everywhere — power, presence, belief. Josh Lindsay didn't just belong, he demanded attention. Then the nightmare: Port kicked 25 unanswered. The familiar sinking feeling. But this group didn't fold. They clawed back. Waterman, Williams, Owies brought the fight. Port were rattled late. The Eagles were coming.
Two points. Two agonising points. Last week broke the drought. This week proved it wasn't a fluke. Gather Round next — and this group has found its edge.
Freo came out with a point to prove after the Geelong collapse — and made it clear from the opening bounce. Seven goals to one in the first quarter. Brayshaw, Bolton, Erasmus launching long-range goals, Treacy dominating aerially. Melbourne cut it to 20 in the second and for a moment it felt like Round 1 all over again. It wasn't.
Third quarter — seven goals to one again. Bolton finished with 32 disposals and two goals, Brayshaw with 39 touches. The Serong tag didn't matter. 48-point win in front of 44,736 at Optus. That's the response.
Down 30 points early. Larkey dominating, North controlling stoppages, alarm bells ringing. Then — chaos. Classic Eagles chaos. Four-goal run, momentum flipped, never looked back. Harley Reid 30 disposals. Cooper Duff-Tytler kicked his first AFL goal. Yeo added two.
First win since Round 10 last season — earned the hard way. They'll call it the drought-breaker. Next up Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval. This group has got some mongrel now.
Freo absolutely cooked Geelong in the first quarter — led by 35 points and looked unstoppable. Luke Jackson was everywhere, Serong was on song, and the Dockers were scoring from 75% of their forward entries. At some point someone on the bench must have said "we've got this" and jinxed the whole thing.
Because Geelong kept them goalless in the final quarter. Goalless. Shannon Neale kicked five, Bailey Smith was dominant in his new colours, and the Cats won by 10. Heartbreaking doesn't cover it. But Freo showed in that first half exactly what they're capable of.
Suns came out firing like they'd necked a slab of Red Bull. Seven goals in the first quarter — Eagles were shell-shocked. But here's the thing: they didn't chuck it in. Won the third quarter outright, five goals, real ticker. Four debutants including Milan Murdock who kicked two and looked like he belonged. Harley Reid was a jet with 23 touches.
Lost by 59. Round 1 reality check on the road against a top-four fancy. But the second-half fight, the young kids stepping up, that never-say-die attitude — that's the foundation.
The Dockers head to Geelong for a proper away test to open the season. GMHBA Stadium is one of the harder venues — cold, loud, hostile. But Freo's been building something quietly. If the midfield fires and Serong gets time, they're a chance. If not, it'll be a long flight home.
Keep an eye on Caleb Serong. If he's good, Freo are good. It's basically that simple.
The Eagles travel to the Gold Coast for a game that feels winnable on paper — but so did a lot of games last year. There's genuine excitement around this group though. New faces, a bit more mongrel, and something to prove. Gold Coast at home is never easy but this is exactly the kind of game you want early.
Harley Reid just needs to touch the ball 30 times and do something ridiculous at least once. That's the brief.