Melbourne fans getting to Perth any way they can for preliminary final

SOME Demon fans are flying via Singapore as they scramble to get to Perth to see their team play for a spot in the Grand Final. But if you’re stuck in Melbourne, don’t despair.

Melbourne fans Joanne and Clement MacKenzie. Picture: Tony Gough

MELBOURNE fans are making their way to Perth by any means possible, including going international.

Fans have booked flights via interstate capitals and even Singapore in a bid to see the Demons play for a spot in the Grand Final.

Supporters who can’t make it to Perth Stadium will still be able to inspire their team with Channel 7 working with the club to set up a live fan site in Melbourne and beam the vision directly to the Demons changerooms.

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Demons supporter Shirley Petman will be travelling west for Saturday’s preliminary final against West Coast via Singapore - with a one-night stopover - after sourcing a flight far cheaper than any direct option from Melbourne.

“We got it around about $1000, I would say, and when we were looking after that, it has gone up to massive (amounts), like $1500 for people just to do the return flight to Perth from Melbourne,” she told 3AW.

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“It started on Friday when a lot of the people in the cheer squad, when it looked like we were going to win, were starting to look at their phone for flight details.”

Petman, who has supported Melbourne for over 30 years, joked that she would spend the time in Singapore wisely.

“I would do anything to get over there,” she said.

“A little bit of shopping in Singapore, maybe. I might be able to find some more red and blue outfits over there.”

She said the cheer squad was also working out how to get all of its supporter gear to Perth.

Passionate Melbourne fan Ally Warren at the semi-final. Picture: Tony Gough

Channel 7 boss Lewis Martin said work is underway to ensure that vision of passionate Demons fans gathered in Melbourne is shown to players during their preliminary final clash with the Eagles in an effort to boost their spirits in the cauldron of Perth Stadium.

“If they all get together en masse, then we’ll make sure that that contribution from the Melbourne supporters here locally in Melbourne will have an impact on their 22 players,” he said.

“Fans are playing a big role.”

He said the fans could be the team’s “23rd man” and that the images would go “straight to the heart of the players”.

Melbourne fans Michael Lipson holding Asher Lipson, Daniel Roth, Romy Lipson and Joseph Roth. Picture: Alex Coppel

“For us, it’s to make sure that the 22 blokes that walk out on Optus from Melbourne know that they are not alone,” Martin said on 3AW.

“We’ve already had a technical meeting this morning … and we’re making sure that Simon Goodwin can point to a screen at any given time and say ‘boys, we are not alone’.

“There’s no doubt that that stadium over there is an extraordinary cauldron, and we’re here to make sure that we can negate that three-goal advantage (that it has been suggested Optus Stadium offers the Eagles) as best we can.”

Demons forward Christian Petracca told the Herald Sun that the support and emotion of the fans was a significant factor in boosting the team this finals campaign.

“We feed off it,” he said.

It’s a 36-hour drive — withour breaks — from the MCG to Perth Stadium, according to Google maps.

A location is yet to be determined, but Martin suggested either the Sidney Myer Music Bowl or the MCG as potential options.

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“It’s a very loud stadium … they certainly enjoy (this idea) and the support that we can get is going to be great,” he said on 3AW.

It has been suggested that the images could be streamed into the rooms or onto the big screen.

“I think every little advantage we can get, we’d take it,” he said.

“If there are opportunities to get the support up on the scoreboard and those sort of things, we’d take those opportunities.