For just the second time in 32 years, Fremantle are heading to the grand final as the purple army prepares to march east by any means necessary.

Fremantle stormed into the grand final after producing their biggest ever three-quarter-time turnaround in a last-quarter deluge to defeat a gallant Sydney outfit by 12 points.

The Dockers were given a hero’s welcome as they landed back in Perth on Saturday morning, with passionate fans forming a guard of honour as cheers and chants broke out across the terminal as they made their way out.

Star midfielder Hayden Young, who kicked the game-changing goal after the three-quarter siren, said the fans have been at the centre of their surge throughout the season.

“We saw the scenes, and it’s pretty incredible,” he said on Saturday.

“When I got to the club seven years ago, you hear stories of 2013 and how they painted the town purple, so it’s a very exciting time for our fans, and I want them to enjoy it.

“The fans have been amazing all year; their ability to travel and get behind us is amazing. The crowd in that last quarter was electric, and we really needed them in that last quarter to get him over the line.”

For a tortured fanbase, last night’s victory sent Freo fans into delirium, as they dare to dream of finally breaking through for a first flag.

However, for three-month-old Masie Uren, the wait for success has been barely a blink in her eye.

“We think she is a good luck charm; she must be,” father Magnus Uren told The West Australian.

“We’re pretty excited; we were almost ready not to turn it off (before Hayden Young’s kick), but it was a pretty hard watch.

“I booked tickets last night; I used a bunch of frequent flier points, so the flights weren’t too bad, but the actual ticket and the package was about $4000.”

Excited Fremantle fans have made it clear they will go to extraordinary lengths to be part of the club’s second grand final, with one supporter facing another marathon journey to Melbourne.

Amanda Tagliaferi drove almost three hours from Wilyabrup to Perth Airport before flying to Sydney for Saturday night’s preliminary final.

Now she will fly home, drive back to Busselton for a few days before making the long trip to Melbourne for her first grand final at the MCG.

“We’ve driven up to Perth, flown over to here, now we’ll fly back, get into the car, drive down to Busselton and then do it all over again,” she told The West Australian while walking back to her hotel from the SCG.

“It will be my first time at a grand final at the MCG. We’re in the ballot so I’m highly confident that I’m going to get one at least.”

“I would be very grateful and appreciative to see them win. It’ll be fantastic for all the effort that has gone into getting to this point.

“It’ll be the culmination of many, many years of work by them.”

As the cost of flights continues to soar, a Fremantle great has helped to organise alternative transport with Hayden Ballantyne set to join fans on a bus trip across the Nullabor.

“I just thought ‘why not’. It’s only a couple of days’ drive, and I’ve actually got my HR (heavy rigid) licence, so we’ll see how fast this thing can go,” Ballantyne said.

“It should be a good experience. I’m super excited to get over there, just be a fan now, and hopefully, watch the boys get it done.

“Our fans are so faithful, they’re the loudest in the land. When you hear that ‘Wharfie Time’ bell go, they go mad. It’s pretty cool and I’m sure it gets the boys up and about.

“I’ve got a lot of mates heading over; they’ll all be decked out in their retro kits, which are really cool. Hopefully, we pack it out in purple.”

Former Dockers captain said the connection between the club and their fans was one-of-a-kind.

“We’ve been such a grassroots, community team for such a long time. One of the things about being in Fremantle, it’s got it’s own identity, and I think people have attached themselves to that.

“I can’t wait to be at the MCG. I can’t wait to see busloads of people, planeloads of people turn up and get around the purple army. It’ll be a sight to see.”

Footy tragic, life-long Freo supporter and Deputy Premier Rita Saffioti said Dockers supporters have dreamt of premiership glory for years.

“You have got to believe - this year has all been about belief and the Dockers have shown they have got a lot of belief amongst themselves,” she said.

“And supporters are believing in them.”

Having gone to the 2013 grand final, when the Dockers lost to Hawthorn, Ms Saffioti said she and Dockers supporters will be savouring the moment this week.

As she prepares for another MCG pilgrimage, she was confident the Dockers fighting spirit would be on show next Saturday, as it was against Sydney.

“They wanted it so much on Friday,” Ms Saffioti said of the preliminary final.

“They weren’t going to let it go and that’s what we have seen through the year.

“They stand up and say ‘not this year, we are not going to lose, we are going to do this’

“I believe they can win it.”

West Australian premier Roger Cook urged all of the state to get behind Fremantle.

“What a game, what a comeback, and what a moment for Fremantle fans!” he said in a statement.

“This is what Dockers fans have long dreamed about, and the players, coaches and supporters have earned the right to enjoy it.

“Whether you’ve bled purple since day one or you’re just jumping aboard now, this is a chance for everyone in this State to come together and get behind WA.

“Congratulations to the Dockers and bring on next week!”

Mr Cook also took a swipe at airlines who have been accused of price gouging by fans.

“As fans start making plans for the big day, I am again urging airlines not to cash in on the excitement,” he said.

“Western Australians shouldn’t be priced out of the opportunity to see their team on Australia’s biggest sporting stage.

“Now is the time for all Western Australians to get behind the Dockers.”

Fremantle CEO Simon Garlick said the reaction from fans to their victory has been inspiring.

“It’s so pleasing for our fans. Seeing the vision of Fremantle and what it means to people is something that has really driven us as a group,” he said at Sydney Airport.

The guys have managed distractions all year and done an incredible job of that. That will be the focus.

“I’m really excited. It was an incredible effort to come back; they showed that character again. We’ve just had the resilience.”

While there is undoubted excitement, there is also plenty of nerves amongst fans after so many false dawns throughout their history.

However, rather than see it as a burden, superstar Caleb Serong says the Dockers can lean into it.

“You’ve got to embrace it; we don’t see it as a weight, we see it as passion and excitement and energy, and our fans are the most passionate in the comp,” he told Triple M.

“That’s why we got the home crowds the way we do, that’s why we get Wharfie Time, that’s why the streets of Freo were absolutely packed last night, you couldn’t drive a car down there.

“The crowd last night, our support was incredible; how loud they were, it felt like we had little pockets in the ground covered in purple. It was amazing, so you want to get around them and support them.

“You can’t pick and choose when you want to tip into that passion; you have to embrace it and understand that’s who we are, and that gives us energy.

“It was a pretty special night to share that with friends and family, but we’ve still got one more to go. We just want to go out there and do them proud.”