Fremantle had a phenomenal season in 2020, going undefeated, but that was not the only positive coming out of 2020 for the Fremantle girls. Antonio is proud of the culture developing amongst the Dockers.

“It's been another level in terms of the way in which we played together as a group, but also in terms of the leadership on and off fields, and obviously things that we've been working on behind the scenes.”  

Fremantle did have a few close calls, with the Magpies coming within three points of them in Round 3. They also only beat the Saints by a point and the Bulldogs by 16.

“We were challenged a number of times throughout the season and we got away with one in particular in that St Kilda game… the way we were able to grind out games in the dying minutes was a credit to our resilience, but also fitness and the way that we trusted and believed in each other… It builds a great culture.”

There were a lot of close finishes and great wins, but the highlights of the season for the Dockers Captain was watching the debutants run out for their first games in the purple.

“Every time we had a debutant singing the song and, you know, getting the Powerade shower in the middle… arms around your teammates and singing the song as loud as you possibly can… you really can’t take that for granted.”

The joy and excitement that the debutants experience during their first games always constitutes a very special moment for the captain.

“Being able to win [their first] game for them, and then enjoy that moment. You always remember your first game and your first win.”

Her favourite games of the season, were the first ever WA derby, their win against the Bulldogs, and of course the Dockers semi-final win against the Suns.

“The first ever derby was really special to be a part of... and to play in the first ever here in WA, to get the win was obviously fantastic.

And that final against Gold Coast… it really showed what we were capable of as a group and is an exciting thing to build on next season.”

The season didn’t end the way the Dockers wanted, with the season getting cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but for the Captain, it’s something to motivate the Dockers for season 2021.

“I think there was fire in the belly last year when we were knocked out of finals by Carlton, but I think it's a different fire this year, knowing that there was unfinished business that we could potentially go the whole way.”

With a fan lockout, the Dockers girls missed the Fremantle Faithful and it’s something that they won’t take for granted next season.

“Our crowd down at Fremantle has been phenomenal, especially over the last couple of seasons. I've always said [that] they act as another player on the field and it's so engaged and so energetic… they ride every tackle, every mark and every goal with you.

It was extremely weird to not play in front of them against the Gold Coast Suns. The crowd down at Fremantle oval, the Freo Faithful, they’re some of the most loyal and committed fans that you'll ever have and we're very lucky to have them.”

Kara’s tips on getting through the isolation period were simple and straight-forward:

“It's really important to stick to a routine - get up every morning and go for a walk around the block… and try not to watch too much TV. It’s COVID-19 everywhere...”