Hawthorn defender Jarman Impey says facing Fremantle Dockers in Perth one of AFL’s hardest ever road trips

Jarman Impey has had his fair share of road trips across 242 AFL games, but says few have been more intimidating than facing minor premiers Fremantle at Optus Stadium in 2026.

But the Hawthorn All-Australian defender said the Hawks held no fear of the Dockers’ ‘Wharfie Time’ cry and weren’t training for it.

Fremantle went undefeated in Western Australia through the home-and-away campaign on their way to a second minor premiership.

And a large part of their success has come from the electric energy their dedicated purple army produces at each home game, the club breaking the single-season record for most 50,000-plus crowds in a row with nine.

It’s led Impey, who took on the daunting task in a 15-point defeat in round nine, to label the trip to Perth to face them one of the hardest he’s ever had as the two sides prepare for Thursday’s qualifying final.

“It’s probably one of the toughest (I’ve had), especially this year,” he said.

“They haven’t been beaten (in WA) so they’re very hard and it’s always been a hard trip, but to be honest, and again I talk about confidence, the last couple of years we’ve been able to travel and play in finals, so hopefully we can lean on that a little bit.

The Dockers have won eight of the last nine contests between the two teams, but Impey is hopeful the fact that the Hawks played their last game of the home-and-away season in Perth against West Coast will give them a small edge in preparation.

“To be honest, I look at (going back to Perth) as a blessing really,” he said.

“How lucky are we to finish our last round over there and get a sense of the ground, get a sense of where we’re staying again and then being back there I think was meant to be.

“Time will tell Thursday night, but we look forward to going back over there.”

The Hawks were the only side in 2026 to prompt the Dockers to call on their ‘Wharfie Time’ crowd lifter as the visitors held a slender lead in the final term.

And the cry that has become synonymous with this Dockers side provided the intended boost as Fremantle came from behind to snatch victory.

It has led to plenty of speculation the Hawks were training for it in case it happened on Thursday, but Impey said that wasn’t the case.