Bunbury the big winner after Dockers defeat North Melbourne
Fremantle Dockers recorded their biggest win in AFL history at Hands Oval on Saturday, but it was the WA city of Bunbury that spent most of its time in the spotlight.
For the second year in a row, North Melbourne hosted a home game in the state’s largest regional city, making it a perfect day for Bunbury football.
Fans arrived early to grab the best seats at Hands Oval, home of South Bunbury Football Club and traditional venue for the South West Football League grand final, with a long queue stretching almost half the length of the venue before 10am.
With the match scheduled to kick off at noon, it was clear that there was interest in the event, not only from locals but also from a strong contingent from Perth and even from across the country.
North Melbourne fan Ben Creagh left the Victorian capital on one of the flights to Busselton on Friday morning ahead of the match.
Clearly disappointed with the result, Creagh said he was impressed with the local facilities and the quality of the pitch.
“They’ve done a great job with the oval, everything looks to be in really good shape and it doesn’t look out of place for an AFL game,” he said.
“It’s a bit disappointing to go on this journey for a 100-point bid but I can’t complain about the condition of the pitch and it was a brilliant day of football.
“The flight was packed with North Melbourne fans so it looks like a good deal for tourism in the South West.”
North Melbourne member Creagh said he wasn’t sure whether it was wise to play “home” interstate matches but acknowledged the money from the deal had benefited the club.
The Kangaroos have agreed to sell their two home games from 2025 to 2027 in a deal understood to net the club $2.5 million a year as part of a deal with the AFL, Tourism WA and the state government.
North Melbourne will play a match in Bunbury before a home game at Optus Stadium the following week, with the first of the matches to be played in 2025 with a deal expected to be finalized next year.
The Hands Oval precinct has witnessed a dramatic transformation ahead of the first match against the Eagles in 2025; temporary stands and event infrastructure have transformed the community sports ground into a nationally broadcast AFL venue.
The upgrades have been funded through a three-year partnership, supported by the State Government’s $5.7 million investment in the region, which complements the $19.5 million already invested in the agreement between the state government, the City of Bunbury, the federal government’s Building Better Regions fund, the South West Football League and the WA Football Commission.
The Hands Oval match forms the basis of the Bunbury Big Weekend, a three-day program of community events, entertainment and local experiences running across the town centre, Hands Oval precinct and Bunbury waterfront from Friday to Sunday.
Ahead of this year’s match, Bunbury Mayor Jaysen Miguel said the event represented an important moment for the city and the South West region.
“This isn’t just an AFL match, it’s a statement about what regional cities have to offer,” he said.
“When the broadcast comes out to millions of viewers on Saturday, they will see a city investing in its future, a community emerging and a region punching above its weight.
“We are incredibly proud to host this for the second year in a row and are already looking forward to doing it again in 2027.”
Following the match, crowds descended on the city as the Highway Hotel, the nearest pub to Hands Oval, put on a lively exchange as Fremantle ran out clear winners with a 124-point victory.
Pubs, cafes and restaurants along Victoria Street, Bunbury’s main entertainment street, were also making the most of the AFL crowds, with many venues already booked ahead of Saturday’s match.
While North Melbourne may be questioning their choice to play home matches in WA following the weekend turmoil, Bunbury residents are sure to hope the deal continues to bring trade and tourism benefits to the South West city.
