Fremantle’s number one American fan Gil Griffin has made a 15,000km journey to Perth to watch his favourite team play Collingwood on Thursday night.
While Freo fans are known to go a long way for their club, none could claim they have travelled as far as Gil, who arrived on Tuesday from Los Angeles.
“It’s my first time I’ll be watching Freo play at home,” he said.
“I went to the 2013 Grand Final and another away game but never in Perth.”
Gil was given a surprise tour around the port city by star Fremantle midfielder Michael Barlow.
Barlow picked up Gil from his hotel on Wednesday and stopped off at his favourite coffee shop, visited the Fishing Boat Harbour as well as Monument Hill.
“I was so surprised to have him outside waiting for me,” he said.
“It was really awesome, I love Micky and I’ve met him before and he said to make sure I caught up with him when I visited Perth.”
Gil is a walking encyclopedia of the club’s history and perhaps its most dedicated fan.
He is often awake watching Fremantle games in the early hours of the morning, due to the 15-hour time difference.
Listeners to talkback radio post-game can often hear his American accent on air, calling up from the US to give his thoughts on each game.
“It takes great effort, but the rewards of barracking for Freo from a world away, are all well worth it,” he said.
“I first became a Freo fanatic 10 years ago after watching Paul Medhurst dramatically seal a derby win and the club’s first finals berth.
“However it wasn’t until last season when live AFL games became fully available online and on TV in the US that I started an unorthodox – and admittedly obsessive – weekly routine.”
Gil is writing a book on Americans playing Aussie Rules and will head to Melbourne while in Australia to watch US hopefuls Mason Cox and Alex Aurrichio.
