How did Melbourne based supporters become freo fans?

[Ferntree Freo]

Just wondering how melbourne based supporters became freo fans? I get this question a lot when people come in my office and see my supporter gear. I will briefly tell you my story.......

I originally was raised on a steady diet of NRL being born and bred in Sydney. I was a panthers supporter. When I was about 20 I headed for the West Coast and about that time the dockers were just starting up and I was clueless about AFL (ignorant actually). I was quite surprised that I could not get any NRL in perth even the State of Origin was on at some ungodly hour and i don't think foxtel was even invented, couldn't afford any cable anyway... So I started watching this aerial pingpong as it was called when I was growing up and slowly but surely started watching AFL.Living south of the river at the time I started supporting freo out of pity really, it was really hard watching them fot the first 10 years or so particularly when the eagles were so successsful.I love AFL so much now that I find NRL completely boring.I moved over to Melbourne about 6 years ago and would never give up on my team despite constant urgings from my friends to support a melbourne based team. It is so good now that we have turned the corner in the last few years. What a joy it is to watch freo games these days.Thought I would share my little story.......pehaps you would like to share yours.
FREO 4 EVA where ever I live.

 

[Seppo]

Supported South Fremantle in the WAFL and West Coast (ergh) in the early 90's as a kid and as soon as the Dockers came along my whole family switched across the second the team was announced. I was a founding member but being 11 years old didn't get to many games... always watched the derbies but my memory of games before 2000 is pretty hazey.

Once I moved to Melbourne for work in 2007, I was exposed to the massive footy based work enviroment. Being quized on day 1 who I supportered and with my reponse I got the same thing as Ferntree Freo to support a Melbourne based side.
I went to a some games like the Demons comeback game and the Saints flogging back in '08 and '09 that made me think twice about sticking with them, but with every year I feel realy proud I support Freo and I'm the only Freo supporter in our office of 300 people, even though many are West Aussies.

 

[JunglistPosse]

Supported South Fremantle in the WAFL and West Coast (ergh) in the early 90's as a kid and as soon as the Dockers came along my whole family switched across the second the team was announced. I was a founding member but being 11 years old didn't get to many games... always watched the derbies but my memory of games before 2000 is pretty hazey.

Once I moved to Melbourne for work in 2007, I was exposed to the massive footy based work enviroment. Being quized on day 1 who I supportered and with my reponse I got the same thing as Ferntree Freo to support a Melbourne based side.
I went to a some games like the Demons comeback game and the Saints flogging back in '08 and '09 that made me think twice about sticking with them, but with every year I feel realy proud I support Freo and I'm the only Freo supporter in our office of 300 people, even though many are West Aussies.

How did u get involved in the cheer squad?

 

[Seppo]

How did u get involved in the cheer squad?

ecause there were only a few people sitting in the area behind the goals at a NAB cup gam,e I decided to go around from my usually General Admin area on the wing and sit next to the cheersquad bay behind the goals. During the game I moved into the front row and grabbed one of those flogger things and a flag and just started cheering. By the end of the game I was invited to come along to the next banner making session and it all went from there. The next game I was out on the ground holding up the banner and the week after I was creating the messages and new chants