What were you doing 291 days ago?
Generally, it would be a tough question. But not for footballers if you give them some sort of contest.

So, if Damien Hardwick asks his players this very question and puts a date on it, they will know. And they will get a timely boost of confidence ahead of Sunday’s clash with Fremantle in Perth.

Because 298 days ago – on 6 September 2025 – the SUNS were doing the same thing. They were about to make the longest road trip in football to take on the Dockers at Optus Stadium.

It was a momentous day in club history that the players will remember fondly … the club’s first final, when David Swallow kicked a point nine seconds from full-time for an epic one-point win.

Fourteen members of the SUNS side from last week – Noah Anderson, Mac Andrew, Sam Collins, Bailey Humphrey, Joel Jeffery, Ben King, Ben Long, Touk Miller, John Noble, Wil Powell, Dean Rioli, Matt Rowell, Bodhi Uwland and Jarrod Witts – played in that first final.

They will have nothing but good memories of playing at Optus Stadium.

Daniel Rioli will miss this week, joining Lachie Weller, another ‘survivor’ of the club’s first final, on the injury list.

But Christian Petracca will be a welcome inclusion to that side, and he has overwhelmingly positive memories of Perth Stadium with Melbourne – an 8–4 record overall and the best day of his football life when he had 39 possessions and two goals to win the Norm Smith Medal in the 2021 grand final.

Similarly, Ethan Read, another possible inclusion after he resumed in the VFL last weekend, is 2–0 in the WA capital.

And seven members of last week’s side will not take any preconceived hangover into this week’s trip because they have never played in Perth – Oscar Adams, Beau Addinsall, Leo Lombard, Ned Moyle, Jai Murray, Zeke Uwland and Jed Walter.

This leaves only Nick Holman from the side that lost to Hawthorn.

In a further confidence-booster, the SUNS travelled to Perth twice last year for two wins. Before the final against the Dockers, they thumped West Coast by 87 points in Round 1, when Rioli and Noble debuted for the club.

Rowell had 30 possessions, eight tackles and 10 clearances for three Brownlow votes, King six goals for two votes, and Miller 26 possessions, two goals and 10 clearances for one vote.

Other standouts included Anderson, who had 36 possessions, five tackles, nine clearances and three goal assists, and Long, who kicked four goals.