She might be returning home to Western Australia but Sabrina Frederick-Traub is keeping her fingers crossed local hopes Fremantle go down in Sunday’s AFL Women’s clash with Brisbane.

Frederick-Traub, 20, fell in love with AFL in Perth after her family relocated from England and became a star forward for South Fremantle in the WAWFL.

But the Lions’ marquee player was no Fremantle AFL fan.

“I didn’t grow up a Dockers fan. I was an Eagles fan,” Frederick-Traub laughed.

“When I first moved over from England to Perth (at seven years old), the first team I saw was West Coast and it felt like that was always going to be the team I support.

“(But) I am excited to have my family around me (on Sunday) – to be able to do what I love in front of them will be good.”

Suffice to say the 182cm Frederick-Traub is hoping to inspire a Dockers defeat at Fremantle Oval.

The athletic forward was a standout in the Lions’ shock 15-point opening-round away win over Melbourne.

The miserable wet conditions at Melbourne’s Casey Fields last weekend had more in common with Frederick-Traub’s home town of Brighton in England.

Halftime had to be called early in the match due to lightning.

“It was a bit scary, especially from my end. I think I was closest to it – it was a good idea to come off,” Frederick-Traub said.

“The weather was hard for us tall forwards, we wished we had glue on our hands but I thought we stood up in the conditions.”

Unlike the Lions, early flag fancies Fremantle suffered a disappointing 32-point first-round loss to the Western Bulldogs.

“It is a short competition. I am not expecting them to lie down after one loss – I expect them to come out firing,” Frederick-Traub said.

“(But) we are not here to make up the numbers – we are to here compete and to inspire others.”

Lions coach Craig Starcevich is not expected to make major team changes after the first-round win.

However, Fremantle will be without defender Ebony Antonio after her acceptance of a one-game ban for rough conduct.