For The Jumper is back. After a successful 2025 debut that drew more than 250 people and raised over $2,000 for charity, the Grand Final Eve event returns to the Rosemount Hotel in North Perth. On Friday 25 September, catch 18 local bands, 18 AFL clubs, two songs each, and a night that manages to take football seriously while not taking itself too seriously.
What and who to expect at For the Jumper 2026
The format is straightforward and gloriously competitive. Each act adopts an AFL club, performs that team’s official anthem, then plays an original or cover song reflecting on the club’s season. The running order moves from the bottom of the ladder up to the premiers, so the stakes — musical and tribal — build as the night goes on. MC Axel Carrington keeps things moving and the crowd honest with a relentless stream of footy trivia.
Melbourne singer-songwriter and Western Bulldogs supporter Emily Ulman created this event. Born out of the pub culture of Fitzroy and Collingwood, it has run there for more than a decade. Perth picked it up in 2025, earning it a place on the local calendar.
This year’s confirmed lineup includes The Stumblers, Deep Beep, Claire Perot, Split Seconds, (Artificial) Nights, Street Lights, Guildford Pause, Sgt Hulka, Chatters, Dusty Thomas, Donny Goodman, Axel Carrington, Robbie Rumble, Rat Pasta and Swans Drafts. A special appearance by Fremantle Dockers parody act Salty Dawg’s Docker Ditties adds a distinctly WA flavour ahead of their appearance in the Final.
More details about the evening
All proceeds go to Reclink WA and Synapse, Australia’s brain injury foundation. For (Artificial) Nights bassist Patrick Cavalli, who suffered a brain injury in 2022 and spent years away from music, Synapse’s inclusion is personal. “Raising funds and awareness for Synapse, while celebrating music and footy — it means the world to us,” he said.
For The Jumper is presented by RTRFM, the Rosemount Hotel and Auxiliary Records. It also serves as a warm-up to Perth’s WA Community Cup, which takes place the following Saturday, 3 October, with free entry, live music, food trucks and kids’ activities.
Reclink will give away free merch, including jerseys, hats and mini footballs, so arrive early. Doors open at 7 pm, with the first bounce at 7:30 pm.
Tickets are $20 presale and $25 on the door at the Rosemount Hotel, 459 Fitzgerald Street, North Perth.
