When the Canberra Capitals march out onto AIS Arena on Wednesday night to defend their WNBL premiership, they could have a crowd of about 5000 behind them.
They will also have three passionate fans who each play a very important role in every home game.
There is court announcer Simon Peters, Joe Gleeson who is responsible for crowd engagement and the DJ Nate Keyte.
The trio are responsible for energising both the crowd and players, and its a role they take seriously.
Mr Peters has been involved with the Capitals since the late 1990s.
"It was much more laid back then, maybe 40 people at the games, it was the best kept secret in Canberra," he said.
If the Capitals win on Wednesday it will be the fifth grand final that Mr Peters has called. He said the trio had a pre-game ritual of their own and took their roles incredibly seriously.
"We kind of get to be almost part of the team," he said, "it's much more than a job, it's a passion. It never gets old going to a final."
"You are part of the home crowd experience, it's a big deal and something we all love doing."
It's much more than a job, it's a passion. It never gets old going to a final.
Simon Peters
The home crowd advantage has inspired a great deal of confidence in Mr Peters who is sure the Capitals will win. He said that was evident in last Wednesday's semi-final home decider.
"I'd never heard a crowd so invested in a game and if half of that intensity level is there on Wednesday night we will win."
For Mr Gleeson, last year's grand final win in the third game was "a perfect game day", but while last year he wanted a third game, this year he does not.
"If we could win on Wednesday we don't have to go to a third game and we also get that home grand final win ... we definitely want to win this one because we want to have that winning game at home," he said.
Mr Gleeson got involved with the Capitals as a court announcer more than 10 years ago.
"I jumped at the chance to do it and have been doing that since then," he said.
For Mr Keyte, his love for the Capitals is a new one. This is his second season as a DJ for the team and while he had not been to a game before he quickly became obsessed.
"Initially you turn up to work and you chat to the players and they come friendly familar faces," he said.
"After a while you are a friendly family unit [and] you get involved and get behind them."
So what are their predictions for Wednesday night? Capitals by 14 from Mr Peters, the Capitals by no more than five for Mr Gleeson and the Capitals by between 10-15 from Mr Keyte.
