Purple Jesus
not jess
I'm expecting Brad Hill to be their biggest weapon under Ross, especially vs us. We should use Hughes to tag him.
Preview St Kilda Saints vs. Fremantle Dockers, Round 1 2023
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Analysis: Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir retains competitive advantage ahead of clash with the man he replaced, Ross Lyon
Justin Longmuir is ready to take Fremantle to the top in 2023. ELIZA REILLY analyses the Freo coach’s approach to round one, team selection and a clash with the man he replaced.2 min read
March 16, 2023 - 5:11PM
![[PLAYERCARD]Justin Longmuir[/PLAYERCARD] is a focused man ahead of his round one clash against St Kilda. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7 "[PLAYERCARD]Justin Longmuir[/PLAYERCARD] is a focused man ahead of his round one clash against St Kilda. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images")
Justin Longmuir is a focused man ahead of his round one clash against St Kilda. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images
Justin Longmuir is a man who means business.
Round one has finally arrived. The appetite for AFL is as strong as it will be until September. And until the first ball is bounced, the premiership dream remains alive for all 18 clubs.
That rings especially true for the Dockers who are set to mount another charge at finals after finally returning to September last year.
But first up, Longmuir will face one of the more intriguing challenges of his coaching career. At Marvel Stadium on Sunday, he’ll have to face the man he replaced at the helm of Fremantle. With that comes an opportunity to show off just how far the Dockers have evolved in the past three seasons.
“He’s someone I respect in the coaching fraternity. For me, it’s like any other week,” Longmuir said of the impending tactical showdown.
Ross Lyon was known to toy with the media. Sometimes abrasive but often humorous, Lyon kept the media on their toes. We don’t quite have an equivalent Longmuir-isms as Justin is more measured.
But the one thing you could draw from Longmuir’s final press conference before round one is that he is not prepared to drop even a skerrick of information to his opposition. If there’s a competitive advantage to be had by keeping coy, the Dockers are exploiting it.
Have you settled on a forward line structure? Has Liam Henry locked in a wing spot? Which ruck looms as the best match-up for Rowan Marshall? Has Josh Treacy edged out Jye Amiss up forward?
Longmuir’s responses …
“We’ll find out this afternoon. We’ll wait and see. Not going to give too much away. We’ll wait for the teams to come out I reckon.”
While several other clubs have already plastered social media and endowed fans with news of debuts and recruits pulling on their new colours, Fremantle has remained largely silent.
Most, if not all of those selection queries will be answered on Thursday afternoon when the Dockers pick their first squad of 26 for the season. But Fremantle’s approach is symptomatic of a team that is leaving nothing to chance.
Here’s what we do know.
A squad of 26 trained in the main group and unless anything dramatic happens before Friday’s flight to Melbourne, they’ll be the 26 blokes in contention. That group included Henry, Nathan Wilson, Ethan Hughes, Hugh Davies and Sam Sturt. The rest trained separately with Peel Thunder coach Geoff Valentine.
Small forward Lachie Schultz could barely put any weight through his right leg after landing awkwardly on his ankle. He was helped to his feet and comforted by Nat Fyfe. After some running repairs, Schultz was able to return to training meaning he’ll be named but could the Dockers afford to leave him at home?
Jaeger O‘Meara trained unrestricted despite an ankle scare on Saturday. And Michael Walters will play restricted minutes for Peel as he continues his build back from an achilles injury.
To give Longmuir the final say: “Whatever team we put out I’m pretty confident we’ll be as fit as we can be, everyone will know their roles and we’ll be full of energy.”
DRAGONS FFC - Moderator
- #429
From that, and the way the squad was named, wouldn't surprise me if someone named on-field misses out.Analysis: Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir retains competitive advantage ahead of clash with the man he replaced, Ross Lyon
Justin Longmuir is ready to take Fremantle to the top in 2023. ELIZA REILLY analyses the Freo coach’s approach to round one, team selection and a clash with the man he replaced.
2 min read
March 16, 2023 - 5:11PM
Justin Longmuir is a focused man ahead of his round one clash against St Kilda. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images
Justin Longmuir is a man who means business.
Round one has finally arrived. The appetite for AFL is as strong as it will be until September. And until the first ball is bounced, the premiership dream remains alive for all 18 clubs.
That rings especially true for the Dockers who are set to mount another charge at finals after finally returning to September last year.
But first up, Longmuir will face one of the more intriguing challenges of his coaching career. At Marvel Stadium on Sunday, he’ll have to face the man he replaced at the helm of Fremantle. With that comes an opportunity to show off just how far the Dockers have evolved in the past three seasons.
“He’s someone I respect in the coaching fraternity. For me, it’s like any other week,” Longmuir said of the impending tactical showdown.
Ross Lyon was known to toy with the media. Sometimes abrasive but often humorous, Lyon kept the media on their toes. We don’t quite have an equivalent Longmuir-isms as Justin is more measured.
But the one thing you could draw from Longmuir’s final press conference before round one is that he is not prepared to drop even a skerrick of information to his opposition. If there’s a competitive advantage to be had by keeping coy, the Dockers are exploiting it.
Have you settled on a forward line structure? Has Liam Henry locked in a wing spot? Which ruck looms as the best match-up for Rowan Marshall? Has Josh Treacy edged out Jye Amiss up forward?
Longmuir’s responses …
“We’ll find out this afternoon. We’ll wait and see. Not going to give too much away. We’ll wait for the teams to come out I reckon.”
While several other clubs have already plastered social media and endowed fans with news of debuts and recruits pulling on their new colours, Fremantle has remained largely silent.
Most, if not all of those selection queries will be answered on Thursday afternoon when the Dockers pick their first squad of 26 for the season. But Fremantle’s approach is symptomatic of a team that is leaving nothing to chance.
Here’s what we do know.
A squad of 26 trained in the main group and unless anything dramatic happens before Friday’s flight to Melbourne, they’ll be the 26 blokes in contention. That group included Henry, Nathan Wilson, Ethan Hughes, Hugh Davies and Sam Sturt. The rest trained separately with Peel Thunder coach Geoff Valentine.
Small forward Lachie Schultz could barely put any weight through his right leg after landing awkwardly on his ankle. He was helped to his feet and comforted by Nat Fyfe. After some running repairs, Schultz was able to return to training meaning he’ll be named but could the Dockers afford to leave him at home?
Jaeger O‘Meara trained unrestricted despite an ankle scare on Saturday. And Michael Walters will play restricted minutes for Peel as he continues his build back from an achilles injury.
To give Longmuir the final say: “Whatever team we put out I’m pretty confident we’ll be as fit as we can be, everyone will know their roles and we’ll be full of energy.”
Don't be shocked if taberner is out for soreness or something, we love a good secret
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Hopefully it just takes one game for JL to realise that Hughes on the wing aint it
Maybe it will take one game for you to realise that Hughes on the wing is a godsend
Quazar
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I'm on my desktop using Firefox, possibly why there's discrepancy (??)Ah, cheers. Interesting when I look at it in the BigFooty app I can see the formatting but it doesn’t show up in Safari on Mac. It’s just all italics.
On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app
In a team recognised as being one of the youngest, a hardened body having a strong contested mark is probably quite smart. He's a good runner and any disposal errors won't be as costly further up the ground. I think it's a good decision. Hughes, Henry and Aish.
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that's the benefit of playing 5 teams in a row to start the season that were well below us (plus the saints with 14 on the inj list). Get to trial a couple of things before we need to come up against the top teams. Sorting out the wings and forwards is the most important thing at the moment. The backs and mids are already settled. Worth trying guys like Hughes and Henry, Treacy, and Sturt and see who sinks or swims.
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Bereft of key forwards I think Lyon might tactically try something like he did in 2019 when Fremantle beat Geelong at home. A running team not super-talented and perhaps a ruckman as the key target forward and the rest very mobile. Cordy, Sharman, Caminiti, Campbell are all named in their squad at this stage with Caminiti (196cm) expected to debut. I would think that they would need a 2nd rucking tall to help Marshall...unless they concede the ruck contest when Marshall is resting and try to win it at the 2nd phase.
I don't think they have much inside 50m that provides a mismatch for them but I guess it will be attitude to making a contest and preventing us rebounding quickly - which is where I think we can get on top. Owens and Phillipou are both around 191cm so they probably have some ability to contest in the air.
We have Ryan, Chapman, Young to take the hybrid forwards and Clark, Walker maybe Wilson for the smalls as well as options with Aish and Hughes.
St Kildas wings (Hill and Wood) and half backs (Sinclair and Wanganeen-Milera) are one area where they might be able to get some drive. If they get on top there we might have trouble connecting with our forwards which are still a work in progress. Still a bit concerned about being too tall in our foward line if we name all of Treacy, Taberner and Jackson. It might be a wait and see on how the Bulldogs fare with their tall forwards for the final decision.
I'm going for a 25 pt win to us.
I don't think they have much inside 50m that provides a mismatch for them but I guess it will be attitude to making a contest and preventing us rebounding quickly - which is where I think we can get on top. Owens and Phillipou are both around 191cm so they probably have some ability to contest in the air.
We have Ryan, Chapman, Young to take the hybrid forwards and Clark, Walker maybe Wilson for the smalls as well as options with Aish and Hughes.
St Kildas wings (Hill and Wood) and half backs (Sinclair and Wanganeen-Milera) are one area where they might be able to get some drive. If they get on top there we might have trouble connecting with our forwards which are still a work in progress. Still a bit concerned about being too tall in our foward line if we name all of Treacy, Taberner and Jackson. It might be a wait and see on how the Bulldogs fare with their tall forwards for the final decision.
I'm going for a 25 pt win to us.
Last edited:
King Huskii
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Hughes ain't best 22
Henry has performed better during preseason
Him NOD and Aish are preferred IMO
NOD needs to build fitness first
Henry has performed better during preseason
Him NOD and Aish are preferred IMO
NOD needs to build fitness first
If Henry was preferred he would have been named in the 22. Give my guy Hughes a chance before writing him off. Last year doesn't count. This year he's had the whole pre-season to train on the wing.
I recon he's going to be this years Blake Acres. He'll do well on the wing as a defensive option and only has to quicken up his decision making / kicks to be much better.
Aish, Nod & Henry the other options with three selected. It'll be good for the team not just gifting games to anybody and showing the value of hard work. Our coaches have done a brilliant job lately and turning Hughes into a better player would be proof that it is what is occurring at the club that is the real value and not just who we drafted.
Even Banners improved and had his moments in 22.
Nah, Tabs has been named on the bench and he's our number 1 KPF. I assume it's to throw shade on how we're going to use Jackson.
Maybe our transition to a more attacking wing system is also being hidden, if it actually exists.
Solid analysis.
There’s enough run on Fremantle’s to counter.
Wouldn’t put a whole lot of salt on Bulldogs’ talls. May out for Melbourne makes it easier for ball movement etc.
Besides Tabs, Treacy and Fyfe with Jackson is more mobile then their forward line.
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Personally I don't find it that simple, they aren't like for like, so difficult to compare and say one is better.
One is better defensively, the other better offensively, so it all comes down to team balance and the role the coaches want to be played. It also matters who is on the other wing at the same time.
I can see both Henry and Hughes getting picked.
I am pretty confident that Treacy is there because Jackson is under a cloud, and Taberner might be too. There's no way we play all 3 of them and Fyfe as well.
wakojako
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Under a cloud?
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Under a roof?
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While NOD is still building after his setback, absolutely Aish, Henry and Hughes can all play in the same team, the question arises though if Frederick and/or Sturt are preferred as the 3rd wing coming out of the forward line.
That’s how we played most of last year, Colyer was 3rd wing/HF (it surprised me he played 18 games last year, although I think at least once he was the sub)
Looking forward to seeing aggressive ball movement this week. Young, Walker, Chappy to stream out the back. Brayshaw, Serrong providing quick hands and overlap running. Freddy and Switta burning up the HFF and Jackson running the ruck into the ground after Darcy has worn them down.
I think Aish is actually targeting more of an inside mid role this year - not wing so much.
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