Ask a question: Freo

[mjp]

Fred is a good player but he isn’t so overwhelmingly awesome that Cleary can’t defending him effectively. Potential Man hasn’t fired a shot all year.

Frederick wants it on his terms - out the back, bruise free. He needs attention - only dangerous in space.

Bolton is a high quality player who can kick goals from nothing. 100% need to stay goal-side of him in contested ball situations...suggesting he hasn't fired a shot is very harsh - he gets it 20x per game and kicks a goal...I'd take that.

[Mofra]

How on earth do stop the speed and impact of Shai Bolton and Michael Fredrick? Earlier this year Fedrick was the match winner and Bolton, well he can turn a game on its head in a ten-minute patch.

Will it be a team defence effort or does Cleary and JJ need to stick to one of them each?

I'd expect Bolton may even get a CBA or two if we are winning the midfield battle. The guy can play anywhere really.

JJ has the speed to go with him, I'm guessing he's the one who runs with him as Cleary hands-off opponents if they get too high but JJ gets dangerous in the same situation.

[mjp]

I'd expect Bolton may even get a CBA or two if we are winning the midfield battle. The guy can play anywhere really.

JJ has the speed to go with him, I'm guessing he's the one who runs with him as Cleary hands-off opponents if they get too high but JJ gets dangerous in the same situation.

I would say they will play Bolton high with a license to join in through the mids...we will drop into coverage behind the ball/hand him over to the mids...

If he comes out the front door unchecked I guess he's kicking to a 2v1 unless he's kicking a goal? He was at his best at Richmond when getting midfield time.

[Mofra]

I would say they will play Bolton high with a license to join in through the mids...we will drop into coverage behind the ball/hand him over to the mids...

If he comes out the front door unchecked I guess he's kicking to a 2v1 unless he's kicking a goal? He was at his best at Richmond when getting midfield time.

Young's availability may have a big say in that too. He was a favourite of mine to watch as a defender, just a really good football brain. No surprise they made him a mid and want to feed him outside ball every chance they get.

[Rusty12]

Frederick wants it on his terms - out the back, bruise free. He needs attention - only dangerous in space.

Bolton is a high quality player who can kick goals from nothing. 100% need to stay goal-side of him in contested ball situations...suggesting he hasn't fired a shot is very harsh - he gets it 20x per game and kicks a goal...I'd take that.

Where does Fredrick start? Like you said, he always end up, 2 hand balls from the contest, on the outside. Who is the right match-up, to not let him out the back, but punish him for cheating?

[Mantis]

Where does Fredrick start? Like you said, he always end up, 2 hand balls from the contest, on the outside. Who is the right match-up, to not let him out the back, but punish him for cheating?

Bramble?

[Axe Man]

Star Docker based in Melbourne ahead of crunch clash with Dogs

FREMANTLE star Luke Jackson will prepare for Sunday's elimination game against the Western Bulldogs from Victoria after personal circumstances saw him travel east with a coach this week.

Head of development Geoff Valentine has travelled with Jackson to support the important big man after the death of his partner Kelsey Browne's mother, Chris Browne, last week.

Jackson will link up with the Dockers' travelling team when they arrive on Friday, with coach Justin Longmuir confident the star midfielder/ruck would still be able to prepare well under the circumstances.

Longmuir said the personal situation overrode what would otherwise be best for the team after Browne's death following a battle with cancer left the Australian sporting community in mourning.

"He's been in contact with coaches, he's watched our reviews, and sometimes personal circumstances override team preference," Longmuir said on Wednesday.

"I'm confident that we'll be able to work our way around it and confident he can still perform and still prepare really well.

"We'll work our way through that and come Sunday, it won't be an issue at all."

Longmuir said he was excited about the challenge of taking on the Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium, with one more win required for the Dockers to lock in a finals spot.

He said the Dockers would focus in on what they have done through a 13-game period that's returned 11 wins, rather than "catastrophising" after a disappointing loss against Brisbane.

Sunday's clash is a virtual elimination final, with the winner guaranteed a finals spot. The loser will require Gold Coast to lose both its remaining matches against Port Adelaide and Essendon.

"Everyone wants to talk about failures and next week and what not, (but) we're focused on getting our 16th win," Longmuir said.

"The pressure's on them (the Bulldogs) as well, isn't it? They’ve won one less game than us, so the narrative around some of this stuff gets me a little bit.

"Last time I checked, we're on the same amount of wins as Collingwood who sit in fourth.

"Everyone's talking like we're going to miss the finals, but I've got full faith in this group to be able to go over there and get it done and play our way. I'm confident that our way is good enough."

Longmuir conceded the Dockers had not played well against the Lions and put pressure on themselves through missed opportunities, but the team review had highlighted it was not as "doom and gloom" as some suspected.

He said the importance of bringing teammates into the game and working together was the biggest lesson to come out of the game, with star recruit Shai Bolton one player who will look to lift against the Bulldogs.

"We'll keep working with Shai on what his best role is and where he can have the most impact," Longmuir said.

"It didn't work for him on the weekend, but if you look over the course of the season, his form's been solid. He leads us for score involvements (7.0 a game) and he's hit the scoreboard himself, so he's had a good season, and one poor game doesn't define him."

On selection, star midfielder Hayden Young is expected to return from a groin injury and will be assessed after main training on Wednesday before a decision is made on whether he can play a full game.

Longmuir was tight-lipped on how champion onballer Nat Fyfe would be used after impressing as the substitute last Friday night.

More change is possible, with skilful half-back Cooper Simpson a player who will be considered after a block of football in the WAFL following an AC joint injury.

"We'll probably need to make a bit of change from Friday night, but I like backing guys in that have performed well over a long period of time as well, so we'll just we'll find that balance," Longmuir said.

"There's a few guys at Peel that will come into consideration. He (Simpson) is one. Brandon Walker has been in good form for a while and he's another. So we'll weigh that up."

[Bornadog]

Sounds like a few changes at Freo, whereas we are pretty much settled with one possible change - ie Adz to come in if the MC thinks he is right to go

[mjp]

Young's availability may have a big say in that too. He was a favourite of mine to watch as a defender, just a really good football brain. No surprise they made him a mid and want to feed him outside ball every chance they get.

They were playing Young forward/mid + mid/forward earlier this year - even starting him in the goal-square.

I really don't know what they're gonna do with him tbh. Big risks with both him and Fyfe probably not up to playing full-games...

[Rocket Science]

Considering our relationship with expectation, is it a helpful development the talking heads have spent this week applying the last rites to Freo's season while talking like we've already won this?

I'm sure it's fine.

[mjp]

Considering our relationship with expectation, is it a helpful development the talking heads have spent this week applying the last rites to Freo's season while talking like we've already won this?

I'm sure it's fine.

The more I think about things Freo have passed test after test for the last 3-4 months (until last week). They were something like 12-3 after their start (only losing to Adelaide, Sydney and Brisbane since their 4-5 start)...meanwhile, it feels like we've failed every test apart from the Giants game. And maybe we just are a bad match-up for them?

I now think they are going to do enough to win and I can't shake that feeling...Then of course I think "well, Darcy could always kick 7 goals...." and I guess that's true. But I am undeniably worried and I dont think the odds I saw when I put my tips in today reflect the game in the slightest.

[Mantis]

The more I think about things Freo have passed test after test for the last 3-4 months (until last week). They were something like 12-3 after their start (only losing to Adelaide, Sydney and Brisbane since their 4-5 start)...meanwhile, it feels like we've failed every test apart from the Giants game. And maybe we just are a bad match-up for them?

Since we got both Bont & Darcy in the team after the mid season bye we’re 8-2 having lost to probably the best 2 teams going around in that time, Adel & Bris… we’re going ok too.

[MrMahatma]

Definitely not going to be 1 sided. Feels like the kind of match we’d drop… but that said we’ve been more resilient in game this season than previous. That Dees game we stepped into it.

I guess it’s just a case of playing a final early. And finals aren’t easy

[Bornadog]

The more I think about things Freo have passed test after test for the last 3-4 months (until last week). They were something like 12-3 after their start (only losing to Adelaide, Sydney and Brisbane since their 4-5 start)...meanwhile, it feels like we've failed every test apart from the Giants game. And maybe we just are a bad match-up for them?

I now think they are going to do enough to win and I can't shake that feeling...Then of course I think "well, Darcy could always kick 7 goals...." and I guess that's true. But I am undeniably worried and I dont think the odds I saw when I put my tips in today reflect the game in the slightest.

Freo have played Marvel once this year and lost to Saints by 61 points. We have had two loses in the last 15 games there.

[Sedat]

Since we got both Bont & Darcy in the team after the mid season bye we’re 8-2 having lost to probably the best 2 teams going around in that time, Adel & Bris… we’re going ok too.

Yep, it doesn't suit the bullshit media narrative but we've been the most honest team of anyone all season. I reckon we were putrid against Hawthorn (especially early) but still got to within 2 kicks in the last qtr - ditto against Adelaide. Everyone else in the competition except the Crows have had uncompetitive shockers.

We need to bring it on the weekend, but to be honest we have done so far all season. Nothing is guaranteed but I don't suddenly expect us to put in a non-competitive shocker.

Everyone is praising Longmuir for his combative presser yesterday - to me it reeked a little of panic, fear and even desperation. Freo have enough talent on the park to be ultra-competitive, and I don't think the players need any of that John Northey old-school type surface-level motivation from their coach this week. Chris Scott might be a smug bastard but he is always measured and methodical in his pressers, win or lose - he is plotting and planning for PF week and never gets lost in the moment. I reckon Bevo has also been very calm and measured this season, despite the many and varied difficult issues he has had to navigate in 2025.