A Gritty Victory and a Growing Maturity
Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir believes the recent victory over Adelaide was more about determination than strategy. “We probably held on not through system and method, we held on through desperation,” he said after a hard-fought two-point win away from home.
The Dockers secured their third win in four games during a thrilling match that Longmuir described as a sign of increasing maturity within the club. The team was leading comfortably at Adelaide Oval, with a 34-point advantage just 10 minutes into the third quarter.
However, the Crows staged a remarkable comeback, kicking seven consecutive goals to take a seven-point lead midway through the final quarter. Despite this, the Dockers managed to score the last two goals of the game, securing an 11.12 (78) to 11.10 (76) victory. This win came after a 10-point loss in Geelong in round one, where the team had struggled against a strong opposition.
“We had a similar situation – an opposition team coming at us, crowd getting involved in the game – and I just thought we played really safe against Geelong,” Longmuir reflected. “There were opportunities to really drive the game but we just played too safe and it just plays into the opposition’s hands.”
He added, “So I thought we were better at it (against Adelaide). It’s not a finished product … but we had some moments where we could have just succumbed and kicked it long but we actually really drove and the game opened up for us. It was a step forward in that sense.”
Longmuir highlighted that the club’s strong start to the season has been a confidence booster. “You try and look for improvements over the off-season, you go to work on a few of those things,” he said. “And it’s good to get some reward early in the season.”
He continued, “It gives players confidence that what you have been working on is coming to fruition. Players are really clear that we have got some things to work on in our game in terms of consistency.”
Despite the challenges, Longmuir emphasized the team’s belief in their approach. “But there’s a real strong belief in what we do. And when we get it right, when we get the game on our terms, we’re pretty hard to stop.”
