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“Never let a good crisis go to waste.”
That Winston Churchill quote is one which should be plastered on the four walls of the Dockers’ Cockburn headquarters for the remainder of 2023.
Fremantle’s season hasn’t quite gone as planned.Credit: Getty Images
Yes, some will take exception to me linking this season to a crisis.
Others will agree. Whatever you choose is fine.
Occupying 15th place on the ladder following a semi-final appearance last year, with one of the best young lists at their disposal and with the club’s strategic plan outlining a maiden premiership by 2025, I think we can all agree it’s definitely been extremely underwhelming.
But has it completely come as a shock? And was it entirely unexpected?
Recent history and statistics predicted this very fall down the table.
Looking at average age and games experience alone, the Dockers were up against it, hitting a roadblock on the journey towards a flag.
At the start of 2022, the average age of the playing list was 25 with 82.9 games experience.
This dropped considerably to 23.9 years and 53.3 games this season with the departures of David Mundy, Rory Lobb, Blake Acres, Darcy Tucker, Griffin Logue and Lloyd Meek.
When you consider the teams which have lifted the cup in the past two decades have averages of 26.2 years and 126.7 games, this is actually something we should have forecast, rather than believe the Dockers would butter up in consecutive September campaigns.
Fremantle’s off-season list transformation has placed them further back in the premiership race with only Hawthorn (22.9 years average), Adelaide (23.7) and Essendon (23.8) fielding more inexperienced lists.
Acquiring the highly talented Luke Jackson was always going to come at a high cost.
That value is the Dockers’ first and second-round selections, currently picks 4 and 22, in the hands of Melbourne.
Not ideal.
But it’s now time to use the disappointment of 2023 as the springboard to catapult them back into contention.
And there are some positives.
Jackson has shown he and Sean Darcy can function in the same team.
They’ll be better off next year, so to will Fremantle’s fixture, given this year’s slide.
The 2021 draft recruits are already paying dividends.
Matthew Johnson has bounced back from a 2022 season written off by injury, showing he has the foundations to become a quality player, while Neil Erasmus outlined on the weekend what he is capable of when given greater responsibility in the midfield.
In only his second season and without completing a pre-season yet, Jye Amiss leads the club’s goalkicking.
For context, his return of 31 goals from 16 games is better going than Blues Coleman Medallist Harry McKay (26 goals, 17 games).
Amiss and Erasmus are two of 13 on the playing list who were first round draft picks.
It’s undeniable the talent is there, but the timing is not right for the now.
In recent weeks, Justin Longmuir has found himself coming under scrutiny over his game plan and whether it stacks up.
A style built off winning the midfield contest has come unstuck continually: the Dockers’ defence felt the impact, going from the second-best back unit to the fourth-worst with an average losing margin of seven goals in their five defeats post-bye.
Questions have been raised if Longmur has the ability to adjust in-game, identifying a plan B, C and D to negate the opposition.
With six games to go, the fourth-year coach must find out and have clarity heading into a massive off-season.
Does he have the right people in the right places, and if not, identify who is the right fit, and go about making it happen?
Experimentation in personnel and position should now take place.
Do Johnson and Erasmus get inside priority and exposure against top-rate midfields like Geelong, Brisbane and Port Adelaide in coming weeks?
Is Hayden Young worthy of another crack at centre bounces, as experimented against GWS last month?
With Darcy sidelined, is mature-age recruit Liam Reidy able to have an impact?
Is Sam Sturt worthy of another contract following his eight games this year, a career best?
Can Joel Hamling’s body hold up to the rigours of AFL week-in, week-out?
Fremantle’s performances have backed up what the statistics forecast in 2023.
It wasn’t meant to be, but there’s still time for everyone to take the opportunity for growth.
Next year must be the bounce-back season, showcasing out on the field the learnings from a lean campaign.
The dip has happened, now we await the response. It’s what they’ll be marked on.
And once this “crisis” is over at season’s end, another Churchill quote should be erected for 2024.
“Blood, toil, tears and sweat.”
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