Freo won't be a proper contender until they become more consistent - and it all starts with coach Longmuir (2024)

Ah, the highs and lows of being a Freo supporter.

One week a 92-point win over the Dees and two weeks later a 60-point loss to the Dogs – it’s almost inconceivable that this was the same team, but it was.

Whilst I’m sure Bulldogs fans would suggest their own side is up there, the last two weeks have proven Freo are the most inconsistent and frustrating team in the league.

What is most frustrating is this team has the list to contend.

In Caleb Serong, Andrew Brayshaw and Hayden Young it has a midfield brigade that’s the envy of the competition – clearance beasts like Serong getting it out to excellent kickers like Young. But it’s a midfield group that looks like world beaters one week, and B graders the next (except for Serong, who is a genuine Brownlow chance he’s that good).

They also have a backline that’s as good as any with Alex Pearce, Luke Ryan and Jordan Clark all in the All-Australian discussion.

Even the forward line, long their Achilles heel has shown significant improvement, with Josh Treacy looking like the spearhead they’ve long desired since Pavlich retired and Jye Amiss also developing, with Micheal Frederick and Bailey Banfield also looking likeable contributors.

The issue with Freo simply isn’t the list – it’s the mentality, and it’s a weak one.

Justin Longmuir stated after the Bulldogs game that he couldn’t “put his finger on what happened” but I think that highlights the problem – Longmuir seems like a lovely guy and a solid tactician, but he doesn’t seem to have a shred of authoritarianism in him.

Put simply, if Chris Scott, Damian Hardwick or heck even Ross Lyon’s team put in a showing like they did against the Bulldogs, those guys wouldn’t hesitate in tearing shreds off their team for such a gutless display.

Particularly after a 90-point win and a bye, it’s obvious Longmuir’s laissez-faire style breeds complacency amongst the group the minute they are praised or have success, and Longmuir has to take responsibility for this.

This team seriously lacks the leadership that rises when the pressure stakes are up.

Why do Fremantle always underperform on Friday night fixtures? Or when (like Saturday) there is a spot in the top four up for grabs?

This is a team that doesn’t have a competitive edge and lacks the hunger needed to compete with the best sides.

I look at Collingwood, coming back from 54 points down and ask the question if the Dockers would do the same, the answer is a resounding no. Rewarding mediocrity breeds more mediocrity.

The treatment of Will Brodie is just one example of how wrong this club has it. Here is a guy who led the team to a semi-final in 2022, but the following season was replaced by an ageing Jaeger O’Meara and a fit Nat Fyfe.

Both have underperformed but Longmuir refuses to make the tough call to drop them and bring back Brodie, who is dominating in WAFL.

This refusal to make tough calls, like dropping O’Meara or Fyfe or Micheal Walters for younger players is one of my major issues with Longmuir. He just doesn’t have the edge other coaches have.

Then we have the Sean Darcy – Luke Jackson conundrum. I’m a supporter of the dual ruck system, but clearly this season Darcy is not fit, so he needs to go back to the WAFL and actually earn selection.

Jackson has played his best footy this year as a solo ruck, so just let him go until the point where Darcy can convince us all he’s back to his best.

I’m not of the same opinion as Kane Cornes who believes it definitely can’t work, but it surely can’t work whilst Darcy is running at 75%

The frustration for me, and many Freo fans, is this is actually a list that could contend for the club’s first premiership.

Fyfe was quoted as saying he believes this list is more talented than the 2013 Grand Final list coached by Lyon.

The difference it seems, however, is where that side held a ‘anywhere anytime’ attitude that saw them go down and win a final in Geelong, this side seems to be full of prima donna, downhill skier types, that only perform when the pressure is off.

I fully expect them to comfortably account for a Gold Coast team this weekend that’s terrible on the road, but that will tell us absolutely nothing about this time.

The pressure will be off, they’ll win this game then head over to Sydney and get absolutely thumped.

It’s utterly predictable and utterly uninspiring, and right now I see a coach that doesn’t have enough verve or character to actually take this team to a premiership. Seems a lovely bloke, but he isn’t a winner.

I also look at the club hierarchy and see a bunch of good people, but there are no winners there, there’s no ruthlessness and there’s no old-school hunger.

Time for Freo to show their fans whether they actually mean business, or whether they are going to consistently be nice guys that play ok footy, but fall apart whenever there’s any actual expectation or pressure upon them.