Freo’s comeback kings told: ‘No more mulligans’
Justin Chadwick |
Fremantle are the new comeback kings of the AFL, but coach Justin Longmuir doesn’t want any more mulligans as the club attempts to lock down a prized top-four berth.
The stakes will be high on Friday night when fourth-placed Fremantle (15-6) take on fifth-placed Brisbane (14-6-1) in front of more than 50,000 fans at Optus Stadium.
Adding extra drama to the occasion is the fact it could mark retiring great Nat Fyfe’s final game in front of the Purple Army, unless Fremantle secure a home final.
The Dockers have won 11 of their past 12 games to shoot into premiership contention.
Even more impressive has been their late comebacks, with Fremantle overcoming a three-quarter time deficit on five occasions this season – the most in a single campaign since West Coast achieved the feat on the way to the 2006 flag.
St Kilda, Hawthorn, Collingwood, Carlton and Port Adelaide have all been overrun by Fremantle over the past seven weeks.
The most recent effort was against the Power, with skipper Alex Pearce taking a huge pack mark and kicking a goal in the final minute to secure a thrilling six-point win.
Longmuir has been proud of the comebacks, but can’t help but feel concerned they were in that position in the first place.
Against Port last week, Fremantle kicked four goals to nil in the first quarter to have the game well in control, before conceding eight goals in the second term as Port ran riot.
It’s those sorts of lapses Longmuir knows will end up proving costly.
“We literally coughed up seven goals, which was half of their score, in 12 to 15 minutes of footy,” Longmuir said.
“We took the foot off the pedal, maybe got a little bit comfortable with the scoreboard.
“There was a period of the game, which went about 40 minutes, when we lost 10 clearances and conceded seven goals from their clearances.
“It’s a mulligan in some respect, but we want to be a more consistent team than that.”
With the way things are shaping up, one unlucky team could miss finals this year with 14.5 or 15 wins to their name.
There’s a chance it could be either Fremantle or Brisbane, depending on the result of Friday night’s blockbuster.
The Dockers take on the ninth-placed Bulldogs (13-8) at Marvel Stadium in the final round, and Brisbane face a tough battle against the seventh-placed Hawks (14-7) at the Gabba.
Fremantle are again without Hayden Young (adductor), but welcome back Corey Wagner from a heel injury at the expense of Isaiah Dudley (dropped).
Star Brisbane midfielder Lachie Neale (quad) will miss another two weeks, but experienced defenders Ryan Lester (concussion) and Brandon Starcevich (hamstring) will return against the Dockers.
Forward-ruck Sam Day and debutant Luke Beecken were also among the four inclusions, with Tom Doedee (knee soreness) and axed trio Will McLachlan, Henry Smith and Deven Robertson the players to go out following last week’s two-point loss to Sydney.
AAP
