How even ping-pong brings out the beast in Freo forward
Justin Chadwick |
To rival players he’s a pest, to teammates he’s a danger even when playing ping-pong – welcome to the life of Fremantle’s “Prancing Pony”.
At just 22 years of age and with only 26 AFL games under his belt, Dockers forward Patrick Voss is already one of the league’s biggest cult heroes.
His energetic and jubilant goal celebrations earned Voss that unique “Prancing Pony” nickname, and fans can’t get enough of the way he puffs out his chest after pummelling an opponent.
The AFL has become accustomed over the years to pesky small forwards.
Fremantle had Hayden Ballantyne, and in more recent times it’s been the likes of Sydney’s Tom Papley, Giants captain Toby Greene and Hawthorn’s Jack Ginnivan who love to ruffle feathers.
But a big, bustling spearhead doing the same thing? Dockers fans have been loving every second of it.
The sight of Voss shoving an opponent after taking a strong mark on them is always a sure-fire way to start a melee.
Shushing crowds on enemy territory is another way Voss likes to get the juices flowing.
So how did a guy delisted by Essendon in 2023 become an AFL star just two years later?
And why did he get delisted by Essendon in the first place?
More on that later.
First, let’s get an insight into what Voss is like behind closed doors.
Yes, he’s a brute on the field, but surely a friendly game of ping-pong with teammates will bring out the Zen in Voss?
“We played ping-pong today … he was going to throw bats around and was pushing blokes,” Dockers defender Luke Ryan says with a laugh.
“He’s not the best table tennis player around, but he definitely has a go. It’s good fun.
“He’s one of the blokes you want on your team. You don’t want to be playing against him, because he’s that firestarter.”
Ryan revealed Voss can bench-press 152.5kg, with only ruckman Liam Reidy (155kg) beating that mark at Fremantle.
To put it into context, Ryan reckons an average AFL player might bench about 110-120kg.
In other words, Voss is a beast, and it’s not just being genetically blessed that is earning him the rewards.
“He’s changed a lot from last year to this year. He hasn’t had a beer this whole season,” Ryan says.
“He’s strong. The energy he’s bringing to training, to games, to meetings – it’s just so different from last year. And he’s reaping the rewards.”
Voss didn’t earn an AFL call-up in his two years on Essendon’s list, and Bombers fans were left shocked when the key forward was delisted shortly after winning the club’s VFL best and fairest award in 2023.
That year, there was no shortage of key marking options in Essendon’s forward line.
Kyle Langford topped the club’s AFL goalkicking charts with 51 goals.
Jake Stringer booted 21, Peter Wright 19, and Sam Weideman 15.
Coach Brad Scott, who had been there for a year, simply didn’t envisage there would be room for Voss to flourish.
Hindsight can be cruel, and the Bombers are no doubt still kicking themselves for their decision to let Voss go.
Voss didn’t let the setback crush his dream.
He trained with Fremantle in early 2024 and earned a spot on the list via the pre-season supplemental selection period.
Voss kicked a wayward 7.11 across seven AFL games in his first season, but his potential was clear.
He had 2.7 to his name after three games this season, before fixing his goalkicking technique.
Since then, he has exploded with 32.16, including 6.1 in a famous one-point win over Collingwood at the MCG.
Something that has stood out to Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir is Voss’s extreme work ethic.
“I was joking the other day with (assistant coach) Jaymie Graham about how many kicks he’s kicked at Vossy since he’s got to the club – it would have to be over 10,000,” Longmuir says.
“He knows when to be serious, he knows when to have a bit of fun and bring that energy.
“Every day he’s getting balls kicked into his hands, trying to work on his craft. He just wants to be the best footballer he can be.”
Sometimes Voss celebrates so hard he hurts his teammates – as evidenced when he accidentally poked Josh Treacy in the eye.
Defender Jordan Clark loves the energy Voss brings, and he’s glad he doesn’t have to play against the hulking forward.
“It’s a cult following from Freo fans, and I think he’s the world’s biggest pest to any other club in the AFL,” Clark says.
“But you know, we love playing with him. He’s just a barometer for us in and around the club, not just on the oval.
“He works harder than anyone. He’s always so positive.”
Treacy was dubbed the “alpha male” of Fremantle’s forward line last year by Hawthorn great Dermott Brereton.
Has Voss taken over that mantle?
“I’d still say it’s JT’s forward line,” Ryan says.
“But if you go on just brute strength, it’d be Vossy.
“Maybe you can make a case for Jye Amiss’s forward line, Now that Shai Bolton’s there, he’s probably saying it’s his forward line. So who knows? I’ll leave it up to them.”
No matter who the alpha male is, you can bet your bottom dollar all eyes will be on Voss and his galloping goal celebrations when Fremantle host Gold Coast in Saturday night’s elimination final at Optus Stadium.
AAP
