Fremantle Coach Justin Longmuir Fires Back at West Coast After Derby Win
Western Derby winner Justin Longmuir has taken a pointed jab at West Coast after the Eagles' banner cheekily targeted the Fremantle coach during the pre-match build-up. The banner referenced Longmuir's earlier pre-season comment that "there's no fun in my life", displaying the message: "Dockers Are Purple, Eagles Are Gold And Blue, We Have Fun In Our Lives, How About You?"
Longmuir's Response to the Banter
Fremantle ultimately got the last laugh with a commanding 56-point victory, marking their ninth win from the past ten derby encounters. When asked post-match if he appreciated the banter, Longmuir replied, "Not really, but I don't get too caught up in that." After an awkward pause, he added with a smirk, "I'm having fun now because we won. I hope they're having fun." The win improved Fremantle's impressive season record to 5-1, solidifying their strong start in the AFL competition.
Mason Cox's Debut Performance Assessed
Meanwhile, Longmuir provided a candid assessment of Mason Cox's debut for the Dockers, rating it as only "serviceable". The former Collingwood ruckman was handed his guernsey after Sean Darcy was sidelined with concussion the previous week. Cox, aged 35 and American-born, finished with modest stats: 13 hit-outs, three clearances, four disposals, two marks, and 0.1 from 59 percent game time.
Longmuir noted that Cox competed well but left several marks unclaimed, stating, "I think he'd be the first to admit that he probably left four to six or eight marks out there. He got his hands to a lot, but just didn't quite clunk them." Despite the numbers not setting the world on fire, Cox came close on multiple occasions to taking important contested marks in attack, which could have significantly boosted his performance.
Ruck Dynamics and Future Outlook
Luke Jackson served as Fremantle's primary ruckman during the match, delivering a standout performance with 29 hit-outs, 16 disposals, and a goal. This left Cox in a secondary role, raising questions about his future in the lineup. Sean Darcy has a chance to return for Saturday night's clash with Carlton in Perth, but even if he needs another week to recover, Longmuir has the option of playing Jackson as the sole ruckman, potentially sidelining Cox.
The coach's comments hint that Cox could face consequences for his series of dropped marks, emphasizing the competitive nature of Fremantle's selection process. As the Dockers continue their campaign, the ruck position remains a key area to watch, with Cox needing to improve his marking to secure a more permanent spot in the team.
