Established 1998. From the most isolated city in the world. Avid footy watcher, food eater and storyteller. Sports scribe
@codesportsau
via
@TheWest
@GCBulletin
Asked myself why the loss of Jacinda Barclay was hitting hard. Simple answer. She mastered 3 sports, she helped build the AFLW and her personality was infectious. Yet she thought the world would somehow be better off without her. Check in with your mates. It’s okay to not be okay
With all fairness to Dustin Martin, I too would see Richmond vs St Kilda on a Sunday afternoon at Marvel Stadium in round 22 and think “fuck it.” Thanks for the memories
#4
On the AFL travel fiasco, interesting to note that the CBA says Eagles and Freo get min 12 business class seats. But the Virgin 737 planes they travel on contain eight. So it’s literally impossible for them to even meet the MINIMUM requirement. Give me a spell
#Vicbias
#avgeek
Male commentators in the mainstream media, this is your time to speak out. Why are we letting the minority speak for the majority? Daisy was judged by her peers as the best opinion/analysis commentator in the AFMA awards last year so we know you’re out there.
What Reece Conca could be doing right now: Sitting at home, eating junk food, watching TV
What he’s actually doing: Training in the pouring rain despite being told he’s not being offered a contract next year. True clubman
Honestly the most Fremantle thing to do would be to go and beat Sydney in Sydney without Alex Pearce then lose a winnable game on the run home to equal out the Dockery equilibrium. Shades of Melbourne’s 2022 17-game winning streak at the MCG about today.
Customer: Just one back page thanks
The West: Caricatures, puns, Harley Reid, dodgy photoshop, Simmo’s win/loss record, exclusives that aren’t really exclusives, maths equations after four games, more Harley Reid?
Customer: I just want a back page that reads like a back page
Caleb Serong will captain Fremantle this weekend against Richmond according to Andrew Brayshaw. Andy lost the toss against Sydney so he’s been demoted back to vice until his pre-game form improves (jks).
My first season with
@codeaflau
capped off at the
@WAFootballMedia
awards night. Stoked to win the Women’s Football Media award for the third year running and also the Jack Lee Best News Story. Yeah the girls! An absolute privilege to do what I do. Congrats to the other winners!
Honestly the most Fremantle thing to do would be to go and beat Sydney in Sydney without Alex Pearce then lose a winnable game on the run home to equal out the Dockery equilibrium. Shades of Melbourne’s 2022 17-game winning streak at the MCG about today.
Breaking: I can reveal Fremantle did use their second pick at the mid-season draft last night, recruiting Hayley Miller from
@freodockersAFLW
She hit the training track this morning and is expected to be up for selection this week.
They call it Dockery.
Fremantle has been notoriously inconsistent this year. They’ve taken it up to teams they shouldn’t but lost games they should.
Before round 16, Fremantle hadn’t beaten a top eight side in 2024. Nobody expected them to travel to the SCG, a venue the Swans
You know what sucks, the whole reason we got a
@eaglesaflw
vs
@Richmond_FC
AFLW fixture is so we could see the Hosking sisters go head-to-head. But Sarah has been ruled out of round one due to a hamstring/back complaint. Until I receive conflicting evidence, I'm starting a
Can we take a moment to appreciate the sacrifices these part-time players and staff are taking to head to Melbourne for almost a month given the current climate. Eagles already in the terminal but same goes to them. Go get ‘em
@freodockersAFLW
and
@eaglesaflw
“If someone had told me when I was 16/17 sitting in the hospital for 28-hour cycles of chemotherapy that I’d get the chance to play footy at the Fremantle Dockers, I’d say ‘you’re joking.' For me, the symbol of overcoming cancer was playing footy again.”
West Coast’s apparent media strategy: say something so outrageous that it detracts attention from a 70-point loss.
Tough to give players belief they can turn it around if you question why you have to play the AFLW benchmark.
“Media exposure extraordinary for something that’s not very good”
Nope. Still as mad as I was when I read his column. I'm so sick of people telling the athletes I have the honour of reporting on they're not enough. It's a privilege to tell their stories and if I don't who will?
Panellist
@StevePriceMedia
has come under fire over the weekend after he said ‘AFLW is not an elite sport’, but as the league enters its fifth season, why did he feel the need to critique it so publicly?
#TheProjectTV
That was one for the doubters.
Fremantle sent a loud message to its critics tonight - including the return of vintage Nat Fyfe and the arrival of Josh Treacy.
Devastating. If one knock is all it took to end his career, what does that mean for players with three or four concussions on their record? Individual safety is paramount but what a frightening time for footy.
Devastating news. As a colleague from afar, Sam was so generous with his time and always went out of his way to help. A ripping journalist and writer but even better bloke gone far too soon. Can't fathom what his family and friends are going through. RIP Sammy.
Leading Herald Sun sports journalist Sam Landsberger has died in a tragic accident in Richmond this morning.
Our thoughts are with his family and friends. ❤️
TRIBUTES:
We just witnessed a moment of individual brilliance at Freo match simulation. Jye Amiss with three or four efforts inside 50, trying to gather the ball under pressure, spilt it, won it back then snapped it from deep in the left forward pocket. Spectacular.
There’s every chance Fremantle wouldn’t have been in a winning position if it weren’t for Alex Pearce. If there are any critics remaining of his leadership, they best be silent.
Kiara Bowers
-Record 22 tackles in a game
-Led the competition in clearances and tackles
-Polled 10 coaches association votes in three straight losses
-Had a better season than when she won the W Award
No spot in the AA team
#AFLWAwards
My view on the way home from Adelaide this morning 🥺 The pride Perth should feel for
@freodockersAFLW
is immense, even in defeat. Forced into a hub, border date changed, without key players for large chunks of season and still finished three kicks away from a GF. Next year ⚓️
Penned some thoughts on the AFLW fixture. Safe to say it got a bit spicy.
It’s time to strive for more. It’s time for the competition to stop self-sabotaging at every turn and back in its own product.
Build it and they will come.
Unfortunately no real surprises but sounds like a suspected ACL for Oscar McDonald and a bad hamstring for Brennan Cox. Fingers crossed for both of them that scans suggest otherwise. And a speedy recovery for Karl Worner. Footy is cruel.
To put this into context, Nina’s gold medal winning jump of 4.90m is like clearing approximately 5.9% of the Bell Tower, 12% of Jacob’s Ladder or 100% of that weird green cactus statue thing in Forrest Place. Serious airtime.
So many people impacted by this announcement and my heart goes out to every single one of them. But from a sports journo POV, sending my thoughts to Freo, Eagles, Wildcats, Lynx and Perth Glory. All made a massive sacrifice to keep comps afloat. Unrewarded by our govt.
I’ve seen enough. If the Dockers are serious about injecting more spark up forward, then Simpson must stay in the team — not only this week but for the rest of the season
@codeaflau
Statement win for Fremantle. Aine Tighe is such a valuable focal point but putting the likes of Gabby Newton and Laura Pugh around her makes the forward line so dangerous. A victory forged on pressure and some awesome transition. Aish Mac and Mim Strom massive.
Too tall? Nat Fyfe, Josh Treacy and Matt Taberner combined for just two goals, one mark inside 50 and three tackles between them. St Kilda ran the ball out of defence with ease. At best, Freo's forwards slow. At worst, lazy even.
#AFLSaintsFreo
A record crowd of 2166 in the house at Mineral Resources Park tonight and you could absolutely feel it. Winning is a skill and incredibly brave of a young, inexperienced Eagles side to find a way. The Daisy effect looms large.
One for the Freo nuffies.
When Nat Fyfe speaks, people listen. So when he said that this was the most talented list he’d seen at Freo, it resonated. From 2015 to now, we deep dive into how the Dockers have built what they believe is a premiership list.
Really mature performance from Fremantle. The Dockers understood that momentum was futile and sat back, poised to pounce when it slipped away. Unlike earlier in the season, it wasn’t fatal.
The derby rivalry is so back.
Brisbane is an AFLW marvel. The way they have been able to regenerate year after year, outstanding. Home prelim, another GF one win away
#aflwcrowslions
Better late than never with the Rising Star nomination but Chapman is nowhere near the peak of his powers.
“As each game goes by, you feel a bit better. After each game, you take a bit of confidence and belief you can play at the level."
Contrary to popular belief, this was actually my face the moment they announced there would be a second AFLW season this year. Very honoured to take home the women’s football media award again last night. Yeah the girls!
Tom Emmett one of the stories of the draft for Fremantle. Was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer four years ago just before his 17th birthday. Made his SANFL debut this year and now he gets the perfect 21st present, becoming a Docker at pick 41.
No better place for a season launch than the heart of Fremantle (and right outside of Metros 😂). Fresh off a 56-point pre-season win,
@freodockersAFLW
intend to “push boundaries” this season and won’t put a ceiling on what they can achieve.
-Two dislocated knees
-An ACL, PCL and MCL
-Fractured fibula
-Posteromedial corner in one knee, posterolateral corner in the other
-Spinal injures
-Some staples to seal up a head wound
-One AFLW game and counting
Ann McMahon is one hell of a human
Was this Freo's best performance under Justin Longmuir?
The Dockers answered every criticism that’s been thrown at them in the past month. And they now have a template for how they can approach the second half of the season
@codeaflau
I wrote yesterday that Sam Sturt must stay in Freo’s best 22 for the rest of the year. But making his three goal performance even more impressive is the fact he faced a fitness test 20mins before bounce down when his knee flared up.
Full analysis ▶️
Not only is Freo's current playing list they most talented it’s assembled, it’s also the most dedicated. The Dockers currently have 11 players signed until 2027 and beyond, making them the second-most committed club in the AFL.
The art of building a list:
“It’s clear we have the capability to be a genuine force of the AFL – a superpower if you will. And no one, other than those who are part of the Freo family, will see us coming.”
Many expected Fremantle to try and lure out of contract key forward Logan McDonald home at the end of the year. But Josh Treacy’s breakout game against the Western Bulldogs could force a rethink of the Dockers’ trade strategy
@codeaflau
Campbell Chesser with two touches in three quarters of footy. Would mean Gaff gets a reprieve but Chesser looks in serious need of a long stretch in the WAFL to build some confidence
#AFLDogsEagles
Freo player balcony just yelled out to Eagles defender Jess Sedunary “your arms aren’t big enough for a long sleeve.” Bit in this rivalry 😂
#AFLWFreoEagles
A WA footy legend has quit his regular newspaper gig and hit out at the state’s obsession with Harley Reid after being stopped from publishing a column criticising the No.1
#AFLDraft
pick.
READ MORE:
✍️:
@gullanHeraldSun
Well at least the Foxtel subscription is going to get a good workout 😂 An absolute honour to represent WA on this year’s AFLW AA selection panel. I can’t wait to see how this season unfolds and play a small part in recognising some of the league’s best players at the W Awards.
Touched or not touched, no umpire in the history of Australian Rules football, at any grade, has ever reversed a decision. But Freo’s system stood up for four quarters.
She wouldn’t look out of place! But in all seriousness, Hayley has spent the whole week in
@freodockers
football department soaking up everything. Meetings, reviews, and now training. Great experience!
Thriving on field and beaming off it. Fyfe was one of the last players to emerge from the change rooms last night. Instead of being escorted to the carpark by security like other players, he went straight up to a group of patiently waiting fans for pics/autographs. Nat is back!
With Josh Draper set to miss a couple weeks with a minor hamstring, it opens the door for Hugh Davies to potentially make his debut against Richmond. Sam Switkowski is set to return but Jye Amiss still has a few boxes to tick before he gets the all clear
@codeaflau
A wet and wild session for the Dockers in week one of pre-season. 18 on track at the moment with Dana East, Tara Stribley and recruits Tunisha Kikoak and Ash Brazill running laps. I’ll definitely leave my car and get some decent footage soon 🤥
And with that, my time at
@TheWestSport
has come to an end. The last two years have been unreal and I can’t be more grateful to
@NickRynne
for giving me the chance to write for the paper I grew up reading. Grand finals, yarns and plenty of laughs…The West, you’ll be missed
If ever there was a night where Fremantle could be forgiven for a lacklustre performance, this was it. Only the Dockers know how they played through the grief of losing a close mate
@codeaflau
Hey Melbourne, bunch of determined
@freodockersAFLW
girls with unfinished business are coming for ya. Check out Saturday’s The West Australian for the full story.
The Matildas' journey at the Paris 2024™️ Olympic Games has now come to an end, with head coach Tony Gustavsson also ending his time with Football Australia following this Olympic cycle.
Can anyone on this platform tell me how Jake Waterman gets the back of his hair to flick up in a little tuft like that. Asking for a friend
#AFLEaglesDees
Justin Longmuir says that the Dockers are more concerned about Alex Pearce’s arm than his elbow but doctors didn’t find anything “clear cut.” It’s sore and Pearce was obviously worried about it as he came off but hopefully no structural damage.
If Sean Darcy is Fremantle’s most important player, then Will Brodie may just be the Dockers’ most underrated. My take on tonight's big win.
@codeaflau
Return of the anchor with an Indigenous twist. The Karli (Boomerang) and Ketj (spears) replace the home and away guernsey chevrons in a callback to the Dockers heritage. Very cool.
In 12 months, Freo's midfield has gone from being bullied, bruised and easy beats to boasting the best clearance differential in the competition.
And a big reason for that is Nat Fyfe.
The unspoken impact of Fyfe as Freo leap to his defence
@codeaflau
Sam Sturt kicks his third goal to get Fremantle back within two points. Re-sign that man!
"I’m not sure where I’m going to be next year or if Freo are going to offer me another contract but I’m happy with where everything is at with my personal game."
She’s “the best player I’ve coached.” She “could’ve been an Olympic runner.” She “still has another level to reach.” To everyone who’s witnessed Kiara Bowers’ rise, it’s no surprise she’s a favourite for the AFLW BnF tonight. Go Turbo!
@freodockersAFLW
Pat Voss gets on the board for
@peelthunder
in practice match against South Freo after absolutely ragdolling his opponent in a 1v1 contest. Came just minutes after a brutal don’t argue in the forward pocket.
Voice over: "Maddy Prespakis was a dominant force in the Bombers midfield this season."
And she was named in the All Australian *checks notes* forward line.
#AFLWAwards
I have it on very good authority Laura Pugh whipped out the recorder in the rooms after beating Collingwood for another rendition of the song. Can you confirm
@freodockersAFLW
After Collingwood assistant Jordan Roughead turned them down, Fremantle are now advertising their AFLW head coach role on seek. Embarrassing turn of events but gives many great coaches the chance to put their name forward.
Aine Tighe holding Frederick goalless in Cuthberton’s absence ✅
Jess Low restricting Molloy to two touches ✅
Hayley Miller’s season ✅
Premiership credentials ✅
Kiara Bowers only seven tackles ❌ 😂 (if I have to be picky)