Dockers confident of response after 'challenging week', won't wield selection axe

Justin Longmuir has backed the Dockers to bounce back from their poor performance against the Saints

Justin Longmuir speaks to his players during Fremantle's clash against St Kilda in round eight, 2025. Picture: Getty Images

FREMANTLE has taken responsibility across all areas of its football department for last Friday night's horror loss to St Kilda, with coach Justin Longmuir confident the Dockers will respond after a challenging week of soul searching.

The Dockers have faced fierce scrutiny as they prepare for a crunch game against Collingwood on Thursday night, with Longmuir revealing he had received 20-30 text messages of support after a week under the blowtorch.

The coach said he was not preparing to wield the axe at selection and had been proud of the way everyone at Fremantle had taken ownership for their role in one of the club's worst defeats, rather than pointing fingers.

"It's been a challenging week. Whenever you dish up a performance like that there's a bit of soul searching, clearly," Longmuir said on Wednesday.

"I've been really proud of the way everyone at the footy club's owned their part in it.

"What happens probably externally is the coach gets blamed for every poor performance, but realistically what happens internally is everyone takes ownership for their part in those performances.

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"As a player group, coaching group, assistant coaches, me, we've spread the burden of blame across the whole footy department for that performance on the weekend and owned our part."

Longmuir said he had felt great support this week, with vice-captain Caleb Serong revealing on Monday that he had messaged the coach to express his support and belief in the 44-year-old and the direction he was taking the team.

Longmuir said it was frustrating that players had to support him publicly and the team would "rather not be in this situation", but he was glad he had their backing.

He encouraged his 4-4 team not to read into external commentary and instead approach the week with consistency and calmness.

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"After a performance like that on the weekend we don't need to batten down, and after a good performance against Adelaide we don't need to go over the top and celebrate too much," Longmuir said.

"We just need to make sure we lean in on our processes and that's what I've done this week.

"The difference is I've had 20-30 text messages checking in to make sure I'm going all right, which I really appreciate. But I'm not sitting around reading external noise."

With the Dockers set to name their team on Wednesday afternoon, Longmuir said the match committee would not be making wholesale changes.

Big-bodied midfielder Neil Erasmus would be considered to replace injured star Hayden Young, while changes to a tall backline would be looked at.

Neil Erasmus in action during Fremantle's clash against Sydney in round two, 2025. Picture: Getty Images

Sean Darcy and Luke Jackson will continue as a ruck partnership after their first game together for the season.

"We can't get caught up in wielding the axe after a poor performance and everything being great after the Adelaide game," Longmuir said.

"We just need to calm down a little bit and make sure internally we're really consistent with our behaviours, really consistent with the way we approach things, and that in turn will help us become more consistent on the field."

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