Transcript generated automatically by AI and may contain errors.
Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
I'm Gerard Waitley. Here's a snapshot of Tuesday, June 2. Luke Hodge assessed Fremantle's credentials as Premiership favourites.
How I saw them play on Saturday afternoon was exactly that.
Chapter 2: What insights does Luke Hodge provide on Fremantle's Premiership credentials?
It was classy, it was clinical. Every player to a man knew exactly what they had to do and they could have been overruled. You're going across to a venue that you've not won since 2016. You're up and about. The Lions have got a lot of injuries, but you couldn't tell that from the way they played. And it was just a class performance from them.
What most appeals to you about the Fremantle set-up in 2026 and beyond? Because this is really the start of things for this team.
What I do like is there's a balanced lineup through the whole field. And you sort of look through and go, the last part for me was getting their forwards to be consistent. I think that was big. Because you sort of look at them and you had the Tracy, you had the Amish, you had the Voss. But they were all really young. It looks like over the last 12 to 18 months, they've really come of age.
And a part of that probably could have been playing finals for the first time and losing a final that they probably should have won, realizing that you can't take it for granted. It can go just as fast as it comes. If not, it can go quicker. So what I have liked with that and the fact that those three guys all, I think they kicked 10 goals between them on the weekend.
Tracy and Amos had four apiece and Voss had three or might have been the other way around. But what I did see is they worked in connection. There was a bit of play where Tracy took a mark in the forward line. All of a sudden he's taken a mark on one back flank and then he does a chase down tackle on the other back flank all in the space of five minutes.
which shows me that, yes, they know what they have to do in front of the football, but they also know where they have to go to link up and to be there as an offensive threat, but also as a defensive threat when it's needed. And the other thing that we're forgetting from the weekend was two of their three main midfielders were out.
You still had Sorong, who has been their class midfielder for the last six, seven years, and also Young, who's that little bit of X factor with that left foot. That was the other part. They've still got to squeeze into that side, which is going to be tough considering every person to a man was exceptional.
There's probably one part that I do have a little bit of a question mark over, and we saw it against Hawthorne a couple of weeks ago on a Thursday night. It was when they had Ryan playing fullback on Gunston.
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Chapter 3: How does Fremantle's performance reflect their team dynamics in 2026?
We're trying to play him back shoulder. Gunston had, I think it was five in the first half, and we thought the way they moved the ball, they opened Freo up. But as a good coaching staff and as good players that have hit a mature stage, they were able to change things in game. They realised that Hawthorne wanted to switch the ball and keep ball in motion in that back half.
So they got the likes of Dudley and Vos just to squeeze up into the corridor, which stopped the switch, which made Hawthorne go long down the line. And they were flexible enough in the back half to be able to put Cox onto Gunston. And then Cox went and played in front of Gunston, which took away his leading, which we've all spoken about what he's been so good at. over the last two years.
So what showed me there was they were opened up in the first half, but they had the maturity, the understanding, and the coach was able to make a few changes and the players were able to listen, which shows to me that that's what you need in big games, but it also shows to me that's what you need in finals, which they learnt from last year. And Hodgie nominated the leading captain so far in 2026.
And the two that I've narrowed it down to is Pierce because of what we spoke about a lot, what the coach talks about, the captain just oozes the exact same. If you go and talk to Pierce in a two-team town, which all the supporters are up and about, you don't know if they're winning or losing. And I think that's crucial in a two-team town that
The supporters are going absolutely ballistic that they're on a run of games that they've not had in their career so far, in their history so far. But Howie's been able to lead that side as well. He's calm. He'll have an impact. He's happy to do the selfless role and go and play his, but will stand up when he needs to.
And if you talk to the players at the Fremantle, the impact that he has that doesn't get pushed out of other captains, but he's so stable down there, I think that's what is crucial for a team right now coming into uncharted territory. Waters, considering they're in a better position than what they've been in in 2013 and obviously early 05-06.
And then the number one captain I've got at this stage is the Bont.
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Chapter 4: What challenges does Fremantle face with their young forward lineup?
And I know he's always in the top two or three every year, but you sort of look through the injury that he's had that he's been playing on one leg, how he's been able to push through that. No excuses. I'm there to do a role for my team. how they've been able to get over close games.
And that has got a lot to do with the leaders not going outside himself, being able to be calm situations, directing the players in that. And then also he's just performance. As I said, doing it on one leg, averaging 27, goal and a half a game. He's the main reason why they've been able to get over in a lot of those close games. So they're my five.
And I totally understand people out there are throwing up. Why not Anderson? Understand that. Greens stepped up and kicked some goals. This is as tough a year to try and put in that top five, barring probably the top couple.
Sam Edmund with the latest on the vacant coach landscape.
Three clubs, three very different clubs, three very different processes. And I hope for their sake anyway, three different sets of candidates. But of course, there will be some overlap here. Carlton, Essendon and the Tasmania Devils.
Now, could you start with Tasmania for us?
Yeah, well, they're interesting, aren't they? Because they are completely unrushed down in Tasmania. And they've said this many times, and they said it again this morning. They won't be hurried. Their timeline is their timeline. It's a unique timeline for a unique job. Now, they've got a fair way to go down there, I think, too, is my understanding. They're nowhere close.
The Devils did announce their coaching criteria, well, seemingly a long time ago now. I think, and I suspect maybe just have something else to talk about apart from the stadium. Yes. And that involves an element of spruiking, doesn't it? Statewide engagement and an ability to unite a state and a new fan base. A passionate one, we suspect, but one that needs to be brought in.
So, look, Ken Inkley's been spoken to, as we know, but those talks were obviously about advising, about consulting, about really designing a program for... for a club from the ground up, something that he's been familiar with, as opposed to coaching itself. Nathan Buckley, we don't need to talk about, of course, remains a leading contender.
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