The legendary football journalist has always been a fan of the three-time All Australian, ranking him as high as sixth in his annual top 50 players list back in 2011.
Sheahan’s favourite Fremantle players
But while Sandilands has struggled to stay healthy in the past two seasons, Sheahan said that, when the ruckman was playing, his importance to Freo was as obvious as his 211cm frame.
“The coach may say all 45 players are all equally important, but I say that’s crap,” he said.
“I think Sandilands’ Grand Final performance was outstanding, and that was off the back of 10 games with his injury.
“I think he’s got massive impact. In fact, he almost, to me, could be the most influential player of 2014.”
Sheahan was also a fan of Freo’s recruitment of experience in the off-season. The club added forward Scott Gumbleton from Essendon and midfielder Colin Sylvia from Melbourne.
“Gumbleton should be a good player, he’s been in the system for quite a while and this a make-or-break year for him,” he said.
Despite a quiet start in the intra-club match and NAB Challenge, Sheahan said Sylvia had undoubted potential and tipped him to thrive in his new environment.
“His best is very good, and in the Freo culture and under the Lyon coaching mantras, I think he could be the best pick up the club has had for a while,” he said.
Mike Sheahan on Ross Lyon
Sheahan said the club was perfectly placed to go one better in 2014 off the back of a maiden Grand Final appearance in 2013.
He said the pain and hurt of losing at the final hurdle would educate and fuel the players.
“I really like them this year,” he said.
“Last year they got stage fright. I’m in the minority, but I thought that Freo could have won it last year and yet they only played at 60 per cent of their capacity.
“When they had all the momentum in the third quarter, three goals in a row, the margin less than a goal, I actually thought they were going to win.
“But they’ll be better for that.”
What Sheahan thinks of the Purple Army
