Fremantle are set to start the season with one primary ruck in their line up despite having two good options in that position, according to Senior Coach Justin Longmuir.
Sean Darcy, the 2021 Doig Medallist, is the clear first-choice as ruck, with Longmuir stating he wants the emerging star to spend around 80 per cent of his time in the role with 20 per cent forward.
This means Lloyd Meek is likely to remain a backup option for now, despite his continued improvement and impressive performances in Fremantle’s practice games.
“It’s about team balance and we play Sean in the ruck for about 80 per cent of the time and we’re looking for someone to come in and fill the 20 percent of game time in the ruck,” Longmuir said.
“That player’s role has to be as a primary forward and we feel like Rory Lobb is that player for us at the moment. Things can change though, we feel like ‘Meeky’ has really improved over the past couple of pre-seasons and he’s really challenging those guys for game time.
“I’ve been really impressed with the way he’s rucked over the pre-season and he’s narrowed the gap on those two (Darcy and Lobb). It adds to our competition for spots, which we have all over the ground at the moment.”
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Speaking in a member Q&A during Fremantle’s 2022 Season Launch, Longmuir was also asked about Travis Colyer’s role, with one member suggesting the 30-year-old had the ability to rotate through the midfield.
“I can understand the question, we do play Travis on the wing quite a bit and we really like what he offers us up on the wing with his leadership, his speed and his kicking ability,” Longmuir said.
“We’ve probably got other mids ahead of him for the inside stuff but that doesn’t mean we won’t look at it down the track.”
While most of pre-season discussion has been around Fremantle’s starting 22 for round one, Longmuir was asked by one member about what he looks for in picking the medical sub as the 23rd player.
“I’d say versatility plays a big role in that - someone who can play probably midfield. The game is won or lost through the middle of the ground,” Longmuir said.
“If you can get some fresh energy on there through the middle of the ground, that’s a bonus late in games as the midfielders fatigue.
“For that to happen, you need options through the middle of the ground to be able to push players out onto the wing or push some of your mids to other areas of the ground if the injury doesn’t happen in that area. I’d say either flexibility or a midfielder is where we tend to lean.”
