“We’re here to win games, we’re here to be a great footy Club.”

Young Fremantle leader Andy Brayshaw is helping drive this mantra amongst Freo’s playing group, as the Club’s 2022 campaign kicked off with a one-point win over Adelaide on Sunday.

The performance was a combination of brilliance and frustration, as a third-quarter lapse saw Fremantle concede six unanswered goals to Adelaide, allowing the Crows to claw back from their deficit and take a 10-point lead into the final term.

Fremantle’s late charge, helped by Heath Chapman’s last line of defence heroics meant Freo opened their season with four premiership points in the bank.

While Brayshaw led the way in Freo’s engine room with 28 disposals, eight clearances, seven tackles, a game-high nine score involvements and 713 metres gained, there were a number of teammates that stood out to the young leader.

Speaking to ABC Radio moments after the final siren on Sunday, Brayshaw gave the following assessment on the performances of a number of his teammates.

JORDAN CLARK
One of Fremantle’s prime recruits over the recent trade period, Clark applied his attacking best off half-back, driving the football into Freo’s front half.

Clark led everyone on the ground with seven rebound 50s for the match, while also having 20 disposals, five intercepts and a game-high 716 metres gained.

The half-back also won an important contest on the wing, before streaming into Freo’s forward 50 to kick his first goal for the Club.

Brayshaw said Clark’s knowledge coming from a Geelong side who has enjoyed finals success in recent years, has been a valuable asset to the group.

“He knows what it is like to win and be a part of a winning culture,” Brayshaw said.

“It’s something really exciting that we wanted to bring more run into the Club and look for that over the off-season, and I think we have got a really good one in Jordy."

'We actually practiced that scenario yesterday.’
Serong charged by MRO
Chappy’s last line of defence

LLOYD MEEK
In the absence of Sean Darcy, Meek’s game became all the more pivotal against a strong Adelaide ruckman in Reilly O’Brien.

Meek came out on top in the hitout count 32-26, while also finishing with 13 disposals, six score involvements and three tackles.

Brayshaw believed his performance was a testament to the hard work applied by Meek over the pre-season training block.

“He has had a huge pre-season and has really been challenging Sean Darcy during our training sessions,” Brayshaw said.

“He is such a diligent preparer, he knew what he was coming up against with Reilly O’Brien and he really jumped into him hard and got some hits.

“Once he gets his hands on it a few times his confidence builds, and I thought he was really solid today.”

WILL BRODIE
Another of Fremantle’s additions over the off-season, Brodie further established himself as an important cog in Freo’s midfield.

Brodie collected 22 disposals, helping to create drive out of the middle for Freo with seven clearances, seven score involvements and five tackles.

Brayshaw said it was valuable to have the big-bodied contested player become a part of Freo’s midfield group in 2022.

“He has come in and just wanted to really learn and impose himself on the footy,” Brayshaw said.

“He has been a beast at training, earnt his spot in round one and he showed why today.

“He was really strong, and he is a big body that can hold his own in there.”

CALEB SERONG
Brayshaw’s partner in crime in the midfield led the way for Fremantle early in the piece, with nine first-quarter disposals to help his side get off to a productive start against the Crows.

Serong finished the day with 23 disposals, 29 pressure acts, seven score involvements and four inside 50s to his name.

“He’s another one that is super strong inside and super clean,” Brayshaw said.

“There were a few times where he crumbed it and just drew two or three guys, drove through the corridor and fed it off beautifully.

“He is a key part of our midfield and took another step forward today I think.”

And finally, Brayshaw breaks down where he felt the game was won and lost...

“Our first half was really solid, we were happy with the way we played and we probably could have been up by a few more goals if we executed,” Brayshaw said.

“I think it was won and lost in the contest, Adelaide came out in the second half and wanted it more around the ball and hit it harder and we were second to it. They were driving their legs and coming out the front and scoring heavily off that.

“We were challenged in the third quarter and probably let it slip, but we know we have trained really hard and practiced for moments like this and came back in the last.

“We’re here to win games, we’re here to be a great footy Club.”