From Nat Fyfe’s 202-game’s played to date, round 18 against the Western Bulldogs may not stand out in the memory of Freo fans – but it certainly does in the mind of Justin Longmuir.
Fremantle were done and dusted in the Covid-impacted year and they limped to the line with a 30-point loss to the Bulldogs in Cairns.
But even with nothing on the line, Fyfe delivered a performance that Longmuir highlighted as proof the captain excels in the defensive system that has earned extensive praise so far this season.
Fyfe kicked two of Fremantle’s six goals for the day, to go with his 23 disposals and six clearances in the shortened 16-minute quarter format.
But he also led all players with 28 pressure acts in what Longmuir described as the complete offensive and defensive performance.
Fyfe also holds the Fremantle record, alongside Bailey Banfield, for the most pressure acts in a single game, racking up 41 last season against Sydney.
“I've got no doubt (Fyfe suits the system), he's become a lot more two-way in the way he operates over the last two years and his running patterns have grown to be exactly what we're after, in terms of the defensive pattens,” Longmuir told ABC Grandstand.
“He’s well renowned for being a ball hunter but he's been able to add the outside balance to his game and his ability to own the corridor.
“I've shown plenty of highlights of him doing those sorts of things to show what we're after from our midfielders. I'm really confident he can fit into the system and know it really well.
“There's a game, the last round of 2020, where he bought the most pressure I've ever seen from an AFL footballer to that game. I'm really confident he can come back and contribute in the way we want him to.”
The two-time Brownlow Medallist is on track to return from a back injury before the bye, and is set to provide Longmuir with a number of options.
But this also creates a headache for Longmuir to see who makes way from an in-form line-up.
“I've given it a lot of thought and I've probably decided to put it on the back burner and revisit it in two weeks,” Longmuir said.
“Nat and I had a good discussion during the week, and a lot can happen in a month of footy.
“We don't know how many injuries we might get in that time, or the form of certain lines or certain areas, but one thing I'm really confident in is that he can get back to his best and perform in whatever role we decide to play him in.
“We saw last year he could go forward and hit scoreboard, his stoppage work and clearance work is as good as anyone in the comp.
“He's one of the best players in the comp when he's up and going, so we're looking forward to having him back.”
Unfortunately for Longmuir, he has an even tougher decision to make relating to his backline ahead of Sunday’s clash against Gold Coast.
Griffin Logue is set to return from the Health and Safety Protocols for the game and has earnt coaches votes in two of his past three appearances.
But the versatile defender’s place in the team isn’t guaranteed with a reluctance to play three tall backs alongside Alex Pearce and Brennan Cox, who have also excelled this season.
The trio have all contributed to Freo’s league-leading defence, conceding the fewest points per game in 2022.
Freo conceded just 24 points against North Melbourne, the second lowest in a full-length game in Club history.
“It's a good question and one we're going to have to mull over, a bit like with Fyfe, but I've only got a couple of days with that one!” Longmuir said.
“We've played Griff, Cox, and Pearce all together, I can't say we're never going to do that. It might be a little bit horses for courses.
“We've got so much depth in our backline at the moment, it's a good problem to have, but trying to fit them all in, it's just not going to happen.”
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