An impressive start to pre-season is giving key forward Josh Treacy the best opportunity to lock in a spot in Fremantle’s starting 22, according to Senior Coach Justin Longmuir.
Longmuir is buoyant about Fremantle’s forward depth heading into 2023, with natural growth and off-season additions looking to make a much-improved attack in 2022 even more potent.
A rookie draftee in 2020, Longmuir said Treacy was almost a victim of his own maturity, with the 20-year-old already expected to meet high expectations.
“One of the guys that started the preseason really well and returned from Christmas is Josh Treacy,” Longmuir told SEN WA.
“Sometimes we forget how young is, he only just turned 20. He probably plays a bit more maturely and we think he's a little bit older even internally.
“He's really improved his fitness and he's creating some really good opportunities for himself and his teammates at training. He's the one that looks like he's taking another step.”
Treacy is one of 12 players that Longmuir sees in a battle for six spots up front this pre-season.
“There’s probably 11 or 12 guys that are trying to fight it out for about four to six positions,” Longmuir said.
“It’s going to be a good competition over the next three or four weeks.”
Longmuir also hopes to see a fully fit Matt Taberner have an impact this season.
Taberner kicked 23 goals from 13 games in 2022 and was subbed off due to injury in three of his games.
“We have high expectations to have Tabs out there more than we did last year,” Longmuir said.
“He's a lot further ahead in his program than he was this time last year.
“He's going get a lot more minutes building this preseason which will set him up.”
Fremantle are aiming to take their forward half pressure to another level, behind the likes of Lachie Schultz, Sam Switkowski, Michael Frederick, Michael Walters and new draftee Tom Emmett.
“We’ll continue to build on our small stocks but there will be great competition for spots with our small forwards,” Longmuir said.
“We’ve brought in a couple with Tom Emmett being a mature aged recruit.
“He’s fit in really well and we want to really maintain the pressure we put on the opposition small defenders when the ball hits the deck.”
