Sam Switkowski hopes to be the perfect conduit between players and coaches as he embarks on his first season in an official leadership capacity at Fremantle.
The small forward missed the 2020 season and a further 10 games in 2021 due to injury, and in that time, he was encouraged by Fremantle’s coaching group to embrace his ability to analyse the game.
It means Switkowski is now able to walk into the office of Justin Longmuir or Jaymie Graham to talk strategy.
“When I was injured, I found a good way to get through my own challenges was to assist other guys and help the team as a whole, even when I wasn’t out on the field,” Switkowski said.
“A part of that has been speaking to the coaches about our game plan and reviewing our games each week. I think that’s grown over time.
“I would think they would almost get a little bit annoyed as I walk into their office a bit too much with ideas for stoppages and game plan! They’re always encouraging it.
“I’m pretty analytical so I analyse the game and critique it really specifically. Any ideas I always go to them (but) they don’t always come through. They’re usually more attacking game plan ideas and JL is probably more on the defensive side.
“It provides balance and it challenges me, which is good.”
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Switkowski also wants to be a voice for the forward line in leadership group meetings.
“We didn’t have a forward in the leadership group last year, so being a voice for those guys and bringing that perspective is going to be important,” Switkowski said.
“I’ve got really good relationships with the majority of the players at the Club, so it’s being someone they can speak to and raise any concerns with someone they can trust. They’re the main ways that I’ll be able to impact.”
Switkowski joins fellow 2017 draftee Andrew Brayshaw in the leadership group, however the pair arrived at opposite ends of the draft, with Brayshaw at no.2 and Switkowski at no.73.
He was also a mature aged draftee at 21-years-old when drafted, with Fremantle taking a punt on the Box Hill product.
“I haven’t reflected back that far (to the draft) but it’s been a journey and I’m coming into my sixth season now and it’s gone pretty quickly,” Switkowski said.
“If I think about it, I’ve come from a long way back and came into a very different environment to what it is now.
“I’ve got the perspective of a few different environments and it’s certainly going to help with where we are now.”
Switkowski raved about his draft mate in Brayshaw, who has grown ‘crazy fast’ since his arrival and rising to win the AFLPA MVP in 2022.
“Everyone knew the potential was there, but it doesn’t just happen,” Switkowski said.
“He’s put in the hard work and his game has grown crazy fast. We saw last year with the accolades he gained.
“He’s one of the best guys to go out there and play with, he’s courageous, works both ways forward and back.
“He was one of the first guys I met when I got drafted and we hopped on the plane to come to Perth. It’s quite interesting reflecting back that far.”
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