Sam Sturt put together his best performance of 2023 against Brisbane on Sunday as he makes the most of the opportunity to play consistent football at AFL level.
 
The 2018 first round selection has struggled to play regular football since he was drafted, playing three games in 2020 and one in 2021 before his 10 AFL appearances so far this year.
 
He has kicked at least one goal in six of his past seven games but has also shone defensively, an area Senior Coach Justin Longmuir said the 189cm forward had to improve to break into the team last year.
 
In a game where Fremantle’s execution let the team down in a three-point loss to Brisbane, Longmuir praised Sturt’s ability to deliver in clutch moments. All three of his set shot goals came from more than 40 metres out, including his third from deep in the pocket to bring Freo within two points late in the second term.

He added that the 23-year-old had greatly improved his work rate in both offence and defence.
 
“I’m liking that he’s playing to his strengths more,” Longmuir said.
 
“I think we’re starting to see his speed more consistently on both sides of the ball.
 
“He had a great chase down on the far side, he had a great ground ball halve inside forward 50.
 
“He’s really worked hard on bringing the intensity to all parts of his game which is allowing him to be more involved in the game.
 
“Clearly his finish is (good). Games against top two sides are won on execution largely, today was, and he was able to execute. We didn’t have enough in that boat.”

Sturt admitted it was difficult when Longmuir told Sturt to work on his intensity as he found himself unable to play a game of AFL in 2022.
 
He said it was now an area of his game it was proud of.
 
“It was hard, but I think JL knows how to get the best out of me and to challenge me like that, he definitely did,” Sturt told ABC Grandstand.
 
“I worked hard in the pre-season and obviously last year I wasn’t defending the way I wanted or the way the Club wanted so it was just something I had a really big focus on going into this year and I was lucky enough to get a few games.
 
“It’s always nice to kick straight and tie off the work but the defensive stuff is something I’ve worked really hard on and I pride myself on that part of my game, so it was good to lay a few smothers and few tackles.”

Sturt said he wants to build his connection with Fremantle’s tall forwards for the remaining games of the season against West Coast, Port Adelaide and Hawthorn.
 
“Playing a few games together definitely helps with the chemistry,” Sturt said.
 
“I think we’re going pretty well now. Maybe earlier in the season we were lacking a bit of that but I think Jye Amiss and Josh Treacy down there, I work pretty closely with them.”

As consistent effort returns, Freo need the final piece
Freo goes down to Lions in a thriller
Justin Longmuir post-match Q&A v Lions