Michael Walters said he placed more importance on Fremantle’s team effort than his six-goal performance after Freo ran out 21-point winners in an enthralling contest on Saturday at Optus Stadium.
Walters racked up 25 disposals, six marks, five intercepts, five inside 50s and four tackles to go with his bag of goals in a performance that will go down as one of the best in his career.
It comes on the back of kicking the game-winning scores in Freo’s previous two wins against Brisbane and Collingwood but Walters won’t be getting carried away with the all the praise heading his way.
“I’ve been saying that it is a team effort. Everyone can see my six goals an individual (achievement) but that’s for the fans and my family to enjoy,” Walters said.
“For me, I like the approach of the team. I can still count two or three goals that I kicked on the back end of Bradley Hill’s run or Andy Brayshaw’s tackles.
“If it wasn’t for them, or the team, there’s no way I kick six goals.”
Walters’ fifth goal came via some brilliance from the Hill brothers, who set him up on the lead.
He said he was thrilled to see Stephen Hill returning to play his first game of the 2019 season.
“(Their work ahead of the goal) was unreal. It’s good to have Stephen back and Bradley just does it every week, he runs non-stop,” Walters said.
“I hang out with those boys a fair bit and I know that every time they get it, all I have to do is make a little lead they’re going to hit me.
“It’s quite enjoyable and it’s good to have Stephen back in the team.”
The win has lifted Fremantle up to sixth in the AFL standings at the mid-point of round 13 with a 7-5 record.
But Freo face another challenge in an away trip back to the MCG to face Melbourne.
“It is going to be a big test, especially travelling to the ‘G,” Walters said.
“Melbourne aren’t in their best form but we know what they can do, we know what they’re capable of.
“They have a lot of quality players in their team that everyone seems to forget about.
“We need to make sure we’re on our toes and we can’t lapse mentally because they have some quality players and some quality leaders as well.”
