Fremantle's first win here since 2015, how did you see it?
It was probably just making sure that our players were really confident going into the game. A lot has been made of our home form and our away form and we didn’t want our players to buy into that and if we came out of the day and look each other in the eye and said we all played our roles and played our way, whether we get beaten or not was irrelevant and I thought we did that. Our second half we started making the most of some of the good work we were doing up the ground and I was really pleased with the players were able to adapt in game.
Were you just giving it up too easily in the first half?
Absolutely. We spoke about that at half time I thought, in particular, some of our forwards were standing still which was clogging up space for our deeper talls to lead and then when we were kicking it in long we were often kicking it in to three-on-threes which is not the way we want to play. We don’t mind going long to a contest but we were low on connect, I think we took eleven marks inside 50 in the second half which was a big turnaround and that translated on the scoreboard.
Were you surprised with the slow-ish pace of the first half?
Not really, I think both teams were really strong at the contest. They bring numbers up around the ball. I just thought it was a really contested game. I thought late in the second quarter they started getting up in the contest and started getting looks goalside which they can do and in the third quarter it just opened up. I thought we started moving the ball a lot better and started connecting forward of centre and that was good for us.
What really clicked in that last ten-minute patch?
Probably the connection piece. I thought up until half time, especially our centre bounce work… they just got on top and they were able to get field position. We fixed that up and we started winning the contest in the last quarter and the centre bounce helped. In the second half we connected and hit our shots and I thought we defended a bit better through that period as well. I think the Schultz goal came from a repeat look inside 50 and largely our defence let us down when we didn’t get the contest right. It was one of those things where a lot of things went right and when we kick straight, it was a bit like the second half of the first quarter last week, we just got our game to click and everything went right. We always knew that, if we just kept on playing our way we’d get a good look, at times we probably didn’t make the most of those looks in the first half and for a patch there with ten minutes we kicked four goals and put a space in it, so I was really proud.
Can I ask about Mundy’s influence on this young group?
He is a wise, calm head. When things are moving quickly he is able to steady us and move at a slower pace. The way he is invested off the field in our young players and what we’re trying to do, he has become like a second coach/ mentor for our younger players. I’m just proud that he’s been able to perform the way he has on the field because that complements what he is doing off the field. He is a leader in the truest sense. He and Fyfey are doing a great job with the younger mids through there and they’re paving the way for them.
You’ve spent time in Melbourne, if Mundy was a Melbourne based player, he’d be one of the all-time greats, any thoughts on that?
That happens. We’re a long way away in Perth, I think our supporters understand that he’s been a very good player for a very long time. The rest of the competition’s catching up now.
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What does the spontaneity of Frederick give to your side?
I think we’ve got a good mix of tall players who gives us a strong contest down there and speed now, I thought Trav Colyer earlier was really good with bringing his speed, but Freddy just makes something happen and he just plays with freedom. That’s what I love about him. Probably early days he didn’t hold structure as well as we wanted, and he had a few things to work on with a few of his running patterns but he’s getting that, he’s working on it and now we’re starting to see his strengths coming forth. His speed is electric, he’s starting to use the ball really well and he’s starting to add a different dynamic to our forward line for sure.
You’ve got an abundance in who you’ve got to play forward and back because you have better numbers now?
Yes, I think that was one of the bonuses out of the team we picked today, Griffin Logue was able to come in I thought he was a little bit shaky early on Walker, but I thought by the end of the game he got on top in that contest and that just allowed us to free Luke Ryan up to play his normal role. I thought he did a great job at not only nullifying McAdam but launching some plays from our D50, so it was a better-balanced backline which probably allowed Brennan Cox to a play mid role a little bit more and become a bit more of an aerial threat as well. Down forward we’ve got a good mix of height, leading players and speed so we’ll build on what we did today. There are still a few guys working their way back into AFL fitness and form, but I think it’s a good platform to build off.
This is a critical step along the way to be considered a contender for the eight, what else is there in the building blocks for you?
I think every team is in the same boat just trying to get better each week, we’ve got plenty of areas in our game that we need to get better at. I think what you said about the first half was a testament to that, so we need to become more consistent, but I thought the last two weeks have been a step forward for all our players trying to execute their role for the team, no one going outside of that. When you’ve got players with real clarity on their role and willing to execute their role, it gives you a real platform to improve off.
Just the one injury?
Yes, Cerra looks like he’s got a pretty low-grade ankle sprain, so we’ll get him back to Perth and scan it. Looks like it’s a pretty good scenario.