Former Fremantle captain Nat Fyfe has given under-fire AFL coach Justin Longmuir his vote of confidence in an “off the record” comment that has made it to air.
With his consent, 7NEWS Perth broadcast off-air remarks from the dual Brownlow medallist that substantiated Longmuir’s standing within the playing group.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Nat Fyfe backs Justin Longmuir as the man to lead Fremantle.
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The Dockers finished fifth on the AFL ladder in 2022, just half a win short of equal second, in what looked like the perfect launch pad for a period of sustained success, following six years of bottom-10 finishes.
But it all came crashing down again in 2023, stooping back to 14th with just 10 wins.
That’s not bothering Fyfe, though, whose confidence in Longmuir hasn’t wavered.
“The other teams would be wanting us to change coach, I reckon, because you have to almost reset again,” he told Ryan Daniels.
“If you can just stick it out; good coach, good organisation over the long term.”
Daniels said that part of the chat wasn’t even meant to go to air.
“His comments on Longmuir were actually recorded pre-interview, while setting up — so technically off the record. Checked he was ok for it to be aired before using,” Daniels wrote.
“His genuine unfiltered belief on the coach. Feel like that adds a layer.”
Fyfe, 32, has battled to get back to his best for over three seasons now, during which time he has missed 38 games due to back, foot and shoulder injuries.
But now, for the first time in three years, his body isn’t holding him back.
“I’ve had a great run, pre-season wise, with continuity, which is the magic ingredient at any time, but particularly once you get older,” Fyfe said.
“I haven’t really missed a session, I’m backing up from sessions really well — and then I can stop worrying about my body and start worrying about my craft and how I interact with the other players and how we mesh. At this stage, everything’s going well.
“I’ve got a bit more confidence about my body, I’ve got some confidence about where I fit into this side and working closely with the other midfielders again, and with (midfield coach) Joel Corey, working with ‘JL’ (Longmuir) as to how I can get back up close to my potential.
“And then from there we can start to hopefully get greedy and play me in different positions and evolve my game.”
In the absence of Fyfe in recent years, Fremantle’s next generation of midfielders, led by Andrew Brayshaw and Caleb Serong, have taken the keys to the engine room and established themselves as stars in their own right.
For that reason, Longmuir opted to trial the 192cm explosive beast primarily as a forward when he was available in 2023, having been only a pinch-hitter in the front half for most of his career.
It didn’t exactly go to plan; Fyfe kicking just three goals from nine games last season.
“I think, really, it was my body,” Fyfe explained, when asked why he thought it didn’t work.
“I never had a chance to give the coaches my best as a forward because I had no confidence in what my body was going to do, I could never really train multiple weeks in a row, play a string of games coming back from a back injury where I just didn’t have proper function of my lower body and I didn’t really know where my legs were in space.
“Everything is compounded when you’re playing in a new role; you just don’t know where you sit amongst everyone else. I was playing severely handicapped and so I never got the chance to see that work.”
In 2024, expect to see one of the modern greats of the game back at the coalface, alongside Brayshaw and Serong — and with a fit body, the sky is the limit.
