Fabulous Freo: A Footy Fix! The strategic masterwork of Justin Longmuir, which led to 2024’s greatest victory

A youthful, unknown Fremantle team was given little chance as they went to the MCG in 2022 to play an unbeaten, scorching Melbourne team. and proved the defending premiers could be defeated by storming the house for a historic victory.

The Dockers were given little chance as they traveled to the SCG in 2023 to play a defending grand finals in Sydney, following a miserable start to a season that started with great expectations. and in what turned out to be a forgettable season, stormed the house for another legendary victory.

Once you combine them, what do you have? For many reasons, Freo’s victory over the Swans on their home ground on Saturday afternoon was the best one for any team this year.

The eye test tells you that the Swans were off, that their swathe of star on-ballers collectively performed at well below their brilliant best, that their usually watertight backline faltered badly under the strain of repeat entries, that their forward line spurned its chances to end with four more scoring shots and a losing total; and yet they would have at least had a share of the points if Logan McDonald hadn’t horribly muffed his kick after the siren.