The Restump Podcast

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It was a legitimate honourable loss, ironically delivered partly by a dishonourable act. We’re going to have to hit ole Rosco Lyon and Rory up for favours! Time to Restump Podcast all the purple palaver.

Another lethargic start to a game has once again hurt us. We’re so close, but we are where we’re supposed to be because genuine really good sides don’t consistently have lapses or make certain mistakes. But the reality is, we’re good enough to challenge, if we simply tidy up a couple of areas.

The Giants are a hot side and, as the competition’s in form side, should arguably be premiership favourites. They were at full strength, revved up on their home deck and incentivised with a top four spot. Admittedly, we had finals to qualify and play for, but we were on the road and without our best key forward, our lead ruck and our best key defender. The performance was mostly admirable.

While few were a bit wide of thee mark, Andy Brayshaw again left no uncertainty surrounding how much of a priority his valuable signature is. Caleb Serong had a monster of a day especially under thee heavy tagging tactics of Toby Bedford and it was magnificent to see Sammy Sturt put in a ripper.

Bailey Banfield has copped some unfair criticism at times, but you can’t defend his brain snap. To be so undisciplined at such a pivotal moment with so much on the line, is unforgiveable. But Paddy Voss gave away a dumb 50m penalty which, directly or indirectly, however you assess it, resulted in a goal to the Giants. It wrongfully didn’t carry the same scrutiny because it wasn’t in the final minutes. Jye Amiss missed 2 absolute sodas in the 3rd quarter, put another one out of bounds on the full and also missed Luke Jackson with a simple kick. Brennan Cox was seemingly on another planet on occasions and Jordan Clark and Brandon Walker watched Brent Daniels run amok all day. There are many moments throughout a game that deserve the same frustrated response that Bailey Banfield is suffering.

Beyond that, once again the game against Geelong last week and the game against the Giants on Saturday really should have determined whether we made the top four or not, not whether we made the eight. Six games we’ve lost by 13 points or less and in five of them we were leading at three quarter time. There is a bit more to blame than Bailey Banfield idiotically giving away a 50m penalty.

So, its all down to the final three games of the final round of the season for us. With the two games that can partly determine our fate on Sunday prior to our game, we’ll know if we can make the eight or not before the first bounce.

We need our former coach, Rosco Lyon, to get his Sainters to repeat their effort and result against Carlton which they delivered against Geelong on the weekend. And/or if Rory Lobb can repay some of what he owes us by sandbagging his teammates, allowing the Giants to prevail, then we’re in with a live chance.

Hawthorn aren’t losing to North Melbourne so we can rule a line through that. So, if Carlton and the Dogs both win, its goodbye 2024. If one or either of them lose, its all up to us to turn the Power out.

One minute Shai Bolton has requested a trade, next minute, apparently, he hasn’t. For that to occur, it means he is surely going to. It is difficult to think he’s not going to be in purple next year, but we walk away if the price is overs.

Unfortunately, the Mi Casa Property Boutique metres gained competition didn’t get up on the weekend, but it will absolutely be running for our final home and away season game. It’ll be your final chance to snare a freebie spend at 2 Brothers Foods.

Plenty of goings on at the Cockburn club, so bring your opinions and rumours and make them heard. Join us in the purple conversational pool pod, the water is warm.


Podcast | T H E Restump P O D

www.therestump.com



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The day started at 10.30am and at 7pm Sunday evening when it was all over, we were flat as tacks and emotionally exhausted. Time to Restump Podcast the season ending loss to Power from Port.

We were doing the finals hokey pokey all day! We had one foot in, we had one foot out! As Fremantle fans we’re well acclimatized to the seasonal emotional roller coaster. We even handle it for 80 consecutive minutes at times, but enduring eight hours on the mental anguish causing metaphoric carnival ride, well that was a new bag.

Quite simply, the game mirrored our season. We’re good, but we’re just not that good, yet. We’re good, but we can’t be good enough for long enough, yet.

Unfortunately, we couldn’t handle the pressure Port consistently applied. The relentless pressure caused us to fumble and double grab everything and it led to perceived pressure which saw us unable to be clean in uncontested situations. We missed simple handballs, simple kicks, simple shots on goal.

Three or four times we saw highly damaging two goal turnarounds. We applied no forward pressure. We went -4 in the first quarter and -5 in the 3rd quarter for tackles inside fifty. It ended up 17 to 9 in Port’s favour.

We saw silly undisciplined acts from Jordan Clark and Liam Reidy, which both led to simple Port Adelaide goals. When you’ve previously lost six games by 13 points or less, we should know better.

But all those contributing factors are part of the make up of why we’re not that good, or not good enough for long enough, yet.

However, as disheartening as it was to let slip an opportunity that was there for the taking, there is a reluctant comfort there for the taking as well. We’re seriously close to challenging. For rounds 22, 23 and 24 there was no Alex Pearce, no Michael Walters, no Sean Darcy and probably most detrimentally, no Josh Treacy. Yet in those games we pushed and had chances to beat Geelong, GWS and Port Adelaide, three of the top final four sides. I’m happy to repeat my belief, we’re not good enough yet, but we’re very close!

But as we all know, being very close doesn’t feed the Bulldog. Getting it done does and we simply couldn’t. It hurts like a bugger right now and will do as we watch the September action from the sidelines.

However, we tidy up a few things, maybe go shopping for a certain gun or two, come back a year older, a year more experienced and with another pre-season under the collective belt, and half of those narrow losses might be top four propelling wins.

While I’m sure he’d trade it for 8th place on the ladder, Marshy Skates got out of Sunday with the $50 spend at 2 Brothers Foods, taking out the season finale of the Mi Casa Property Boutique metres gained competition.

We’ve only scratched the surface of our healing, so there is much more to work through on the pod. Let’s work collectively on our grief, our pain and our anguish. There are questions to be asked, tough calls to be made and break throughs to be had. So, let’s all pull up a purple couch, lay back, get comfortable and let the therapeutic conversational healing begin.


Podcast | T H E Restump P O D

www.therestump.com


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Watching finals from the side-lines, celebrating award winners and saying goodbye to purple soldiers. This emotional roller coaster can get knotted! Time to Restump Podcast the assortment of sentiment.

As Fremantle fans, you’d think we’d be acclimatised to watching September from the side-lines… I mean we’ve done it 22 times in the last 30 years! But watching the finals this year and knowing how close we were to being a part of it… we’ve developed an itch that needs a scratch! We need a fix; we need a September transfusion; we need a finals injection to get the purple bloodstream pumping! But we’ll bide our time, do the hard yards once again and hope this time next year outcomes will be different.

Meanwhile, again at this time of year, we have to undertake the unenviable task of waving goodbye to numerous Docker diehards that dug deep over the duration. We sadly say sayonara and send off soldiers some who never saw any action, all of them devoid of September success.

The often unjustly maligned Matty Taberner, the ever-ready Ethan Hughes, the always jovial Josh Corbett, the sky scraping Sebit Kuek and the couldn’t quite get there Conrad Williams. All five deserve gratitude, but especially Tabs and Hughesy. They got everything out of themselves, emptied their tanks, they were part of the journey and played vital roles at times. Thanks fellas and enjoy whatever comes next in life.

To move to a brighter note we celebrated the Doig medal awards last night. Now it is safe to say it wasn’t exactly a short a night and awards weren't rare. And not to diminish the attached prestige to any accolade, but it seemed if you attended the gala and went home without some sort of medal or acknowledgement, you were stiff! But there is a lot to be said for professionalism and attention to detail and it was truly a magnificent night. If only we could be as thorough on the field as we were off it!

There were no surprises, Caleb Serong and Andy Brayshaw were always going to deservedly quinella the Doig and it was just a matter of which order.

The only shock that could have occurred on the night was if Josh Corbett didn’t win the best good bloke award! Never going to happen.

Josh Draper won the “stood out like a Beacon for all the right reasons” award. It was great to see, it was thoroughly deserved and we’re all pretty excited for him and us going forward.

Lukey Ryan won the Mi Casa Property Boutique Award. He got the most wins for metres gained in a single quarter, more than any other player. Don’t quote me on it as it hasn’t been confirmed... but I think he wins a house, courtesy of the magnificent Mi Casa crew.

Awards, delistings, finals, trades… plenty of purple to prattle on about. So, if you’re in need of a dose of docker drivel, drag up a davenport, dial in and dwell on our dubious determinations.

Enough of the nonsensical alphabet games… let’s get into it! Join us in the purple pod pool, the water is warm.



Podcast | T H E Restump P O D

www.therestump.com



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In terms of trades over the first five days... how’s the serenity? But we’re about to get to the nuts and Boltons of it. Time to Restump Podcast the purple appraisals, possibilities and prognostications.

While there has been little movement at the station, it is difficult to believe Shai Bolton won’t be lining up in purple in 2025. The very good, potentially over the odds, offer of pick 10 and 18 will suffice once the theatrical Mexican standoff subsides.

Are two first rounders overs or tote odds? The overwhelming consensus, which Jojo is a part of, is “pay it and get the deal done.” But some of us, on some level the Chief, tend to lean towards a more play hardball, conservative number.

Yes, we’re at the pointy end of the build of which a Shai Bolton adds a shedload of upgrade. There isn’t a Freo fan in their right mind that can’t wait to get him in.

But, from a different perspective, possibly a greedy one, I’m more a roll the dice on Bolton and hope he lands for less, go to the draft with one top end pick and trade the third into 2025 ensuring we’re in an un-out-biddable position for Chad Warner next year.

All we’ve heard all year and particularly post-season from fans and media is, “we’ve got more than enough talent to on the list to be challenging now”. While I agree in part, I think they were a year or two short on the now. Can you have it both ways? If you think we have we got enough talent on the list, but then say throw the two first rounders at Bolton, does your Bolton request cancel out your former claim?

Personally, given we were probably a Josh Treacy and or Alex Pearce injury away from the top, or near the top four, I’d be willing to risk losing Bolton in favour of going to the draft with one high end pick this year and securing Warner next year. I’m a pick 10 and pick 30, take it or leave it Tiges! But that is just me.

Then again what is too much? If Shai Bolton came in and we secured our maiden premiership in 2025, we’ve stolen him! If we have a similar season, make the finals, win one and get knocked out… how will we view it? It’s a gamble now that only hindsight will eventually tell us the answer.

However, having a belief we’re potentially paying overs, not necessarily for the player, but for what it may restrict us doing elsewhere, and being super excited to get that same player in, can co-exist.

Do we entertain taking on a Baker? And how much dough is that going to cost us? I’d suggest Baker is more your bread-and-butter type player that doesn’t add anywhere near enough of an upgrade for what it would cost to bring him in. To be honest, if Freo brought him in it would go against the grain and I doubt they’ll contemplate it. However, as West Coast, albeit momentarily, but ironically baked their deal, Baker suddenly became available so, we thought we butter talk about it. It’s the yeast we could do! Ok enough of that nonsense… wind it up, it’s almost past our bread time!

All beliefs and opinions aren’t wrong until they are, so we stake our claims, we share our sentiments and live in hope until our nonsense is inevitably disproven and it all comes crashing down.

So, if only because too much purple prattle is never enough, while we wait for the imminent Bolton trade to formerly drop, feel free to join us on the podcast for the deep, often off the rails, Docker discussion.


Podcast | T H E Restump P O D

www.therestump.com


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We had to pony up a bit more cheddar than we had hoped, but Shai isn’t the only one smiling now. Time to Restump Podcast the momentous occasion of the second coming of Bolton.

It’s been too long between Bolton drinks at Freo. While he may have only managed two games for the purple in 1999, we can’t undervalue the work Shai’s Dad, Darren, did for Fremantle off the field in 1998!

We’ve struggled to land a true top line forward from many attempts over our thirty-year history, so this is a pretty pivotal moment for the club. It feels like we’ve taken a substantial step towards the promised land, and without playing a game.

It really is starting to feel like we’re getting our ducks, or rather docks, in a row. Obviously one player doesn’t deliver you success, but at this particular time and in this particular team, Shai Bolton does seem a serious piece of the purple premiership puzzle.

There has been the odd speed bump along the way, but the build has been rather methodical. The draft work has been impressive and, despite the abuse the club has copped at times from fans and media, the list management has been superb.

There comes a time when you must pull the trigger, move the chips to middle of the table and go all in. With the window starting to open, landing the versatile Bolton, fulfilling a desperate area of need and, dare we say, putting the finishing touches on the long-term build, is our superbly timed pulling of the trigger.

We all know there are no guarantees, there are only efforts. But we’ve done the hard yards, Lord knows we’ve done the hard yards, so it is time to release the Kraken, take a genuine run at it, hope for a bit of luck and maybe, just maybe, in the near future, we’ll finally get to experience the ultimate success.

We all have our thoughts and opinions on Shai Bolton himself and what we coughed up to get him. It now matters not, because the deal is done, and you’re kidding yourself if you’re not at least even secretly excited about his arrival.

We can agree, we can disagree and we can agree to disagree, but don’t bite off your nose to spite your face if you’re holding a negative position. Don’t do yourself a disservice and be that guy! We’re potentially entering unchartered waters, you only get to win a first premiership once, you want to live it, you want to be immersed in it, so you want to get on board the Bolton Bandwagon and enjoy every enthralling moment.

While not nearly as exciting or entertaining, meanwhile you’re free to join us on the pod as we annotate, celebrate and possibly over-exaggerate the often-balletic Bolton.


Podcast | T H E Restump P O D

www.therestump.com


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As the dust begins to settle on the purple player peddling period and the list starts to take shape, it’s time for the annual bank balance breaking, farm losing, homelessness generating Restump Podcast Buy, Sell, Hold investment strategy report.

Some say the annual Buy Sell Hold Restump Podcast report has become a much-anticipated piece of forward financial planning market analysis, not unlike Warren Buffett’s annual letter to shareholders at Berkshire Hathaway. Thankfully at the Restump we don’t value accountability whatsoever, so we don’t have to prove beyond fictional hearsay that some people said anything of a sort.

To be brutally honest, if you’re not into consistently averaging down and if you’re not willing to be a patient bottom drawer investor, its debatable whether this report is for you. As we always say at the Restump, there are many ways to the poor house, but our Buy Hold Sell report is probably the quickest route.

This year we’re splitting the report into two jumper number parts, part one The Odd Bods and part two The Even Stevens.

It is a very loosely researched report in which we place an investment recommendation on individuals. We ponder questions such as, has Sammy Sturt’s persistence paid dividends and what value do we place on his potential upside? In what will surely be his final year, Fyfe is a difficult buy. But does he pull one out of the bag and create one final big value retrieving trade? Is Jimmy Aish at the financial report career crossroads, are buyers and holders going to get opportunity to grow Will Brodie stock and could Oscar McDonald be the bargain buy of the year?

So many scenarios, so many unnecessary opinions, so many needless questions and so few right answers. But it is all fun and games until the administrators are appointed, your liabilities are sold like the tradeable commodity they are and the baseball bat wielding debt collectors knock at your door!

At the end of the day, it’s only money and you can’t take it with you when you leave this spinning space rock. So, join us as we throw around a bunch of Arthur Ash in a feeble attempt to compile something with some semblance of a capital growth and income generating Freo financial future fund.

Truth be known, it is probably just an excuse to talk Fremantle Dockers.



Podcast | T H E Restump P O D

www.therestump.com



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Unfortunately, we subscribe to the adage “You always finish what you start.” So, with the Odd Bods done, we’ve got the Even Stevens to complete. Time to Restump Podcast part two of the Buy Sell Hold 2024 report.

Sometimes you can get caught up in and conflicted by your ideological values. Yes, we believe you should finish what you start, but having completed part one two weeks ago, devoid of reasoning, we’ve delayed until tomorrow what we could have done yesterday. However, if only our nonsense was worthy, we’d suggest all good things come to those who wait. But while time and tide wait for no one, it does little to stop the inevitable delivery of the mediocre. Thankfully, sewing confusion often serves as a pass generating act of distraction. So, enough of that later!

Now that you’re bamboozled and suffering a headache, hopefully you’ve forgotten we’re late with the completion of the 2024 Buy Hold Sell report. So, let’s get into it.

With the list predominantly settled, we’ve got around twenty even Stevens, many of which write their own report. Is anyone in their right mind really not buying Andy Brayshaw, Hayden Young or Jordan Clark shares?

Is Jye Amiss’ stock wrongfully depressed after his handy but wayward kicking year? What is Jaegar O’Meara’s current valuation? And, for that matter, are Sean Darcy’s injuries impacting the financial decisions? Some tricky investment strategies need to be undertaken.

There’s plenty of other Docker data dropping. The fixtures are out for 2025 containing plenty of purple positives and it must be said we’re not displeased the Roos are exiting Tasmania and entering WA.

The Bell has rung time on Peter’s purple career. In a literal sense Papa Smurf could fill his shoes, but metaphorically speaking and from a professional perspective, Aaron Sandilands’s size 18 feet would still leave plenty of room. An astute, often necessarily ruthless, asset at the club will be missed and extremely difficult to replace.

All that and way too much more gibberish that no one asked for. So, feel free to join us as we purple up the airwaves and prattle on about our favourite Freo football faction.



Podcast | T H E Restump P O D

www.therestump.com




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Hopefully Jaren was assessed elite in the antagonism and niggle category at the various draft camps! Time to belatedly Restump Podcast the new list additions and catch up on all the latest purple proceedings.

So, with the conclusion of the trade period and drafts and our participation in the preseason supplementary selection period netting Quinton Narkle, the Freo folk list looks all but finalised for 2025.

To be honest, maybe it’s just us, but, with all due respect to what appears a very handy crew of draftees we recruited, the draft wasn’t as interesting or as intriguing this year for us. Don’t get me wrong, we’re very happy to keep adding to the future, but at Fremantle in this precise point in time, it’s hard to think it isn’t all about the now.

It was always going to be difficult for any draftee to pinch any spotlight after picking up Shai Bolton in the trade period. And even Quinton Narkle coming in to, at the very least, fatten the depth couldn’t diminish the Bolton focus.

That said, we are a lot more excited about Murphy Reid being here than he and his family appeared to be. I don’t know if the Murphy family had a dog but there is a fair chance they had just gotten word that it had died moments before Murph had his name read out!

No, of course we’re only being ridiculous, he’ll be fine and it would have been the paralysing shock of the moment that caused, let’s say his subdued, reaction.

You have to be happy with the addition of Quinton Narkle, Charlie Nicholls has no doubt been selected with a degree of project prospect in mind and Aiden Riddle appears some sort of replacement pick for us unfortunately losing Maxy Knobel.

However, we’re most excited about the prospect of the new Carr model pulling into the Cockburn parking lot! We hold a hopeful flame Jaren Carr is more than a chip off the old engine block and that he shares his uncle’s values. Are we going to see shades of yesteryear? Is there a new agitator in town?

Plenty of other Docker data to get through so, if you’re showing summer deficiencies in your purple levels and you need to boost your consumption, we’re a short-term synthetic hit right here. We’re neither a safe or effective option but hey, we don’t enforce listening mandates!

You’d think we’d be all out of nonsense just writing this podcast episode blurb, but you’d be mistaken. Unfortunately, there is plenty more absurdity so, if you can’t find a better option, feel free to tune in.



Podcast | T H E Restump P O D

www.therestump.com



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Whether you care to admit it or not, for far too long we’ve been in severe loveable rogue deficit. But maybe, just maybe, some much needed supply might finally be on the way.


Classic Carr Revival

For far too long we’ve been in severe loveable rogue deficit. But maybe, just maybe, some much needed supply is on the way.
www.therestump.com



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Strategically vanilla and ice in the veins… and no, not that type of ice! We’re Fremantle, not a certain other club up the road. Time to Restump Podcast the beginnings of a plentiful and prosperous purple period.

There’s an uncomfortableness about going in to a new season with serious confidence as a Fremantle supporter. It just doesn’t sit right; it is a difficult feeling to adjust to. Sure, we think we’ve been confident before at this time of year, but it really has been excitement, passion and hopefulness masquerading as confidence.

Yes, famous last words, but this year feels markedly different. There is justifiable genuine confidence. We’re going in with actual achievable expectations rather than nervous aspirations.

We’re in pretty good condition, we’re hitting the historical rule of thumb age and experience conducive to deep September action, there is a definite buy in from the player group and our pre-season has been productive and strategically beneficial.

Can we win the premiership? Possibly. Would that be the goal? Definitely. Should our expectations align with our goal? Absolutely not.

Realistic expectations, from our perspective, should be a minimum of a top six finish, more so a top four and then it is game on from there. Expecting to win the premiership comes with an attached overconfidence and arrogance. They are too ridiculously tough to win and there is too little between the final top four, possible top six teams, whoever they may be, to have such expectations.

So, lets get into it and dive a bit deeper into the purple depths.

• Brayshaw declaring Fremantle is home.
• JL’s contract that isn’t a contract.
• Luke Jackson rumours.
• What we learned from the preseason.
• The youngsters on the up.
• Murphy “the more valuable” Reid.
• Disco isn’t dead, it looks back in a big way.
• Darcy and Pearce – is their health a worry?
• The Neighbourhood Watch segment. Is dead and buried?

All those talking points to discuss and we’ll find out where has Jojo been and how big is his damaging carbon footprint. We’re armed with confidence and enthusiasm but we need to remain measured. It’s a fine line between justified anticipation and unhelpful hysteria.

So, for the first time in 2025, unfortunately our nonsense is back. If you’re desperate enough to plug in and partake, by all means feel most welcome, after you get yourself checked out because you’re obviously not well.

Season 2025… here we go.


Podcast | T H E Restump P O D

www.therestump.com


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A brown paper bag cannot be passed under to he who has no table. Time to Restump Podcast our round one clash against the cost-of-living crisis fighting, dually employed Catters.

(It's often said, its better late than never. The Restump is the exception to that rule. This episode would have been better never than late)

It’s been a brutal preseason and we're probably not in as good a shape heading into round one as we had all hoped. Have to say it feels we're a little undermanned heading down to the cattery without Sean Darcy, Nat Fyfe, Hayden Young, Michael Walters, Sammy Sturt and Shai Bolton and it's made what was already a difficult task, substantially tougher. But it's time to focus on who is there to get the job done, rather than who isn't!

One man who will be looking forward to skinning a cat is debutant Murphy "Bruce" Reid and you get the feeling the smooth moving, good ball using, sharp thinking, smart decision making, Freo loving, Western Australian adopted youngster isn't suiting up because of the above-mentioned outs. Bruce has made every post a winner since arriving at the club and he made it impossible to be left out of round one. Let's hope Mr and Mrs Reid have come around to the purple way of life.

The interesting but also understandable omission, is the sporadically played Neil Erasmus.

Admittedly he hasn't set the world alight and he didn't exactly do his selection prospects any favours in the recent scratchy against Melbourne, but with so many mids out maybe he could have benefited from some exposure and opportunity.

Whatever the case when you take a look at the side the cats are putting on the park, it's an ominous assignment. There aren't too many, if any, weaknesses in their line up and year in year out they seem to find a way regardless of their Morris Finance and the like personnel at their disposal.

The drugs policy is once again smack bang in the conversation. Has the AFL become an enabler? Are we now behind the eightball on the issue? We have a chat about it and try to hash out a way forward. Just a thought, but how about we give zero tolerance a go!

The Luke Jackson whispers just won't die. Surely there is zero chance of his departure?

Could Chad Warner be on the verge of delaying his trip home and sign on at the Swannies for a well-paid two years?

Plenty to discuss and preview but a quick game is a good game. We'll attempt to keep it short sharp and to the point but guarantees of no wandering, digressing and rambling just cannot be provided.

So, if you're looking for some nonsensical noise to make up a few moments before we castrate the cats, you couldn't have turned up at a better time. Purple up and get involved.



Podcast | T H E Restump P O D

www.therestump.com



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It’s official, Murphy has taken the number one Reid position in WA. Time to somehow Restump Podcast whatever that demoralising display was on Saturday.

Has there been a more soul-destroying performance from our Freo boys? Admittedly there are plenty to choose from over our 30+ year history but this one might top the list.

You can scream game plan, structure, process, player talent, coach and, yeah they all contributed. But if you turn up to round one mentally absent, nothing of the former will make any difference.

The question is how? How, in one of our most important seasons in some time, did we turn up to round one switched off? Where was the willingness to work, to put in, to apply pressure, lay tackles? Ending the first quarter minus 15 tackles across the board and minus 10 tackles in our forward fifty is all attitude and it set the disappointing tone for the day.

Yes, there was a substantial crew out but we had more than enough talent on the park to be more than even mildly competitive. Winning the game was a little optimistic but a near on 15 goal belting is, and was, inconceivable and unacceptable.

If this type of round one performance had of occurred in 2023 or 2024, you’d be shattered, but a little more willing to rule a line through it and move on. And while that is what we’ll all inevitably do, with the position the club is now at, the preseason they had, and the expectations they have conveyed, it’s a little difficult to simply say “it’s just round one” and move on. These types of performances aren’t conducive to a team that believes they’re on the cusp of success.

Given it was blatantly evident the mindset of the collective was distant and not necessarily on the task at hand, it is difficult to comprehend or articulate accurate reasons why. Is it the messaging? A lack of true motivational influence? Are there no consequences for poor performance?

From 16 away round one games in our history, we’ve lost 12. However, Saturday was our second worst defeat in opening round. Is there something in that to shed some fraction of light on the deep reasons for the incomprehensible performance? Probably not.

But for the moment, and to give us all a break from the depression, let’s not gloss over the remarkable 4 goal feat from Murphy Reid. It was a stunning highlight on a dark day but to see a debutant do that… we’ve got an exceptional one there.

For such an unanticipated and inexplicable performance, we don’t have the answers. However, that doesn’t mean we can’t throw around preposterous points of passionate perception for personal placidity.

Anything short of an appropriate response next week is unacceptable. It is, after all, round one and we will all move on. (Told you we’d all inevitably get there)

So, while we offer no enlightenment, feel welcome to therapeutically vent with us as we try to make some semblance of sense about Saturday, to save what little sanity we have left.



Podcast | T H E Restump P O D

www.therestump.com



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Are we tapped out? Do we have any emotional investment currency left to continue the deposits in the purple bank? Time to try and Restump Podcast the shattered pieces of Sunday’s spectacle against the Swans.

Well, that wasn’t the most pleasant Sunday arvo we’ve ever had! It’s difficult to believe we put in that sort of performance, and not only because on the back of last week against Geelong, but we had the Cold Play song and everything. Cold Play indeed! Starting to think the wrong people got the wrong messages.

While ugly is in the eyes of the beholder, winning ugly and losing ugly are poles apart. The ability to win ugly is the sign of a very good team, whereas losing ugly, like we did last week against Geelong and for much of the game against the Swans, tells a completely different and worrying story.

It’s not the losing that has Freo fans outraged. Heck, we can deal with loss standing on our heads. No one can endure the hardships of losing like we can. But there is losing and there’s losing. It is the way we are losing that has gutted us.

Something is missing and it feels psychological, possibly communicative. There is a loss of the connection and cohesion that we saw often last year. There is little to no fluency in the play, there appears a self-preservation aspect at times and, probably unintentional, there seems some sort of dismissiveness about our form and less than impressive results in the pressers and interviews. Maybe repetition breeds unwitting complacency?

Suggesting calm because it is only round two is being a little ignorant. For a team who is now at a stage all us fans and the club believe it is at, “its only round two” is a damaging excuse of the past. And hanging your hat on the fact that we, unlike last week, brought some intensity this week.… I’m sorry, but that actually should be a prerequisite for every player, in every single team, in every single game, and not something to be praised for.

To be brutally honest, the scoreboard flattered us at quarter time. Will Hayward kicked two behinds and Tom Papley kicked one. We were competitive but by no means did we have a genuine four goal lead. The spectacle was such that had we fallen over the line to win, the same questions and fears would be there, albeit with a sigh of four-point relief.

We don’t have a hard edge, an ability to dig in and wrench back momentum. And on the flip side of that coin, we don’t have the capacity to put teams to the sword when we do have the ascendency.

To give us some sort of reasoning for the performance, I’d like to make a point that we were up against last year’s grand finalists. But against us on Sunday there was no Errol Gulden, Callum Mills, Robbie Fox, Luke Parker, Justin McInerny, Harry Cunningham or Logan McDonald. Admittedly we have a few important outs but weight of numbers tells a story.

We’ve obviously got some serious issues that require sorting out and rectifying in rapid time. Last year 13 wins were required to make the finals and 15 wins were needed to finish top four. We’ve now got two less games to get it done, if we’re to play in September.

To try and end on a positive note, Jaegar O’Meara did a pretty handy job on Isaac Heeney and has started the year in very good fashion. Josh Treacy is doing everything he can, even if he ended up in the ruck. And if we want the ball being handled cleanly and efficiently and delivered on a silver platter, get it to Murphy Reid. Lastly, give us a Chad Warner over a Shai Bolton and Kozzy Pickett every day of the week, although we’ll gladly have them all.

Well, we want to put this behind us as soon as we can but we can’t move on until we’ve worked through the grief counselling. Let us once again, start the healing. So, if you haven’t buried Sunday and blocked it from your consciousness, join us on the therapeutic pod as we try to clear out the negative energies. Be warned, there could be more ranting than reasoning.


Podcast | T H E Restump P O D

www.therestump.com



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We don’t advocate for or condone any form of violence, which is why we believe only air rifles should be permitted. Time to Restump Podcast the upcoming bird cull.

Nothing says setting the right example and raising the standards like encouraging your fan base to collectively perform childish gestures. There is support of your player and there is arrogant entitlement!

There is no tomorrow for us if we somehow find a way to lose on Sunday. Six times in our history we have kicked off the season zero and three and the closest we’ve finished in any of those occasions is 11th.

Is the overlooking of Liam Reidy a bit puzzling? It would seem the appropriate game to provide him with some more exposure and development, considering he wouldn’t exactly be up against one of the premier ruckman in the competition.

The retention of Neil Erasmus is a positive as it provides him the exposure and opportunity to improve his craft, something Reidy could have benefitted from.

Izzy Dudley makes his debut which is exciting and thankfully he won’t be the sub. Jye Amiss notches up 50 games, looking to find some form with the help of his forward colleagues and the whipping boy Bailey Banfield takes to the field to turn out a well-deserved 100 games.

For those who don’t mind a sneaky wager, we’ve started the Restump Investment Club. We’re starting with a bank and seeing what we can turn it into with a mixture of high and not so high-risk wagers on the weekend’s footy.

There are many ways to the poor house and the Restump Investment Club may well be the quickest, so it’s definitely not financial advice.

It’s all on the line Sunday. We just have to win and win we will. Positive affirmation and visualization because we can’t contemplate the alternative.

A quick game’s a good game so join us for this short 30-minute Sunday semi-preview. The Restump Pod might disappear off the face of the earth if the unthinkable happens.


Podcast | T H E Restump P O D

www.therestump.com



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Murphy Reid could be the first recipient of dual purple role citizenship. We haven’t seen skills and smarts like that since David Mundy got the tap on the shoulder. Time to Restump Podcast the brushing aside of the West Coast Eagles.

We celebrate the win and welcome the four points but we left a lot of score out there and the questionable skills remained on display. You get the feeling that, while it was enjoyable, after the dust settled, it was more of a relief than it was a thumping return to form.

Speaking of a return to form, Caleb Serong was a sight to behold. But to be honest, there was no reason why he shouldn’t have against such opposition and right there lies the mixed feelings when reviewing and assessing Sunday.

You want be thrilled and elated by a win, but after the first two weeks, Sunday’s performance had to be about method and process rather than score. Had we lost that game, the season was over but despite our form in rounds one and two, what West Coast were able to serve up and where they’re at as a club, the result was pretty much a formality.

But you can only take out of it what was served up. Yes, we saw the Caleb Serong and Andy Brayshaw we have come to know and love so well. Luke Jackson put in a staggeringly good performance, Jai Amiss found some footy and space between the big sticks, the Captain ensured Oscar remained in his trash can, we got to enjoy Izzy Dudley’s polished debut and, amongst some extremely ordinary ball use, we got to see some super smarts and some silk in the form of Murphy Reid.

So, we take the positives and a measured approach to the value and the meaningfulness of the victory. Maybe not as pronounced and maybe there has been some improvement, but the reality is you couldn’t watch that game and not understand how poor the west coast eagles are and you surely can’t think the issues from round one and two have evaporated.

We’ve obviously got plenty of work to do but the four points on Sunday gave a shot of life to our season. The Bulldogs next week will be a formidable opponent and it will tell us where we are and what to make of yesterday.

Jojo took umbrage at the AFL’s pathetic post-game AI generated image so we’ll see what his beef is about. And the Chief is disappointed at the lack of support for Caleb Serong and the lackluster retaliatory effort after Harley’s Reid’s cheap shot.

We love and cherish a derby victory and we hope it has delivered some much-needed confidence for the team. Is it the embryonic stage of trend change? That remains to be seen.

So, grab your microscopes, put on your lab coat, bang on the safety goggles, and come with us as we put yesterday under the Bunsen burner. We’ll further dissect our first win of the season to find and celebrate the positives while trying to find the missing ball use formula.



Podcast | T H E Restump P O D

www.therestump.com



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The Restump Podcast


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