Podcasts about fremantle dockers

Fremantle Dockers AFLW midfield bull, Aisling McCarthy, joined Mark Duffield to catch up ahead of the Western Derby this week against an in form West Coast! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do we all need to go guts up in the Bahamas for a while? To be fair to the Gold Coast Suns, if we'd gotten out of jail we would've been charged with stealing. Time to Restump Podcast the 1-point heartbreak.Well that stung and it may have done irreparable damage to our souls. While Freo fans didn't buy into The West's revenue generating clickbait idiocy with their ‘easy Freo final' back page, we all obviously had high hopes of extending the season.However, we got Sunburnt so we bow out of season 2025 with a what would've been, could've been, maybe should've been but didn't quite end up being, result.It was a typical Freo roller coaster season ride as we went from eating the chocolates in the frying pan, to sucking on boiled lollies in the fire. We were a basket case by round 8, finals bound a few games later.We've done the full suite of emotions since Saturday night, but after the mental anguish, pondering the reasons why and the reasons why not, and internally asking ourselves the irrationally instinctive rhetorical questions like, how did this happen, who do we need and who needs to go… we arrive at some sort of pragmatic peace.The basic long and simple short of it is, the Suns were simply better for longer. Now obviously, the superiority for a single point margin time period is all but negligible. But the soul-destroying reality is, that's all that is required.Really other than sporadic poor decision making, some maybe finals frenzied forced skill errors and several less than ideal forward 50 entries, we didn't do too much wrong and the team will benefit from the experience.If you had to pinpoint it without hanging individuals, we'd probably note the 2nd quarter with 5 minutes remaining on the clock. In that period of red time rampage, the Suns managed 6 inside 50s and put 4 goals 1 on the board, while our Freo folk failed to trouble the scorers from 4 inside 50s. Must be said though, generating just 7 scores from 29 inside 50s for a half, tells you you're doing plenty right, but the important part catastrophically wrong.We couldn't get it done for Fyfey and now any on field remnants of the 2013 grand final era are gone. However, we let Nat go gradually which helped ease the pain of goodbye.And while we couldn't get it done for Fyfe, if you can distance yourself from the pain of Saturday night and view it with momentary detachment, it's hard not to have a little smile for the Gold Coast Suns and David Swallow. We know far too well what they have been through and for them to have their first ever draftee kick the winning score in his and his team's first ever final, in what is his retirement year, it's a great story and a wonderful football moment.Ok, enough of that nonsense. So, putting the purple hat back on, we've just put away a 16 win season, we've got one of the league's youngest and most inexperienced lists that's just experienced a final. We've got a collective with a non-traditional professional Fremantle mindset, we've got the right guy in charge and we're on a trend heading in a north east direction. We haven't even cracked the window yet! We're only warming up!We're a bit light on for detail and analysis here so we'll dig much deeper on the pod and relive and re-visit those irrational instinctive questions.So, if you're struggling to come to terms with the result and managing the fall out is too heavy a burden, well many ears make light listening, so come in for the conversation. We'll talk through the temporary trauma, absolve the anguish, make some mental mending milestones and procure the pragmatic perspective ready to purple back up and go again in about 6 months' time.Send us a textSupport the show

Long standing Fremantle Dockers supporter and former Board Member, Les Everett, joined Mark Duffield to reflect on the 2025 season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Catch up on all the footy news from AFL 360, Monday the 8th of September with Gerard Whateley and Garry Lyon. Gerard Whateley and Garry Lyon are back for a huge edition of AFL 360 as they are joined by Leigh Matthews to take a dive into all four games from the first week of finals footy. They sang Darcy Moore’s praises for the Pies but questioned if the Crows were too passive and then complimented Chris Scott’s coaching as Geelong beat the Lions. They celebrated a historic weekend for the Suns but looked at where it went wrong for both the Fremantle Dockers and GWS Giants vs. Hawthorn. Finally, Lethal had some very strong opinions on how the AFL treated their umpire after the free-kick decisions that lead to a double goal for Brisbane. For more of the show tune in on Fox Footy & KAYO.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The West Australian's Craig O'Donoghue joined Mark Duffield to break down the Fremantle Dockers loss to Gold Coast in the second elimination final. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Another nail biting elimination final with the Gold Coast Suns coming out on top to continue their first finals campaign, taking down the Dockers by just one point. Listen to all the highlights from 6PR's Saturday night footy call.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's been a while between purple pints. But you get the feeling we're going to be well hydrated over the next decade. Time to Restump preview podcast the start of our September quest.Does this September participation feeling ever diminish? Or has the drought and the heartbreak of often orchestrating our own demise over the journey created this exhilaration? Not sure, but something tells me given our history, we'll never take the sight of September for granted.It's time to put away the pitchforks and remove the hands from the holsters of those who were gunning for the club and coach.We haven't found ourselves in finals facilitated by favourable results falling around us. We forced our way in winning 12 of our last 14, many against fierce foes. And when it came down to the final affair, the do or die clash against the dogs, we were formidably emphatic.So, where does it position us? Past results now count for nothing and have no bearing on what is to come.We rightly go in Saturday night as favourites, but if we have any hint of forgone conclusionary mindsets, the Suns will seize on it.While there's a dash of relief making finals, the pressure on Saturday night is all on us. The Suns are September debutants, so they'd have a weight-off-the-shoulders feeling and an element of freedom about them, which can be a positive or a negative. Reaching finals for the first time, they may feel the job is done and subconsciously play accordingly. But they may also have that dangerous now 'nothing to lose' mentality and play unrestrained with reckless abandon.However, lets not forget they have a 3-time premiership ‘been there done that' coach at the helm. Damien Hardwick won't have the satisfied mindset and he'll pull all the psychological levers to ensure his players don't either.Apart from the obvious, both teams have additional reasons to perform. For us, while it is his final appearance in WA, this could be the final time Nat Fyfe, the generational player, who won himself and us two Brownlow medals, who regularly carried out club through some dark times, graces us with his on-field presence if we lose.And for Gold Coast, their club's first ever draftee and co-captain, David Swallow, has called time on his career and goes out in his and the Sun's debut finals campaign.Both players could have abandoned their perennially unsuccessful clubs at times and there were no shortage of options. But they dug in and showed a rare loyalty at the expense of potential premiership expense, until now. Interestingly, Nat Fyfe and David Swallow both are West Aussies, one club career players and both currently sit on 247 games, providing a chance to play a deserved 250.There are a host of heartstring tugging motivations for both sides regarding these two magnificent players to draw upon, should added inspiration be required.While we should just concentrate on the now, if we were to pull off the unthinkable, every game from here is an elimination final. And should we get to and plant our purple flag on the promised land, taking into account our elimination final against the Dogs, we'd be the first club in history to win the premiership with 5 elimination finals!We've been set up well by the club, the coaching staff and recruiters. They've created the framework for success and now the opportunity is there for the players. Home and away and finals footy are two different bags, so are we ready as a group? Is the 'why not us' cliché fitting? Maybe, maybe not, but Saturday night is the first step to finding out.There's still 48 hours or so until bouncedown! So, if you're on edge and dealing with some purple Send us a textSupport the show

Eight teams remain and we're here to tell you why every single one can win the 2025 AFL Premiership. Corbin Middlemas joins us to make a case for each club and why they're certainties to lift the trophy on the last Saturday in September. Featured: Corbin Middlemas, lead AFL commentator, ABC Sport. Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

Fremantle Dockers CEO, Simon Garlick, joined Mark Duffield ahead of the clubs first final since 2022! They break down the anticipation and excitement before Saturday night! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's been a historic week in the AFL with Mitch Brown becoming the first male player coming out as gay or bisexual and Fremantle Dockers captain Alex Pearce talks about Brown's bravery and how it is hopefully a "real step forward" for the code.Chatting to Declan Byrne on 'The Saturday Sledge' Pearce talks about the accessibility and safety of the game, his own reflection on leadership and footy club culture and why the AFLW has helped advance the conversation in the men's competition.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After a crazy season with more twists and turns than a roller coaster, the mighty Fremantle Dockers are once again playing finals, in it up to their eyeballs! In this episode we cannot avoid drinking the purple cool-aid and break down an epic away win vs the Doggies. Listener's questions reflect the excitement and anticipation of finals, and the Purple Reign Merch door has lifted with a new Book the Bus T-Shirt! Click here to get your hands on a premium quality shirt for a premium quality moment. Let's get 60K book the bus shirts on display in our next Saturday night classic! The lads cannot contain their excitement, and try to be grounded looking forward. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's often said “A wrong King still believes his crown makes him right.” Give it up Kingy, there's no place left to hide. JL has got your number! Time to Restump Podcast Freo's magnificent September securing victory against the dauntless Dogs.There was barely an institution that didn't write us off. The media, the footballing world, the bookies and my postman gave us no hope. But why? Why was so much analytical weight and judgment placed upon the loss to the Brisbane Lions a week bacl? Was our previous 3 months invisible? Did the pundits not even bother to watch the Fox Footy mini's?Justin Longmuir got on the front foot though as he was having none of it and he wasn't shy in letting them know. However, let's hope they all double down and write us off again in 2 weeks' time.   In real time, we'd all be lying if we said we didn't harbour some minor concerns half way through that first quarter. But we'd seen that movie before several times in recent months and, more often than not, it had a favourable twist. Stop, take your hat off and give the defensive collective an acknowledging nod because we were able to build that win on it's ability and relentless efforts to weather the Dog's high pressure, 19 inside fifty storm. It kept us in the game when others couldn't. The individuals were remarkable. No one does what our defensive delegation did to Sam Darcy!Depending on how you view it, its either worrying or pleasing seeing Andy Brayshaw and Caleb Serong combine for just a 5 possession first quarter. Worrying because they got destroyed, but pleasing because we were still able to win centre clearance for the quarter and set up four scoring chances. Hayden Young, take a bow!The Dogs did well at trying to rattle our cages early with their pressure but we dealt with it, we regrouped at quarter time and then we let go with a scintillating period of footy that saw us put an uninterrupted run of 8 goals on the board.Sure, the Dogs have some defensive deficiencies but our forwards were phenomenal, showing no mercy in exploiting the advantage. Everyone got their unhygienic lick of the what would now be germ riddled ice-cream. But even contracting covid was an acceptable risk if it meant seeing Jye Amiss in the embryonic stage of a return to some serious form!If you put your hat back on, can you please remove it once more as we have a moment of respect and marvel at Murphy Reid yet again? Everything he touches turns to gold… or rather goal. It's not too often that a first-year player becomes irreplaceable and a vital cog in the team wheel. It's done, pull your dress down Mary, the shows over. All bets are off…  just give him the rising star medal!And while our hata are still off, give a nod of appreciation to Bailey Banfield who has reinvented himself in a meaningful way.While we appeared to be cruising to victory, the Dogs are too good a team to not mount a comeback. On the back of the magnificent Marcus Bontempelli, he dragged them back to somewhat within striking distance late in the final term. Yes, Ok, a nerve or two crept in, but we're not that same old Fremantle team anymore. We weren't letting this September securing victory slip through our fingers. Bring on September!We didn't put too much weight on last week's loss to the Brisbane Lions and their win over the Hawks justified our position. So, likewise, given the Dog's record against top eight teams, we're not getting carried away with the win over them either. Having said that, it doesn't mean we're not bouncing off the walls excited about being part of September this year!So, you know what to do. If you're foraging for a fistful more of Freo fanfare, don yoSend us a textSupport the show

On the show today, Mark Duffield was joined by Scotty Watters & Craig O'Donoghue to recap what was a great win by the Fremantle Dockers to secure their finals position & he takes a look back at the Eagles loss to Sydney. Plus Duff's "four points" from the weekend & he gives his "top five defenders" currently in the AFL. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Izak Rankine finding has landed and it's managed to seemingly frustrate all involved parties. We ask Kath Loughnan why. Then we look at the Fremantle Dockers as they prepare for mini-elimination final with the Dogs. The NRL has a double crunch Friday of fixtures. While the Wallabies attempt to break two hoodoos in two weeks. Featured: Kath Loughnan, AFL reporter, Fox Footy. Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

Fremantle Dockers captain Caleb Serong doesn't care they everyone thinks they can't win agaisnt the Bulldogs. He explains why they WILL win and howhe loved the press conference from coach Justin Longmuir.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sonny Walters talks through the 2013 Grand Final and which team he thinks is better; 2025 Fremantle Dockers or the 2013 Fremantle Dockers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We pick up the bits and pieces that are recognisable and look to the Dogs. Time to Restump Podcast the life leveller the Lions landed on us, which wasn't as horrific as the picture suggests.Probably unpopular opinion but that performance wasn't as, pun intended, catastrophic as the outrage infers. In context of the play, it's possible to be in the game but not on the scoreboard, and for much of the 80+ minutes we were. Quite simply you can't kick 8 points straight, not kick a goal until the 2nd term and, despite our recent efforts, expect to run teams down, especially of the Lion's ilk.We can rant and rave and question how did we not perform to a necessary level in what was largely a make-or-break game. But the Lions, the 2 two consecutive grand finalists and reigning premiers, were in the same season on the line boat.Were we overawed early? Could we not adapt to the Lion's well researched and executed strategy? Yes, to some degree on both accounts. But we overcame it and produced enough chances to be on par at quarter time. The shots on goal and the forward attacks we butchered were both of our own doing and the Lion's pressure.Albeit with some costly blemishes, our defensive unit again stood up under adversity to keep us within reach at quarter time. They dealt with a 47-to-16-mark deficit resulting in a 15 to 7 inside 50 count for the Lions. The game would've been over had it not been for the defensive crew.We adjusted and equalised the game in the 2nd term. While we still went -20 marks, we'd settled and secured the corridor and cut off their supply to go in 8 points down at the half.However, the Lions didn't fluke the 2024 premiership. Their 16 finals, 4 preliminary finals and 2 grand finals weren't luck. They're an extremely tough and talented backs to the wall side and they were able to draw on that monstrous body of big game experience to rise to another level we simply don't have in us as yet. It isn't the standalone game to judge individuals on, but Luke Jackson was off and nowhere near his recent influential best. Alex Pearce had a mare, or rather too many marish moments, Freddy needs his radar realigned this week and Josh Treacy must learn to pull up and not play on after marking in a goal square. Is Andy Brayshaw carrying something significant injury-wise? His recent output hasn't been at AB level. What about the Disco? Saturday continued a lean trend for him. And where are we all sitting on Jye Amiss? 5 touches last week, 3 on the weekend. He was handy prior to that though.We've won 11 of our last 13, we've beaten some serious sides from behind on numerous occasions. It's an exceptional string of performances, but did those games include the best there is? I'd suggest not and that means we're a very good side, but we're not yet in the top echelon. We're making gigantic inroads, but we're not invincible.Our recent wins have predominantly been built on accurate kicking. 15 goals 4 against Carlton, 12 goals 5 against Hawthorn and 12 goals 7 against the Pies. Almost identical scoring shots against Brisbane, 5 goals 14, and we lose by 57 points.Personally, it's is somewhat of an understandable performance and one which doesn't really say a great deal other than that we were put to the sword by a very good flag favoured side.For that reason, it shouldn't impact our confidence levels going up against the Dogs, a high scoring side with defensive deficiencies.Anyway, more discussion needed so, let's pick it up on the pod. However, if you're a candidate for misery needing company or if its purple pessimism you're looking for, you couldn't be further from the right place. We're going to defeSend us a textSupport the show

The Penrith/Melbourne rivalry delivered a win for the Storm, controversy for officials, frustration for the Panthers and lessons for both teams and other premiership contenders. In the AFL, the Fyfe farewell tour has commenced and in some ways so has finals, because there is a raft of teams who must win this weekend. PLUS, Taylor Swift, Denzel Washington and a baby named 'Golden' feature in soundbites. Featured: Nick Campton, NRL journalist, ABC Sport. Ben Cameron, AFL caller, ABC Sport. Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

Not sure if Paddy has the conventional Lion taming temperament, but it'll be one hell of a spectacle. Time to Restump Podcast preview Freo's Friday night's clash against the Brissie Lions.It's almost beyond comprehension that we're starting round 23 in the top four. Thinking back to that infamous and well documented appalling performance against St Kilda in round 8, it was unfathomable at the time to even contemplate making the finals. How far we have come in a short space of time… 11 wins from our last 13 games? Shut your face, I don't believe you!We take on the Lions and if we have any chance of remaining in the top four at season's end, we need to ensure it is a successful safari hunt Friday evening. The reigning premiers have chopped up a bit in the last few weeks, losing to the Suns and Swans. Is that a positive or a negative for us? A positive in that they may be a little shaky, but it could well be a negative because they will be filthy and ferocious Friday night. Our form is good, maybe not quite as good as 11 wins from 13 games suggests, but good enough to take it right up to Brisbane, so we shouldn't be fearful going in. But while they've only won 2 final quarter in their previous 6 games and despite having been run down after leading at ¾ time three times this year… I'm not sure we should continue leaving our run until the final term.From our perspective, unfortunately Izzy Dudley is heading back to the twos but we welcome back Corey Wagner for some defensive bulk. For the Lion's Brandon Starcevich makes his return and similar to Wagner, his defensive pressure will be a positive for them.Interestingly enough, Brisbane decided against running two recognised ruckmen to go up against Darcy and Jackson. Surely, we can run Darcy Fort into the ground?While it's an advantage for us that Lachie Neale isn't playing, it would have been fitting for him to be out there against the great Nat Fyfe, maybe for one last time? Brisbane have us and the Hawks to come, it's not outside the realms of possibility that they miss the eight! But right now, nostalgia takes a back seat and sentiment sits on the side-lines because there is serious business to get done. We really want to concentrate on Friday night and we don't want to get ahead of ourselves… but if we beat the Lions this week, the Dogs next week and the Crows can beat the Pies on Saturday, we're a serious chance at hanging onto a top four finish. With it being a double header and Fremantle being the later game, it's the Friday night semi-big stage. So, it should at least halve any possible big stage fright… shouldn't it? However, be that as it may, the overriding problem for us fans is that we can't help the early onset of anxiety!But a problem shared is a problem halved! So, if your nerves are starting to rumble as well, then pitch in and join the pre-game group calming therapy on the preview pod. Preparing a plan B is always prudent… so, maybe bring some Valium with you just in case.Send us a textSupport the show

Executive General Manager of Footy at the Fremantle Dockers, Joe Brierty, joined Mark Duffield ahead of their biggest game of the year on Friday night! The Dockers play Brisbane in their push for a top 4 finish! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can we ease up on the escapee artistry? Too many more of those wins and our hearts will escape our chest cavities! Time to Restump Podcast the too close for comfort win over a plucky Port Power... oh and the heart-breaking Nat Fyfe news none of us wanted.You can have all the science in the world at your disposal and access to the greatest minds, but no one escapes the aging process. Even the great man Nat Fyfe is but a mere mortal. It was the news we all knew was coming, we just didn't know when. Many of us hoped there was one more year in the dual Brownlow medallist, but he's called time on his illustrious and unrivalled career. He thrilled us for now 16 years, he delivered the club accolades, he provided hope when there was none and, more times than we can count, he picked up the team and carried it across the line. After David Mundy's farewell a few years back, Sonny Walter's exit a couple of weeks ago and now Fyfey's departure, it brings to an end the 2013 premiership era representation at Freo. While we have and will continue to live on the vivid memories, it sadly closes the door to a period that we, as Fremantle football club loving purple people, cherished and built our future hope on. Could we do the unthinkable? In our 31st year in the league, could the fairy-tale unfold? Is the prospect of sending off the great man with a premiership medal based in any possible reality? Imagine the absurd sense of exhilaration of it. It would send the club and us fans to nostalgic levels beyond our current comprehension. Fate is in our own hands. Leave nothing to chance, leave nothing in the tank and leave winning not until the end, like we have been doing of late. Lets go all in and immortalise Fyfey and the Fremantle Football club. Speaking of not leaving winning until the last second, are we pushing our luck? I know we self-profess to be a “win from anywhere” team but do we have to prove it up every week? Just because we can, doesn't mean we should. Could we just bring things forward a touch and put results to bed before we pass out with anxiety? We genuinely got out of jail Saturday night. We didn't play anywhere near out best and a depleted Port Adelaide took advantage and all but put us away. Without some Alex Pearce heroics, aided by his trusty Serong sidekick, it would have been "good old Freo found another way to screw it up” again. But this new mentally tough purple posse is a different bag. There's a resilience there now and a coinciding self-belief. There's a calmness about them when surrounded by chaos late in games. They're well drilled, they execute rehearsed strategies and they're super fit. But is it a sustainable strategy? Is it conducive to the ultimate success? Too much to get through here so let's pick it all up on the pod. So, wipe your Fyfey news tears, bring your box of Kleenex and grab your security blanket. Hey, we don't have all the answers and we're not the gate keepers of keynotes or guardians of the gab, so settle in get involved and add your piece to the Docker dialogue. Send us a textSupport the show

Yes, he does and he also confiscated much of Carlton's ball before redistributing it. Bloody marksist! Time to Restump Podcast Sunday's tough win over those bold and brazen Blues.There'd be numerous schools of thought in regards to the game. One is we were horrid for much of it. No, that's far enough.. we stunk it up for a half! We were beaten up around the ball, we relentlessly fumbled, played unintelligently and we couldn't execute under the Blue's pressure.Then there's the counterview. The above happened, but we hung in there, took the hits, regrouped, started playing as a team rather than individuals, began to play a style conducive to the conditions and piled on a 10+ goal 2nd half to run away for a near on 5 goal win.As a rate of all round improvement and growth of the collective, I lean towards the latter. Sure, that type of performance probably doesn't cut it deep in September, but did we get a truer picture of where we genuinely are? Recent years, we didn't have the physical and mental capacity to win like we did yesterday, or our earlier games against the Pies, Hawks and co this season.Yesterday was another for the “not as good or as bad as it seems” files.When a team, injury depleted or otherwise, has nothing to lose, they release the shackles and play with a dangerous freedom. While we didn't handle it well, their pressure was off the chart for arguably 3 quarters. It forced us into our old self-preservation, dump kick and hospital handball traits. Old habits hey? But now we do have the capacity to rectify things in game.Karl Worner must be on cloud nine. He was magnificent at times yesterday, showing up when it was most vital. His defensive smothers and big marks in the final term played no small part in the win.Andy Brayshaw had a rare mare and Caleb Serong was shut out for 3 quarters. Then when we started playing for each other and running protection rackets, everything changed. Serong's last quarter 9 touches, 6 of them contested, turned the momentum.Clunker Treacy played one of his best games. He was a focal point at times all over the ground, kicked 3 ripping goals of his own and to do it when the midfield was being belted, is even more meritorious.Do we win without Jaegar O'Meara superbly performing the job he was handed mid game to shut down George Hewitt? I have my doubts.Tragically we saw Hayden Young go down with a groin injury and, depending on severity, it has to cast some concern over our full September potential.However, old man Fyfe did a fair bit of timely damage in the WAFL on the weekend. Was it coincidence? Is this the sentimentalist's dreamer? Could this be the universe delivering the unthinkable?With now 14 wins, we've all but secured a final's berth. However, celebrations should be on hold because we still need one more victory to certify it, so the door to devastation is still slightly ajar. We still all suffer the scars sustained from our uncanny ability to secure an end of a season slump!For sick and twisted, almost perverse theatrical purposes and in the manner of how we do things in the most unconventional but weirdly entertaining way at Freo, there is a part of me that would love it to come down to our final encounter against Lobby and his Dogs in round 24.Oh c'mon, how does anyone think like that! Let's just get it done against Port this week.The depth we dive to talk everything Freo, is deeper than the hole West Coast have dug themselves into. So, if you want to consume Docker drivel and disregard the safety level, bang our noisy nonsense in the seashells on the sides of your skull and we'll all overdose on the purple together.Send us a textSupport the show

Sorry Blue boys, there's no room at the purple Inn. Time to Restump Podcast preview Sunday's must win game against the Carlton crew.We're in ripping form, we've got quite a healthy list, we're at home and we're rightfully long odds on to beat the out of form and depleted team of mercenary Blues. So, why are we not feeling as arrogantly confident about the task this week, as we did last week?I'll tell you why... because the spirit of Jack Newnes still haunts us! Because we're still not over the 2024 gather round atrocity we suffered against this very side! And because as ordinary and as seemingly broken as the Lygon Street Lira chasers are, they're not as atrocious as that rabble up the road!However, if we can set aside that irrational hysteria, we look at the Blues outfit and fail to see Charlie Curnow, Adam Cerra, Sam Walsh and Mitch McGovern. While they have enough talent over the team they're sending out Sunday to cause some issues, surely, that quartet of absentees should alleviate most of our fears? We've had some interesting tussles against the Blues over the journey. Amazingly 17 of our 41 encounters have been decided by 3 goals or less, 11 of them by single digit margins. Is that the cause of the slight feeling of unease?The Western Lobbradors did us a massive favour Thursday night destroying GWS along with their percentage and the Crows put the Hawks in a precarious position last night which is also beneficial for us. They are gifts we need to make the most of by consolidating them with a good numbered win on Sunday.While we wouldn't mind adding an Alex Pearce to the team to stand Harry McKay, we're going in with an unchanged line up. We're playing really good footy, results are falling favourably around us and we're oozing stability managing a predominantly healthy list coming into the right time of the season. Everything is coming up Milhouse!Did the Chief go too far with the West Coast Eagle commentary? We feel an apology is on order for overstepping the line with some insensitive remarks. So, the Neighbourhood Watch may unfortunately get wheeled out. Meanwhile, after a couple of atrocious weeks with the audio, we just hope Jojo concentrates on correctly pushing the buttons of a different kind.Anyway, while nobody asked for it or truly wants it, let's get this purple palaver underway on the pod. So, if, like us, you subscribe to the notion that too much nonsensical noise is never enough, you're amongst like-minded folk. Come on in, make yourself at home and join in the conversation. Send us a textSupport the show

It looks like Eagles' co-captain Oscar Allen might land at the Brisbane Lions in season 2026, and Roosy believes this highlights the fact that free agency means the good teams keep getting better. Paul believes that idea that the competition could expand to a 10-team finals series is rewarding mediocrity. Plus Poppy and Roosy are in agreement over who would be the best AFL Grand Final entertainment. 

Nearly a four large fine for Paddy because Harley wasn't watching where he was going! What a travesty! Is this where the revenue raising AFL corporation world has gotten to? Time to Restump Podcast the formality that was Saturday afternoon. Paddy Voss should be hailed, heralded and and held up as a beacon of compassion and restraint. He had the chance to put Harley Reid in the morgue. But he fought every fibre of his being and showed wonderful discipline to not follow through. Pre-game we're all for it, but we take no enjoyment sticking the banter boots into West Coast post-game after a win. Hey, we don't make the rules, we just abide by them. The entire day was a formality. It was simply a matter of just going through the motions and overseeing the safe transport of the 4 valuable points into our win account. It was a precisely calculated and managed, bigger fish to fry performance. At three quarter time JL gave them a spray telling them to be mindful of their excursion and to reel in the effort and intensity! He said, “This is July and they're blue and gold traffic cones, so leave plenty out there and I don't want to see anyone come off that ground with an empty tank!”  Understandably, apart from Liam Ryan standing on Karl Worner's head, the game never reached any great heights. While similar in age and relative experience, there were two vastly different classes of teams out there and there was a boat load of daylight between them. However, it was pretty enjoyable watching the surely now unbackable 2025 rising star winner, Murphy Reid, go about his business yet again like a seasoned veteran. His craft, his ability to execute and his intelligence… he has no purple peer!Well maybe that's not quite true because that guy Hayden Young is thereabouts. What a welcome inclusion he is. We've missed him all year and his return to the side couldn't have been better timed. 23 disposals, 6 inside 50s, 7 clearances and an absurd 3 goals. And if you thought that was mental, he ridiculously did it with just 57% of time on ground.Can we stop and appreciate the work of Jaegar O'Meara? The endless variety of roles and tasks he has been asked to do since he arrived at the club, not many players could perform them to such a level he has. Albeit acknowledging the disparity in age and experience and condition between the two, his work on Harley Reid on the weekend was superb.  It was a convincing win but it wasn't the percentage booster we were all hoping for. We did put on 3% though and surprisingly we're now ahead of Brisbane on the metric. However, we're rarely been big on percentage. We've been a big percentage boosting team at times in the past, but unfortunately it has usually been for an opponent! So, lets just focus on the winning. A place in the top 8, possibly top 4, is ours to lose. This game probably perfectly falls into the never as good or as bad as it seems category. We weren't at our best but we won comfortably. We generated a lot of shots on goal but our inaccuracy hurt us. Not really sure what else we learn from the game, but given it was against West Coast there'd no doubt be some substance to take out of it! Oh, c'mon it's West Coast… it's cheap shots and lame lines in more ways than one, all round! Anyway, lets engage the detection dogs and get them to run their noses over the game on the pod. So, feel free to join us as we wrap up the Derby proceedings and begin the Carlton focus commentary.Send us a textSupport the show

One of the biggest showdowns in the AFL is going down tomorrow: West Coast Eagles vs. Fremantle Dockers! To ramp up the excitement, we brought in Jordan Clark and Jeremy McGovern to help us preview this epic clash. Don’t miss it!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Isn't one of the perks of being an AFL footballer that it saves you from digging ditches for a living? $2 million a year and he still has to get on the end of spoony type shovel at that club! Time to Restump Podcast Saturday's stroll towards September. Yes, we know, you're screaming “footy Gods” “you'll jinx us” and “don't tempt fate.” Too late! We've gone all in, chips in the middle of the table. I mean in 1789 Benjamin Franklin wrote “Nothing is certain except death, taxes and Fremantle beating West Coast on the 26th July 2025.” The guy was obviously a prophet.Sure, we all remember and we're all still dealing with the scars of round 6 last year when West Coast found a way to beat us. But we're not that team anymore and we haven't been that team since round eight this year against the Saints. Like West Coast Eagles at a community holiday program for kids, we were absent that day. We're a mentally tough outfit now, we've eradicated the periods of lethargy and inattentiveness, we now turn up at the first bounce week in week out and we're playing with an authority and confidence.  There are no omens here, there's no voodoo, no juju that'll stop us winning Saturday. I mean the Coasters went all in to try and give their fans something against Richmond last week, a club that is further back in it's rebuild, and they got embarrassed. Look at their list they're rolling out! They should be called the West Coast Owls, because every time you hear one of their players mentioned, you say, who?The only possible disappointing outcome on Saturday will be if we don't retrieve enough percentage from the opportunity. Maybe potential injuries as well… but hey we're not tempting the footy injury gods! I wouldn't be surprised if we're going all in with the Restump Investment Fund on the $1.03 about Freo winning. Its virtually free money! For some balance and grounding and some across the aisle compassion though, there could be an extending of the olive branch in an episode of the Neighbourhood Watch.If you're onboard the purple bulldozing bandwagon and you need something to listen to, press play on the pod and you'll probably get more of this type of nonsense! The only threat of complacency exists in the unnerving minds of the fickle and hesitant. Get out of here you doubting Thomases! Send us a textSupport the show

Executive General Manager of Footy at the Fremantle Dockers, Joe Brierty, joined Mark Duffield off the back of a huge win in Melbourne and look towards Derby 61! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is young Murphy Reid now the benchmark? He certainly is at the MCG after leaving a mark on the bench that Brayden Maynard callously and recklessly shoved him into! Time to Restump Podcast the thrilling possibility door opening win over the Pies.Other than putting it down to heart and soul, a relentless work rate, self-belief, an absurd forward efficiency and a defensive collective that should be paid triple time for the amount of work it did, I'm not exactly sure how we won that game!The Pie's pressure was mental, the ball lived in their forward half and they pumped us for inside fifties. I mean we lost the inside fifty count 63 to 40! We had the lowest number of inside fifties of any team over the entire weekend; it was against the league's best team who sat games clear at the top of the ladder and yet we somehow managed to not only keep them to one goal from a massive 20 inside fifties in the 3rd term, we scored one in every two of our total entries to win the game. And, I may add, against the best defence in the league! That stuff needs a bearded stooge in a lab coat armed with a beaker, a petri dish and bunsen burner to work out how it all happened. Is it a sustainable on field football business model? Well, if the Prancing Pony can guarantee us he'll bang through 6 straight every week, then absolutely it is. However, in reality here on earth, as talented as Vossy is, it's an unfair and unrealistic request. So, the answer is probably no, it isn't sustainable. We can't put those expectations on our defensive unit or an individual. But to momentary hell with that, it worked on the weekend, the valuable 4 points are in the bag and while we're trying to keep a lid on things, the “why not us” question is gaining some traction.You should never ask a question you don't already know the answer to. So, with that been said, is Luke Jackson the best kick at goal in the entire AFL? Under pressure from long range… he's kicked 14 goals 3 this year. We have to say it's comforting having a fit Jaegar O'Meara back. We've missed his presence around the ball and when he does get an opportunity to hit the scoreboard, he's usually of the Luke Jackson ilk. And speaking of welcomed returns, do we win that game without a quarter and a bit from Hayden Young? Maybe, maybe not, but I'm glad we don't have to find out. Could Josh Treacy be the greatest swingman the game has ever seen? One game saving mark is happenstance; two separate game saving marks could be classed as coincidence. But now a third separate game saving mark is a behavioural pattern! We wanted to speak to JT about it but he's in surgery having Darcy Moore's knees removed from his spine! And lastly can we have some gratitude for and send some love to the serial scapegoat and whipping boy, Bailey Banfield? He had a ripping game and has thrived upon becoming a part of the backline band. We've now beaten Gold Coast on their home deck, GWS at their circus showgrounds and Collingwood in their Colosseum. However, nothing is assured and there is plenty still to play out, and while unfortunately a very good team is going to miss finals this year, we're in some serious shape. For now, though, let's not worry about the what ifs, let's disregard the data, put aside the predictions, projections and premonitions and continue Monday marvelling at our mastery in a magnificent moment at the MCG. So, pull up a pew, pour yourself a potion, press play on the pod and partake in our picking apart of the Pies and the Purple. Send us a textSupport the show

Barra’s back with plenty to unpack from a huge weekend in sport. The Fremantle Dockers silenced the MCG, but can they keep that momentum rolling? The West Coast Fever made a serious finals statement, while Harley Reid continues to give Eagles fans something to believe in, despite another diabolical AFL loss. Plus, is Scottie Scheffler golf’s new Tiger Woods?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Blood, Switta and tears encapsulates Saturday night and it was the exception to the ‘never as good or as bad as it seems' rule. As a moment, an occasion and result, it was better than it seemed! Time to Restump Podcast the magical, emotional and successful night against the Hawks. It was a ridiculously hard fought, combative, nonstop four quarter contest with Brayshaw's bloodied brain container, Sammy Switkowski returning to play one of his best career games and then the emotional tears taking its toll as we all struggled to say goodbye to Sonny. Whether they are meaningful or not, so many elements went into and came together to make Saturday night what it was. It had an elimination final feel for both clubs so there was already an overflow of anxiety and pressure and while it was absurd criticism after the Swans loss, no Freo player, coach or fan wanted to give the critics any hint of even fake validation by losing. The contest was incredibly fierce, we then had to come from behind in the fourth quarter, and finally we had Sonny's send-off which couldn't have been what it was, had we dropped the game. These may seem like insignificant points to many other team's football supporters, but you get the feeling that you had to be a Freo fan to understand the enormity of it. Unless you've been through the deepest darkest depths of football fan despair, you can't truly comprehend or experience the full scope of the exhilaration Saturday night served up. It's difficult to deliver a high class and clean performance when the heat is on like it was, but the skill level out there under those conditions was impressive. The pressure was relentless and while it got the better of us early and we couldn't get near the ground ball, we managed to again fight our way in, take control of the contest, and steer the ship home. Dare we say another maturing performance?It was a well-rounded, ferocious one in all in, team-oriented display, built on a record 103 tackles. If we put that on continuous repeat, it'll carry us a long way. We did only generate 15 scoring shots for the game, which was the equal second lowest on the weekend from all 18 teams, but it was an anomaly in regards to our recent form and our accuracy covered for it. We're a day delayed because we had to let the goose bumps subside, the hair on the back of our necks set back down and wait for our inbuilt Sonny inspired water works taps to turn off. But we can't wait to talk about this game in more depth and relive the occasion. So, like us, if you're not ready to move on just yet, join us on the pod as we prolong the Saturday night magic and continue Sonny's send-off party. Send us a textSupport the show

In this episode of the Talking Hawks Six Points, Tim and Ollie recap Hawthorn's disappointing 13-point loss to Fremantle. They discuss the implications of the match on the team's finals aspirations, highlight key player performances, and analyze the team's struggles in the last quarter. The conversation also touches on leadership concerns, tackling strategies, and the impressive form of ruckman Lloyd Meek. As they look ahead, they reflect on the team's progress over the season and the importance of consistency in the final weeks.Give TH a 5-star review! Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TalkingHawksFollow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TalkingHawksFollow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/talking_hawksFollow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkinghawks

Catch up on all the footy news from AFL 360, Wednesday 9th of July with Garry Lyon and Adam Simpson. On AFL 360, Garry Lyon and Adam Simpson discuss the news that Carlton’s Michael Voss has been sent vile threats at a time when he already has plenty going on. They then preview the Blues clash with the Brisbane Lions, followed by Collingwood Magpies vs. the Gold Coast Suns and Fremantle Dockers vs. Hawthorn. For more of the show tune in on Fox Footy & KAYO.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With great possession power comes great accountability. Time to Restump Podcast Sunday's small setback.Our 6-game winning streak came to an end at the hands of powerful Swans, who quite simply were just too good. With all their guns back and runs under their belts, the 2024 Grand Finalists found their form and returned to that familiar relentless pressure applying unit. For all but 3 quarters, whichever combination we tried, we had no answers to their centre bounce dominance.The Swan's James Jordan continues taking down big names and numbers and unfortunately Caleb Serong was next on his list to tick off… in more ways than one. Opposing teams are laser focused on Caleb. His name would be on all opposition whiteboards in big bold black letters pre-game. So, we must start giving him a chop out, provide him some assistance by running some blocks and putting some physical heat on opponents for him. Are we capable of that? What we wouldn't have given for a fit Fyfe out there!We've obviously got centre clearance issues but the re-emergence of Jaegar O'Meara may well help alleviate some of them. His influence upon being injected into the game was instant and hindsight says maybe we should've rolled the dice and pulled the sub lever sooner. While he may not have the size and strength yet, is there midfield room for a ridiculously skilful rising star favourite, Murphy Reid? It's no secret Jye is struggling a bit. His confidence has deserted him and it has taken his snooker cue straight kicking, dead eye Jye moniker with it. Backing a player in to fight the form slump is admirable, but are there time limits? Does Jye need a breather, a release of pressure in the twos to tear the WAFL apart for a week?While the axe grinding, coach sacking callers will melt down over the first loss in 6 weeks, an objective view would realise the Swans, with their top liners match fit, who were $1.60 favourites and had won 13 of 20 games against us at the SCG, had to play at a high and relentless level to beat us. To be absolutely belted in the midfield yet still all but win the game against that Swan's outfit… some issues need attention but we are doing a hell of a lot right. With a couple of recent wins over much lower placed teams we needed a test to see where we are. We got the test and the answer and it appears we're in really good shape for a 4th to 9th team. It may be an inconvenience to hear, but we're simply not at the Collingwood or Brisbane level yet… but we're not far off it.Obviously, we're all disappointed with the loss and what it momentarily means, but in the end, we didn't take enough of the chances and the Swans did. Sometimes you just have to say, too good.We're out of the eight but we're just a win and % out of 3rd and % out of 6th. We have enough winnable games to come to secure a spot in September. The opportunity is there if we want to take it.We're not exactly bouncing off the walls with excitement but if it's pessimism you're looking for, check your GPS coordinates because they've led you astray. There's an empty room somewhere looking for you to take the shortest view in. But if it's a balanced mixture of wider constructive perspective and bouts of exaggerated nonsense, the kettle is on. So, come in, make yourself a coffee, bang this noise in your ears, give us your thoughts and make yourself at home.Send us a textSupport the show

What's all this commotion about the SCG surface? It shouldn't be a problem for our beloved Freo Dockers as we've been skating on thin ice for thirty years! Time to Restump Podcast the shifting sands show against the Swannies.It's a sad time having to accept Sonny Walters on the big stage is no more. We all knew it was coming, but while the decision to call it a day hadn't been made, we were able to live in hope. Our denial dwelling has now been extinguished and the reality of it, we must live in. However, let's not mourn his football passing, but rather be grateful he existed in our era. As we all know, the game is bigger than the individual, so the show must go on.Sunday, we meet the Swans for the 2nd time this season and, for some reason, it makes me a little nervous. We should've beaten them back in round 2 but we found a way to avoid carrying the heavy 4-point burden.The reality is we are a much better football team now than we were then, so we shouldn't be fearful. Like last week against the Saints, we need some retribution, albeit with more of a 4 points primary objective.Worryingly though, the Bloods are on the improve. It feels they're finding their way back to that hard combative tough to beat familiar Swans outfit and, on top of that, they've won 13 of 20 encounters against us at the SCG.Ruckman Brodie Grundy has recaptured his top form recently and both Errol Gulden and Tom Papley now have gotten a few games under their belts. It just feels like we're getting Sydney a few weeks too late. However, we do need a genuine challenge superior to North, Essendon and St Kilda to provide us an update of where we are.Horses for courses might exclude the ground conditions because we're recalling captain Pearce and running with Darcy on the slippery deck. We cannot cotton wool them forever, especially when we're one of the nine teams desperately trying to squeeze into eight spots.With the Dogs winning last night it leaves us in 7th, in front of the Suns in 8th who are playing Essendon, and the Giants in 9th up against West Coast. Both should win comfortably so the pressure is on and it'll leave us in a precarious position if we're unable to skate past the Swannies.Enough of the short pointed written stuff. Time to get out the ice pick and break the game down further. So, if the chilly gap between now and Sunday morning needs some purple warmth, don the beanie, ear muffs and gloves, pull on the freshly sharpened bladed skating boots and join us for a session on the conversational preview pod rink.Send us a textSupport the show

Most of us will forever love Rosco. However, while difficult and precarious at times, it was pretty pleasing to enter the Optus Stadium safari park Sunday and take down a big game Lyon. Time to Restump Podcast the successful hunting expedition.It is still both traumatic and reassuring to revisit our previous encounter against Rosco and his Saintly pride. While we were largely our own worst enemy on the day, they brutally ripped us to shreds in what was an unwatchable massacre. However, fast forward eight weeks and we righted the wrongs and made amends.Do the subsequent positives, including the retributive win yesterday, outweigh the negatives of that fateful day eight weeks ago? Did we need the mindset realignment mauling? We'll never know but going into yesterday, I'm not sure we'd have been on the end of a five-game winning streak had we not suffered that troubling experience. The great man did take us to a grand final… did our former coach inadvertently do us another favour?In or beyond the football world everyone at some stage in their lives has to take their beneficial beating. Our core group took theirs eight weeks back. It was a humiliating and embarrassing belting on the big stage that put the climactic cap on some catastrophic form. The depths of despair are often where the healing begins and change is born, but it takes some sort of catalytic event to arrive at the arena of realisation. It's evident by the reported hard spoken truths, the subsequent soul searching and the carrying of energising scars since, that the previous Saints game was our season defining moment of mortality. Yesterday's performance only put an exclamation point on it.The team we were eight weeks back to the team we have been since is unrecognisable. We're not in the top echelon yet, but we're a different unit, a more psychologically pro-active collective exuding energised initiative. We're now a group of personal responsibility taking, team-oriented and driven individuals. We've now arrived at the end of the rare period in which we made hay while the home ground sun shone. In a recent era, within this season, the thought of vital wins would have rendered us jittery, robbing us of maximising the benefit from the advantageous run of home ground games. But while it has been a great yield, the harvest is far from complete. While our hopes of hitting back and securing 4 points of retribution were realised, the victory was more important for bigger fish to fry reasons.  We're sitting in 6th but we've got three teams breathing down our necks, Gold Coast have a game in hand and we're all but occupying the equal lowest percentage of the top 9 teams. Clearly there is still plenty of work to be done, but you get the feeling we're up for the challenge.Time for a further chat about the actual game on the pod in more depth... thankfully not the despair level depth! So, for whatever reason, if your ears have recently done you wrong and you're looking for revenge on them, our nonsensical purple noise is a fitting retributive punishment.Send us a textSupport the show

As the AFLW enters its 10th season, Gemma Bastiani chats with some of the inaugural players that are still playing today. These are the Inaugurals. On this episode, Gemma chats with Port Adelaide's Gemma Houghton, who attended a talent search in 2016 where she caught the attention of the Fremantle Dockers who signed her in 2016. Since then, she has cemented herself as one of the fan favourite's of the AFLW competition.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So productively in sync and inseparable are Serong and Jackson, they're starting to morph into one Calukeb Jacksong entity! Time to Restump Podcast the dispatching of the Dons. A combined 56 possessions, 48 hitouts, 17 clearances, 18 score involvements, over 1,000 metres gained and 5 goals neat from Serong and Jackson! Coles and Woolworths are screaming, “What about that duopoly!” Let's just get all the prefacing out of the way early. Yes, it was Essendon, yes, we were expected to win comfortably, yes, they're battling and yes, Vigo Visantini was their sole ruck on debut. With that been said and now subconsciously considered, Thursday was a job satisfactorily and entertainingly done. Despite the first quarter midfield dominance of the Dons, the result really was never in doubt. Was it perfect? Absolutely not. Are we better than that display? Maybe in patches and on occasions, but taking into account the last 5 weeks of form, we're probably a 4th to 9th type of team at the moment. Did our rare as hens teeth accurate kicking make us appear more overall dominant than we truly were? The second and third quarters we piled on 10 goals 1 to the Bomber's 4 goals 6. On paper, at least, they're the same opportunities.Anyway, focusing on the underlying possible realities isn't necessarily fun, so let's talk about Luke Jackson instead. Remember back to those days when there were those who were angry at the club for spending up on what Jackson cost us, suggesting he was overrated? Those crazy dazey times! His ruckwork was one thing, but his fourth midfielder traits somehow astonishingly continue to increase. And not enough fuss has been made about his 3 goals! They weren't gimmes or marks in the goal square, they were from long range and or under pressure on the run.And the other member of Calukeb Jacksong, did he have a day out or what? When Caleb Serong, not exactly known for his accuracy, hit that goal from the boundary… it was put the glasses down, this game is done.  Elsewhere, Corey Wagner's stock continues to rise after another super polished performance, clamping down on Zac Merret. He attended a career high 17 of the 29 centre bounces.Jordie Clark must be an All-Australian lock and Luke Ryan was back to his mopping up everything best. On top of kicking goals and clunking grabs, Josh Treacy hunts opponents down. He literally corals, confuses and catches them. Shai Bolton has simply made us a much better team and Freddy could have had a big day out.Where are we all on Nat Fyfe? It is just his first true game back, but he attended just 5 centre bounces and had little to no impact up forward. Jojo stands by his hard call but the Chief is keeping the faith and extending the hand of opportunity. There is something about September that tells me we'll be thankful for a Fyfe!The Darcy conversation will only escalate. Have we done the right by him, throwing him to the Max Gawn and Toby Nankervis type wolves and then resting him against a debutant? Is there more to the resting story than we're being told? We kneed to know!We ticked the box that needed ticking, we made another 4-point deposit in the September action bank and we got some entertainment along the way. Let's rinse and repeat!The game does seem like it was long ago, but it was too entertaining not to dig conversationally deeper. So, bring your language luggage, grab your purple talking twigs and join us in the conversing corner as we all bang on about the banishment of the Bombers.Send us a textSupport the show

It's only Adam Peacock and Michael Chammas in studio today as the duo dissect the fallout of Origin II! NSW's horrendous first-half is in the spotlight as poor discipline plus both Nathan Cleary & Payne Haas injuries affected the team. But what about Queensland?! A week of constant jabs from south of the border, backs against the wall, held on to force a massive decider! The boys look at Billy Slater, Aaron Woods and how we as a game cover the hype around Origin. And Chammas explains the difficulties of covering a story when the topic becomes very sensitive. But also... what's WA's media's problem with the NRL? A newspaper spread had an article on Slater next to advertisements for escort services?! Whilst the front page advertised "State of Origin" between Fremantle Dockers & Essendon Bombers! And major developments happening on the Northern Beaches as the future of Anthony Seibold continues to be questioned!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's only Adam Peacock and Michael Chammas in studio today as the duo dissect the fallout of Origin II! NSW's horrendous first-half is in the spotlight as poor discipline plus both Nathan Cleary & Payne Haas injuries affected the team. But what about Queensland?! A week of constant jabs from south of the border, backs against the wall, held on to force a massive decider! The boys look at Billy Slater, Aaron Woods and how we as a game cover the hype around Origin. And Chammas explains the difficulties of covering a story when the topic becomes very sensitive. But also... what's WA's media's problem with the NRL? A newspaper spread had an article on Slater next to advertisements for escort services?! Whilst the front page advertised "State of Origin" between Fremantle Dockers & Essendon Bombers! And major developments happening on the Northern Beaches as the future of Anthony Seibold continues to be questioned!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We've been a circus at times but now we're a Dogga and Prancing Pony show! Time to Restump Podcast the withdrawal of the 4 points from the Kanga bank.When you get over the line in a last gasp effort against a team serially occupying cellar dwelling real estate, you're usually disappointed and rarely anything more than relieved. However, on this occasion, North deserves the credit. They brought and applied a pressure level none of us saw coming and it was all but good enough to beat us.However, in what is another step in the right direction and a feather in our cap, we found a way to win when previously we may not have done. Is this the maturing filtering through? The age and experience factors gradually starting to take shape?Can we just dip our lids, applaud and enjoy the Voss gloss? A two-time club discard, what a revelation Paddy Voss has been. From outside looking in, not only has he played his part in transforming our former robotic and predictable manner, he has created energy with his enthusiasm and made a material contribution. We say the Saints game was the catalyst for Freo's turnaround, but has it been the Prancing Pony instead? He came in the game after and has kicked 10 goals in his 5 games since.And while we're on the topic of discarded players, Corey Wagner deserves a standing ovation. Luke Davies Uniacke was cutting us to ribbons, ending the first half with 20 touches and a goal. Second half, Mr Longmuir said, “Mr Davies Uniacke, meet Mr Wagner.” LDU ended the game with 27 touches. Tristian Xerri was always going to be a problem but we saw some good improvement in Sean Darcy and while Luke Jackson didn't have his substantial midfield impact, he still found a way to influence the game. However, had it not been for the great Josh Treacy's defensive acts, we may be singing a different tune today. Sure, you expect Cyclonic performances in wet weather, but his game saving mark backing into a pack of Kangaroos deep in defence with just moments to go, has been undersold. His subsequent kick out of bounds on the full… we won't mention that.We won the game so the coaches obviously got it right, but there was a little disappointment in the subbing off of Neil Erasmus. For someone who has lacked opportunity and hasn't put a foot wrong since his return, maybe there were grounds for keeping him on. But with Fyfe looking for minutes, Nathan O'Driscoll playing superbly at Peel, Alex Pearce thereabouts, Izzy Dudley set to return and Brandon Walker closing in, there might be a few selection headaches and disappointments in the near future. Not a bad problem to have though. It was the first of the five vital games that will determine our September quest and we got the dishes done. And at the end of the day, that is all we really needed to do. We now need to feast on the next four and sure up some percentage given the tightness of the battle for top eight spots. It's a short turnaround as this Thursday night we take it to the Dons who are coming off a belting at the hands of Geelong. We need to be ready for their response.All in all it was a better win than a win over a bottom placed team suggests. We were made to work for it and we had to earn it. However, we got shown that we're still susceptible to pressure and if a top eight team dropped it on us, they also probably wouldn't allow us to score as freely and get away with it. Just some assessable balance food for thought.It's more a bank the 4 points and move on but there's always plenty to bang on about. So, if you're not ready to robotically put it behind us and be all methodical about it, feel free to join us on the pod to squeeze every last ounce of eSend us a textSupport the show

You have to respect the hustle! Time to Restump Podcast the Saturday night clash against the well-rested, tin rattling, garage sale conducting, home game selling Kangas. North Melbourne have been staying in WA for the entire week, showcasing Bunbury to Rottnest. We know they're a bit light in the pockets, but are they on the WA tourist bureau books? Whatever the case, they're going to be well rested and while they played a game last week down in Bunbury, it's fair to say both Freo and the Kangas are coming off byes. We're going in with an unchanged line-up and, in our most recent batch of form, it suggests complications and products of the bye should be our greatest hurdle. We're only tongue in cheek disrespecting the Kangas with our nonsense, but having watched their performance last week against the Eagles... we really shouldn't be losing this game. While an unchanged line-up produces continuity and stability, it means on this occasion we're going around again without the captain and without our best option for Nick Larkey. The Kangas forward isn't in hot form but he can turn it on. Paul Curtis on the other hand has had a career best year to date and is one that we'll need to do a little more than keep an eye on.Tristian Xerri is up there with, if not the best, rucks in the league and in the absence of a second ruck, he'll be up against team JackArce. It will be interesting to see if there is any improvement not only in Sean Darcy's game and condition, but more so his game time minutes.    Five weeks ago we'd just put in that insipid performance against St Kilda. We were all emotionally distraught, the sack the coach crowd were at fever pitch, our season was thought to be over and we were individually questioning all the decisions we'd made in our lives up until that point.Fast forward to round 14 and we've run the premiership favourites to a couple of goals, beaten GWS, Port Adelaide, Gold Coast, sit in 9th with 7 wins staring at five winnable upcoming games with four of them at home to be eyeing off top four once again, and not a murmur from the “to hell with JL” gang!We've won 50% of our post-bye games across our history. However, we've won 62.5% of our post-bye home games. As this is a post-bye away game at home, there isn't exactly a sufficient sample size of indicative statistics for that! While nothing is certain in life, victory over the Kangas on Saturday night should really be a formality. Yes, go ahead throw your accusations of “jinxing us” and “tempting the footy Gods” at me. The truth is, if we can't beat superstition, we may as well sell our home games because we wouldn't be a serious club!It feels a case of little to win and much to lose with little hope of losing it. Conventionality will get the job done but procedural tendencies are uninspiring. Do we need some sort of Griffin Logue centred shenanigans to raise the vibration and spark enthusiasm? Can we raise the spirits and lift the mental intensity on the pod as we discuss Saturday night's clash against the Skippies? It's a tall order! We offer no guarantees or returns, but we'll give it a go.Send us a textSupport the show

Was that a career best performance from Uncle Sam Switkowski? Or as a commentators call him Sam Swiskowski or Sam Sierakowski. Time to Restump Podcast that season setting up win over the Suns.Have we moved from cautious optimism to guarded enthusiasm? Or has that magnificent victory seen a release of the shackles, sending us into expectational elation? But we must be measured and keep some perspective, as we know the dangers of getting ahead of ourselves. With that been said… we may never lose again!Are we seeing the team and the performances we thought we'd see at round one this year? There has been a conspicuous shift across the board. There is a notable difference in the unwavering intent and effort, there is desire to contest, to run for each other and there has been widespread adoption of the non-negotiables. The game plan has been tinkered with and there have been a couple of personnel changes and positional adjustments, but the predominant the change has been mentality. It feels that the St Kilda game was the catalyst for change. Whatever happened post-match, whether it was the reading of the riot act, hard truths being aired or ultimatums given, it flicked the switch and snapped them out their funk. Will we look back in history and remember that game as our Keating recession moment, the horrendous performance we had to have?But back to Saturday to that almost impossible victory. It was so pleasing to see Sammy Switkowski put in a monster, arguably a career best game. All anyone is asking of him is to bring that consistency in effort and intent.  Did we learn anything about the prospects of team JackArce? If that combo allows that type of performance from Jackson, then it works and it'll only improve. Darcy spent just 50% time on ground but got to 57 ruck contests and won over half of them. Let's not forget he's far from full match fitness. Jackson was mental… 27 influential possessions… 19 ground ball gets… for god's sake… he's 2 metres tall. What world is he from!Can we give some love to Corey Wagner? What a wonderful pick up he has been. His tweaked role has unleashed his inner midfielder. He was superb on Saturday with his versatility, hitting the scoreboard, taking territory and defending. But as much love as we're throwing Wagner's way, we've got a little bit more than that for Shai. Were we sure we'd get such effort-based leadership from him? I'll admit I thought he'd be the cream on the top and would cap things off when we were going well. I didn't expect him to be the buy in guy and lead with such attitude. And I'm not sure I ever contemplated he'd win a game for us with a fatigued, last gasp tackle in the wet. Its like we donned the balaclava and shotgun on Richmond!  But let's pull up a bit, the big love-in is getting a bit much. So, for some balance and to keep us grounded, is it too far to tongue in cheek suggest Caleb might not hit water if he fell out of a boat? You know your foot skills need sharpening when you'd contemplate backing Fyfey in a one-on-one goal kicking contest! We still love you, Caleb!Speaking of the great man, how good was it to see Nat Fyfe run out there at ¾ time and a have a meaningful impact on the game. Shut up… I wasn't crying… it was a Gold Coast rain drop in my eye…. To hell with the lid, let's start some safe, non-Voss style high fiving and yahooing about that season setting up win on the pod. Feel free to join us but if you're going to come in hot with your ‘one week at a time' stick in the mud pessimistic nonsense, you'll be shown the door!Send us a textSupport the show

Talk about going from chocolates to boiled lollies back to chocolates and then boiled lollies again! The loss of Captain Pearce is far from ideal and we literally did the hokey pokey with him all week. Time to Restump Podcast the stoush against the Suns. This is almost as tough an assignment as there is in AFL at the moment. Playing the Gold Coast Suns on their home deck usually doesn't end well for the touring teams in recent times. They've won 9 of their last 11 games at home, they're sitting pretty in 3rd on the ladder and they still have a game in hand. Considering they've only had 2 games at home so far this year, it means they've won 6 games away from People's First Stadium, something they've struggled to do up until this season. So, it is it pretty safe to say the Gold Coast Suns have now finally arrived?Making our tough task more difficult, we've lost Captain Pearce, to the absolute delight for Ben King. We've also lost livewire forward Izzy Dudley and obviously Cooper Simpson. However, Nat Fyfe, Sean Darcy and Josh Draper return fill the void and they're 3 handy ones to pick up the slack. It's an interesting decision to bring both Darcy and Fyfe back in when the forecast is for big bloody buckets of rain. Not that you can't get injured in the WAFL, but it's a little surprising they didn't go around in the twos. However, you'd imagine both will somehow be on managed minutes. Is it the ideal time to restart the validation trial of project JackArce? Up against Jarrod Witts and Ned Moyle in the expected torrential conditions, it just feels that maybe we haven't set Sean Darcy up for success. But we're not conditioning coaches or sport scientists so, who knows. Beyond the project are we making an error going in extremely tall? It failed a couple of weeks back and those conditions were pristine. Maybe the selection committee are backing the courage of their conviction. Not going to lie, as much as we tried to stave it off, the cautious optimism crept up and infected us again over the last couple of weeks. But Saturday is a different kettle of fish.... and given how much rain is forecast, that might be from a literal sense! Matty Rowell, Noah Anderson and Bailey Humphrey give you the impression they'll drink up the wet conditions. We did play well in dampness last week but we may need to swim a few extra training laps before Saturday. But, we're Dockers, we're waterside workers! Aren't storms and overcast conditions the natural enemies of the sun? What are we talking about here... we have the traditional conditional upper hand! And what do we always say at the Restump? If the world floods, it matters not to the duck! Time to wander into the upcoming watery wrestle in greater in depth. So, join us as we take a quick preview dip and a cold plunge in the purple pod pool.Send us a textSupport the show

He looks like he'd use a ladder to pick strawberries! Yet this Murphy Reid character continues to show us all he's never out of his depth. Time to Restump Podcast Freo's paddling of Port.We don't want to jump to early conclusions... God knows we're not doing that injury again. However, a question need asking. Have we ironed out the kinks, rectified the glitches and exorcised the psychological demons?Admittedly there'd be some concerns in the Port Adelaide camp but regardless of their issues, Saturday night Freo was impressive. We weathered the storm on multiple fronts, took all Port Adelaide could muster, before upping our game and returning serve.The numbers escape me, but if memory serves me correctly, and it usually doesn't, we've rarely been good wet trackers. Aren't we often the side throwing everything at an opponent, not getting scoreboard reward and leaving the door open? We reversed those roles on Saturday and it felt a little mature. Our efficiency and skills in the wet were something to behold.And speaking of maturing, while they definitely lifted in the 2nd half, holding our own and not having to rely on Andy Brayshaw and Caleb Serong early, was an important growth.If Murphy Reid isn't leading the Rising Star award... open an investigation! His body of work, his nomination and now absurd 4-goal feat in what were often torrential conditions, should have him at unbackable odds. How can an 18 year old possess such composure and creativity! I'm starting to get nervous about his future and he's here til the end of 2027!Give whoever it was at the club that found Izzy Dudley, a pay rise. He's been in the system 5 minutes and he's doing ludicrous things. Imagine lining up on him… you'd be whispering to yourself, “I'm sorry what you're about to be put through, ankles, but hang in there.” What is he going to produce when he gets a couple more preseasons under his belt? What a tribunal result for the Captain. Our first win ever there? Maybe the AFL saying, ‘we want you to play this fast, brutal, full contact game but make instant decisions, at times while airborne, to protect someone who has no duty of care for themselves. And if you don't defy the laws of physics and gravity and work intellectually at AI speed, you're not playing within the spirit of the game, so we'll penalise you 3 weeks' has realised its own nonsense! Charges aside, Alex Pearce is flying. Who would've thought we'd ever refer to him as a “good for a goal a game player?” He's been in super form and Saturday night was no different. He looks more fluent, comfortable and even nimble. Physically and mentally he must be tip top.The off-field lead ruck battle isn't behind closed doors any more. The 'sharing is caring' arrangement is gone as Luke Jackson is making his intentions clear. And in his current form, it's hard to argue. Isn't possession 9/10ths of the law? However, as good as Jackson is going, he's had a couple of favourable opponents of late. Sean Darcy has to first find some resilience, but there's still a bit to play out.Dare we say it? Have we turned the corner? We still haven't really beaten genuine top 8 sides, but our form feels different, like something has clicked. There's a freer flowing footy style with greater balance and it seems players are more assured of their role. That said, Gold Coast on their home deck where they're virtually unbeatable, will tell us where we're at.We're 6 and 5 and just % out of 7th. Our season somehow feels very much alive and, damn it, if there isn't cautious optimism growing.So, you know the drill. If this written nonsense doesn't fill your quota, then, providing you've no respect for your ears, tune into the pod and supplemenSend us a textSupport the show

Catch up on all the footy news from AFL 360, Monday the 26th of May with Gerard Whateley and Garry Lyon. Gerard Whateley and Garry Lyon are back for a huge edition of AFL 360, discussing Carlton’s kicking woes and ‘predictable, boring’ footy. They then look into Callum Mills’ tackle, the latest Sydney Swans player to produce a ‘dumb’ act, and they debate whether or not Hawthorn are premiership contenders this year. They finish on Alex Pearce’s tackle, which left Darcy Byrne-Jones with concussion, and discuss whether the Fremantle Dockers have a case when they challenge his suspension. For more of the show tune in on Fox Footy & KAYO.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How's that saying go? It's better to have and not need, than need and not have? We should be ok; they're not all staying in a hotel together. He can't know all their individual addresses, can he? Time to Restump Podcast the Power threat level!For the first time this year we're going in with an unchanged line up. Is this the consistency and stability we've all been desiring? It does feel a little like foreign territory though because so far this year, we've consistently changed our minds, our players, our effort and intent, our game plan, our ball movement and our form. Maybe the only change we have to deal with this week is the weather.With four wins and six losses and sitting in 15th on the ladder, it's fair to say Port Adelaide aren't travelling too flash. And to add insult to injury, they've now lost the vital Jason Horne-Francis. So, why does this feel like such a danger game? On the back of Port's season and our performance last week, we should be going in quietly confident. Yet, I can't shake this nervous feeling. Do we go at Willie Rioli? He has shown that he's easily rattled. The mental game is as important as the physical game, so why would we not use it to our advantage? He kicked three goals against us in our last encounter but, to be fair, he hasn't been a big historical threat against us…. well at least on the field anyway. Of the six games he has played against Fremantle, he has gone goalless just once. However, he's kicked 3 goals on 3 occasions this year from just 9 games, so he is in pretty good nick.While I'm not sure if we're that sort of team and I really don't know if we have the individuals willing to do so, for the record, I vote we rattle the cattle-truck out of his cage. Get Willie thinking about other things and give his teammates an extra protection task. But does it really serve our purpose? I admit I am a bit of a fan of the theatre of footy.While their form isn't great, Port has beaten Hawthorn and Sydney, so they are capable. And with Zak Butters and Ollie Wines in the middle, Connor Rozee distributing and setting up play make off half back and Mitch Georgiades up forward with Willie Rioli at his feet, you can see how they cause some feeling of trepidation. While we might have a bit more talent across the board, do we have the capability to slug it out in a potentially bruising encounter in the wet? It's difficult to forget we didn't handle the treatment in the pristine dry conditions under the roof at Marvel against the Saints. The rain, should it impact the game, could be the great leveler on Saturday night. The Restump investment club has gone sideways and is in need of a bail out. Can we blame the Trump tariffs? They're being blamed for everything else! But quitting is for cowards and as we always say at the Restump, you're only ever one hot streak away from a full recovery. May the Gods be in our odds.Anyway, it's all about the maritime melee this Saturday night. So, pull on the trackie, bang on a beanie, rug up, grab a cup of coffee and let's have a chat about it further on the pod. Send us a textSupport the show

Given the meaning of Jackson is son of Jack, is it really surprising Luke cuts down beanstalks and takes out Giants for fun? Time to Restump Podcast the magnificent win over the Giants none of us saw coming. I'm not ruling out the possibility our club suffers schizophrenia or has some sort of personality disorder. We never know which version of us is going to appear. In fact, fans should start sending RSVP requests so we get an idea pre-game who is going to show up.Have we seen a better version this year of what we're capable of? We've seen passages, periods and even quarters of that ball movement and connectivity, but not for 4 full quarters and not against that level of formidable opponent. Yeah Ok, we'll take out the first 5 minutes.It felt like all the elements of our game we've been performing individually and sporadically, finally came together as one and predominantly for the duration. Was it flawless? Absolutely not and it probably never will be as perfection is an unrealistic expectation and an all but unobtainable dream. But roll that out week in week out and… hello September!To be fair and for balance though, and in accordance with our former coach's never as good or as bad as it seems policy, the Giants didn't seem at their spectacular best. They were without Josh Kelly, Brent Daniels and Stephen Coniglio, arguably their three best prime movers. However, that is where the balance ends.Whichever way you look at the game, it's all about us. Luke Jackson could have been forgiven for having an off day but he did the absolute opposite. He's been railroaded all week by media and opposing coaches and players and he answered it all by sending an emphatic message about where he wants to be.With the acknowledgement that the ruck is Jackson's best position, where does it leave team JackArce? Did Sean Darcy's problems just get added to? And can we talk about Shai? Or as opponents refer to him as thunder Boltons and lightning. very very frightening! 24 disposals, 12 contested, 8 marks, 417 metres gained and 3 goals 3 from 86% time on ground. Did we contemplate the enormity of what he would deliver in the midfield? We paid unders for him!Elsewhere it was both exciting and encouraging to see Neil Erasmus making some highly positive steps in the right direction, often at times looking like he belonged. And while the sample size is small and we might be going the early call, Cooper Simpson is now best 22. His ball use is heavenly! We'll cross the Brandon Walker bridge when we get to it. We'd be lying to ourselves if we thought we'd put in that level of performance, save our season and give the coach some deserved breathing space in that game against the Giants on their home deck. In fact, we were getting to the point of disbelief that we had such a display in us. However, as joyous and as fulfilling as that whole performance was, this isn't out first rodeo. It feels like we've seen this movie more often than we care to acknowledge and as recent as a couple of weeks ago. So, once again we temper our celebrations and tread with caution because, regardless of results, if we don't regularly deliver that same effort, intensity, ball movement and cohesion going forward, then Saturday counts for very little. However, the path to power isn't a journey of straight forward steps. As long as the trajectory is on positive trend, we can wear the acceptable range of effort backed volatility. Enough of the philosophising and hypothesising! We'll bring the grounding and the balance on the pod but, for just a few moments, let's get the watermelons under the arms, walk up a strut, chests out, breasts out and say how good are we going! We don't win in thatSend us a textSupport the show

Catch up on all the footy news from AFL 360, Wednesday the 7th of May with Gerard Whateley and Garry Lyon. Gerard Whateley and Garry Lyon are back for a huge edition of AFL 360, discussing the alleged threats made by Willie Rioli and what punishment he might receive following the AFL investigation. The guys also preview Thursday Night Football’s matchup between the Fremantle Dockers and Collingwood. The hosts round off with a look forward to a special Friday night, as the Saints pay tribute to Danny Frawley in the fifth annual Spud’s Game, joined by Spud’s Game ambassador Tom Boyd. For more of the show tune in on Fox Footy & KAYO.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.