This is weird. I’m confused by feelings of respect and admiration for Fremantle, a side that was once the laughing stock of the AFL. But not anymore.
The Dockers have undergone a transformation of Extreme Makeover proportions over the past 24 months.
The result is: a win-loss record that has only been bettered once before in club history, a seventh-placed finish that gives them a difficult but doable run in the finals, and an external perception that is worlds away from what Fremantle used to represent.
They will not win the flag this year, but they now play a brand of football that is capable of delivering one. Given where they came from, this is an achievement in itself.
Let’s start from the start. There were two key moves that shifted the image of the seaside club away from the bad, bad Freo of old – the Freo that has been ridiculed and dismissed from day dot.
The first was the superficial redressing of October 2010 – a new logo, a new set of guernseys and the abandonment of green and red. Fremantle is purple and white. Three chevrons across the chest. Simple, classic, effective. Boom.
Gone was the anchor and the bad feng shui and the jokes that it was keeping them stuck at the bottom of the ladder. That was easy.
But the hard part was living up to what this new, confident image was trying to say.
What made people change the way they thought about Fremantle was an audacious move nearly a year later, the likes of which have rarely been seen in the AFL bubble.
Ross Lyon to Freo? The thought had never even crossed anyone’s minds.
And yet the Dockers hierarchy pulled off a stunning coach poach in September last year that set them up for a climb up the table in 2012.
What is Lyon known for? An unabated focus on defence, often to the point where his teams are unwatchable.
That has been true of the Dockers for much of this season. It is obviously the reason for their success this term.
Fremantle’s best season on record was 2006, when they finished third with a 15-7 record and a percentage of 109.83.
That’s one more win than 2012, but you’d take the current Freo vintage any day of the week.
Their greater percentage (115.67) stems from Lyon’s ‘big squeeze’ philosophy, which makes it near-impossible to put a big score past them.
But over the last nine weeks Lyon’s grinders have added potency in attack to the mix. The Dockers have won eight of those games, and on eight of those occasions has their score surpassed 90 points.
Only a fool would completely write them off ahead of their elimination final clash with Geelong at the MCG on Saturday. They know how to restrict free-flowing sides.
Yes, the Dockers are up against it. But remember that the last time they took on the Cats, they were four-point victors.
It was at Patersons Stadium in round one this year – so at a different ground, and nearly a lifetime ago. However, this was no mere win – this was an epic, epic battle against the reigning premiers, one that will live long in the memory for both sides.
And this new Freo outfit is in form and fearless.
Fremantle is no longer a dirty word. They can upset the apple cart this September and beyond.
The rebrand and the head-hunting of Lyon were statements of intent from the Dockers, that they no longer want to be the office joke.
Now when you think of Fremantle, you don’t think of abhorrent guernsey designs, or that embarrassing blonde mop-topped surfer mascot (he’s probably still around though), or an ingrained losing culture.
You think of a club that once had lost its way, but has now found legitimacy. You think of a side that plays strangling, suffocating football.
And you certainly don’t think your side is going to have an easy time against them. Geelong included.
BigAl
Guest
I can see a Freo (Carlton of the West) hard at it against West Coast (Collingwood of the West) rivalry building ! In fact it wouldn't surprise me if it eventually superceded the eastern version
Dockersfan_94
Guest
Bryan. Not sure about the green white and red sybolising ethnic backgrounds. It is merely red on the left for port, green on the right for starboard. Linking it to italian ethnic backgrounds was maybe a clever way to explain a pretty lame jumper. I was 12 when Freo joined the comp, despite presure from peers and family I went all in to back Freo. I have watched just about every game scince. I would still be a member today if I did not live 1600kms away from subiaco. This is the first time I have ever seen Freo look like an actual hard nose football team, and not a by product of very poor decisions made over a decade ago. I was a kid when they started, and they have taken just a bit longer than me to grow up. Now they have, and I think we are about to see something special. Success comes at a price, and you have to grow up and let go of a few things to be successful IMO Proud of the boys and the way they are going about it, I just hope its not too late to give the most underrated player in the game a premiership to cap of a very stellar career
bryan
Guest
I can live with the new jumper,but I really liked the old one. It wasn't classy,but it was distinctive,& did symbolise the ethnic backgrounds of Fremantle's populace.(or that is what it was supposed to do). Anyway,your jumper shouldn't affect your confidence,some of the Eagle's away strips were pretty embarrassing,& never affected their game! The Glory have very similar colours to the old Dockers ones,& they are winning games! By the way,how about beating the mighty Geelong by 16 points!!------FREEEOHHHH!
DiedinthewoolDocker
Guest
"to emulate the jumper worn by the original Fremantle Football Club in 1885.” My comment has always been that the chevrons are a stylised version of the original strip. The original guernseys I've seen were striped horizontal or vertical. One I knew to be red, the others were photos. Show me an old Freo team with chevrons, you"ll find it difficult.
Jez Law
Guest
Ross Lyons has done well to adapt his coaching style to the Dockers free flowing forward line. Initially he almost shut down the forward line altogether, but was wise enough to understand and work with the players and the sympatico they had going on. Much has been made of Lyons contribution but what we are also seeing is a return to form of Pav, Mundy, Duffield, Fyfe, Sandi and Barlow. The last time we saw these players together in top form Freo also played in the finals, we see today an older wiser squad with great depth. The great shame is that Freo played North Melbourne last week and not in the first pelim, I wish them all the best but it will be hard to beat the Cats at the G...
ChrisCantatore
Roar Rookie
"Since 2003, the AFL has marketed one round each year as the Heritage Round. Until 2006 Fremantle wore a white guernsey with 3 red chevrons, to emulate the jumper worn by the original Fremantle Football Club in 1885." Straight from the Fremantle FC page on Wikipedia. If that's not correct I suggest you update it and provide the refernce link.
DiedinthewoolDocker
Guest
You're not hearing anything, I've enough guernsies and wouldn't waste my hard earned on the crap served up now! Particularly as the history of the chevrons as part of Freo's heritage started in 2003, and was adopted as a training guernsey. Anyone who didn't like the previous colours strip & logo weren't real supporters. Not really.
Docker from the hills
Guest
Im hearing what you are saying but to me it sounds like boo hoo hoo. I have to buy a new guernsey. Oh poor me, I have nothing else to say and will slag off the team I support.
Dean
Guest
I for one think there should be a 'Jumper Amnesty' where the AWFUL old anchor jumper can be traded in for probably now the best jumper in the League...
johno
Guest
One thing to say is that Ross has made my Thursday nights boring. I now have no suprises in the INS and OUTS each week for Freo. It used to be a great revolving door but now it's just stability and consistency....... Love the old jumper, growing to love the new jumper, and like the fact that it does have a link back to Freo jumpers of old. Most clubs have changed jumpers over time - look at fellow non vic clubs - Brisbane, West Coast, Port. Only Adelaide and Sydney (not South Melbourne) has kept the home jumper virtually unchanged.
dockersfan
Guest
Great article. This is a new Fremantle that, as a long standing (suffering?) fan have not seen before. Success comes at a price. Players will be dropped on the eve of the finals or during the finals, players will be told to go back to the WAFL and sort their fitness out, the best players will be pursued and yes, popular coaches wil get the boot to be replaced by successful ones. It's un-Fremantle like, but then so is success. I want success to become a Fremantle thing and Steve & Steve seem to have finally put this club on that path.
DiedinthewoolDocker
Guest
The Chevrons aren't a Fremantle Football club, whether it's Souths, Easts, old Fremantle or Union, they were (are) part of the stylised "based" on Fremantles football heritage, heritage round guernsey worn by FFC from 2003 - 2006. Get it right! The original colours and development of our club should be compulsory viewing for any Freo fan who wants to pontificate on the bastardisation done on the FFC culture icons, colours and logo.
Shake n Bake
Guest
Are you serious Handles? Have you seen some of the draws that the top 8 teams had. Adelaide played GC, GWS and Port twice. We played Melbourne and port twice. You can only beat whoever is put in front of you. To suggest that we havent improved is ridiculous. Its called man-management which suggests why we had more availability of personnel this year. Harvey was known for training the boys like dogs which is why there were injuries late in the season. You are deluded and living in the past if you dont think Lyon is good for us. Get over yourself about his comment on Chappy and SJ, its called mind games and the comments have been taken out of context as well- they were in reference to teams facing adversity during the finals when asked about McPharlin.
haydos
Guest
Seriously? Port Adelaide are incomparable, they are a laughing stock despite team success not for lack of it. Imagine if Freo won a Premiership in 2004, the success of that would still be alive today and maybe the club would be even bigger on and off the field than it's current healthy state. Port just dont have the marketing power that freo has, they have a very small supporter base and they exist in a city/state that simply isnt growing by any great rate and doesnt have big money floating around. Where sponsors would be lining up to put their name to a WA sporting club, Port struggled to find a major sponsor. If freo got crowds of 13k in the gates it would be a disaster even if the times were very tough on field, but for Port it doesnt raise eyebrows these days.
Jack Russell
Roar Guru
Maybe, but it was his call to field the Claremont firsts and reserves in the first place.
Jack Russell
Roar Guru
Would have thought that Port would have nowhere near the resources at their disposal that Freo do. They simply couldn't afford to go out and poach senior coaches of other clubs for example.
E Shed
Guest
I'm a long term member of FFC & I unreservedly love the new image, jumper and what Ross Lyon has brought to the club. Respect for the first time in our history. I am now, after years of being shellshocked by "lucky dip" footy, where we were world beaters one week and lost by 10 goals to bottom table clubs in Melbourne the next, finally confident that, anywhere, anytime, we will play hard edged, competitive football. Respect, Ross Lyon.
John D
Guest
I agree, Big Al. Current Purple with the chevrons might make marketing sense, but purple and green with an anchor!!! Pretty! Distinctive! Unique! Inspiring!
Brewski
Guest
Forget about Harvey being hard done by, the person that was done over the biggest was Gerard Neesham. He was really unfairly treated IMO, and did very well with basically the Claremont firsts and reserves.
Handles
Guest
Sorry - I was wrong on the GWS, but re top 8, the point I was making is that they have only recorded "one away win against a top 8 team". That was why I used those words. Technically you are not even correct on the Eagles, Round 9 was the Eagles home game, and the Eagles won, Round 19 was Freo's home game, and they won. And they beat Richmond in Rounds 11 and 21. In Round 11 the top 8 was Collingwood Sydney West Coast Essendon Adelaide Hawthorn Geelong St Kilda So I think my facts were pretty close.