AFL coach accuses his players of committing one of football’s worst sins, taking a startling jab at them….
During last week’s crushing defeat to the Western Bulldogs, Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir acknowledges that his players were more concerned with boosting their stats than concentrating on team defense.
A fortnight ago, the Dockers crushed Melbourne by 92 points in Alice Springs, and they went into their bye week on a huge high.
However, the Bulldogs, who scored 23.11 (149) their route to a 67-point victory, brought Fremantle back to earth with a thud last Saturday.
Despite being among the league’s strongest defensive teams this season, the Dockers’ loss to the Bulldogs was their biggest of Longmuir’s four and a half-year tenure.
When analyzing why things went so wrong against the Bulldogs, Longmuir didn’t hold back.
“It is undeniable that during the weekend, players were more concerned with their possession count than with their game strategy, pressure on the opposition, and defense,” he told reporters on Thursday.
“As a coach, that is not what I stand for.”
This week, Longmuir wants to make sure his players remember what makes them a great squad.
He said, “And it’s not our offense and scoring.”
It’s easy for your priorities to slightly shift when you’re heading into a bye after defeating Melbourne by 140 points.
I also am not talking about huge margins.
Indeed, a few people were in the individual video, but it was only because the issue was one of the team.
“Everyone needs to recover.”
Longmuir gave his teammates credit for owning up to the subpar performance.
He said, “They came in and owned it.”
“They’re out and about, seeking self-repair.”
I occasionally receive criticism for maintaining my composure.
“I don’t respond to a single show.” I’m not reacting to this, any more than I did to the game in Melbourne.
It’s obvious that a few players made mistakes throughout the weekend, which led to us making several mistakes as well.
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