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!

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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.

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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 supplemen

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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.

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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 that

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Any chance a few of the forwards might get on board the Moose caboose? Time to Restump Podcast the emotional roller-coaster Friday night ride, resulting in a loss to the powerful premiership favourite Pies.

Collingwood are deservedly premiership favourites so there is some level of merit in Freo’s Friday night performance. However, we just can’t do honourable losses any more. While the 14-point margin suggests a closely fought contest, the reality is Freo should have handed out a six-goal belting.

How are we so talented in finding unique ways of avoiding victory! What are we playing dodgeball with winning? I mean it is almost impossible to lose a game of football when you clock up near on 30 more inside 50s than your opponents. You hate to think it but… only our beloved Dockers could manage that.

The issues aren’t exclusive to one area or positional group pf players but, while the forwards didn’t exactly help themselves, the delivery to them was atrocious.

We strangely went in with a host of talls and it seemingly inspired the mids to sit the ball on their heads! If I didn’t know any better, I’d have thought we subbed Blake Acres back in for a game. It literally got to a point where you thought Uber could have delivered the ball more efficiently!

I mean we won the centre clearances 21 to 7 which is an absolute smashing! We tripled their centre clearances; we doubled their inside 50s and we yet somehow find just one more scoring shot and lose by a couple of goals. Don’t tell me that wouldn’t stump the Myth Busters crew!

Unable to get the balance right between fast and painfully frustratingly slow play was never going to end well and, again, while the forwards did little to help themselves out, often all going up for the same ball, imagine trying to lead when you don’t know what the mids and ball carriers are going to do. In fact, I don’t even know if the mids and ball carriers new what they were going to do.

It shouldn’t have to be applauded but it was comforting to see that, while not at levels we saw against the Crows, the energy and intent was there. However, the turnovers wiped us out and the inability at times to hit simple kicks and handballs when under little to no pressure, continued to destroy us.

Some have suggested the performance was subpar given the Pies rested Pendlebury, De‘Goey, Maynard and Mihocek. But let’s not forget Jamie Elliot, Steele Sidebottom, Jack Crisp, Will Hoskin-Elliot and Jeremy Howe were all there. Add Dan Houston, Tim Membrey and Darcy Moore and they pretty much had eight 200 gamers.

We’re not throwing the towel in because we’re only a game and % off the final eight pace. But at the moment, in our current form or lack thereof, a game and % feels like we’re a fair way back.

AFL logic suggests JL needs a miracle from here to keep his gig going into 2026, but does laying the entirety of the blame on him give the players a free pass? Could a few do with an incentivizing stint back at Peel? Couldn’t hurt to send an actual message.

We’ve prattled on here long enough and we’re getting nowhere! If you’re still a little baffled about Friday night’s performance, you’re not on your Pat Malone. So, in your Freo fog and your cloud of confusion, bang on your tumultuous togs and join us in the purple pod pool of perplexity. Together we’ll all battle through the bewilderment in search of some balance.

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We may be in transplant territory because there are too many pieces of our shattered purple hearts for another band-aid to hold it all together. Time to somehow Restump Podcast that depressing and demoralising Docker performance.

In the context of when being in possession of supposed competent and talented lists, it was as incomprehensible a performance as we have ever delivered in our 30+ year history.

There is no sugar coating it, spinning it or dismissing it, you simply can’t imagine how it could get worse. In fact, you can’t even take that ironic positive because, in the most unfathomable manner, we continue to find ways of lowering the bar.

We take two steps forward; we take two steps back! What are we a team of Paula Abduls? Framing every second week as redemption round isn’t sustainable or conducive to progress.

There is something fundamentally wrong at the club that no one seems to be able to definitively put their finger on. But on the back of expectation and a specific strategic plan conveyed by the club, fans and members understandably are outraged and, reactionary or otherwise, have coach Justin Longmuir in the gun.

Neesham, Drum, Connolly, Harvey and now Longmuir. We’ve been in the competition for 30 years and the cause of every crisis has apparently been the coach. How’s that worked out for us?

There is no doubt Justin Longmuir now finds himself under a level of pressure few could ever conceive but, after such a performance there shouldn’t be anyone at the club not looking inward.

However, while emotions run high, it would be remiss of everyone to not remember Damian Hardwick being under comparable pressure in 2016. After being in the top job at Tigerland for 7 years, the Tiges finished 13th with 8 wins and that came off the back of an elimination final loss the previous year. It had Richmond fans, members and the media calling for his head. The board responded by backing in their process and they double downed on Hardwick. We all know what happened over the next 4 years.

Are the two situations comparable? Those who have made up their mind on JL will say no, and that is their prerogative.

Whether we like to acknowledge it or not, us fans are victims of the overrating of our list at the time by the Fremantle administration. They were far too optimistic with their projections with such a young side, which remains the case. In 2022 we had an average age list of 24.1 years. Four years later we have an average age list of 24.5 years.

However, despite the reality, it’s an emotional game and many fans, irrational or otherwise, now don’t contemplate reasoning other than the coach is entirely to blame. And that is understandable given the Fremantle football club put it all out there in 2022. We preach accountability, don’t we?

It will be interesting and very telling, how Simon Garlic handles this situation.

Everything about footy is subjective. The validity of our opinions today is determined only by time.

Does any of this ease the onset depression we’re all suffering from Friday night? Probably not. No stranger to adversary, but the club is in a deeper hole than it usually finds itself in. The problem is the only way out is to climb a ladder!

We don’t know where we go from here, but if our venting and ranting provides some type of vicarious frustration outlet on the pod… you’re welcome.

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Rock paper scissors, the universally utilized tool that has decided the course of action for the world's most complex problems for generations. Time to Restump Podcast the meeting of old friends, now Saintly foes at Marvel.

We’ll get to the changes this week but, first and foremost, they are absolutely irrelevant. All we need to concentrate on is that we pick up this Friday night from where we left off last Friday night. If we bring that same level of effort, that desire and intensity, the Saints will need a prayer.

However, while that may be the case, we’re still thrilled to get Luke Jackson back in the team, lining up alongside and synchronizing with Sean Darcy, to once again relaunch team “JackArce.” Should we spare a thought for poor Rowan Marshall? He could be in for one hell of a day.

Unfortunately, we can’t fit 24 players into 23 positions, so the very unlucky Oscar McDonald has had to make way.

On the Saints side of the ledger, we see young West Aussie and Claremont kid Hugh Boxshall, getting the call up to make his debut. We wish him well, but not too well.

We lock horns with our beloved former coach Rosco Lyon once again, but there is no time for emotional sentiment or pleasantries! We simply need to focus, put on our game faces and, if we’re running past the Saints dugout, probably our ear muffs after the hearing impairment suffered by poor Hugo Garcia last week!

There are no crisis meetings, robust conversations and interventions required at Cockburn! The poor downtrodden West Coast chaps have fallen off the cliff and into the abyss. Does that mean it’s time for the Chief to churn out another supportive Neighbourhood Watch chapter? Let’s hope not!

And speaking of things we hope aren’t there, but are, the Restump Investment Club is gathering steam. The weekly multis and term deposit bets are in once more.

Two Friday night big stages in a row! It must be some sort of record for us? We made the most of last week but it'll count for absolutely Bo Didley if we revisit old but recent habits, tomorrow night.

Not exactly long until bouncedown but if you haven’t got paint to watch dry, grass to watch grow or a messy sock drawer to tidy, feel free to waste 30 plus minutes with us on the pod.

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