‘Good luck’: Longmuir scoffs at rivals’ ‘blueprint’ to halt Fremantle after history-making milestone
Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir dismissed claims that the Western Bulldogs have created a 'blueprint' to stop his team after a hard-fought victory. Longmuir attributed the Bulldogs' defensive tactics to personnel shortages rather than a sustainable strategy for future opponents.
Why it matters
The comments provide insight into professional sports strategy and the psychological aspect of maintaining a winning streak in the AFL.
AFL ‘Good luck’: Longmuir scoffs at rivals’ ‘blueprint’ to halt Fremantle after history-making milestone Freo look to impose their game on Dogs | 03:17 Brad Elborough from Newswire August 1st, 2026 12:55 am Justin Longmuir has dismissed suggestions the Western Bulldogs have uncovered a blueprint for stopping Fremantle, wishing any finals opponent “good luck” if they’re considering copying the tactic.
The Dockers coach said the Bulldogs’ defensive approach of consistently perching multiple extra players in defence was driven more by personnel shortages than a deliberate strategy and doubted Fremantle would encounter the same style of football during September.
“Good luck,” Longmuir said when asked whether rival clubs would follow the Bulldogs’ lead.
“They’ve got a few numbers out, especially in their front half, and probably a couple of issues down back with their size as well.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in