FREMANTLE coach Justin Longmuir has been hailed for the collaborative environment he has created at the ladder-leading Dockers, with a long-held philosophy that the 'best idea wins' helping the football department thrive in 2026. 

The Dockers have hit a sweet spot this season where all aspects of their football program – including recruiting, player development, coaching, strength and conditioning and medical – have contributed to a 13-game winning run and a near empty injury list. 

It might look like the club is peaking on and off the field, but Fremantle leaders are adamant that the current environment for players, coaches and staff will ensure the group keeps challenging itself to get better this season. 

Just as Dockers' standout players and on-field leaders have been lauded for their brilliant form on-field, Longmuir should be celebrated for the coaching performance of the season so far and the growth he has enabled through an elite football program.   

"There's a best idea wins focus, and that's a quote JL has had from the start of his journey," executive GM of football Joe Brierty told AFL.com.au this week. 

"He wants his coaches to be able to continue to bring ideas, and he wants the opportunity for his coaches to take the team to another level.

"That means there's really open debate, but it also means that there's the ability to challenge ways of thinking, which is the environment we want to create.

"It takes time for all aspects of a football program to develop and take you to the next level, and I think there's still a constant desire for improvement and learning and growth in him as a senior coach."

Players taking ownership 

An evolution at Fremantle this season that highlights the ego-free environment has been the increased role players have had in contributing to game style discussions and decisions. 

Experienced forward Sam Switkowski gave an insight into the two-way discussions that happen with Longmuir this week when he said the pair talk regularly and he would "get into his office and come up with some suggestions for the gameplan, or things to try". 

Rather than an overnight shift, the ability for players and especially the on-field leaders to shape the way the Dockers play has grown steadily with the age profile of the group.   

"It's been a constant evolution of the players having a role in the way we want to play and just opening up opportunities for them," Brierty said. 

"There's a level of autonomy that JL has created within the coaching group and the playing group, and I think it speaks volumes to how he's supporting the players to become even better on-field coaches. 

"It's a strength of Sam Switkowski's, but we've also seen growth in Jordan Clark and his ability to be an on-field coach for us, as well as all the usual names."

There is a case that Fremantle has the best on-field leaders in the competition in 2026, with their ability to turn momentum and step up at the right moments clear against Geelong last Thursday night. 

Andrew Brayshaw has played selfless midfield roles at times this season but stepped up to have 16 disposals in the critical third quarter, fellow vice-captain Caleb Serong sensed the moment and kicked a critical stoppage goal when needed, and captain Alex Pearce was a colossus with his intercept marking late. 

The increased role all leaders are taking off-field is being reflected in their on-field performances and ability to 'coach' teammates in the moment. 

"As they've evolved as a leadership group, that enables that opportunity to then collaborate even more and share ideas [with the coaches] and I think that's more a reflection of the maturity of where the playing group are," Brierty said. 

"JL has always had a really strong relationship with the leaders and looked to drive that environment, but it's probably one that I saw even more in the off-season.

"He's got a lot of trust within the playing group, and you see that with his relationship with our leaders and their alignment and what they're doing."

Commitment to improving 

Longmuir has added a new external voice to his coaching circle this season, working with former Cricket Australia elite coaching manager Darren Holder on a regular basis to further develop himself. 

Holder is a consultant who works with coaches in Australia and internationally to support performance, with his role at Fremantle this season giving Longmuir another layer of support as he shapes the coaching and learning environment. 

"They've had a lot to do with each other, looking at other sports and looking at other coaches and the way they go about it," Brierty said. 

"The way players consume information is a constant evolution, so exploring the right coaching environment and the right way of coaching an athlete is part of that.   

"Darren plays a key role in supporting the coaching group and working closely with Justin in terms of his own professional development."

The Dockers' coaching group is a large one, with 11 coaches in total under Longmuir. They include Jaymie Graham (forwards) and Joel Corey (midfield) – who have each been accepted into the AFL's Elite Coach Program – as well Jade Rawlings (backline) and Harry Garland (stoppages). 

Sam Naismith plays an important role as ruck coach, while Andrew Sturgess moved from development and into opposition strategy and leadership this year. 

Geoff Valentine is head of development, with Tendai Mzungu, Todd Curley and Chris Mayne serving as development coaches, and the experienced Adam Read leading WAFL club Peel Thunder. 

The Dockers are aware that with success will come a greater microscope on their coaching team, and other areas of the football department, but the club has benefited from consistency through recent seasons. 

"You want to continue to renew ideas and innovate and we've changed roles here and there through the coaching team while having consistency across a number of guys," Brierty said. 

"So there's still continual growth in the ideas that are coming into that group, and as they're all evolving and developing, they're building more capability in their roles as coaches."

Good luck or good management? 

The Dockers have had a good record in recent seasons with player availability under former high performance boss Phil Merriman, but this week's 'clean sheet' on the injury list was a new high point. 

Only Sam Sturt was listed as a test before a minor setback delayed his planned return in the WAFL reserves, with players like Corey Wagner and Jaeger O'Meara forced into the WAFL given the competition for spots.   

It's a situation that Brierty said he had not seen at this stage of a season in his 15 completed seasons with Fremantle across various football and management roles. 

The Dockers made changes to their high performance team during the off-season, with Merriman joining West Coast and Adam Beard taking over as director of performance and utilising his background in international rugby to shape a power-focused pre-season program. 

The Dockers also appointing Nick Lumley as head of strength and conditioning, bringing fresh ideas and expertise from rugby, rowing and Olympic weightlifting. 

While the Dockers had built one of the AFL's fittest and most physically resilient lists under Merriman, their ability to evolve their power and strength this season has been a significant factor behind their form.  

"With Adam's background and the focus on repeat speed and power and bringing that element into the work that we do in the gym, we've seen some players take some big steps forward," Brierty said. 

"The gym culture is a big thing that he's driven in terms of the standards that he's set in there, he's brought a different perspective, and his ability to connect with players and then connect the 'why' has been a real strength of his.

"Our medical availability has been strong across the playing group and is clearly at a high at the moment, but there's other critical roles within our medical team that are a real asset to us." 

Brierty said there were clear changes to the Dockers' physical power this season and their appearance as athletes, with ruck superstar Luke Jackson standing out as a formidable player who has benefited under the new program. 

There have been setbacks, with Caleb Serong, Hayden Young, Alex Pearce, Sean Darcy and Brennan Cox among those missing periods through injury, but the risk has clearly been worth the reward. 

"We picked up some injuries early in the pre-season with those adaptations that we made to the new program, and you expect that to occur," Brierty said. 

"But the data we have [shows] that physically the playing group has definitely evolved from a power perspective. 

"But when you look at the way the game's being played from a contest and speed and power perspective … their ability to do that for longer is a key part of it."

Selfless players reflect coach 

Almost exactly two years ago, Longmuir delivered a sharp assessment of his players when he said some had been more concerned with individual stats than team roles in a 67-point loss to the Western Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium. 

"Guys were worried more about how many possessions they got than how they competed in the contest, how they pressured the opposition and how they defended," he said at the time. "That’s not what I stand for as a coach." 

If Longmuir has shaped the Dockers' program through his lack of ego and 'best idea wins' approach, then his team is following in 2026. 

Switkowski has described the star-studded forward line as the most selfless forward line he has played in, while midfield stars Serong and Brayshaw have happily slid into support roles when needed to let Shai Bolton and Murphy Reid shine as match-winners. 

It's a change in mindset from the Dockers' best players that sums up their maturity and links back to their team trademark in 2026. 

"Something that we're really invested in is what you can do for your teammates, and our players continuing to focus in on how they can support each other," Brierty said. 

"When players are younger in their journey, you probably start out with more of the connection element, and then it grows into playing 50-80 games together and then you understand them. 

"Then there becomes a real genuine care and desire to achieve success together, and once you're in that part of the relationship, it's almost like you're that invested that you'll do whatever you can to make your teammate better, which in turn makes the team better. 

"That evolution occurs over time, and it's something that our players are really enjoying living in. It's something that Justin and our coaching group are doing a fantastic job rewarding, and ultimately we feel as though that will set us up to perform at our best."