Fremantle Dockers chase ninth five-game winning streak in club’s history against EssendonBen SmithThe West AustralianWed, 18 June 2025 2:55PMCommentsCommentsEmail Ben Smith
Fremantle are on the precipice of achieving a feat which was the cornerstone of Justin Longmuir’s most successful season in charge, as they target a fifth consecutive win.
Only an out-of-form and injury-hit Essendon at Optus Stadium on Thursday night stand in the way of the Dockers winning five on the trot for the first time since 2022.
And history shows a strong correlation between a five-game winning streak and a Fremantle finals berth.
On eight occasions in their history, Fremantle have won at least five games on the bounce and only once, back in 2005, have they failed to convert that streak into a finals appearance.
The last time they achieved five wins in a row in 2022, it laid the foundations for Longmuir’s best season in terms of wins and ladder position since assuming Fremantle’s head coaching role.
After a 1-1 start to 2022, Longmuir’s team proceeded to reel off six wins in a row, starting with a derby dismantling of West Coast Eagles and including a tense three-point win away to Geelong.
It helped set up Longmuir’s only finals campaign as coach and their eventual fifth-placed finish — their best since 2015’s minor premiership — conjured up excitement among the Purple Army, igniting whispers of ‘Flagmantle’.
While an elusive premiership has yet to materialise, recent wins over Greater Western Sydney, Port Adelaide, Gold Coast and North Melbourne have propelled the Dockers up the ladder and once again have Fremantle fans thinking about finals football.
Another victory would also further cement Fremantle’s place in the top eight, particularly with the sixth and seventh-placed Gold Coast and GWS facing off on Sunday, and the pair level with the Dockers on points.
However, Fremantle forward Patrick Voss told reporters earlier this week the team were not getting carried away in the hubbub of their winning streak.
“It’s great to be winning. We’re not necessarily talking about four in a row or what’s coming up. We’re talking about Essendon this weekend and how we can improve on last weekend,” he said.
“It probably sounds boring and everyone is saying it within the club, but we are taking it a week at a time and not looking too far ahead and searching for 120 (minutes).”
Essendon have a 6-6 record at Optus Stadium, but has won four of seven at the venue since 2021, while Fremantle will be out to snap a two-game Thursday night football skid.
The Dockers have only played four previous games under the bright lights on Thursday night, and if they beat Essendon, it would come almost 10 years to the day since their last mid-week win, over Collingwood in 2015.
A battered and bruised Essendon will make ruckman Vigo Visentini their 11th debutant of the season, which comes after former East Fremantle ruck Lachlan Blakiston spent time in defence against Geelong in the Bombers’ 95-point thrashing.
Longmuir said on Tuesday delivery inside 50 would be crucial to their chances.
“At times, that (height) can be one to exploit. It’s probably about circumstances and making sure we work well together as a forward line to try and create isolation,” he said.
“You can try to exploit their lack of tall defenders, and you end up bombing it into packs all the time, and you don’t really get the method you want.
“So largely, it will just be about playing our way.
“We spoke to the players about understanding that they’ve got a couple of things we want to exploit, but then there are a couple of real strengths they have that we need to make sure we’re across as well.”
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