Fremantle forward Sam Switkowski on why the Dockers didn’t panic in the face of Collingwood onlsaughtJake Santa MariaThe West AustralianMon, 21 July 2025 8:31AMCommentsCommentsEmail Jake Santa Maria
Fremantle’s Sam Switkowski could not have scripted a better way to celebrate his 100th game as the forward praised the Dockers’ ‘gutsy’ performance in the MCG cauldron.
For the second week in a row, Fremantle ran over the top of a fellow finals fancy in a final quarter masterclass to stun Collingwood in a one-point thriller.
“It was unbelievable,” he told the club media post-match
“We just had to hang in there all day, the game was on our terms, but we stuck at it and made the most of our opportunities.
“To do it against Collingwood at the MCG in front of a big crowd was a really gutsy win, so I’m very proud of the boys.”
Critics have often come after Justin Longmuir for his slow game style and caught flak earlier this year for a ‘vanilla’ game plan.
But as the Pies threatened to kick away after a hot start to the final term, Switkowski said the team leaned on their control to take the heat out of the game.
“Collingwood is the most damaging team with momentum, and we just had to try and slow the game down a little bit and get it back on our terms,” he said.
“For a number of years we’ve been practising those moments in close games, and can we keep our cool and can we execute?
“It’s not always going to be pretty, sometimes you just got to find a way to win.”
The win could be a defining moment for this side, defeating the Pies for the first time since 2020, while it was a coming-of-age game for Pat Voss, who stole headlines with his six-goal haul.
“All year, he’s been playing a really selfless role for the team, but he got his rewards today. I’m so proud of him,” he said.
Switkoski said overcoming the challenging atmosphere of the 61,198 fans will be invaluable come the finals.
“We prepared for it really well, we want to be able to perform anywhere, whether it’s home or away. We know there’s a good chance in the finals, there’ll be an away game against a big crowd,” he said.
However, the Dockers won’t be getting ahead of themselves with their eyes firmly set on avoiding any western derby pitfalls despite West Coast’s struggles.
“In derbies, it doesn’t matter where teams are on the ladder, every game is important, so we’ll hop on the plane, refocus and get ready for West Coast.”
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