Did we really destroy the Tigers or did we just turn up when they understandably couldn’t? In any case Josh Treacy put on a marking exhibition, catching everything. He’d catch a shadow in the dark! Time to Restump Podcast the toppling of the Tiges.

That was some display from Josh Treacy. The one grab marking in less-than-ideal conditions often against more than one opponent was unrealistically clinical. If I was an opponent, I’d be calling for an investigation into the possible use of Velcro or superglue!

The Tigers came out roaring, throwing everything they had at us in the first half to make it a hard-fought game until that point. However, while they did have some experience out there, you can’t be minus your spine, play ten youngsters and perform for four quarters. Tom Lynch up forward, Toby Nankervis in the ruck and Nathan Broad down back would make any side infinitely better.

However, we’re not here to make excuses for opponents. Our wayward kicking saved the Tigers from a 150-point belting! 35 shots on goal to 13 and we kicked just 7 goals more than them.

We had 12 players hit the scoreboard and almost no one was immune from the inaccurate disease. Oddly enough Caleb Serong, who goes at a tick over 45% career goal accuracy, was our most accurate with 2 goals 1. Only Serong and Treacy ended up on thee right side of the ledger.

Luke Jackson had a wonderful game but even his usually reliable radar was off kicking 1 goal 4. The subdued Paddy Voss 1 goal 3, Switta 2 behinds and, while it was great to see him get amongst it, Jye Amiss hit 2 goals 3.

It’s difficult to contemplate that Shai Bolton may have just played his best game for the club without numerous goals involved. His mid work and forward of centre was a sight to behold and seeing the beaming smile on his face in play, we weren’t the only ones happy with his work!

Did we see some vast improvement in Sean Darcy the longer the game went on? He played under half of the first half but clicked over to 53.5% in the second half. Admittedly against non-existent ruckmen he should have shown something, but his confidence seemed to grow the more he got involved. But the question remains, does Darcy’s reemergence lessen Jackson’s output?

To be honest the entire game and result was the formality it should have been. There was a fair bit of ‘going through the motions’ but you still have to get it done. We turned up, weathered the storm in more ways than one, endured whatever Richmond could muster and then put them to the sword for a more than comfortable victory. We bank the four valuable points and we look to the next fortnight in South Australia.

However, it’s a sin not to celebrate a Freo win. So, bring your party paraphernalia to the parade and as we peel back the panels and probe the performances of the purple players on the pod.

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Is there enough Dudley to go around? Everyone wants to see more Dudley! Time to Restump Podcast Dudley’s disorienting of the Dees.

He’s given us snippets before, thrilled us with his momentary glimpses, he has teased us, leaving us wanting so much more. Saturday night he gave us the extended version, the full feature-length Dudley film.

15 quality touches, 4 tackles, 7 score involvements and 3 goals 1. Personal best numbers every which way you look! What a difference another year of hard work and a second preseason makes. After averaging just under 60% time on ground in 2025, he punched out 80% on Saturday night.

You couldn’t take your eyes off Izzy, but the background is no place for the Paddy as he put on a pony show of his own. Admittedly it was more of a circus, but didn’t we all ‘roll up, roll up!’

Typically, though, the AFL stooges, who are blatantly showing us they couldn’t run a tap, decided for everyone, Vossy’s antics weren’t a good look and instantly plucked a fine out of thin air to crush his spirit. We’re now truly entrenched in an era in which the eternally offended, self-serving finger waggers hand out fines for mean words and gestures. Rest in peace mental resilience.

If the end game is the sterilisation of the entire industry and the eradication of entertaining character and personality, it’d be the only area in which Andrew Dillon and his cronies are succeeding.

Just as you wonder where Melbourne would be without Max Gawn, I fear Freo’s whereabouts without Alex Pearce. His performance on Saturday was so much more impactful than his 5 touches suggest.

However, it was the defensive collective again with special mention to Karl Worner whose stocks continue to rise. And having Luke Ryan seamlessly slot back in was comforting and stress alleviating.

Shae Bolton was off the scale in easily his best game in purple, 10 clunking marks from the thundering Treacy train was a night out and Murphy Reid with his 25 and 2 goals… it’s getting a bit monotonous!

But can we just stop for a moment to marvel at the performance of the debutant and pay credit once again to Wallsy and co? Have we found our small high half forward in the form of Chris Scerri? The speed on that guy! The game was in danger of getting called off for lighting! He’s been on the list five minutes, he leapfrogs higher profile draftees, lands a debut, picks up 20 touches and has Gout Gout watching on saying, “who the f@#k is that guy?” You’ve done it again, Wallsy!

Overall, it was a good win and all you can do is win. We do have a few concerns with Jye’s form and the long-term prospects of Oscar McDonald down back and across the board it wasn’t quite a four-quarter level of performance where I think we’d like to be. But thankfully there is fair bit of polish still in the tin as it needs applying.

We’ve opened the win account, squared the points ledger and gotten the season up and rolling. While some people believe things are better off unsaid, we are not those people. We’ve always said, too much being said is never said enough. Nuff said, in more ways than one! Join us on the pod for more of this type of said idiocy!

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Frankie Valli and his four seasons is no match for Chris Scerri Scerri Baby and his first season, and you can’t change our minds! Time to Restump Podcast the imminent making of amends for round one as we take on the new look Melbourne Dees in round two.

What a great result for Chris Scerri and his family to nail down a debut only moments after landing a contract at Freo. The odds of making it through the supplemental selection period and getting onto a list aren’t high, so you really need to show plenty to achieve it. He’s obviously done exactly that and more to land not only the contract but a debut before his higher profile draftee colleagues who occupy the same position.

While we’re celebrating Scerri’s inclusion, we go in unfortunately with the forced change having lost Hayden Young to hamstring concerns. Youngy pulled up with some soreness and a minor tear, but who knows, according to Caroline Wilson, he may just be whinging.

Is there a chance of a late change? After just 44% game time last week and training away from the group in the later part of the week, could we see another purple debut in the form of Mason Cox? Despite the help from Jackson he’ll receive, do we really want to go in with an underdone Darcy against Max Gawn?

The Dees look a new and freer outfit. Aided by former Saints stalwart Jack Steele, they moved the ball through the likes of Harvey Langford and Caleb Windsor with speed and purpose against the Saints and capped off their work well in front of goal. Jacob Van Rooyan and the dual panels on the Picket fence up forward looked scary and the addition of Brody Mihocek has been a good one.

The club is certainly not the 2026 struggler we all thought it may be after losing Petracca, Oliver, May and McVee.

We got a taste of what we’re capable of last week in the first quarter against Geelong. However, we also got more than a taste of what we’re capable of in the following three quarters! So, if we serve up a repeat performance of that first quarter effort and extend it for a further quarter or two, we will see our first four points.

With the conditioning run under our belts and the home ground advantage, we’re Looking forward to what should be an entertaining contest. So, as a quick game is apparently a good game, suit up, make a list of your whinges and join us for a short 30-minute preview of the must win encounter.

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