After The Game With Snaps Truly - Rd 17 2025 V Hawthorn

Look friends, I have to get this off my own ample and pleasingly barrel-like chest.

Do you remember David King, the player? Quick, strong, and built like an inverted pyramid. An admirable servant for North Melbourne for many years.

Today? With the pyramid having righted itself over time, he stuffs himself into suits that are too small and along with about 500 others, is in the footy opinion business.

Presumably because it’s financially rewarding and keeps him in the sport he loves. Or perhaps no one employs door-to-door vacuum cleaner salesmen anymore.

King is paid to endlessly provide controversial talking points and ‘go in hard,’ so we keep paying for Kayo – $30 bucks a month – in case you haven’t checked lately.

And amid all that self-important posturing, he seems to spend an inordinate amount of time pouring scorn on Freo and coach Justin Longmuir. He did so again last week after the club lost its first match in seven. Wondering, again, about JL’s entitlement to keep his job.

Six in a row, won. One match lost.

JL – for whom explosive invective clearly does not come easily, suggested that perhaps David might lack the requisite experience to make such a judgement.

” I don’t want to be disrespectful towards anyone, but I don’t think David’s put together a game plan, put together a list, put together a culture.”

The remarks of course were sent back to King who – no doubt using pump and valve technology sewn into the lining of his jacket – puffed himself up and admitted they were “fair enough” and added that he hoped “Fremantle win the flag.”

This “I hope I’m wrong” stuff when challenged, is as nauseating as it is insincere.

Cheap shots from the cheap seats.

Inside a cheap suit.

Unless Freo could prove him wrong against the Hawks.

The Hawks. Filled with talented kids who – take your pick – you admire because of their simple love of having fun; or despise, because of their deeply unpleasant narcissism.

Jack Ginnivan is either a superstar in the making or just a spiv. Nick Watson is either a Wizard or a wanker who is too big for his boots, but not big enough for his shorts.

But each represented danger.

We arrived early to discover that Norma Grimbergen was so excited by the prospect of what lay ahead she was already in her seat. Asleep, purring softly into her warm jacket.

She missed Jye Amiss kicking the first for Freo – the hundredth goal of his career – and only a classy snap from Freddy on his left roused her from her dreams.

It was close and tough and fiercely contested footy and it would be all night. Freo edged ahead, when Darcy on hands and knees managed to get the ball to Bolton.

Five points in front at the change, Freo went further ahead thanks to Sam Switkowski’s goal.

Special mention to this wonderfully gifted small forward who has never quite played enough footy for the rest of the competition to see his full worth. Well, it was on display tonight. Three goals and eight score involvements may well have been the difference between the two sides.

A defensive fumble from Banfield enabled Moore to reply quickly and the annoying, but yes, talented Watson followed up with an excellent snap.

Serong burst clear to find Amiss on the lead and he kicked his second. But the Hawks were dangerous every time the ball came to ground in Freo’s backline. And they scored too easily. Ginnivan goaled and grinned, just inches from Luke Ryan’s face, which must have challenged the General’s patience in this, his 100th consecutive match.

Was it worth missing the next few, just to wipe the smile off?

Luke Ryan is a better man than me.

The Hawks nine points clear at the half.

During the interval, the just retired Michael Walters and his family walked slowly around the ground to a standing ovation from nearly fifty thousand fans. How old it made some of us feel to think this boy was now farewelling the game he’d played with such distinction. No such sentimentality from Mrs Grimbergen, who missed it all while she looked for a cotton wool bud in her handbag.

Two goals apiece in the third. And the Hawks were doggedly holding onto a 13-point lead.

Freo had to stand tall.

And rather against the odds, they did.

Switkowski did brilliantly to get to the fall of the ball and his left foot snap tightened the margin.

Moments later, Freddy found Voss on the lead and suddenly Freo was within a point.

Voss again gathered and offered a short pass to Darcy who got the job done.

The Dockers now had the lead and would not relinquish it.

Frankly dear reader, I was beside myself. Mrs Grimbergen was beside me, showing her friend Elsie a picture of her cat Fleur.

Amiss to Treacy who kicked the sealer in Wharfie Time – whatever the hell that really is, I don’t think I care – and when the siren sounded, the crowd erupted. This was the performance of the season and Freo had rocketed back into the eight.

As Son Son was chaired off the ground; as players hugged and Andy Brayshaw bled freely, you could see what this victory meant to Justin Longmuir and his players.

And us.

David King will, no doubt, backtrack a bit next week and say things like “This is what I’ve been wanting to see all season,” but I won’t be listening to him enjoy the luxury of retrofitting his opinion.

Congrats Freo. Outstanding. I’ll see you at the MCG next weekend.

Yours Truly,

Snaps Truly.

* By our multi-talented and amazingly insightful footy scribe, SNAPS TRULY. Snaps has seen and done it all. He may or may not have been a fringe player at Fremantle. Don’t miss Snaps’ report after each Freo Dockers match here on the Shipping News throughout the 2025 season.

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