After The Game With Snaps Truly - Rd 11 2026 V Euro-Yroke

Ten in a row!

Look, I’m just going to say it.

We’re not halfway through the season, but Walyalup’s credentials to go deep into finals and perhaps even win a Grand Final, appear compelling.

I hear you retreating. ‘No Snaps, please not yet. Not yet.’

You look flushed.

But if we can’t enjoy the ride that ten-in-a -row provides, when can we?

It’s been a decade since we’ve been able to watch footy with the expectation, that whatever the circumstance – start slowly or have to come from behind – this team has the personnel and the belief to get it done.

An ‘Anywhere, Anytime’ football team.

Where have we heard that before?

I always enjoy it when the Chief Cobbler returns to Perth. And I enjoy it even more when he hits his thumb with a hammer.

The last time we played was in Round 8 of last year and the Saints delivered a ten-goal pasting. It’s the defeat from where we can perhaps trace this new resolve within our team.

Such was the disappointment of that fail to fire match, it inspired a 21-win five loss run.

Make that 22.

For three quarters this contest, on the scoreboard at least, was close. Early on the visitors won clearances and contested possession and their tenth first quarter advantage of the season.

But there was an evident difference between the teams.

The Dockers have a forward line of enormous presence and Murphy Reid, Jordy Clark, Corey Wagner and co, delight in feeding it opportunity.

Josh Treacy on the lead or crashing the pack or distributing monstrous hand balls is a frankly terrifying prospect for any defender. Jye Amiss who arrived at the club looking like a scrawny kid who doesn’t get enough sleep is either wearing a smaller jumper or is about to Incredible Hulk his way out of it. Strong on the lead, contesting hard or snapping on the turn, his confidence grows every week.

And The Prancing Pony, again given the task of being both a target and a foil for the number one defender – today Callum Wilkie – plays a game and wears the grin of the slightly unhinged. As we know, Vossy represents a hard to define danger, for rivals and teammates alike.

Between them, nine goals.

And around them, the hard-working Switta, newcomer Scerri and Dudley Do Right who kicked two of his own, one of which, a viciously spinning off break, bounced through after a lucky advantage call.

And on that. The Dockers did enjoy the rub of the green. Good teams get the close calls. Enjoy it while it lasts.

Indeed, worth noting too, both St Kilda goals in the third quarter came from former Walyalup players – the inimitable Bradley Hill and the kid Henry. Hard to begrudge that.

Our lead was just 6 points at the final change, but the crowd of some 54 thousand did not seem edgy, just expectant.

When Wilson goaled to give the Saints back the advantage – let’s call them plucky, at least – a few may have wondered if Wharfie Time would be called upon – but as Mrs Truly so rightly observes, it is a ‘Break Glass in Case of Emergency’ weapon and this was no emergency.

Freo banged on six goals in a row.

And it was Murphy Reid and Jordan Clark and Shai Bolton who created much of that opportunity.

Reid just strolls around, delicately dropping passes onto chests while pulling 20 cent pieces from behind the ears of his confounded opponents. Clark dashes from defence the way a schoolkid leaves on the final bell before holidays, and Shai Bolton …

Well. Shai Bolton.

Not only did he get the sit and earn a Mark of the Year nomination, he enjoyed an armchair ride in doing so. It was an invisible armchair, so we are still a little unsure how he climbed up there.

A moment later he received a Dudley handball and kicked a sensational boundary hugging goal.

Emphatic.

Dramatic.

Fantastic.

In a blink, the Walyalup lead had stretched to 36 points and only a Brad Hill goal softened the disappointment a little for the visitors before the siren sounded.

Once again the Dockers finish a Friday night on top of the ladder. An excellent result for a team missing four members of its leadership group. Congratulations too, to the only Neil in the AFL who celebrated his 50^th game with a great goal on the run.

Up next. Brisbane and the Lions.

And what did the coach have to say about a club record tenth win in a row?

Well, he was as circumspect as usual.

(Grins) ‘Doesn’t mean anything. Realistically doesn’t mean anything.’

It did to the rest of us, JL. Indeed, right now, I’ve got a bit of a swagger on.

Just a bit.

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 2026 season.

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