In a surprising development, Fremantle Dockers head coach Justin Longmuir has revealed a significant change to his contract status. Previously under a fixed-term agreement, Longmuir will now transition to an ongoing employment contract with the club, effective from the end of the 2025 AFL season. This shift aims to provide enhanced job security and reflects the club’s commitment to his leadership beyond the current term citeturn0search5.
Longmuir, who took over as Fremantle’s senior coach in 2020, has faced scrutiny over the team’s performance, including a 14th-place finish in 2023 and a 10th-place finish in 2024. Despite these challenges, the club has expressed confidence in his ability to lead the Dockers toward future success. CEO Simon Garlick emphasized that the new contract structure aligns with modern coaching practices, aiming to provide stability and support for Longmuir and his family citeturn0search5.
The timing of this announcement comes amid discussions about the team’s playing style and performance. In a recent preseason match against the Indigenous All Stars, Longmuir admitted that the team’s performance was “pretty vanilla,” indicating a deliberate approach to experimentation and development during the offseason citeturn0search4.
This contract change signifies a renewed commitment from both Longmuir and the Fremantle Dockers to work collaboratively toward achieving the club’s goals in the upcoming AFL seasons.
