Fans, analysts savage coach Longmuir as Fremantle’s Melbourne struggles continue

Fremantle have once again been humiliated in Melbourne, and fans are sharpening their knives for Justin Longmuir, with patience wearing thin.

Any goodwill the Dockers and Longmuir built in their win over Adelaide on Anzac Day quickly dissipated at Marvel as Fremantle kicked just one goal in a half of football on their way to a 61-point hammering.

Even before the final siren had sounded, the reaction from fans was savage.

“I’ve been a longtime Longmuir defender but this low-key should be a career destroyer for him,” one X user said.

“If we lose tonight, Longmuir needs to fall on his sword and walk away. No more, ‘we didn’t play our brand of football’, or ‘I’ll put my hand up, I clearly didn’t prepare them the right way’... this is just not acceptable,” another wrote.

“I’m not one for sacking coaches. But with this list, how does Longmuir still have a job. It’s just not the results, it’s the putrid game plan,” another said.

“At what point do Fremantle concede that Justin Longmuir is a failed experiment and move forward. 1 finals series from this selectively competitive group is not sufficient.

“If Freo don’t win this, Longmuir should resign. 7 points at half-time, what a joke. So Dockery.”

It comes as Fremantle CEO Simon Garlick said pre-game he had no doubt Longmuir would be their coach next year.

“Yeah, absolutely! JL’s doing a phenomenal job,” he said on ABC. “Like any senior coach, they tend to get all the blame when the result doesn’t go our way, and when you win games of footy, the credit tends to get spread around a whole bunch of people.

“He’s still learning, growing and has a great team around him. We’re incredibly pleased with him.”

Critics are not just coming from behind the keyboard, with AFL analysts also at a loss to explain the Dockers’ Marvel horror show.

“They just might be broken,” said Jason Dunstall of Fremantle’s effort.

“They are getting nothing from their midfield, their midfield unit as a whole is just not functioning.”

“It’s been an embarrassing outing for Freo,” Garry Lyon said.

“That’s where this footy club are at right now, they think they’re trying and they’re not,” he said during the match.

“The reason they’re not is the other side in red white and black have taken away their will and want.”

With Longmuir once again facing the music many fans have already made their mind up on who they want to lead them, with former Sydney coach John Longmire the popular pick.

“Could sack him tomorrow and hire Longmire,” one user said.

“Longmuir out, Longmire in,” another said.

“Longmire for Longmuir by the end of the year.”

Fremantle’s loss leaves them tenth on the ladder as they prepare to face ladder-leading Collingwood next weekend.