‘Justin Longmuir Censured for ‘Nonsense’ Remarks Following All Stars Defeat: ‘What a Waste of Time”

North Melbourne legend David King has harshly criticised Fremantle Dockers coach Justin Longmuir for his team’s approach during their exhibition match against the Indigenous All Stars.

In a post-match interview on Saturday, Longmuir acknowledged that they opted for a “vanilla” game style, resulting in a 43-point defeat against a polished Indigenous All-Stars team.

He attempted to justify this unusual strategy, stating that the performance bore no resemblance to what the team would display in the upcoming 2025 season.

“It’s curious because all the other teams are able to review the footage from behind the goals. Therefore, we aimed to keep things fairly simple,” he explained.

“We concentrated on ourselves, knowing there was an element of unpredictability regarding where their (All Stars) players might align and how they would play, as well as the absence of a structured opportunity to scout the opposition.”

Nonetheless, on SEN Breakfast this Monday, King was unconvinced that the Dockers had not wasted a chance to evaluate themselves while avoiding showcasing their off-season developments.

“What a waste of time,” he remarked.

“Why would you adopt a conservative style of footy when you’ve got a two-hour opportunity to regroup and approach the season at full throttle?

“This talk about the opposition accessing footage from behind the goals… Do you seriously think you can sneak up on an AFL team that’s finely tuned?

“I found that astonishing. These practice matches aren’t about life and death — sure, you might be trying out players in various positions, but why wouldn’t you be stringent about your play style?

“The methodology you want to employ matters the most; at season’s end, talent levels are often similar for the final teams standing.

“You’ve got to hit the ground running. The initial six weeks of the season are crucial.”

Port Adelaide icon Kane Cornes concurred, asserting that Fremantle must refine its game style.

“That was a curious comment. They managed 43 entries but only converted to nine goals, and they played precisely in that uninspiring manner,” he noted.

“Admittedly, they were missing key players… but this is a team that needs to progress. They should be working on that as much as they can.”

The Dockers faced off against the Indigenous All Stars team, composed of the top Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players in the league.

The Fremantle team recorded a score of 9.11 (65) and was comprehensively outperformed in forward entries, 59 to 43.

Minairo Frederick led the scoring for his team with three goals.

The Dockers will begin their 2025 season against Geelong at Kardinia Park on Saturday, March 15. They have just one official practice match remaining before the season kicks off.