Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir has brought the Dockers to the edge of history, with his fellow coaches acknowledging him for an outstanding season.
On Tuesday, Longmuir was voted as the AFL Coaches Association’s AFL senior coach of the year ahead of his rival coach on Saturday, Chris Fagan, with Sydney’s Dean Cox in third.
While Longmuir has eyes on a far bigger prize this weekend, he paid tribute to the coaching team around him.
“The moment I started coaching, I fell in love with the profession – I get to go to work every day and help players to achieve their goals. That inspires and drives me to be the best coach I can be,” he said.
“I see this award as a reflection of the entire coaching group at Fremantle. I couldn’t ask for a more driven, selfless team of coaches to work with and I thank them for their dedication and support.”
Among that group is Jaymie Graham, who finished third in the count for assistant coach of the year and is seen as a potential candidate to take over North Melbourne.
CEO of the AFLCA said Longmuir was thoroughly deserving of the accolade
“Justin has done an outstanding job in building this Fremantle group and the results this season are a credit to the environment he and his coaching team have created,” Nicholson said.
“What has been particularly impressive is the consistency and resilience of the group. They have continued to respond to challenges throughout the season, and we’ve seen that again during the finals.
“Justin has committed a significant part of his football life to Fremantle, first as a player and now as Senior Coach, and to be recognised by his coaching peers after the season they’ve produced is thoroughly deserved.”
2026 Monjon Allan Jeans AFLCA Senior Coach of the Year1. Justin Longmuir (Fremantle) – 260 votes2. Chris Fagan (Brisbane) – 2163. Dean Cox (Sydney) – 98