Coach Post Match – Todd Curley Round 1

WHAT South Fremantle coach Todd Curley had to say following the Round 1 WAFL victory over Subiaco at Fremantle Community Bank Oval.

Curley discussed the opening round win over the Lions, his first over Subiaco in his stint with South Fremantle, including his thoughts on ruckman Jake Solomon, which midfielders stepped up in the absence of Shane Hockey and much more about what impressed him in the season-opener.

QUESTION: A lot to like in that start to the season?
ANSWER: Yeah certainly. We jumped out of the blocks and played some good footy, and got some scoreboard pressure on them. In the third quarter they were always going to fight back. They are a proud group and the best team over the last few years. We knew they were going to come at us but maybe our intensity dropped off a little. They kicked a couple in a row and got going, but I thought we stepped up pretty well especially in the last quarter. Our leaders stepped up. It's always a bit of a grind in Round 1 after half-time so to get through was pleasing.

Q: Started with four goals in 11 minutes and really that first half couldn’t have gone any better?
A: We took all our chances and I think we were 10.1 there at one point. We put scoreboard pressure on by taking our chances and they missed a few in the second quarter. It's really positive to start any game well, but to start the season well is really positive. I thought it was a pretty even contribution across the board.

Q: You must have been especially happy with the midfield without your No. 1 ruckman and fairest and best winner?
A: I thought Jake Solomon in his first game was really good for us. He gave us first use and played like a big man. That's all we ask for him and he really competed hard. Then in the midfield group, Dylan Main had a really strong finish to last season in the midfield and continued that. Schloithey is fully fit after a couple of injuries the last couple of years, so to be able to play him midfield helped us. To miss one of our leaders Shane Hockey, our fairest and best winner and a dyed in the wool inside mid, it was pleasing we still did well in that area.

Q: Brandon Donaldson was important as a small forward with three goals?
A: He's a kid that if you get the ball in his hands he is pretty effective. He delivered the ball pretty well inside-50 and took his chances inside, and kicked three straight. He's worked really hard. He was really light last year but he's worked hard in the gym to put on a bit of weight, and that's helped him. He has maintained his good aerobic base as well and he can run. He was really good for us and I thought Kyle Russell in his first game was also really good for us. But across the board I thought we were pretty even.

Q: Down back Blayne Wilson and Marlion Pickett were again strong?
A: Our defence was pretty sound for the most part. Blayne Wilson was strong and even Steve Edwards playing on Ryan, I thought he was really good. A couple of the goals he got would have been tough for anyone to stop when you are one on one in the forward half. So I thought he was good and stuck to his task. Our defenders were pretty strong but our midfield was also good, and for the majority of the game we were in control and playing most of it in our half which makes it a bit easier for the defenders.

Q: Steve Edwards had a good season last year as a small forward but you are well stocked now in that area. Will he stay down back?
A: It's probably on a week to week basis. We've worked really hard on our flexibility and having guys who can play multiple roles, and Steve is one of those. He can play wing, he can play back and he can play forward. That's an area we've concentrated on as a group is to have that flexibility so that if things aren’t working out on the day in one spot, you can be moved somewhere else. I thought Steve was really good, he's had a good summer.

Q: Zac Strom was a great workhorse for you last year as that lead up centre half-forward and back up ruckman. But he struggled in front of goal. Based on this game, he might have that area tidied up?
A: He plays an enormous role for us. To play key forward and then pinch-hit in the ruck, we'd like to get a bit more help for him so he doesn’t have to do as much work. But for a big man he moves really well, his pressure is good and he converted his chances this week. He is an important player for us and he never missed a beat. He is a pleasure to coach.

Q: Brave by Steve Verrier to continue to play so you had full rotations despite breaking his hand?
A: He was third in our fairest and best last year, and he has really grown under the tutelage of Shane Hockey as an inside mid along with Dylan Main. He missed a couple of weeks with a slight hip strain and now to come back in and break his hand halfway through the second quarter was disappointing for him, and certainly for us. But the courage he showed to play forward and allow us to keep rotating was massive for us. We didn’t expect him to use his hand, we just wanted him to be another pair of legs for us but he's such a competitor that he kept getting involved and even kicked a goal.

Q: Jake Solomon did well in the ruck with Brock Higgins getting back to full fitness in the reserves. Would you look to play both in the one team?
A: Brock's certainly getting closer but we are mindful that he's coming back so we don’t want to make him do too much too early. The bonus of Jake's performance is that we can make sure that Brock is really ready and not feel like we have to rush him. It's great for the coaching staff to have another option. Jake was great in this game and he needs to continue to grow and back it up. We've never had them both available so I haven’t thought of playing them both together, but if they continue to step up like that then it's an option we can look at.

Q: First time you have beaten Subiaco in your time here. Nice to tick that off?
A: I hadn’t really noticed it or thought about that, but a win's a win. Round 1 is always a bit of a grind and by the end of it it's almost like they are sludging through the porridge, just trying to get through.