Latest news with #Dockers
Perth Now
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Bailey Banfield Spider-Man pledge touches hearts
Narrogin Year 4 student Nicholas Reeves is a star who is shining a light on one of the Fremantle Docker's most cherished AFL rounds, with a little help from your friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man. The nine-year-old, who battled leukaemia, will toss the coin to start Sunday's clash with St Kilda in the club's 32nd annual Starlight Purple Haze game. During one of his many long stints in Perth Children's Hospital for treatment, Nicholas met his Fremantle idol, Bailey Banfield, and another popular former Docker Tom Emmett. A game of snap led to a promise that Banfield kept in round 16 last season after kicking a goal in their thrilling one-point win over the Sydney Swans at the SCG. 'Bailey and Tom asked Nicholas if they kicked a goal would he want them to do a special celebration? Well he was a bit stumped but they were playing this game of snap and the cards they were using were Marvel cards and the one that turned over was Spider-Man so that was it,' Nicholas' father Scott said. Nicholas' spirits rose when Banfield goaled and turned to the camera to give him his special Spider-Man signal. 'He was over the moon, I have never seen him smile so much. Ever. And when it made the news , well, wow,' Scott said. Now in remission, Nicholas is one of six Starlight Purple Haze Hero kids, along with Paige McKay, 7, Mateo Domazetovski, 6, Demi Sattler, 6, Luca De Groot, 4, and Grayson Pianta, 4, who will take part in the day of celebrations which raises money and shines a light on sick kids. Dockers players will wear a special Starlight jumper to capture the spirit of the occasion. Fans can pledge any dollar amount for each goal the Dockers kick during the game and sponsor South32, will match each pledge dollar for dollar, up to $50,000. Purple Haze beanies will be sold outside Gate D for $30 and inside the ground, with $15 donated directly to the foundation. Starlight wands can also be purchased for $10 inside and outside the ground. The Dockers and their fans have donated more than $3 million to the foundation. Banfield did a spiderman celebration dedicated to Nicolas last year. Credit: Ross Swanborough / The West Australian Banfield described as a privilege the small but significant role he played in bringing joy to Nicholas and his family. 'It was a great game against Sydney when the celebration happened but the biggest part was it touched Nicholas and his family which is pretty special,' he said. 'This is a round the club gets around and it it's one our club and members love as well. 'The club and the playing group, men and women, really buy in and the fans can see that. 'Above all, they are just great kids. To be able to help them out at some of the lowest ebbs of their lives, and their families as well, is pretty special.' And will there be another celebration should Banfield feel lucky enough to kick a goal against the Saints? 'Nicholas has given me another challenge. It is similar to Spider-Man with a bit of an extra twist. I'll leave it at that and we'll see how we go,' Banfield said. 'As far as degree of difficulty goes, it's going to be harder than Spider-Man so I'm going to say it's a seven or an eight out of 10.'
West Australian
a day ago
- Entertainment
- West Australian
School boy Nicholas Reeves puts Star into Star-light as Bailey Banfield makes heartwarming pledge
Narrogin Year 4 student Nicholas Reeves is a star who is shining a light on one of the Fremantle Docker's most cherished AFL rounds, with a little help from your friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man. The nine-year-old, who battled leukaemia, will toss the coin to start Sunday's clash with St Kilda in the club's 32nd annual Starlight Purple Haze game. During one of his many long stints in Perth Children's Hospital for treatment, Nicholas met his Fremantle idol, Bailey Banfield, and another popular former Docker Tom Emmett. A game of snap led to a promise that Banfield kept in round 16 last season after kicking a goal in their thrilling one-point win over the Sydney Swans at the SCG. 'Bailey and Tom asked Nicholas if they kicked a goal would he want them to do a special celebration? Well he was a bit stumped but they were playing this game of snap and the cards they were using were Marvel cards and the one that turned over was Spider-Man so that was it,' Nicholas' father Scott said. Nicholas' spirits rose when Banfield goaled and turned to the camera to give him his special Spider-Man signal. 'He was over the moon, I have never seen him smile so much. Ever. And when it made the news , well, wow,' Scott said. Now in remission, Nicholas is one of six Starlight Purple Haze Hero kids, along with Paige McKay, 7, Mateo Domazetovski, 6, Demi Sattler, 6, Luca De Groot, 4, and Grayson Pianta, 4, who will take part in the day of celebrations which raises money and shines a light on sick kids. Dockers players will wear a special Starlight jumper to capture the spirit of the occasion. Fans can pledge any dollar amount for each goal the Dockers kick during the game and sponsor South32, will match each pledge dollar for dollar, up to $50,000. Purple Haze beanies will be sold outside Gate D for $30 and inside the ground, with $15 donated directly to the foundation. Starlight wands can also be purchased for $10 inside and outside the ground. The Dockers and their fans have donated more than $3 million to the foundation. Banfield described as a privilege the small but significant role he played in bringing joy to Nicholas and his family. 'It was a great game against Sydney when the celebration happened but the biggest part was it touched Nicholas and his family which is pretty special,' he said. 'This is a round the club gets around and it it's one our club and members love as well. 'The club and the playing group, men and women, really buy in and the fans can see that. 'Above all, they are just great kids. To be able to help them out at some of the lowest ebbs of their lives, and their families as well, is pretty special.' And will there be another celebration should Banfield feel lucky enough to kick a goal against the Saints? 'Nicholas has given me another challenge. It is similar to Spider-Man with a bit of an extra twist. I'll leave it at that and we'll see how we go,' Banfield said. 'As far as degree of difficulty goes, it's going to be harder than Spider-Man so I'm going to say it's a seven or an eight out of 10.'
West Australian
a day ago
- Sport
- West Australian
Ryan Daniels: Murphy Reid contract will allow young star to blossom under less pressure
Stop the presses! Rewrite the back page — no, the front page! After months of speculation and 'will he or won't he' — it's sealed. The young Reid boy, the long-haired, prodigiously talented Victorian has put pen to paper, the deal is done! Locked in til 2029! The parade is planned for next Tuesday, only, not through Lathlain, but down the cappuccino strip. Yes, Murphy Reid has committed to the Dockers. This kid's so skilful, I'm tipping he used a sharp rock to sign the contract, but made it look like a fountain pen. The other Reid, Harley, is completely entitled to take his time with his own contract. But Murphy has removed the doubt — if there was any — and can now get on with it. There's immense value in that for both club and player. No noise, no uncertainty. Just back to work. Murphy Reid's been a sensation in his first year. The only player Justin Longmuir has debuted in round one the year after being drafted. Adding a layer to that, in his 14 games so far, Reid's never started or finished as sub. Talent doesn't earn you that — impact does. A midfielder coming into the draft, he's learned a new role as a forward and made it look second nature. He's kicked 16 goals and added ten goal assists for the year, the same number as Jason Horne-Francis, Jeremy Cameron, Zac Bailey and more than Bailey Smith, Shai Bolton and Gryan Miers. Reid currently sits third in line for the Rising Star and you could argue he should be higher. Four goals in four minutes on debut in Geelong was the lone highlight for the Dockers in a dirty day. That doesn't happen if you're not up to it. Wait 'til he completely figures it out. Some will tell you: 'past performance is not a reliable indicator of future success.' But Murphy Reid isn't a super fund. This kid is a sure thing. Here's what I wrote during the pre-season:'Fremantle have one here. When you watch this guy train or play, you see things that make you raise the eyebrows. 'The little deft touches to a teammate's advantage, the time and space he finds in congestion – dare I say it, Mundy-like. He uses the ball exquisitely, seeing players you didn't know were there. 'He's young, needs a few more pre-seasons, is about 20 per cent of the finished product – but this kid won't be overwhelmed.' Gee it's nice to be right every now and then! The Dockers have plenty of talent locked in long-term, but this signature might be the most important of all. Reid is part of the next next generation of Fremantle. He's an 18-year-old from Melbourne, who still had two more seasons to figure out if the Dockers was home for him, but he signed anyway. Don't for a second think clubs hadn't already started sussing out if this guy would get homesick in 12 months. Murphy Reid could've started his own bidding war if he wanted. Nope. The signs of love were there early. After Murphy called his parents to tell them of his impending debut back in March, his dad Marcus spoke highly of Fremantle's approach: 'Kudos to them, what a club! So good. To back you in and look after you like they (have). Mum and I couldn't be happier.' It says a lot about how far Fremantle have come. Under the current regime, they haven't lost many they wanted to keep. Lloyd Meek might be the exception, but as it stands, Freo already have too many ruckmen. If you cast your mind back to the dramatic exodus stories post-2020, the departures of Meek, Griffin Logue, Blake Acres, Liam Henry, Rory Lobb, Darcy Tucker, and Lachie Schulz, things appeared concerning on the surface. But really, while immediate depth was tested, none of those losses has harmed the Dockers current trajectory. In the same timeframe they've signed Andrew Brayshaw, Caleb Serong, Hayden Young and Josh Treacy to long term deals, all Victorian-born kids. The big fish have been brought home — Jordan Clark, Luke Jackson, Shai Bolton. Marquee players on the market who all chose the Dockers. The crafty signings of guys like Corey Wagner, Jaeger O'Meara, Jeremy Sharp, Isaiah Dudley, Pat Voss and the drafting of Cooper Simpson, Karl Worner and Reid, among others, has replaced that previous depth, only with a higher ceiling. The signature of Reid is a by-product of all that. The Dockers aren't a finished product, far from it. They might not even play finals this season. But they're young, they're talented, they're committed and that translates to buy-in. Murphy Reid can see it. He can feel it. He believes, so he belongs — he commits.
Perth Now
2 days ago
- Sport
- Perth Now
‘I walk back in comfortably': Lyon on Freo fan reunion
Ross Lyon was at his theatrical best as the St Kilda coach denied he'd put any thought into the reaction he would get from the Fremantle fans as he prepares to face them for the first time. Lyon also passionately defended tagger Marcus Windhager, but stopped short of revealing if he would get the job on Brownlow Medal fancy Caleb Serong when they meet at Optus Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Lyon has returned to Perth three times since he began his second stint as coach of the Saints in 2023, but all of them games have been against West Coast. The three previous encounters against his former side have been at Marvel Stadium, but he will finally front the Fremantle faithful this weekend for the first time since he was sacked by the Dockers in late 2019 after 184 games at the helm. His time at the Dockers ended in turmoil, leading them to only 29 wins from 87 games before he was sacked in August with only one game left in the season, having taken them to their first grand final appearance in 2013. A jovial Lyon played down any potential reactions when asked about the match before he and the Saints flew to Perth. 'It's not something I've thought about to be honest,' Lyon said. 'It's a decade ago. That's a 10-year rebuild, it's almost a decade. It's part of a history, I'm proud of what we achieved there. A few top fours, a couple of prelims and a grand final. I walk back in comfortably.' All eyes will be on whether Lyon sends stopper Windhager to tag Dockers star Serong after he made headlines for his tactics against Collingwood gun Nick Daicos. Windhager was fined for an open palm whack to Daicos, while vision emerged of him apparently kneeing the Magpies vice-captain in the hamstring in an off-the-ball incident. Serong told the media this week that he and fellow vice-captain Andrew Brayshaw would embrace the tag should it come their way. Lyon wouldn't reveal if would tag Serong, but when asked about the Dockers' comments Lyon said: 'Oh terrific. Well done Caleb. Lyon will face Fremantle in Perth for the first time since his depature. Credit: Darrian Traynor / via AFL Photos Lyon also defended the tactics used by Windhager, saying he played 'within the rules'. 'Marcus was in the rules, I think the umpires just tried to stamp stuff early, there's a lot of noise,' Lyon said. 'Collingwood come and supported, Marcus was physically grabbed and dragged off, he gets some clarity, put your hands in the air so it's easy to see you're getting tackled without the ball in the stoppage. 'I'm sorry for going out and competing. I thought you were allowed to compete, I never knew playing on someone was a tactic. Since Adam was a boy right, people have played and the great midfielders gets some tighter attention, that's just the way it is.'
West Australian
2 days ago
- Sport
- West Australian
St Kilda coach Ross Lyon says he is comfortable ahead of first game against Fremantle in Perth
Ross Lyon was at his theatrical best as the St Kilda coach denied he'd put any thought into the reaction he would get from the Fremantle fans as he prepares to face them for the first time. Lyon also passionately defended tagger Marcus Windhager, but stopped short of revealing if he would get the job on Brownlow Medal fancy Caleb Serong when they meet at Optus Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Lyon has returned to Perth three times since he began his second stint as coach of the Saints in 2023, but all of them games have been against West Coast. The three previous encounters against his former side have been at Marvel Stadium, but he will finally front the Fremantle faithful this weekend for the first time since he was sacked by the Dockers in late 2019 after 184 games at the helm. His time at the Dockers ended in turmoil, leading them to only 29 wins from 87 games before he was sacked in August with only one game left in the season, having taken them to their first grand final appearance in 2013. A jovial Lyon played down any potential reactions when asked about the match before he and the Saints flew to Perth. 'It's not something I've thought about to be honest,' Lyon said. 'It's a decade ago. That's a 10-year rebuild, it's almost a decade. It's part of a history, I'm proud of what we achieved there. A few top fours, a couple of prelims and a grand final. I walk back in comfortably.' All eyes will be on whether Lyon sends stopper Windhager to tag Dockers star Serong after he made headlines for his tactics against Collingwood gun Nick Daicos. Windhager was fined for an open palm whack to Daicos, while vision emerged of him apparently kneeing the Magpies vice-captain in the hamstring in an off-the-ball incident. Serong told the media this week that he and fellow vice-captain Andrew Brayshaw would embrace the tag should it come their way. Lyon wouldn't reveal if would tag Serong, but when asked about the Dockers' comments Lyon said: 'Oh terrific. Well done Caleb. Lyon also defended the tactics used by Windhager, saying he played 'within the rules'. 'Marcus was in the rules, I think the umpires just tried to stamp stuff early, there's a lot of noise,' Lyon said. 'Collingwood come and supported, Marcus was physically grabbed and dragged off, he gets some clarity, put your hands in the air so it's easy to see you're getting tackled without the ball in the stoppage. 'I'm sorry for going out and competing. I thought you were allowed to compete, I never knew playing on someone was a tactic. Since Adam was a boy right, people have played and the great midfielders gets some tighter attention, that's just the way it is.'
