I’m pretty cynical about these sorts of things, and I’ve certainly worked at places where there is a stark difference between the espoused values and lived experience, but as far as these things go there were a few things I liked about it.
I’ve never really liked being referred to as ‘the purple army’. Firstly, it’s so generic – every other fan base is referred to as an army. Second, I don’t think a group of people choosing to come together for a social sporting event should be confused with people laying down their lives (often without a choice) in service of largely more important aims. 'Freo family' is a bit naff, but it’s more in keeping with how my friends and family meet before the game for a beer, then wander down to the stadium. As an aside, Purple Haze was at least a little novel, and I don’t know why the club didn’t lean into it more.
As Number 2 said, the anchor is back. I love the line “We love who we are and where we’ve come from.” The self-loathing during The Steves era was palpable. Sure, the anchor is just one symbol of that, but there’s been plenty of evidence that under Garlick Freo is leaning into its Fremantleness a lot more.
The term ‘best self’ is probably best left for a wellness blog, but I like that character was mentioned before ‘high-performance focus’. JLo has emphasised character in how the team operates, and I think the club is doing well to try make it a more inclusive place to work (or at least they are talking a better game about it).
I’d love to know how they go about increasing attendance on game day. It really feels like Freo is losing ground in supporters to West Coast and not gaining. Perhaps that takes care of itself if Freo starts winning games, but I really feel like the next few years is a chance to build some momentum.
