Several victorious Dockers have hit the bush to celebrate their big win over Hawthorn on Thursday night.
Luke Jackson was instrumental in Fremantle’s gutsy comeback victory with a late smother on the wing that allowed the ball to fall into the hands of Murphy Reid, who, in turn, set up Michael Frederick for the match sealer.
And on Friday, he was taking a well-earned breather, fishing rod in hand, along Western Australia’s South West coastline.
In-form forward Jye Amiss was also with the big man as they hunted a fish dinner after kicking three goals in the 15-point win at Optus Stadium.
While Jackson grew up in Perth, he has an affinity for visiting rural areas of Australia and, post-match on Thursday, said he was looking forward to getting away for a long weekend.
“So we play next Sunday against Essendon, so we get the three days now, head down to Margaret River for a couple of days with some of the other boys,” Jackson told Channel 7.
“Just roll the swags out and get a fire going, and it’ll be nice just to recover that way.
“I think Jye’s from Busselton so he knows that side of the world really good, so I think he’s got a site booked out.”
Amiss’s football journey began at Busselton Football Club.
It wasn’t just his smother that has led fans to state Jackson is now the game’s pre-eminent ruckman, with the 24-year-old also racking up an equal game-high 22 hit-outs to go with 22 disposals, 10 tackles and seven clearances.
He could have even added a goal to his remarkably versatile stat line, that has earned him the ‘Unicorn’ nickname, but missed.
Jackson’s former Melbourne premiership teammate Max Gawn has long held the mantle as the game’s best ruckman, but the apprentice is becoming the master as Fremantle stamp themselves as a genuine grand final contender.
