Western Bulldogs young gun Joel Freijah says he is relishing the opportunity to spend more time in the midfield this season.
Speaking with Dwayne Russell on Tuesday’s Bulldogs Blitz, Freijah said his move wouldn’t have been possible without the support of midfield coach Brendon Lade and development coach Jarryn Geary.
“I’ve really enjoyed moving from the back half to more of the midfield and forward half of the ground,” he said on SEN 1116.
“I think I'll start the year there (in the midfield) which will be good.
“Brendon Lade and Jarryn Geary have helped me a lot, even Bevo as well.
“I’ve really enjoyed the start (to my career so far). “
Freijah said there will be a holistic approach to defending in 2026.
“It’s sort of a whole-team approach – team defence doesn’t involve just the back six, it involves all 18 on the field.
“There are no major changes but just a few little tweaks to help us defend better as a whole team, and give the boys in the backline more chances.
“We were pretty disappointed not making finals last year. I think the goal for us this year – and every year – should be to try and win the competition.
“It’s a very close competition, but the defensive focus has been a big thing for us this pre-season. I think it’s something that can elevate us.
“We lost a few of those games by one or two goals against the top teams last year, so it’s only minor tweaks we need to fix.”
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