Fremantle Dockers’ young stars Luke Jackson and Jye Amiss kickstart club’s Great Southern tour in Tambellup

Young gun Luke Jackson says Fremantle are not feeling the pressure heading into a crucial preseason for the club, despite an underwhelming 2023 campaign that saw the team slip from finals contention to 14th place on the ladder. Speaking in Tambellup in the Great Southern on Thursday as the Dockers embark on a three-day community camp, ruckman Jackson insisted he was keeping it simple heading into 2024 and was focusing on playing consistent football. “I’m not really (feeling the pressure),” he said during a visit to Tambellup Primary School. “I just want to build on what I did last season and play consistent footy. I’m really looking forward to the season, playing with my mates and all the boys have come back looking really good and really fit.” Jackson, who was traded to Fremantle from Melbourne in a blockbuster deal last off-season after requesting a move back to his home State, also denied there were any concerns over his partnership will fellow big man Sean Darcy. The 22-year-old flourished during his first season in purple, particularly when Darcy was out of the team with injury, earning selection in the 40-man All-Australian squad. But when the duo lined up together, results were mixed. “We haven’t discussed in depth our roles for this season but I’m sure working with him (Darcy) will be an important role for us this season,” Jackson said. Jackson joined Jye Amiss and other first to fourth-year players including Nathan O’Driscoll and Conrad Williamson at the camp and said he was excited to build connections with teammates. “It’s a good way to ease back into footy season again, especially with the young group we have,” he said. “It’s good connection-building for the young guys we have coming through. “I’ve never been this way before and it’s good to get down here.” Amiss, who grew up in Busselton before being drafted by the Dockers in 2021, said the regional camp draws him back to his childhood roots. “I remember when I was a kid, and we got AFL players come down to our school and we thought it was really cool,” Amiss said. “Just seeing smiles on kids’ faces — it’s great to be down here. The more we keep encouraging kids to come down and get involved, the more people we will get into it.” After becoming the youngest player to kick 40 goals in the club’s history, Amiss said he too wasn’t feeling pressure to improve his output. “I missed a heap of my first year and I didn’t come into last year with any high expectations of myself,” the 20-year-old said. “I was lucky to play twenty-three games so that’s just going be the focus for me, whether it’s this year or years to come. “I think if I just have the best preseason I can and get my body right, then I can let the results take care of themselves.” Fremantle will be without elite goal sneak Lachie Schulz, who was traded to Collingwood during this year’s trade period, but Amiss said their side has the depth to cover his absence. “We have a few players drafted over the last couple of years who have had strong preseasons,” he said. “We all came back to preseason very fit and strong on Monday, so we can definitely fill the void.” The Dockers are due to face the reigning premiers in round 10 on a Friday night. “It’s going to be pretty exciting. Lachie was a good player for us but he’s on the other side of it now so when the game comes the boys will be fired up,” Amiss said. Fremantle will be based in Albany for the remaining two days, where they will run school clinics and an open training session on Saturday.