‘Never been happier’: Dockers coach’s blunt response to bombshell rumours of Jackson return to Melbourne

remantle coach Justin Longmuir says Luke Jackson has told the club that he is content and not looking to transfer back to Melbourne at the end of the AFL season. Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir has emphatically shot down speculation Luke Jackson is exploring a move back to Victoria, saying the star big man has never been happier and wants to stay at the Dockers. A rumour emerged following Fremantle’s pre-season win over Melbourne on Sunday that Jackson would be open to a move back to Victoria, despite being contracted with the Dockers until 2029. Jackson won a championship at the Demons in 2021, but his 52-game time at Melbourne came to an end a year later after arranging a sensational deal to Fremantle. Longmuir couldn’t have been more categorical when asked about the speculation linking Jackson with a transfer back over east. “Not a concern. Nothing I’ve seen of Luke throughout the pre-season has indicated me he wants to quit the club,” Longmuir said. “Someone from the club has spoken to him already and he’s reiterated that he doesn’t want to go anywhere and he’s never been happier. “We’ll leave it at that, I reckon.” Jackson looms as a pivotal element in Fremantle’s push for premiership success this year. The 23-year-old is poised to spend the majority of the season as a forward, with Liam Reidy to handle the ruck duties while Sean Darcy (knee/ankle) heals. Jackson’s ability to play in attack, the ruck or as a big-bodied midfielder has earned him the reputation of a football unicorn. The 199cm star demonstrated his skills in Sunday’s 19-point pre-season win – 16.13 (109) to 11.24 (90) – over the Demons, kicking two goals from 18 disposals. He also collected nine hit-outs during a short appearance in the ruck. Longmuir played his cards close to his breast when asked what role Jackson will be playing to start the season, which tips off for Fremantle against Geelong at GMHBA Stadium on March 15. “It’s hard to say he’s going to do this, this and this, because he is so flexible and we can use him in a lot of different ways,” Longmuir said. “In round one, that might be in the ruck, but it might not be. He might be playing forward, mid, in the ruck. “ The actions that he takes around the ball are observed by everyone, and as a result, everyone assumes that he is a midfielder while he is in that position. Due to the fact that he is such a wonderful aerial player, a significant portion of the exceptional effort that he accomplishes up the ground occurs when he is actually forward. As soon as the ball is hit into the deck, he transforms into an exceptionally skilled player at the ground level. “No matter where he plays, he is an indispensable player. It is true that he is a great aid to Jye (Amiss) and JT (Josh Treacy) in the forward position, which allows us to have that third tall player. The Demons were defeated by the new recruit Shai Bolton, who kicked two goals from a total of thirteen disposals. The statement was made by Longmuir, who stated, “It was his first competitive game with us… and he’s coming off of that little calf issue.” Compared to other people, he most likely experienced the conditions, the heat, and the exhaustion to a greater degree than others. I thought that his finest performance was extremely impressive, but there was a little bit of rust coming through in other aspects of the game.