AAMI Practice Match Review: Fremantle vs Adelaide — SuperCoach 2026 Takeaways

I've seen enough Josh Treacy games to know he'll break your heart three weeks in a row then single-handedly win you a match in the fourth. That's exactly what happened in Mandurah.

Adelaide led by 12 early in the last quarter. Game looked done. Then Treacy kicked five unanswered goals and Fremantle ran out 12.12 (84) to 9.14 (68) winners. The Crows kicked 9.14 for the match — fourteen behinds in swirling wind — and if you watched the game you could feel every single one of them.

The Match in 60 Seconds

A wind-affected contest at Rushton Park made scoring difficult. Adelaide used the breeze well in the first quarter through Dawson, Fogarty, and a ridiculous 65m goal from draftee Mitchell Marsh. Fremantle answered in the second quarter — Jordan Clark launching a coast-to-coast kick-in that ended with Jye Amiss converting.

The third quarter was Adelaide's best. A four-goal run sparked by Josh Rachele's midfield surge and 50m bomb had the Crows looking comfortable with a growing lead.

Then the wheels fell off. Fremantle captain-for-the-day Josh Treacy kicked five final-quarter goals, the Crows couldn't find the middle of the sticks, and the game flipped in 15 minutes.

Three Players to Watch for Round 1

1. Josh Treacy (FWD) — Fremantle

The numbers: 5 goals (all in the last quarter), captain for the day.

Treacy is in that awkward SuperCoach zone — clearly talented, clearly capable of explosive games, but consistency is the question. Five goals in a quarter is ridiculous output, but can he deliver it when it counts?

The captaincy nod is significant. It signals Fremantle's trust in him as a leader and a focal point in attack. If Amiss and Treacy can fire together, Fremantle's forward line will be a nightmare to defend.

Verdict: Premium FWD dark horse. Capable of 120+ ceiling games but watch for the 40-point floors that come with key forward territory.

2. Josh Rachele (FWD) — Adelaide

The numbers: Midfield surge in the third quarter, 50m goal, impressive output.

Rachele's pre-season midfield time is the story here. If Adelaide commit to giving him centre bounce attendance, his scoring profile changes entirely — from inconsistent small forward to genuine MID/FWD hybrid. The 50m goal showed his power, and the third-quarter burst showed what happens when he gets the ball in space.

At his price, he could be one of the value plays of the season if the role is right.

Verdict: Watch the round 1 centre bounce numbers closely. If he's attending 40%+ CBAs, he's significantly underpriced.

3. Mitchell Marsh (FWD) — Adelaide (Draftee)

The numbers: 65m goal with the wind in the first quarter.

The highlight reel stuff is fun, but more importantly, Marsh took the field as a genuine option in a depleted Adelaide forward line. With Thilthorpe resting, Berry and Peatling injured, and Soligo out, the Crows needed depth — and Marsh delivered.

He's a long-term stash rather than a Round 1 starter, but the fact Adelaide trusted him in a full practice match is a positive signal. At basement price, the risk is negligible if he earns games.

Verdict: Stash candidate. The 65m bomb was a taste of the ceiling — now he needs to show he can do the rest.

Other SuperCoach Notes

• Caleb Serong (Fremantle): Best on ground. Fremantle's midfield engine continues to hum — Serong's consistency is elite.
• Hayden Young (Fremantle): Delivered inside 50 beautifully, including the assist on Amiss' coast-to-coast goal. His metres gained will be enormous in 2026.
• Jordan Clark (Fremantle): Kicked the ball past the centre circle from a kick-in. The new kick-in rules suit his leg strength perfectly.
• Eddie Pedlar (Adelaide): 3 goals from a small forward role. Looked sharp and could push for consistent selection.
• Rory Laird (Adelaide): Named among Adelaide's best — still doing Rory Laird things.
• Riley Thilthorpe: Rested with back soreness. "No risk policy" per coaching director Murray Davis. Expected to be fit for Round 1 vs Collingwood (March 14).

Injury Watch

| Player | Club | Issue | R1 Impact | |--------|------|-------|-----------| | Riley Thilthorpe | Adelaide | Back soreness | Expected fit — conservative rest | | Sam Berry | Adelaide | Managed | Should be fine | | James Peatling | Adelaide | Low-grade hamstring | Monitor | | Jake Soligo | Adelaide | Heart | Ongoing — TBC |

The Bottom Line

Treacy is the kind of player you pick on gut feel, not spreadsheets. Five goals in a quarter doesn't happen because the matchups aligned — it happens because a bloke decides the game isn't over yet. He'll infuriate you with a 35-point stinker in Round 3, but he'll also win you a week when you need it most.

Rachele's the one I keep circling back to, though. The midfield time was real. If Adelaide commit to it past pre-season — and that's still an if — he's a bargain sitting right there in the FWD line.

-DK

The AAMI Community Series wraps up the 2026 pre-season. Round 1 kicks off Thursday, March 5. For the full pre-season landscape, check our complete AAMI Series wrap and the Rookie Power Rankings Traffic Light Guide.