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📻 IMPORTANT AUCKLAND UPDATE 📻
“Serious commodity”: Brereton praises teenage Bulldog
Nicholas Quinlan • June 28th, 2025 3:13 pm
Dermott Brereton has heaped praise on Joel Freijah following his display in the Western Bulldogs’ victory against Sydney.
Having started the first two games of the year in defence, Freijah would then be moved into the midfield having featured on the wing or as an on-baller since Round 3.
As the season has progressed, Freijah has slowly but surely improved as a midfielder as he develops into an intergral player for the Bulldogs.
Freijah’s performance against Sydney on Friday night was one of the best games of his fledgling career.
He managed 23 disposals (at 87% efficiency), nine score involvements and kicked four goals in the Bulldogs’ nine-point win against the Swans at the SCG.
In particular, his third-quarter performance was exceptional as he kicked three of his four goals which helped give the Bulldogs the lead which they held onto for the remainder of the match.
Speaking on SEN’s Crunch Time, the Hawthorn legend believes that the 19-year-old has become ‘a serious commodity’ for the Bulldogs following his Round 16 performance.
“Last night was the game, I just rocked back into my chair and went, ‘This boy is a serious commodity, this boy can seriously play’,” Brereton declared.
“He was fantastic in that quarter when he ran on and even late in the game when he iced it…well, I don’t know if he iced it, but he gave them that tiny, mini buffer.
“He’s a lot better than many of us suspected when we were seeing him on the back flank and doing some good things, getting a couple of things wrong last year, but my god.
“People often talk, ‘Oh, these guys haven’t taken the next step’. That’s a classic example of a lad who has taken the step in quick time.”
The Bulldogs will be hoping to solidify their spot within the top eight next week when they play North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium on Thursday night.
