Fremantle ruck Luke Jackson reflects on two years at Dockers, facing his former side, evolving as a player

It didn’t matter that he’d already requested a trade to Fremantle, ending a fruitful chapter as a Demon. He thought that it was the perfect opportunity to catch up with his friends one last time.

Blind to the irony of the situation, Jackson decided to attend Melbourne’s final player meeting of 2022 before the group split up for the off-season.

“Even after he requested a trade, he still hung out with us after Mad Monday and all of that,” Steven May told the Footy Talk podcast last year. “He even came to our meeting about our off-season program.

“We’re kinda like ‘Jacko, you’re not supposed to be here.’ But he just wanted to come and say goodbye.”

Nearly two years have passed. But that still sums up how Jackson is feeling about facing his former side on Sunday at Optus Stadium.

“I remember telling the boys (I had requested a trade) and then I just stuck around in the meeting,” Jackson told this masthead. “They started talking about the off-season plan and I just happened to be in the room.

“It’s pretty funny to think about it now. I’ve still got good relationships with all the guys there. It’s going to be good playing against them again.

“It’s always really fun playing them and seeing everyone again. It should be a good game.”

Those close to Jackson reckon that he’s immune to pressure.

When he returned home to WA to play for the Dockers, he did so on a lucrative, long-term deal. The spotlight was instantly on him and whether he’d justify Fremantle’s enormous expenditure. After four games in purple, the local paper crassly calculated how much he was earning per mark.

That level of expectation would have an impact on most. But not Jackson.

“Not a lot of things faze him,” May said. “He knows he’s playing Melbourne but he probably doesn’t realise that it’s a big deal.

“A lot of players would probably be thinking about it all year and worried about it. He’ll just go out and play footy.

“There’s no hard feelings there. He’s a premiership player and he helped us break that drought.”

Jackson’s current teammates know not to overcomplicate things. Earlier this year, the Dockers faced the Demons in Alice Springs, the second time Jackson had met his former side.

Jackson was one of the only people on Fremantle’s list to have visited the red centre, playing a game for Melbourne there in 2022.

Defender Jordan Clark was asked whether the players would ask him for advice on how to handle the unique conditions. Clark bemused that “Dogga would probably start talking about Tasmania.”

Jackson’s laidback and nonchalant personality is disarming. Dig a little deeper and you’ll find a driven, competitive 22-year-old with surprisingly sharp football smarts … not that he’ll admit to it.

“I think I’m a pretty easy going guy,” he said. “Everyone has a few stresses and that but I love what I do and I love playing footy with my mates.

“I like keeping it pretty simple.”

The football field is the one place where Jackson can truly express himself.

Nobody will forget when he took charge of the centre square during the third quarter of the 2021 AFL grand final, conducting the seven-goal blitz that ended Melbourne’s premiership drought.

Earlier this year, Jackson’s form was so good that some, including Fremantle great Paul Hasleby, pondered whether he could be the first AFL Brownlow medallist since Adam Goodes.

That was when fellow ruck Sean Darcy was out of the side injured. Since returning, Jackson has taken a backward seat up forward, pinch-hitting when required.

You could argue that Jackson is a better ruckman than he is a key forward. But for the greater good of the team, Jackson is making the most of his time in attack. Since moving to Fremantle, it’s where he feels as though he’s made the most progress as a player.

“I feel like my forward craft has grown a lot and I still have heaps of improvement there,” he said. “It’s probably more opportunity I reckon.

“I’m getting to more contests and making the most of them and taking marks. I think I’m doing that side of things a lot more now than what I was doing at Melbourne.

“I’ve still got so much improvement and I want to keep learning from the guys at Fremantle. I’m keen to keep growing that part of my game.

“I feel like I’ve grown in the ruck as well and around the ball I’m getting stronger. I just want to stay consistent and keep getting better.”

Named on the 44-man All-Australian shortlist last year, Jackson immediately justified Fremantle’s investment. He kicked 22 goals in 23 games whilst averaging 15 disposals, 3.4 marks, 17.7 hitouts and 5.6 score involvements.

Jackson doesn’t like comparisons but this year, his role has still been vital. He’s averaging 17.7 disposals, 2.8 marks 17.6 hitouts and 5.2 score involvements but he still demands significant opposition attention when he goes forward, freeing up the likes of 2024 leading goalkicker Josh Treacy and Jye Amiss.

“JT is playing great footy and he’s a massive presence down there for us,” Jackson said. “He’s a great player and he’s still so young as well.

“He’s going to keep getting better.

“We work as a collective down there. It doesn’t matter who kicks the goals, we just want to work together. We feel like we’re really building.

“I haven’t thought about comparing it to last season. I still feel like I’ve had some strong games this year. I’ve been consistent at times but I want to keep getting better. I have a lot of improvement yet.”

Fremantle has plenty of room to grow too. As one of the youngest teams in the competition, Jackson is part of the new breed of Docker, an emerging core the club believes is destined to deliver its first premiership.

And there’s no reason why it can’t happen this year. Fremantle is one of 13 clubs in the hunt for a top eight spot and just two points currently separates fourth and ninth.

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Sunday’s clash with Melbourne is an opportunity for the winner to put some distance on the chasing pack and remain in top four contention. Every clash from here on in is crucial.

But according to Jackson, it’s just another game.

“You want to play good against every team but especially because I know the guys and made such good memories with everyone at the club,” he said. “It’ll be nice to play well against them.”