Fremantle gun, partner in bombshell mid-match trade report

Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir has vehemently denied claims the “door is ajar” for star Luke Jackson to return to Melbourne in a blockbuster trade.

Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir has vehemently denied claims the “door is ajar” for star Luke Jackson to return to Melbourne in a blockbuster trade.

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While Jackson played a starring role for Fremantle in their pre-season clash, 7NEWS reported that he was open to a move to Victoria given his partner’s ties to the state.

But Longmuir dismissed those concerns immediately after his side’s 19-point win over Melbourne.

“Not a concern, nah,” he said.

“Just nothing I’ve seen of Luke throughout the pre season has shown me that he wants to leave the club.

“Someone from the club has spoken to him already – he has reiterated that he doesn’t want to go anywhere and he’s never been happier.

“We’ll leave it at that I reckon.”

Luke Jackson in action for the Dockers in Mandurah. Picture: Getty Images

The comments come after 7NEWS reporter Mitch Cleary claimed rival clubs were “monitoring” Jackson’s situation given his netball partner Kelsey Browne’s links to Victoria.

Cleary claimed clubs, headlined by Melbourne, were “exploring the possibility” of pursuing Jackson should he and partner Browne wish to head back to Victoria.

But Browne is a current West Coast Fever training partner in Perth for the 2025 season, after last year announcing she was stepping away from the sport full time to focus on her growing media career.

The 34-year-old had only made the move from Victoria to WA at the end of 2023 when her team the Collingwood Magpies folded.

Now Browne, an 18-Test cap Australian Diamond netballer, covers NBL for Fox Sports and will join the commentary team for the upcoming Super Netball season.

Jackson, who remains contracted at Fremantle until the end of 2029, and Browne went public with their relationship late last year.

Jackson moved from the Demons to the Dockers via a high-stakes trade where he inked a seven-year contract, reported to have been worth a whopping $6.3 million ($900,000 per-season).

Kelsey Browne and partner Luke Jackson on their African holiday.

Jackson is a Melbourne premiership player after being taken by the Dees at pick 3 in the 2019 Draft.

The 23-year-old secured a trade home to WA as Fremantle coughed up two first round draft picks back in 2022.

Longmuir said Jackson remained a “vital” part of the Dockers line up and their bid for a maiden premiership.

“It’s hard to say he’s going to do this, this, this because he is so flexible. We can use him in a lot of different ways,” he said.

“In Round 1 that might be in the ruck – that might not be. He might be playing forward/mid, in the ruck. Everyone sees what he does around the ball – I think everyone assumes he is a midfielder when he’s around the ball.

“He’s such a good aerial player. Once the ball hits the deck, he becomes such a good ground level player.

“He’s vital wherever he plays.

“He really does help out Jye (Amiss) and JT (Josh Treacy) forward to give us that third tall down there.

“He can be used in a lot of different ways.”

With fellow ruck Sean Darcy already ruled out of the opening rounds of 2025, Jackson will prove a key part of Fremantle’s line up.

Originally published as Fremantle gun, partner in bombshell mid-match trade report