AFLW: Fremantle Dockers ruck Mim Strom ready for finals after breakout campaign

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AFLW: Fremantle Dockers ruck Mim Strom ready for finals after breakout campaign

Strom warning. Eye of the Strom. Strom forced winds. Strom impact.

The puns have come easy in 2024 with Fremantle’s burgeoning ruck star Mim Strom blowing away opposition rucks with ease.

And now, as Fremantle face their first finals campaign in three seasons, the 22-year-old is on the verge of a hard-earned maiden All-*********** blazer.

It will be a tough task for the selectors not to pick Strom.

She leads all AFLW rucks for hitouts, disposals, contested possessions, stoppage clearances, clearances, ruck contests attended, marks, pressure acts and tackles.

And she’s achieved it all while being considered undersized for her position.

But the tap monster remained nothing short of humble when asked about her extraordinary year, even after collecting 30 disposals and 30 hitouts in the final home-and-away game win over the Western Bulldogs.

“We have some incredible leaders, and they really inspire others to lead themselves, so I definitely feel I am and everyone else is a leader,” she told The West ***********.

“I’m loving the midfield I’m working with. They’re such a special group, and it’s just incredible to be back in finals, and that was our goal coming into the season.

“We’ve had some sad outs this year, but I think it’s incredible what we’ve achieved.

“Making finals with the incredible group that we’ve got, and I think it’s really important that we have the role players, those are the teams that are going to make finals and hopefully go on to premierships.

“We’re going to keep fighting with this young group that we have.”

It’s been a major breakout campaign for the youngster, averaging career-bests in every major stat category while also achieving career-best performances across those boards as well.

She even showed she could do it on the biggest stage, collecting a career-high 48 hit outs in the western derby against bitter arch-rivals West Coast, a quality that bodes well as she prepares to face Essendon in her first final.

Strom again offloaded the credit, thanking her brother Zac Strom, who plays WAFL as an undersized ruck forward, for bringing a new angle and ethos to her game.

“Don’t tell my brother, but he’s my ruck coach, so he wouldn’t take the credit for it, but he’s brought a real special vibe to the ruck group,” she said.

Camera IconFremantle’s Mim Strom in action. Credit: Kelsey Reid/The West ***********

“Being that undersized ruck in the WAFL competition has really brought a new light to my game, and if I’m undersized, I really need to work around the ground and be incredible with my fitness.”

Her off-field work hasn’t gone unnoticed either, with Dockers coach Lisa Webb using her star ruck as a plug-and-forget player, leaving her on the ground for around 90 per cent of the game time, knowing she always gives 100 per cent and does the work to take down her opponent.

“Her game time is always high, but she’s got that willingness and recovery to be able to get up each week with that, and (next) week will be no different for her,” Webb said.

“Her ground-level stuff is really important. I thought she took some really great marks, but then she could sneak forward and play pretty strongly as that forward 50 ruck as well.”

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