Fremantle utility Corey Wagner has described the love and support he received from the Freo members and fans following his heartbreaking pectoralis major muscle injury sustained in the thrilling win over the Western Bulldogs in Round 24 last year.
Speaking at his Monday morning media conference, Wagner described the injury as “disgusting” and admitted being sidelined and missing out on his first finals campaign was tough to stomach.
“It’s a pretty disgusting feeling at the start, as I couldn’t lift my arm up, couldn’t support it, and it just felt really weird and eerie,” Wagner said.
“It was heartache. It was a hard pill to swallow, but you try to get around the team as much as you can.
“I think early in 2016 I was an emergency for the Kangas final - just missed out on that - and coming to Freo, I just missed out on another final last year (due to the injury sustained in Round 24).
“It’s a good opportunity to drive the boys, and hopefully I can get one at the end of this year.”
When asked about the iconic image shared by the Club following Wagner’s injury - showing him watching on at a training session with his arm in a sling - the dashing utility said the overwhelming love and support he received helped him through a difficult period.
“I was actually pretty happy all day. They just got the best photo of me looking the saddest I could,” Wagner joked.
“I was just thinking about what could have been, what could have been.
“It was amazing the support.
“You don’t really know - especially the Freo community and the Freo fans - they love you, they come out of the woodwork, and they really showed the love and care for what I provided for them last year.
“For a humble sort of guy, you don’t know how to take that, so yeah, it was really good to hear.”
A Mr Fix-It of sorts, capable of playing across the wing, half-back or even inside as a run-with player, Wagner says he has returned from injury in good shape and is ready to tackle 2026 head-on.
“It’s been a pretty good turnaround, a sad ending to the year, but I’ve come out of it with some good adversity and a good mentality,” Wagner said.
“We hung around here after the season for a good month or so, so I got the grassroots recovery into it (the pec), and it was just mobility, and some little strengthening here and there.
“By the time I got back, I had pretty much full mobility, so we could just push it in the gym.
“That’s the goal this year, to play every game.
“Is that playing forward? Is that playing down back, tagging, or whatever it is? I think the relationship and trust that JL (senior coach Justin Longmuir) has in me now means he can put me anywhere and I’ll do a job for him.”
