Whether you want to “kiss him” or “punch him”, you can’t deny that Patrick Voss is box office.

Playing for a club that, let’s be honest, lacks a bit of personality and a “bit of swag”, the pony injects a serious chaos factor and a don’t argue attitude.

He fires up opponents and more crucially, his teammates. He’s the Dockers Brayden Maynard, he’s their Toby Greene, he’s their modern-day Hayden Ballantyne.

The prancing pony is a majestic beast in the air, brutal at ground level, and never afraid to ruffle some feathers.

He doesn’t just play with his heart on his sleeve; he’s a momentum shifter. He rises to the big moments and puts his teammates on his back.

An in-form pony is priceless.

Sure, his swagger might not be opposition fan’s cup of tea, but in a Freo group still finding its identity, that spark is priceless and it’s showing on the field.

Post-match Saturday night, Fremantle Captain Alex Pearce says he’s “good for footy” and “a bit like (Hayden) Ballantyne, most people who don’t go for Freo want to punch him, but we all want to kiss him.”

And in the words of Freo star Caleb Serong, he’s an “absolute beast” and has a “bit of personality, and a bit of swag” that the team feeds off.

If Freo is to turn potential into September success, Voss’s blend of physicality, fearlessness, and flair might just be what takes them from a good footy side to genuine contenders.

Voss was suspended in rounds six, seven and eight but since then, the pony has wasted no time prancing his way back into the side. I think there is no coincidence his rise has accompanied Fremantle’s rise into the top four.

In 2024 Fremantle were one of the worst fourth quarter finishers in the league.

Fast forward to this year and they have taken “the comeback kings” title straight from Collingwood’s hands, coming back after trailing behind at three-quarter time five times over the last six weeks.

And the pony has a lot to do with it.

His heroic physical presence, agitation of opponents, and spark of personality has lifted his teammates when the game is on the line.

They’ve won 10 of the last 11 games and in their only loss Voss was subbed out after playing half the game. There is no doubt in my mind Justin Longmuir won’t be calling the pony back to the stables early again any time soon. If Voss had played the last quarter at the SCG in round 17, Freo probably would have won and would be on a 12-game win streak.

In a close game, away from home, Voss meets the crowd’s hostility and raises them.

Longmuir said in his press conference on Saturday “we need that, that’s a part of coming on the road, having to stand up against a crowd and the opposition and give it back”.

In round 13 Voss hit form on a tough road trip to the Gold Coast and hasn’t looked back. Since then he has averaged six score involvements a game and the Dockers have become 4.6 percent more efficient going inside 50.

But his impact is not about stats - his teammates walk taller when his tail is up.

When he’s stiff-arming defenders, kicking snags and winding up away crowds. It’s exactly what they’ve been missing.

Fremantle’s September hopes might rest on many shoulders – but it’s the pony who’s kicking them down the home straight.