Fremantle managed to come away from a promising trade period with a first-round pick at their disposal, giving them the chance to add to a promising list ready to contend for a premiership in 2025.
The Dockers didn’t have a top 30 selection for either of the last two drafts, with the club having two in that range this year as the club looks to add more top-end young talent.
Already home to one of the youngest list and prepared to rise up the competition with a number of key players reaching their peak, securing more first-round talent is sure to excite Fremantle fans.
The Dockers have managed to fill several list needs in recent off-seasons, but there are areas in their group that could be strengthened via the draft.
Draft Hand
Picks: 14, 30, 67
The Dockers carried a trio of first-round picks through the year and managed to receive Pick 14 in a deal that saw all three top selections head to Richmond for Shai Bolton.
They hold Picks 30 and 67 to see out their draft haul, with both picks initially tied to St Kilda.
The Dockers are also a club that exited the trade period with a strong 2025 draft hand than when they entered the off-season, having acquired Richmond’s future third-round selection.
List Needs
Front-Half Speed: While the addition of Bolton will see the Dockers’ spear significantly sharpened with pace and firepower, there remains a view that Fremantle could be keen to add some pace to their attacking pack. Michael Walters is likely entering his last season in purple and Nat Fyfe could follow, perhaps leading to a need for more forward options in Justin Longmuir’s pecking order, with rookie Jack Delean still an unknown commodity and Cooper Simpson offering some nice glimpses 12 months on.
Best Available: Loaded with a top 15 draft selection, Fremantle will likely look at the talent that sits atop the hitlist when they’re first on the clock. With such an even spread among the high end of this year’s draft class, they’ll be coming away with a teenager who might be rated as a top 10 selection in other years. They’re in a position to trade into the first round or increase their place in the queue, but they’ll likely be satisfied with their pair of picks in the first 30 spots.
Key Position Talent: The Dockers look to be afforded the ability to give their next wave of draftees the time to develop as they switch to premiership contention in 2025. With positional lines stacked with star talent and no major flaw arising, the club could look to recruit a tall defender or hybrid key position talent to nurture in the wings over the coming years before eventually pulling the trigger. Perhaps a long-term replacement for someone like Alex Pearce, who could head to Tasmania in three years.
Potential Targets
Bo Allan: The leading prospect out of Western Australia, Allan could add speed and power to the Dockers’ squad while potentially being the top player available at Pick 14. The Halls Head talent played a role in Peel Thunder’s WAFL premiership this year, featuring alongside a handful of Dockers-listed players to already give himself a leg up. With West Coast selecting two spots earlier than Fremantle, they could miss out on the WA captain, with Vic Country’s Xavier Lindsay another name who could be on Fremantle’s radar.
Joe Berry: Perhaps the best small forward on offer at the draft, Berry had a stellar year with the Murray Bushrangers and Vic Country, totalling 36 goals in 18 games. His lightning pace, forward pressure and attacking craft have placed him in the top 20 frame, with Berry a chance to land at Fremantle’s first pick. Sandringham Dragons talent Taj Hotton is another for the Dockers to consider at Pick 14.
Matt Whitlock: Another Murray Bushrangers talent, Whitlock could be up for grabs at Fremantle’s second pick of the draft. He might be considered a slider at 30th overall and certainly a bargain if he’s the second half of the Docker’s draft haul. The 198cm swingman was named at fullback in the Talent League Team of the Year while booting 27 goals for the season to flex his versatility. WA’s own Clancy Dennis is another key defender for Fremantle to consider with one of their later picks.
