Fremantle's off-season planning has become a little clearer, with captain Nat Fyfe revealing the Dockers will look to inject some young tall-forward talent through the draft, while a move for Cats speedster Jordan Clark looks all but done.
Fyfe has ventured forward as an attacking target in Justin Longmuir's side over the course of the past several seasons as he looks to share the workload with a promising midfield group.
The Brownlow medallist was limited to just the 15 games this season as he battled a shoulder injury throughout the year.
Midfielder
Disposals
Tackles
Clearances
His absence not only hindered the Dockers' midfield, but once again left key forward Matt Taberner to lead the club's forward line with little assistance.
After finishing just four points outside the top-eight, Fremantle will be looking to bolster their list where possible this off-season in hope of moving further up the ladder in 2022.
To do so, Fyfe revealed the club will aim to recruit local talent via the draft in order to aid their key-forward stocks.
“Our hope is that we can bring some tall forward talent in locally through the draft,” Fyfe said on Sportsday.
“We’ve got some high picks, and that’s what we’ll be trying to do.”
The Dockers have enjoyed a strong season of re-signings in 2021, with an extensive list of key names recommitting to the club for the future.
Bailey Banfield (2022), Andrew Brayshaw (2025), Heath Chapman (2024), Travis Colyer (2022), Sean Darcy (2024), Lloyd Meek (2023), David Mundy (2022), Lachlan Schultz (2023), Sam Switkowski (2023), Matt Taberner (2024), Josh Treacy (2023) and Nathan Wilson (2022) have all inked new deals this year alone.
Fremantle will farewell gun midfielder Adam Cerra however, with the 21-year-old looking to return to his home state of Victoria this trade period.
Fyfe expressed his disappointment to see the promising onballer leave the Dockers following a strong campaign in purple.
“Frustratingly as a senior player, David Mundy and myself have stepped aside in the last couple of years to try and grow some of these young players so it does bite when they do pick up and head back home, as is their right to do," Fyfe said.
The Dockers are understood to have met with Clark in recent weeks in hope of luring the emerging Cat back to Western Australia.
Sportsday presenter Sam McClure stated that Clark's move to the Dockers is on the verge of being confirmed, with Fyfe adding he believes a deal is close to landing.
“I think it's near enough, I haven't heard it's confirmed but it's somewhere around the mark," the Dockers skipper said.
The Dockers have already made several list changes this off-season, with Taylin Duman, Stefan Giro, Tobe Watson, Reece Conca and Brett Bewley not being offered new deals for 2022, while veteran Stephen Hill has announced his retirement.