Fremantle trio Bailey Banfield, Sam Sturt and Corey Wagner have all extended their contracts until at least the end of 2026.
Banfield had a breakout season that achieved career-best figures, kicking 20 goals for the first time since joining an AFL list in 2017. An improvement on his 2022 and 2023 years, where Banfield first formed a consistent run of selection at AFL level, the 26-year-old averaged 14.3 disposals, 3.7 marks and 2.1 inside 50s per game this season.
Just three games shy of a 100-game milestone, Banfield's best game in 2024 was his 82nd, when he kicked three goals and recorded 22 disposals against the Bulldogs in Round 7.
The born-and-bred Western Australian holds high aspirations for his club and himself, aiming to improve his leadership over the coming years.
โI'm really excited about where this group is going and I'm really excited to be part of it,โ Banfield said.
โI can keep improving my leadership and on field direction as well... That's something I'm really going to focus on in the [upcoming] pre-season.โ
Sturt also achieved his best season yet as a Docker, kicking 21 goals from just 13 appearances in 2024.
Taken at Pick 17 in the 2018 National Draft, Sturt had to wait until 2020 to make his debut, where he kicked three goals against Essendon.
His best outing in 2024 came in Fremantle's shock one-point upset over Sydney, where the medium forward punted three goals, alongside six marks, three of which were inside 50.
Playing 12 consecutive games to finish the year, Sturt said he looked forward to continuing to develop his goalkicking ability whilst maintaining his position in the AFL side.
โI feel like the last two seasons I've had pretty full years. [I] played the backend of last year in the AFL side and then the backend of this year in the AFL side, so I definitely feel like I'm getting continuity in my footy and my body is feeling really good,โ Sturt said.
โThe conversion is something I've definitely worked hard on, but I feel like to get those opportunities to have shots at goal it's [created from] my work I do up the field.
โHopefully [I'm] playing a few more games in the AFL side next year, but I'm just looking to continue on working on my aerial craft, my ground level stuff, my pressure and my defensive efforts."
Wagner achieved his most consistent season yet as an AFL footballer, amassing a career-high 12 games played this year.
After interrupted seasons between 2018 to 2020 at North Melbourne and Melbourne, Wagner had played just 19 games when he landed in Western Australia. Selected at Pick 57 in the 2022 National Draft, two years after his Demon delisting, Fremantle handed Wagner a lifeline after a strong couple of seasons in the VFL for Port Melbourne.
Wagner's best game in 2024 came against Geelong in Round 22, where the 26-year-old recorded 23 disposals and five rebound 50s.
He was also instrumental in the Sydney upset too, with a 10-mark, 21-disposal display.
Fremantle's head of player personnel David Walls commended Wagner's hard work to earn a contract extension after his rocky start to an AFL career.
โThis is Corey's first-ever contract extension and it's thoroughly deserved,โ Walls said.
โHe hasn't had an easy run to be at his third club. He had a few injury setbacks that he worked hard to overcome and when he's fit and available, he's played for us."
Following the trio's re-signings, the Dockers have added to the list of players locked in until 2026 or beyond, forming a maturing crop that Banfield believes could be a part of Fremantle's first premiership.
"I think we've got the core group of players at the club that's going to win our first flag, hopefully," he said.
