Following successive off-seasons where required players flocked from Fremantle to rivals, the Dockers will be out to lure targeted talent onto their list come the 2024 trade period.
Losing Lachie Schultz, Liam Henry and Joal Hamling 12 months on from trade requests from Blake Acres,ย Rory Lobb,ย Griffin Logue,ย Lloyd Meek andย Darcy Tucker has certainly hurt the club's premiership prospects since their top six finish in 2022.
But being home to half of WA - a state that boasts endless top-line talent - Fremantle should be in a position to lure some home state names back across the Nullarbor.
The Dockers are also in a stronger position this year than off-seasons gone by given their current draft hand of three first-round picks.
In our latest edition of our 2024 trade targets series, we look at the names Fremantle could consider come the trade period, and one left-field avenue for the club's recruitment team to consider.
OTHER TRADE TARGETS:ย ADELAIDE,ย BRISBANE,ย CARLTON, COLLINGWOOD, ESSENDON
5. 2025 Draft Picks
The Dockers utilised last year's trade and draft period to collect further first-round selections for the 2024 National Draft, acquiring the early picks from both Port Adelaide and Collingwood in separate deals.
Those deals might've come as a proactive approach to potentially move for the aforementioned off-contract McDonald, who now may not be the list need Fremantle are chasing for this year's exchange period.
While still holding onto at least one selection for this year's count, could the Dockers potentially place two of their best selections for this year's draft on the trade table to attain better picks for the 2025 intake, strengthening their hand at a time when WA star Chad Warner is scheduled to have his current deal expire?
The level of interest in Warner next year from both Fremantle and West Coast is expected to be significant, so it might be valuable for the Dockers to be sure what they can offer in any trade deal trumps that of their state rivals.
