Fremantle captain Alex Pearce is back into full training after ending his 2024 campaign with a pair of setbacks relating to a broken left arm.
Pearce first suffered the ailment in Round 15 against Gold Coast would would re-injure his forearm later into the season in a win over Melbourne, with concerns surrounding Pearce's rapid return from the injury.
The second setback was enough to put an end to Pearce's campaign as the Dockers fell in their final four matches of the home and away season to fall short of a September showing.
Now sporadically sporting an arm-guard at training, the premature end to Pearce's 2024 season allowed him to get back into training as most players were on break, with the key defender now feeling "really good" ahead of another year in purple.
"(I'm feeling) really fit. It was handy in the end that at the end of the season I kept on training, seeing as I missed a few weeks with surgeries towards the end," he said on Monday.
"I feel quite good and am running well. I feel (pain) here and there, it's a pretty gnarly scar. I'm (back in) full contact and everything, it'll take me a few weeks to feel perfect in the contest as there's a big plate in there and it wasn't used for a few months.
"I'm feeling healthy and happy, it's good to be back, it's a pretty good environment at the moment."
The Dockers managed a Derby win in their first game after Pearce's second injury but recorded must-win matches against Essendon, Geelong, GWS and Port Adelaide to place just two premiership points outside of the top eight.
Had Fremantle managed to book a finals spot, Pearce may have returned from his injury in time for another push at the premiership.
On the other hand, the Dockers defender sees a "silver lining" in avoiding another quick return from injury.
"I think I would've played, and there's every chance I would've broken it again," he said.
"There's a world where it was beneficial for me that we didn't make [finals], because there's every chance I would've broken it.
"Now it's had a bit more time to heal and now it's fully strong is a silver lining to the end of the season."
Fremantle's senior players returned to pre-season training over the past week, with star recruit Shai Bolton finally linking up with his new teammates on Friday.
The Dockers' 2025 season will get underway at Kardinia Park against Geelong in Round 1 on Saturday, March 15.
