Nat Fyfe says Fremantle will use the pre-season to find its identity after rebuild turnover
FREMANTLE skipper Nat Fyfe says the club will use the summer months to find its identity after a huge turnover in playing personnel over the last couple of years.
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FREMANTLE skipper Nat Fyfe says the club will use the summer months to find its identity after entering the halfway point of its four-draft rebuild.
The Dockers have transformed their list dramatically over the past two drafts, shedding a host of ageing players and stocking up on kids.
Fremantle have also traded astutely and used free agency well, bringing in the likes of Brad Hill, Cameron McCarthy, Joel Hamling, Brandon Matera, and Nathan Wilson.
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They snared pick No.2 and Matera from Gold Coast in exchange for Lachie Weller, pick No.41, and a future fourth-round draft pick.
All up, Fremantle have added 12 players since the end of last season, to go with the mass changes they made at the end of 2016.
When the Dockers dramatically crashed out of premiership contention in 2016, coach Ross Lyon declared the start of a four-draft rebuild.
Fremantle won eight games last season, and they have hopes to improve on that in 2018.
The Dockers have particularly high hopes for prized draft picks Andrew Brayshaw (No.2) and Adam Cerra (No.5).
Fyfe said with so many new players at the club, it would take time to get everyone on the same page.
“I think we’ve had 22 new players joining our team since the end of 2016, so we’ve got to find our identity as a group and that will take a number of months to do,” Fyfe said.
“And we’ve got to get on the same page as Ross Lyon and the coaches’ game philosophy.
“We’ve got to train hard over the summer as every other team is doing. It’s a big job for the leaders and the whole group.”
Fyfe starred during the recent 2-0 International Rules series win over Ireland. The 26-year-old took two weeks off after the series, but is now ready to ramp things up again in the lead-up to the Christmas break.
Originally published as Nat Fyfe says Fremantle will use the pre-season to find its identity after rebuild turnover
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