Fremantle draftee Tobyn Murray on his rise from the VFL and the AFL duo that drove him
After missing out in two drafts in eight months, Tobyn Murray was left frustrated dominating local footy late last year. But he continued to believe. The 20-year-old reflects on his ascent from Colac to Fremantle.
Fremantle mature-age draftee Tobyn Murray finished last season as a frustrated local footballer, but he never lost his belief.
It would have been easy to call it quits.
Overlooked in the 2023 draft, Murray and his then Colac teammate Will McLachlan put themselves in the 2024 mid-season draft mix.
McLachlan kicked bags of goals for the Geelong Falcons and jetted up to Brisbane after being taken with pick six in the draft.
Meanwhile, Murray impressed with six goals in his first two games for Geelong VFL before back inflammation and a hamstring niggle kept him out of action in the month before the draft, leaving him unselected.
“It was so awesome to see him get picked up and obviously had a great first half of the season to show his skills and he always had that there. (It) definitely put the picture in my head that I had that self-belief, that I’ve got what it takes to be on an AFL list,” Murray told this masthead.
A year and half on from that mid-season draft disappointment, Murray, 20, was selected with pick 40 in the national draft, sparking emotional celebrations from his family — and leaving their sausage dog very confused.
McLachlan was one of the first to FaceTime Murray from up in Brisbane.
Two long hugs in Murray’s viral draft video captured his sheer relief and joy.
“It’s a feeling you can’t really describe,” Murray said.
“More of a relief on my behalf, just to do with missing out on the last couple of years and finally getting your name called out and a dream becomes a reality, which is pretty awesome.”
There were more surreal moments to come on Thursday night.
Half the Fremantle list had messaged him within 10 minutes of him being picked, and later that night Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir and Dockers general manager Joe Brierty presented him with his guernsey in Geelong.
“Caleb Serong was the first Freo Docker to send me a message and sent me a lovely big message, and it was just so good to hear from him,” Murray said.
“You kind of pinch yourself there in that moment, whether it’s Caleb Serong or Alex Pearce reaching out to you and giving you a cold phone call. So I’ve felt so welcome with the boys.”
Even with his good mate McLachlan – named in the 2025 VFL team of the year – fuelling his ambition, doubts crept into Murray’s mind about reaching the AFL ranks.
His story shows just how quickly the wheel can turn.
The running machine forward-mid featured in just three more VFL appearances for the 2024 season after the mid-season draft and found himself back at Colac in the Geelong league.
His then coach Rowan McSparron continued to instil him with confidence, while his Colac teammate Darcy Lang, who played 64 games with Geelong and Carlton, helped hone his football craft.
Murray finished as the Geelong league rising star despite playing just 11 games thst season, one of those a seven-goal, 25-disposal stunner.
“There’s a little bit of doubts you get throughout the season where you might have an average game or a bit mediocre and you think, ‘Oh, maybe it’s not going to happen’,” Murray said.
“But for me, I’ve got a lot of self-belief and self-drive, which makes it easy for me to continue to just get better and every day better as a football or a person.”
“There is times where you think it’s not going to happen and maybe you should just not work as hard and focus on other things outside of footy.
“Playing local senior footy at the back half of last year frustrated me and motivated me as well, just because I deserve to be playing VFL footy.
“This year (2025) I just decided to put everything into it and just keep that self-belief and everyone’s journey is different and it’ll happen for me eventually.”
MANNAGH MOTIVATION
Shaun Mannagh is an inspiration to any footballer hunting an AFL shot via the road less travelled.
Playing a similar role and possessing similar traits, Murray got the chance to learn off him first-hand while training part-time with the Cats AFL squad during the 2025 pre-season.
“I definitely looked up to him as that high running forward that gets up the ground, impacts and also gets back and kicks a few goals,” Murray said.
“So (I was) watching him closely and speaking to him every so often. He’s also a really great fella. So he’s someone I’ve looked up to a little bit — and still will continue to.”
The 180cm goalsneak’s work with the Cats over the pre-season was the foundation for a breakout VFL season with Geelong, averaging 15 disposals, six score involvements and kicking 22 goals across 17 matches.
However, getting drafted wasn’t front of mind for Murray for the majority of 2025 as he studied his business degree and worked at Newtown Primary School.
It proved to be an important mindset shift.
“To be honest, through the middle of the year, I wasn’t really focused on the draft if that makes sense,” Murray said.
“One difference for me was having an interest outside of footy. So I was working at a primary school and also studying business on the side.
“I was trying to focus on those things and getting a good balance, and it wasn’t until probably about the last couple of games in the season where I had a bit of interest and it sort of came on, I guess.”
And in the moments where he wondered if he could still reach the AFL, his father Nathan and Geelong VFL captain Dan Capiron kept him on the right path.
“I’m living his (dad’s) dream as well, playing on an AFL list, and he was really good at balancing that father figure with also keeping my drive up,” Murray said.
“Also Dan Capiron. He’s not only a good footballer and good coach and development coach, but also a great person as well.
“He’s given a lot of advice on the way and very grateful for him.”
tough in the contest with speed + power.
— Fremantle Dockers (@freodockers) November 20, 2025
your first look at our newest member of the family, Tobyn Murray 🔥#AFLDraft#foreverfreopic.twitter.com/cvVhsfho6B
DRAFT RADAR
The interest came later in the year for Murray, but by the time the draft rolled around he looked a big chance to achieve his dream.
Port Adelaide, Carlton, Fremantle, Geelong, West Coast and Essendon all showed varying degrees of interest.
The Cats had Murray in for a medical after their season finished, while Carlton had him in for a tour at Ikon Park.
But some positive conversations in the lead-up suggested the Dockers may pounce first.
“We had a fairly good inkling that if I made it to Pick 40 after a couple of clubs that were interested, who had picks earlier, that Freo might be a very good chance,” Murray said.
“Still very anxious and nervous on the night and you still never know what could happen. And I was lucky enough that name got read out with Freo.”
Fremantle had tracked Murray since his days at the Geelong Falcons, but his five-goal display against GWS in round 16 underlined his dramatic improvement.
“Really took his game to another level this year, probably playing more of that mid forward role,” Dockers list manager David Walls said on draft night.
“Had a couple of breakout games, one against GWS where he kicked five, and that’s when we really took notice and tracked him pretty closely.”
HUNGRIER THAN EVER
Murray started life as a Docker on Monday, moving in with key forward Jye Amiss and his partner Aimelie, and he already feels like he belongs.
“It’s been absolutely amazing. All the boys have been so welcoming, as well as the staff and the coaches,” Murray said.
“Jye Amiss has been huge to me, he’s taken me under his wing.”
Walls said last week that there is a role for Murray in the Dockers side, potentially as soon as round one.
“With a good pre-season he’ll give himself a chance. He’s worked extremely hard for the last couple of years, he’s powerfully built, so I think physically he will be capable (of playing round one),” Walls said.
A round one debut is no guarantee, but one thing is certain: the competitor from Colac will leave no stone unturned to get the best out of himself.
“Just because I’m drafted doesn’t mean you’re there – that’s just getting your foot in the door,” Murray said.
“The goal for me is just to earn the respect of all my teammates as quickly as possible and put the hard work in and the rest should take care of itself.
“But definitely I’m hungrier than ever and I hope that I push myself for selection through hard work.”
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