From disaster to destiny, it's taken a decade to rebuild Fremantle
Fremantle was the AFL's minor premier in 2015 but won just four games the following season. After hitting the reset button, the Dockers are now on the cusp of winning their first-ever flag 10 years later.
In the world of Australian Rules Football, it's easy to overlook the decisions that led to a team's success. For the Fremantle Dockers, this is especially true. Just ask Brad Lloyd, the club's former national recruiting manager. Lloyd's tenure at Fremantle began in 2008, and it was during this time that the club embarked on a decade-long rebuild.
The current Dockers team, described as "pure" in terms of recruitment, has no father-son selections, free agents, or players taken with concessions or free agent compensation picks. This rebuild was not without its challenges, as evidenced by the team's winless start to the 2016 season. However, Lloyd and his team remained steadfast in their plan, eventually selecting players such as Luke Ryan, Andrew Brayshaw, and Sam Switkowski.
The 2019 draft, in particular, was a turning point for Fremantle, with selections of Hayden Young, Caleb Serong, and Liam Henry accelerating the rebuild. Despite some misses along the way, the club's commitment to their plan has paid off, with the Dockers now enjoying success in the AFL.
Written by urgent.news from ABC News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
