FREMANTLE targeted forward half depth at the 2023 AFL Draft, welcoming three players from interstate during the national intake before making a local rookie selection. With no action on night one, the Dockers will hope their picks – all after 35 – provide bang for buck.

>> UPDATED: Every Pick in the 2023 AFL Draft

NATIONAL DRAFT:

35. Cooper Simpson
41. Ollie Murphy
60. Jack Delean

ROOKIE DRAFT:

5. Odin Jones

>> ANALYSIS: Big winners, bolters & sliders

Needing a spark in the front half of the ground, Fremantle traded up three spots early on night two to land fleet of foot Victorian midfielder Cooper Simpson. A future third round pick also went out the door to land the Dandenong Stingrays co-captain, who had a top-age season of ebbs and flows.

Simpson was highly touted as a bottom-ager and made the AFL Academy intake, but suffered an untimely injury at the start of this year’s National Championships and only really got going towards the back-end of the Coates Talent League season.

At his best, he’s a damaging midfielder who can carry the ball and penetrate by foot. The Dockers like his dual-sidedness and sharp skills. Able to play inside or out, it’s likely he’ll be an on-baller who pushes forward. The fact he emphatically stated his intention to be a one-club player would appeal, too.

Next, just six picks later, well credentialed key position prospect Ollie Murphy was called out. Having bolted up draft boards after taking out Vic Metro’s MVP award, the All Australian defender slid back down the order with question marks over his speed and contested work.

Nonetheless, Murphy has terrific upside in his ability to read the ball in flight and he attacks it like a forward would when intercepting. Much of that is down to the amount of time he spend playing in attack and through the ruck as a junior, but he found a home down back this year.

Fremantle sees him drawing comparisons to Alex Pearce at the same age. The club is banking on his representative form to be a true marker of his talent, and if the draft had been held at the end of the National Championships, he may well have been a first-rounder.

Having lost Lachie Schultz during trade period, it was no surprise to see the Dockers also target an energetic small forward. Jack Delean was their man, a mercurial type out of South Adelaide who sits on heads and simply knows where the goals are. He’s played some senior footy, too.

Nabbing Delean all the way down at pick 60 will seem like a bargain to most, given the South Australian has been highly touted throughout his junior career. Fremantle’s sole local choice came in the rookie draft, with West Perth ruck/forward Odin Jones providing some key position cover.

The 199cm big man is a high-production type whose selection makes sense given tall forwards Sebit Kuek (ACL) and Josh Corbett (hip) have been placed on the long-term injury list. It means Fremantle has two SSP spots available, with the likes of Max Beattie and Patrick Voss fighting for a list spot.