HAVING broken through for a finals berth, the postseason didn’t go how Fremantle would have intended, but hope remains for another strong run at it in 2026. The Dockers possess a late-first round pick and have two Next Generation Academy (NGA) prospects to promote in this year’s intake.

>> 100+ PROFILES: View the 2025 AFL Draft Guide

2025 RECORD: 6th H&A | 16-7 | 109.0% | Eliminated: Elimination Final
2025 PICKS: 20, 47, 69
FUTURE PICKS: ’26 R1, ’26 R2, ’26 R3, ’26 R4 | ’27 R1, ’27 R2, ’27 R3, ’27 R4
ACADEMY/FATHER-SON NOMINEES: Ryda Luke, Toby Whan (both NGA)

FIRST PICK:
Pick 20

Fremantle’s first pick lies in an interesting spot at the back-end of round one. The club has signalled intent to target forward half depth and shine, putting a prospect like Noah Hibbins-Hargreaves at the front of the queue. The Victorian’s season was riddled by injury, but he shows enormous upside.

Known for his clutch goalkicking exploits, Hibbins-Hargreaves is a tough matchup with his speed off the mark and ability overhead. He arguably has enough talent to be considered well up the order, but suffered from a lack of consistency this year. Still, he has great potential to be utilised up forward, on the wing, or even on-ball.

If not Hibbins-Hargreaves, then perhaps a similar prospect like Cameron Nairn is in the offing. He’s a match for versatility, offering running power off half-forward or the wing while posing an aerial threat. Then there’s enigmatic small forward Latrelle Pickett – the cousin of Kysaiah – who firms as the draft’s best mature-age talent.

The Dockers may even look elsewhere – positionally – with their first pick, so as to bring in a forward later down the line. If that’s the case, key defender Blake Thredgold will be in high demand right among Fremantle’s hitting zone. He’s an athletic tall capable of shutting down dangerous forwards and getting busy on the rebound.

Oakleigh Chargers big man Louis Emmett is another potential shout. There’s a view that despite cutting his teeth as a ruck-forward, his home may be in defence at the top level. Of course, another possibility with the Dockers’ first pick is the attraction of bids. Forward-half midfielder hybrids like Adam Sweid, Jack Ison, Max King, and Beau Addinsall would all be appropriate picks for the Dockers, albeit club-tied.

REMAINING CROP:
Picks 47, 69

Fremantle is poised to make two selections in the National Draft, likely rendering pick 69 and later selections redundant. Jeremy Sharp and Josh Draper have earned promotions to the senior list, while a pair of NGA prospects await their chance to don the purple guernsey.

Midfielder Toby Whan could well attract interest in the National Draft, though the Dockers will hope he slides though untouched. His running power and penetrative left-foot kicking made him one of the most stylish players to watch at Colts level this year, where he dominated.

South Fremantle teammate Ryda Luke will also likely get to Fremantle as a rookie, adding forward half depth. His explosive athleticism is there to enhance despite clear elements of rawness. He rose to prominence this year on the back of an eight-goal haul early in the Colts season.

That likely leaves one live selection on night two. The Dockers don’t often double-up, so much of what they do depends on their night one decision. If forwards are still under the microscope with pick 47, local bolter Leon Kickett would be difficult to overlook in this range.

Similarly, Vic Country pair Talor Byrne and Hugo Mikunda have a penchant for generating scores and would be handy assets both inside 50 and up the ground. South Australian Zane Peucker is another in that mould, possessing a powerful turn of speed and plenty of X-factor.

If not a forward, it would only be fitting for the Dockers to take a chance on West Australian captain and MVP Fred Rodriguez. He would add even more elite standards to a super talented engine room, and has the added bonus of being club teammates with both Whan and Luke.

KEY QUESTIONS:

– Will Fremantle’s NGA nominees slide through the National Draft?
– Will Fremantle feature heavily among the bid-happy clubs?
– Will Fremantle only target forward half depth?