FREMANTLE might be a team that is stacked with talent at the top end, but a heartbreaking end to 2025 proved there are still positions that need strengthening before the Dockers are a top contender.
With a core group of stars still to hit their peak, the Dockers have every right to expect that natural improvement in 2026 will play a key role in them progressing further than an elimination final defeat.
But a proactive approach to deepening their best 22 and targeting specific role players in the upcoming player movement period could be the key to unlocking what this group is capable of.
Adelaide went after specific role players at the end of 2024 and jumped from 15th to minor premier as Alex Neal-Bullen, Isaac Cumming and James Peatling made a significant difference and deepened the Crows’ talent pool.
After taking big swings at star pair Kysaiah Pickett and Chad Warner, the answer for Fremantle could be a similar approach on a smaller scale.
The two spots that Fremantle must address as priorities are the addition of another skilful half-back to support Jordan Clark, and a pressure forward in the mould of much missed goalkicker Lachie Schultz.
Melbourne half-back Judd McVee could address the first issue if the Dockers can secure the out-of-contract Demon and give him a license to kick-start their ball-movement with his poise and skill.
Judd McVee in action during the match between Melbourne and West Coast at Marvel Stadium in round 21, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos
The internal option is young speedster Cooper Simpson, who showed mid-season that he is more than capable of playing as a damaging rebounder before an AC joint injury interrupted his year and prevented him returning at AFL level.
Defending in the front half has been an issue this season and, as exciting as forward Isaiah Dudley has been as a mid-season addition, the Dockers need more tackling pressure from their small forwards.
A big pre-season looms for the 22-year-old, who showed how damaging he can be offensively on the big stage with back-to-back goals deep in the third quarter against Gold Coast.
The Dockers desperately missed Sam Switkowski, however, and should be on the lookout for depth in this area.
Star recruit Shai Bolton led the team for tackles inside 50 this season (24) but had a much smaller return than Switkowski in 2024 (39), and Schultz in the two years prior to that (41 in 2023 and 37 in 2022).
Shai Bolton tackles Bodhi Uwland during the elimination final between Fremantle and Gold Coast at Optus Stadium on September 6, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos
Whether a player comparable to Neal-Bullen presents in the Trade Period is to be seen, but the Dockers have also shown they can turn delisted players like Pat Voss and Corey Wagner into important contributors.
The next evolution of the midfield will be crucial after the Dockers slid from first in 2024 (+7.1) to seventh (+1.4) in clearance differential, with injuries to star onballer Hayden Young proving a big hurdle for the team.
A full season from the 24-year-old, who was outstanding during the fourth-quarter fightback against the Suns, has the potential to make the biggest difference out of anything the Dockers will be pondering.
Hayden Young handpasses the ball during the 2025 elimination final between Fremantle and Gold Coast at Optus Stadium. Picture: AFL Photos
The late-season form of Neil Erasmus has also made the 2026 midfield look stronger. The 21-year-old, who has re-signed for three years, was backed at selection with full games for the final month and produced an excellent finals performance.
His 190cm frame will be an asset next year, while Matthew Johnson has another level to go to, potentially as a big-bodied wingman who rotates inside, after playing 18 games before a late-season ankle injury.
The most important part of the puzzle for Fremantle may well be superstar Luke Jackson, who started the season as a forward/ruck but then seized the opportunity to play in the midfield and earned selection in the All-Australian squad.
The emergence of Voss as a powerful forward option allowed the Dockers flexibility with Jackson, and a full pre-season as a midfielder/ruck could help him further elevate his game in 2026.
Longmuir conceded on Saturday night that there are aspects of how Fremantle plays that need to be addressed.
The team’s ability to switch between modes has been a strength in some games, and among the reasons for a run of impressive wins on the road that highlighted the growing maturity of the group.
But the inability to take full toll on the scoreboard and punish opposition teams when they had momentum was a frustration that needs to be addressed over pre-season.
Longmuir has shown he is a problem-solving coach, addressing the club’s inability in 2024 to close out games and turning the Dockers into tight-game specialists in the second half of 2025, until the Suns proved too good late on Saturday night.
Justin Longmuir addresses his players during the elimination final between Fremantle and Gold Coast at Optus Stadium on September 6, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos
While a finals win eluded the Dockers, 16 home-and-away wins represented their best return in a decade and their fourth best season on record. It was the step they needed to take in 2025, and a few tweaks could help them go further in 2026.
