Fremantle will return home from Tuesday’s 2015 NAB AFL Draft at the Adelaide Convention Centre with a mix of youth and experience.
The club took promising Victorian defender Darcy Tucker with its first pick (27) and another backman, Harley Balic with its second pick (38).
Pick 27- Darcy Tucker
Fremantle secured 20-year-old Box Hill key defender Sam Collins at pick 55 before taking Subiaco premiership player Shane Yarran with pick 61.
The club heads into Friday’s NAB Pre-Season and Rookie Draft with four picks remaining.
Fremantle has already committed to re-drafting Anthony Morabito and Josh Deluca on Friday with two of those picks.
Pick 38 - Harley Balic
General manager of player management Brad Lloyd said the club was pleased with the result of the draft.
“We were really happy,” he said.
“We’ve secured two high-end young talents with our early picks, in Darcy and Harley.
“Then secured two really high-level mature-age players, in Sam and Shane."
Lloyd said Fremantle was delighted Tucker was still available when the club’s first pick arrived.
“We really like Darcy as a player and as a person,” Lloyd said.
“We think he will add some running capacity off half-back and he ran very strongly in testing.”
Lloyd said Yarran deserved an opportunity.
“With his background and football ability, we thought he earned it,” he said.
“He’s good overhead, has elite speed and is a nice size.
“He will really add to our playing list."
Lloyd said Collins was a mature defender that could boost the club's defensive stocks.
At 194cm, he can play an important role for us,” he said.
“He can spoil the footy well and is very disciplined.”
*Fremantle's initial picks of 22, 35, 60, 68 and 80 changed during the 2015 NAB AFL Draft due to the introduction of the AFL Academy and Father-Son Bidding system.
