Signing on with Fremantle was more than an emotional decision for WA local Connor Blakely.

The Bunbury raised 21-year-old extended his contract for a further two years, seeing the Swan Districts product remain at Freo until at least the end of season 2019. 

As well as staying at home with friends and family, the versatile midfielder will remain a crucial part of Freo’s emerging list.

Blakely was taken with pick no.34 in the 2014 National Draft – a draft class that is already paying dividends by delivering Lachie Weller with pick no.13 and Ed Langdon with pick no.54.

Josh Deluca, Freo’s fourth round pick in 2014, completed the set by making an impressive debut last weekend against Geelong.

A week after the national draft, Ethan Hughes arrived as a part of the 2014 Rookie Draft and had since gone on to play 15 games for the club.

The group has drawn comparisons to Fremantle’s haul in 2008, which saw Stephen Hill, Hayden Ballantyne, Michael Walters, Nick Suban and Zac Clarke arrive and form a crucial part of Freo’s 2013 Grand Final side.

“I think that draft with Lachie, Ed, Josh and Ethan was a pretty strong draft,” Blakely said.

“Obviously, with all of us still being on the list shows that the selectors got it right.

“I think that group, and those from the drafts around us, are showing really good signs at the moment.

“If we can keep building and keep working towards that common goal then anything can happen in the future.”

Blakely says he’s reaping the benefits of the 2016 season, where he played 15 games with Freo’s list in transition.

The same can be said about Freo’s newest crop of players, who are already impressing at AFL level according to Blakely.

“There’s a lot of confidence you get as a young player getting games pumped into you,” Blakely said.

“It holds you in good stead for the future.

“There’s a lot of good signs for a lot of the young guys.

“I thought Brennan Cox was really strong against Geelong as well as Luke Ryan and those sorts of guys.

“It show that they’re pretty comfortable at that level and they’ve only played a couple games so it’s really exciting for us.”