Fremantle captain Nat Fyfe has set high expectations of his teammates this pre-season, calling for the playing group to focus on the important months to come.
Freo’s five-plus year players returned to the club on Monday, taking part in their first training session alongside the first to four-year players, who have been back in training for the past fortnight.
External expectations of Fremantle have risen ahead of the 2019 season on the back of the arrivals of star key forwards Jesse Hogan and Rory Lobb as well as midfielders Travis Colyer and Reece Conca.
But Fyfe stressed the need for the playing group to earn the right to be optimistic about the 2019 season.
“I think really looking forward to next season is a bit premature as there are still clubs on holidays because they played deep into the finals,” Fyfe said.
“So looking too far ahead, it just doesn’t serve any purpose. Talk is pretty cheap at the moment leading up to Christmas.
“Our members and fans should be really excited and optimistic about what the season ahead holds but at the moment, we’ve got to knuckle down, do the work and get to know our game plan.”
Fremantle will head to the Gold Coast for a training camp in December, where Fyfe said Fremantle would continue to work on establishing an identity of ‘a winning culture’ as a group.
“That (winning culture) is what all teams want,” Fyfe said.
“I think we’ve had the shopping list out for a few years through drafts and trading and we’ve brought in an eclectic group of players across the country.
“A lot of West Australians have come back home and we’ll bring in four players at the national draft this week.
"Now we’re established as a group, the idea is to try and build around the Ross Lyon game plan that will set us up to win games of footy next year.”
Fyfe credited Fremantle’s first to fourth-year players for already setting the tone at training.
“There is a slightly different feel with the four new guys coming in,” Fyfe said.
“There’s good energy. Our young guys have been back for two weeks already so they’re the kings of the castle at the moment.
“It’s nice to have everyone back and we’ll really start to build into December.
