The future of Fremantle’s midfield are providing healthy competition for spots as the Club heads into round one next weekend against Adelaide at Adelaide Oval.
Executive General Manager of Football Peter Bell was blunt in his assessment on what it will take for Fremantle to jump to another level this year after finishing one win outside the top eight in 2021.
“Availability,” Bell said on ABC Radio on Saturday.
“I don't want to undersell that we also need to improve in some areas.
“So just availability is not going to do it by itself but certainly having depth and competition for places.
“I think anyone who's been around football would know that if there's competition for places, you're going to be in a pretty good space as far as performance is concerned.
Bell highlighted that young players Neil Erasmus and Nathan O’Driscoll, who continue to develop their craft, have impressed this pre-season as they try to squeeze into Freo’s midfield this year.
“His work rate is unbelievable for a young player as well as his ability to be able to endure the collision-football at AFL level over the pre-season.
“So often younger mids can come in and they can do it for a little while, but he just keeps buttering up.
Bell praised the first-year player for his ability to win the ball during the pre-season matches he has played but believes he and second-year player O’Driscoll still have amazing growth ahead of them.
“Neil really accumulates the football,” Bell said.
“We're just working on some of his running patterns and his defensive work as well.
“Which can take a little while for the younger players to grasp, but I'm sure he's going to make an impact this season.
“I don't know exactly when that's going to be but he's absolutely in the mix along with Nathan O'Driscoll, a second-year player as well as he has had a really good pre-season.
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O’Driscoll who is yet to debut after an injury-interrupted debut season has had strong outings in all Fremantle intra-club matches and has played mainly in the middle this pre-season with the absence of Nat Fyfe.
Despite the injuries to midfielders Nat Fyfe and Darcy Tucker this pre-season, Fremantle have had strong availability in the middle this pre-season and have also been able to give more midfield minutes to Caleb Serong, Andy Brayshaw, and new recruit Will Brodie, with small forwards Mitch Crowden, Sam Switkowski and Michael Waters also getting a run throughout the pre-season to help strengthen the Club’s midfield depth.
