Fremantle players and their player sponsors enjoyed an evening out at Beaumonde on the Point on Wednesday as the playing group took the opportunity to thank them for their support for the 2019 season.
The occasion brought together long-standing player sponsors of Freo, alongside four new partners who have come on board as player sponsors for the first time this year.
Fremantle CEO Steve Rosich welcomed the crowd both new and old.
“A lot of these player sponsors have been involved with us for a long time,” Rosich said.
“But it’s so great to have new partners involved at this level.
“Thank you for the work that you do, and no doubt many relationships (with the players) will emerge on nights like this.”
Ochre People are one of those new partners and have committed to speedster Bradley Hill for the 2019 season.
Ochre People are a full-service Indigenous workforce recruitment company specialising in Indigenous employment.
Long-time Fremantle members and corporate partner Butler Capital Pty Ltd has joined the fold to sponsor first-year player Luke Valente, while Perth’s premier refractive laser eye clinic - the WA Laser Eye Centre - has committed to Darcy Tucker.
Rounding out the first-year partners, Andrew Brayshaw’s 2019 sponsor is the Victoria Districts Medical Centre, a Family Medical Centre committed to providing comprehensive primary health care for the Midwest region of WA.
The sponsors witnessed a panel discussion by Fremantle’s leadership group as Nathan Fyfe, David Mundy, Alex Pearce, Joel Hamling, Michael Walters and Reece Conca joined host Dean Clairs on the stage.
Fremantle captain Nathan Fyfe told the crowd he was pleased with the team’s consistency in the opening nine rounds of the season.
“I think we’re now starting to play a consistent way every week and our losses haven’t been by much,” Fyfe said.
“It’s nice walking down the race knowing what the team is going to deliver.
“When we execute on our attack, we are in most games.”
Now in his third season as part of Freo’s leadership group Michael Walters said it was pleasing to see Freo acknowledge the Indigenous culture ahead of their upcoming Sir Doug Nicholls Round clash with Brisbane on Sunday.
Fremantle’s players, board and staff were invited to a smoking ceremony at Monument Hill on Tuesday morning as part of the week’s events.
“It means a lot (having the smoking ceremony), and I’m a proud Indigenous Aboriginal from Perth,” Walters said.
“I think it’s really important for the wider footy community but also for those at the Fremantle Dockers to get an insight into the culture.
“I’m glad that the whole club got to see it.”
