The services of Rory Lobb are crucial for Fremantle if they are to contend in 2023, according to Head of Player Personnel David Walls.

It’s why the Club is so reluctant to trade the contracted 207cm key forward to the Western Bulldogs, who have shown interest in the 29-year-old.

Fremantle’s tall forward stocks have already taken a hit this Continental Tyres Trade Period with the imminent trade of Griffin Logue to North Melbourne.

Despite the Club’s high hopes for 19-year-old Jye Amiss and 20-year-old Josh Treacy, Walls told SEN that Freo cannot handover the keys to the forwardline to the young duo if they want to build on their semi finals appearance in 2022.

“We desperately want Rory to stay. Our tall forwards have been the Achilles heel of the Club for a long time since ‘Pav’ (Matthew Pavlich) left,” Walls told SEN WA.

“With our list profile, Rory is going to be 30 next year and Matt Taberner as well, and he's had injury challenges in the last few years.

“I think we really need Rory up and going right at this stage to protect (Amiss and Treacy) because we can't basically hand over to two teenagers and say ‘you're in charge of our forward line’ and expect them to be kicking 35-40 goals a year when they're (coming out of) the first and second years of their career.”

Walls said the Club was excited about what Amiss and Treacy could do in the future.

The pair both battled through significant setbacks in 2022, with Amiss having a kidney injury and Treacy heavily impacted by illness.

“We've got really, really high hopes for Jye Amiss - in the finals, coming back from his kidney injury on basically no prep, to do what he did was outstanding,” Walls said.

“We think he's going to be a really, really good player.

“Josh is the other one that we think can also come through. He's still only 20 this year, had a really good first year, but we think with another big summer he'll be able to play for us.

“We see a future with Josh and Jye as our key forwards with a few other options to go down there.”

Walls dismissed the narrative that Fremantle already prevented a move east for Lobb in last year’s trade period, with GWS previously showing interest in the forward.

“No offer actually came last year,” Walls said.

“He’s a professional. He came back, ended up having the best season of his career. So we can work with him.”

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