Head of Player Personnel David Walls has highlighted that Fremantle have the largest number of players committed for the long term as he dismissed external speculation that the Club had an issue with player retention.
After a Continental Tyre Trade Period where Lachie Schultz and Liam Henry were traded to Collingwood and St Kilda, Fremantle now hold three first round selections as well as the Saints’ future second.
The trade requests led to speculation that the Club had a commitment issue from its players, however Walls highlighted that Fremantle had a large core signed for the long term.
He said Fremantle have 14 players contracted to 2026 and beyond, all players who are crucial to the Club’s long term success. This includes Brennan Cox (2030), Jye Amiss (2029), Luke Jackson (2029), Caleb Serong (2027), Luke Ryan (2027) and Hayden Young (2027).
“When you look at the numbers, we've got 14 players - which are our core players that we see taking us to a premiership - that are contracted to 2026 and beyond. That's the largest number of any club in the competition,” Walls told Continental Tyres Trade Radio.
“We've got a lot of players committed for a long term and that's really positive. They’re invested 100 per cent.
“Retention is important and something that we'll look at and need to make sure it's a real focus, but also have a lot of players come into the Club in that period as well.
“Retaining your core group and the ones that are really going to carry you to a flag is what's crucial and where we put all our energy.”
Walls spoke about Fremantle’s strategy in targeting Collingwood’s future first round pick instead of their first round selection in 2023, which is currently at no.19.
This selection will slide further back with five first round bids expected on three Suns academy players and father-son bids from the Western Bulldogs and Hawthorn.
“We felt like the 19 would slide back a fair way,” Walls said.
“When we put all the academy and father son bids in, that pick could end up in the mid 20s. We also feel next year’s draft is stronger than this year’s draft and receiving (Collingwood’) pick 34 (in 2023) with Gold Coast having so many picks in the 20s, there will be opportunity to get into the 20s.
“We don’t think the 34 will move far but the 19 will slide back. Collingwood…they’d have to win the grand final and there are a couple of compensation picks in there (this year) as well, so we’re hoping (the future first) will be a lot better from a Freo perspective.”
Walls was asked on Trade Radio if the Club would target Sydney Swans forward and Perth Demons product Logan McDonald with their suite of three first round picks in 2024.
“That's part of our list management strategy, tracking all West Australians and particularly the quality ones that are starting to come out of contract. Logan clearly fits that criteria, but there's also many other West Australians in the comp as well that we're tracking really closely,” Walls said.
“We'll really be targeting specific needs from this point on. We've got a really strong core group that are locked away and committed long term and we will be targeting specific needs to really round out the list in the next 12 months.”
Walls reiterated his confidence in Sean Darcy’s desire to re-sign for the long-term, saying the ruckman was set to head to an elite training camp with Fremantle’s coaches in the USA next week.
“He’s headed off overseas to America on a training and high performance trip with some of our coaches and a lot of our players,” Walls said.
“He'll spend time over there and think about it. When he gets back, we’ll sit down and get into the nuts and bolts of it. Probably in December, but at this stage, conversations have been super positive and I'm expecting Sean to be at Fremantle for life.”
