Following the completion of the 2019 Telstra AFL Trade Period, The Sunday Times has produced a potential Fremantle starting lineup for round one in 2020. 

Football writer Braden Quartermain said that the most important factor for Fremantle was seeing the returns of their key position players.

“If key bookends Jesse Hogan and Alex Pearce can rehab successfully following their operations and get to the start line in good nick, there is cause for optimism,” Quartermain wrote in The Sunday Times. 

“The underrated but important Matt Taberner is in the same boat after his campaign was ended just nine rounds into this year.

“Key defenders Pearce and Joel Hamling and interceptor Luke Ryan provide the backbone for what could become one of the competition’s best defensive units.” 

He added that Fremantle are expected to see a number of faces emerge in the midfield. 

“At 34, evergreen veteran David Mundy might be stationed forward as much as on the ball,” Quartermain said.

“So it’s time for top-five draft picks Andrew Brayshaw and Adam Cerra, now entering their third seasons, to be trusted with more time on the ball.

“Blake Acres, 24, and James Aish, 24 next month, were brought in during the trade period as direct replacements for Fremantle’s departed wingmen.

“Dual Brownlow winner Nat Fyfe gives them an inspirational pillar to build the midfield around and Michael Walters will look to maintain the rage after putting together a career-best season.

“In Sean Darcy and Rory Lobb, Fremantle have the potential for a strong a ruck combination between contrasting players who complement each other nicely.” 

While Fremantle head into the 2019 NAB AFL National Draft with two top 10 picks, Freo are also expected to see some new talent emerge from the 2018 crop. 

"The Dockers will be picking for the future next month, but in Sam Sturt and Luke Valente they already have two exciting prospects who should debut next year,” Quartermain said.

“Sturt and Valente, their first two selections from the 2018 national draft, both endured disrupted first seasons and will hope a strong summer can lead to a change in fortune.

“There is no reason why 2020 won’t bear fruit.”

The Sunday Times picks Freo's best 22
B: Wilson, Hamling, Ryan
HB: Blakely, Pearce, Hill
C: Acres, Brayshaw, Aish
HF: Cerra, Taberner, Mundy
F: Matera, Hogan, Lobb
Ruck/followers: Darcy, Fyfe, Walters
Interchange: Conca, Hughes, Tucker, Switkowski
Emergency: Logue, Valente, Carter, Cox