Fremantle leader Alex Pearce feels Freo have cause for optimism leading into the 2020 season, highlighting a number of players who can help the team rise up the ladder.
Speaking to TAB radio Sports Daily, the key defender acknowledged that injuries played a role in Fremantle fading in the second half of the 2019 season, and expects the return of a number of senior players to give the team a boost.
And while Pearce is yet to re-join full training due to his ankle injury, he’s been wowed by the efforts of new recruit Hayden Young on the track.
Touted as one of the best kicks in the 2019 NAB AFL National Draft, Young was snapped up by Fremantle at pick no.8 and Pearce thinks Freo fans won’t have to wait long to see the exciting defender in action.
“I’m hearing a lot of good things…I’m hearing that Hayden Young is a really talented kid and you can tell that he’s really keen to not wait (for selection) and really try and push his way in and play senior footy as soon as he can,” Pearce said on TAB radio Sports Daily.
“He’s really talented and a really great kid.”
Pearce believes Freo can have a formidable forward line with everyone fit and available.
“I’m just really excited to see what the forwards can do,” Pearce said.
“If we can get Matt Taberner and Jesse Hogan fit and firing, I really think with Sonny Walters and Sam Switkowski back in there, it’s a really dangerous forward line.
“Especially ‘Tabs’. I’ve played on him at training my whole career and I think he can be one of the best forwards in the competition if he can have some sustained periods playing footy.
“I think he can do some really good things for us and lead that forward line and I think there’s a bit to be excited about.”
Pearce believes Stephen Hill will be an asset on the wing in 2020 after being limited to 16 games in the past two seasons.
“I think he’ll be huge with a couple of the guys that have left last year with Bradley (Hill) and Ed (Langdon),” Pearce said.
“Having Stephen come in with his ball use and the way he can run and take players on and then kick it 60 metres, he does it all.
“He’s a really good defensive player as well, which a lot of people wouldn’t recognise watching TV.
“I think he’ll be like another recruit for us this year and he’s tracking really well and has been back in training for the past couple of weeks.”
Pearce has been joined in by Nathan Wilson in the rehabilitation group, who is recovering from off-season foot surgery.
Pearce believes Wilson is an asset as a defender in the modern game.
“(Nathan and I) have just started our running last week so we’ll be on a similar trajectory, hoping to get ready for the start of the season,” Pearce said.
“It’s the way he kicks the ball and the way the game is these days.
“To have guys like him, Luke Ryan and Stephen floating back in that defensive half, if we can get the ball in their hands it can be really damaging.”
