Nathan O'Driscoll wanted to weigh his options, and Fremantle "had to continue to move on and make other decisions on other players," Joe Brierty said of the Richmond trade. The extra pick let them move fast on ex-Bulldog Dominic Bedendo, "probably ready-made" for AFL level.
"With Tassie coming in, it's really important for us to go to the draft," Joe Brierty said of Fremantle's quiet trade period. The club handed out long-term contracts so the group can "contend for a sustained period"; only two or three on the list have played over 200 games.
Bobby Hill is "off the table," Fremantle's Joe Brierty said. Chad Warner, a West Australian free agent next year, is not: "if Chad's looking to explore coming home, we'll definitely engage." Tendai Mzungu and Nathan Broad join the coaches after Adam Reid and Jamie Graham left.
Dominic Bedendo is back on an AFL list, joining Fremantle as a free-agent wingman after two VFL seasons at Port Melbourne. After an injury-hit four years at the Western Bulldogs, he said two years of continuity has his body "feeling really good".
Nathan O'Driscoll is leaving Fremantle for Richmond after spending time in and out of the side. Joe Brierty said the move is about regular senior football: "the opportunity at Richmond means that he feels like he can play consistent full footy."
Geelong's Lawson Humphries sees himself at the Cats while contracted, Fremantle's Joe Brierty said, but "if Lawson's looking to come back to WA, I'm sure that we would entertain those discussions." He said Luke Jackson and Shai Bolton went "to another level" after coming home.
Murphy Reid and Isaiah Dudley are expected to play more AFL football after losing Sam Switkowski opened a spot in Fremantle's front half, Joe Brierty said. He wants the 14 listed players from Peel's state league flag to "put pressure on the guys getting selected".
Forwards coach Jamie Graham is off to North Melbourne, a move Fremantle's Joe Brierty called "so well deserved". Brierty said the draft comes first, with "our full suite of picks this year and the additional pick". On Sydney's Chad Warner: "we haven't had those discussions."
Fremantle's David Walls says Hugh Davies, committed to for three years, is "ready to step in and play straight away" in key defence, with Josh Draper, Oscar McDonald and Brennan Cox also there. Asked about Alex Pearce's Achilles, he gave no detail on his recovery.