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All the AFL lists are finalised for 2018, and now is the time to start investigating what each club’s best team looks like.
This analysis won’t factor in injuries or early season suspension, as it is looking at the best team from the list each club has. This is my take on Fremantle’s best 22.
Previous articles
Adelaide’s Best 22
Brisbane’s Best 22
Carlton’s Best 22
Collingwood’s Best 22
Essendon’s Best 22
Best 22
B: Luke Ryan, Griffin Logue, Joel Hamling
HB: Connor Blakely, Alex Pearce, Nathan Wilson
C: Brad Hill, Nathan Fyfe, Stephen Hill
HF: Michael Walters, Brennan Cox, David Mundy
F: Hayden Ballantyne, Cam McCarthy, Brandon Matera
Foll: Aaron Sandilands, Andrew Brayshaw, Lachie Neale
I/C: Sean Darcy, Adam Cerra, Harley Bennell, Michael Johnson
Depth: Danyle Pearce, Tom Sheridan, Mitch Crowden, Ethan Hughes, Hugh Dixon, Darcy Tucker, Matt Taberner, Shane Kersten, Tom North, Ed Langdon, Brady Grey, Lloyd Meek, Cam Sutcliffe, Lee Spurr, Michael Apeness, Sam Switkowski, Scott Jones, Bailey Banfield, Stefan Giro, Ryan Nyhuis, Taylin Duman, Luke Strnadica
Defence
I had quite a few players to consider as key defenders inside defensive 50 for the Dockers such as Griffin Logue, Alex Pearce, Joel Hamling, Brennan Cox, Michael Johnson, and Ryan Nyhuis just to name some. In the end, I decided to go with a three-pronged defence, with Joel Hamling also able to play on some small forwards.
Griffin Logue debuted in Round 3 last year and played thirteen games in his first season, showing plenty of potential. With another pre-season under his belt, and including the fact that the Dockers are going through a rebuild, expect Logue to play Round 1 and continue his development next year.
Alex Pearce has had an injury-plagued career so far, but he too has shown plenty of potential, and will likely be a priority for the Dockers coaching and medical staff to get out on the field in 2018 to enhance his development.
Former premiership Dog Joel Hamling had a career-best year last year, playing twenty-two games and taking 110 marks. Mature-aged draftee Luke Ryan had an impressive debut year, and should be a lock for the best 22 in 2018.
Rebound king Nathan Wilson will provide plenty of attack coming out of the Dockers defence and will fit right in on the half-back line. Connor Blakely had a career best year last year in the midfield, however I couldn’t find a spot in the midfield for him, so I placed him across the half-back line to continue to develop his kicking and rebounding skills.
(Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
Midfield
The midfield looks incredibly promising. Monster veteran Aaron Sandilands is a fantastic ruckman, and when he’s not injured, he is still the number one ruck. However, he will face fierce competition from second-year player Sean Darcy.
The Hill brothers, Stephen and Brad, play in the same team as wingmen on opposite sides of the ground. Stephen Hill, the older of the pair, is an important player for the Dockers and will continue to be next year, seeing as he showed no signs of slowing down. Brad Hill on the other hand had one of the best seasons of his short six-year career, winning the Dockers’ best and fairest, and given that he used to play in one of the best teams of the modern AFL era, he will provide valuable experience on the field for Fremantle in his time there.
Skipper Nathan Fyfe looked in fine nick during the IRS, and Dockers fans will be hoping he can back to his Brownlow best and contend to be the best player in the league along with Dustin Martin and Patrick Dangerfield.
Lachie Neale is a star in Ross Lyon’s team, and should have a spot as an on-baller open to him next year. He is extremely durable, given he has only had two seasons where he has played less than 20 games, which is a tick in favour of him over other options.
2017 number two pick Andrew Brayshaw is expected to make an impact in his first year, and his known leadership qualities as a young player earn him a spot in the starting 18.
Attack
The Fremantle forward has plenty of excitement and talent. Michael Walters had his season cut short by a PCL injury in 2017, but showed plenty of glimpses of what he may produce in the near future, including a 38-disposal, 6-goal game.
Former skipper David Mundy is on the wrong side of 30, and I struggled to fit him in as an on-baller. He kicked the winning goal after the siren against Richmond last year, and will be able to interchange with Walters and Fyfe throughout games, hence why I placed him on the half-forward flank.
Utility Brennan Cox finished off 2017 strongly with two goals, eleven disposals, and six hit-outs as a forward-ruck against Essendon in the final round, so I kept him in the forward line to provide the opportunity for him to further develop his forward craft.
192cm key forward Cam McCarthy averaged just over a goal a game last year, and being a very promising key position forward, he earns the spot over other options available.
Hayden Ballantyne is another on the wrong side of 30, but is still kicking more goals than games played, so he is in the forward six depending on injuries.
Former Sun Brandon Matera was on track for forty or more goals in early 2017 before a foot injury derailed his season. Expect him to play, given the potential impact he could make to the side.
(AAP Image/Tony McDonough)
Interchange
Young ruckman Sean Darcy showed plenty of potential across eight games in his first season, and is highly rated as Aaron Sandilands replacement for when he retires. Darcy and Sandilands are likely to switch between the ruck position when both of them are in the team and fully fit and firing, and will provide one of the best ruck combinations in the AFL.
2017 number five pick Adam Cerra showed his talent for the Eastern Ranges in the TAC Cup and Vic Metro in the U18 Championships, and he seems likely to get plenty of opportunities in his first year at the club.
Harley Bennell returned from injury to play his first two games for Fremantle in the final rounds of the season, and if fit and firing, he will be in the best 22 and hoping to find some form and potential that he showed before crossing over to the west.
Veteran Michael Johnson remains in the team to interchange between the key position players in defence, and provide leadership and guidance to the youngsters in the back line.
The unlucky players
Tom Sheridan will be hoping to earn some more opportunities in 2018 than he did in 2017. Ethan Hughes had a career-best year last season, however he is probably more the twenty-third man following their trading spree during the 2017 trade period. Darcy Tucker is another player unlucky not be in the best 22 following a career-best year.
Matt Taberner showed some good form late last season, and will be hoping to finally fulfill his potential in 2018. Shane Kersten played 20 games and kicked 24 goals last year, however he is on the outer of the best 22 following Brandon Matera’s recruitment and Walters’ and Ballantyne’s return from injury.
Lee Spurr missed the end of the 2017 season with a calf injury and the Dockers’ focus on youth may make it difficult for him to regain a spot in the best side. Spurr will hope to find some games and play more than half of the season in the senior side.
What do you think, Roarers? Do you agree with Fremantle’s best 22 for 2018?
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