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An incredible season from Jordan Clark, his coming of age season really. From start to finish, Clark was phenomenal and only improved as the year went along.

I don’t think many people realise just how crucial Jordan Clark is to our success, i’d even make the argument he was the most deserving of an All-Australian blazer out of anyone on the Fremantle list this season. In round 9, Sydney went out of their way to tag Clark, which caused me to focus more on him and his role in the team.

His attack from halfback adds most, if not all, of fremantle’s dare which made them such an entertaining side throughout the middle of 2024. He averages elite in score involvements, the first time in his career he’s done so. But Clark also improved dramatically in-terms of his defensive capabilities.

Best Game: Round 22 Vs Geelong Honestly, you could make a solid argument that Clark had better games throughout the season, but for me personally, this was Clark’s peak for 2024. This was the game that made me realise not only is he more than deserving of an All-Australian, but arguably the best running defender in the game.

Fitting it was his 100th game against his former club, but Clark for an entire half of football, was the only thing standing between us and a geelong belting. It got to a point where I was simply in awe in just how phenomenal he was in that game.

Conclusion: A top-notch season from beginning to end, no complaints from me whatsoever, Jordan Clark was everything he needed to be and more. A perfect season in every sense of the word.

Credit: @Freohub (Instagram)

Helmet test Bailey Banfield started the session in a helmet but fans shouldn’t be worried because he doesn’t have any concussion concerns. The Dockers are testing a range of new helmet designs during the pre-season and Banfield was the one who got asked to be the guinea pig on Monday. It was a different kind of design to what footballers usually wear, in a sign of how much technology is changing. Ironically, two players were involved in a head clash during training. Josh Treacy and Brandon Walker collided, but were checked on and cleared to continue.

Bailey Banfield tested a helmet. Collingwood fans? Construction of a new grandstand and change rooms has been taking place at the Dockers all season and the workers felt it would be a good idea to taunt the players with their choice of music. Late in the session, the Collingwood theme song started blaring. It’s fair to say the workers copped some strange looks. “We heard it,” captain Alex Pearce said. “Fair play to them. You’re going to thrown some things out on the field and you have to focus and stay on task. “I did question whether it was coming from our speaker. I heard it from the construction workers. We’re not all Freo people in WA.”

Shai Bolton in action. Orange socks Fremantle’s leaders were wearing orange socks to support 16 Days in WA, a campaign against gender based violence and captain Alex Pearce spoke passionately about the need for men to lead the way after training.

Hayden Young wore his orange socks on the bike. Hayden Young was wearing his socks while doing work on the stationary bike. Quinton Narkle was also on the bike and doing rope work. Sean Darcy did plenty of running around the oval and was also working on a treadmill on the sidelines. Sam Sturt and Ollie Murphy were both on light duties. There was no sign of small forward Michael Walters.

Hayden Young. Dialled-in Damo Former Perth Wildcats captain Damian Martin is in charge of the leadership program at Fremantle. He was at his enthusiastic best during the session and appeared to have injured his right hamstring when applying pressure on Sam Switkowski during one drill.

Damian Martin (left). Martin has only ever known one speed – flat out. But his competitive instincts may need to be changed now that he’s in a totally different sport.

Damian Martin feels the string. Mini Olympics The Dockers are keeping things competitive during the pre-season with the squad divided into four teams named after former players - Stephen Hill, Shaun McManus, Troy Cook and Shane Parker. The squads went head to head in a goalkicking competition with the points from those shots to be used to determine the summer’s overall winner.

Jaeger O'Meara in action.

Fremantle captain Alex Pearce has revealed he would have been risked breaking his arm again if he’d returned last season but still would have taken the chance if the Dockers had played finals. Pearce broke his arm against Gold Coast on June 23 and then suffered another break upon returning against Melbourne on July 21. The star defender had surgery to fix the injury and set a target of being available for the opening week of finals in September. Fremantle lost the last four games of the season to miss the finals which meant Pearce wasn’t needed, but the full-back’s goal now appeared ambitious given he is still adjusting to contact work now that the pre-season has started. The 29-year-old also has a huge scar down the inside of his entire forearm.

Alex Pearce shows off his scar. He said it would have been a risk to play if the Dockers had qualified for finals, but he would have rolled the dice. “I think I would have played and there’s every chance I might have broken it again. There’s a world where it was beneficial for me that we didn’t make it because there’s every chance I would have broken it again. The fact that now it’s got a bit of time to heal and it’s fully strong and back is a silver lining to the end of the season,” Pearce explained. “I still feel it here and there. It’s a pretty gnarly scar. But it’s going well. It’s full contact at the moment. It’ll still take me a few weeks to feel perfect in the contest. Clearly there’s a big old plate in there and it wasn’t used for a few months. But it’s going well. I’m feeling healthy, feeling happy and it’s good to be back.”

Alex Pearce is training well. Pearce wore his arm guard late last week but didn’t need it for Monday’s session. The Fremantle captain joined the other members of the leadership team in training with orange socks to raise awareness for 16 Days In WA a campaign against gender based violence. Pearce said the guard would most likely be required at different points of the pre-season. “It’s just a bit sensitive because it there’s obviously been a bit of trauma through there and I haven’t had much contact,” he said. “I copped a few bruises and it was a bit sore, so I thought I’d chuck the arm guard on and get it through. I might have it on and off over the pre-season but by the time games come around, I don’t think I’ll need.”

What happened to picking up Ultan in the SSP

Who do we pick up?

Does this have anything to do with our habit of nabbing gems from the Suns?

Seems like a good pick up -- regarding statistics and player highlights? Yes he's Victorian but so is essentially all our midfielders. I know we are stacked in the midfield and he probably won't get a run in 2025 but Fyfe is probably in his final year so this is a decent pick up.

I do feel bad for Will Brodie though, with Erasmus developing, he's never getting another game.

Obviously Reid wasn’t our top choice but do we really need another midfielder? Brodie, Erasmus and Johnson are already fighting for one spot in the 22. This pick just makes things even more complicated

https://x.com/freodockers/status/1859172990820458981

Midfielder from Sandringham Dragons, 181cm