Fremantle Football Club drafting and trading history

Fremantle Football Club's drafting and trading history is often cited as a reason for their poor on-field record, in not winning a finals game in their first 11 seasons. In recent years, however, they have been successful in finding good players with late round and rookie list selections.[1]

Phil Smart was the recruiting manager at Fremantle from when they were formed in 1994 until 2008,[2] remaining at the club until the end of 2009 as their draft manager,[3] with Brad Lloyd being appointed the national recruitment manager.[4] Smart was the Claremont Football Club colts (under 19) coach in 1994, and wasn't appointed until near the end of the 1994 WAFL season on 1 September 1994, just 2 months before the team started training.[5] He had also never seen a game outside WA, something that would factor in the infamous trading away of future Australian Football Hall of Fame inductee Andrew McLeod to Adelaide, considered one of the most lopsided AFL trades of all-time.[6]

1994/95 off season

Fremantle's initial squad of 50 players was compiled from a mixture of uncontracted players from other AFL clubs (maximum of 12 over two years), players who had previously nominated for the AFL draft but not been selected (unlimited from the WAFL, two each from the SANFL, VFL and TFL), up to ten delisted AFL players, trades with any other AFL club, unlimited selections from their four "aligned" WAFL clubs and selections 1, 4 and then the first two selections in each round of the 1994 AFL draft.[7]

The McLeod trade

Fremantle had flown the 18-year-old McLeod and his father to Perth for an interview, but none of the coaching or recruiting staff had actually seen him play, despite having played in a premiership for Port Adelaide Football Club in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) a few weeks earlier. McLeod was puzzled and insulted when Fremantle coach Gerard Neesham asked him to stand up to see how tall he was. The result of the short meeting was that he was traded to Adelaide in return for promising centre half-forward Chris Groom, who they also hadn't see play. McLeod went on to play over 300 games, whilst Groom played only seven for Fremantle before being delisted at the end of the 1995 season.[8]

Fremantle made similar trades with Melbourne to obtain Phil Gilbert and North Melbourne to obtain Troy Polak, trading away Jeff Farmer and Glenn Freeborn respectively.

Uncontracted players

Attracting uncontracted players from other AFL clubs would prove to be very difficult, except for some West Australian players willing to move back to Perth. The AFL also awarded compensation selections to any club that lost a player to Fremantle, of a 16-year-old player, which had the effect of reducing the available talent in the following year's draft, with Fremantle the only club who would be unable to recruit these 16-year-old players.

Prior to the 1994 draft, Fremantle arranged a deal with Essendon where they would recruit three players, all originally from Western Australia, and agree not to recruit any uncontracted players from any team that finished below Essendon in 1994. This would ensure that Essendon would have the first choice of the 16-year-olds in the compensation draft. Officially Todd Ridley was recruited as the uncontracted player, with Tony Delaney and Dale Kickett being traded for later picks.[9] Whilst Kickett had a long and distinguished career at Fremantle, becoming the first player to play 100 games for the club and winning the Doig Medal in 1997, Delaney and Ridley weren't as successful. Essendon, however, recruited Matthew Lloyd with the 16-year-old compensation selection and Scott Lucas with the 4th selection, who would each play 270 games and kick a combined total of 1397 goals.

Fremantle also recruited it's inaugural captain, Ben Allan and three of their first four best and fairest award winners, Peter Mann, Stephen O'Reilly and Jason Norrish through the uncontracted player process. Only one of the uncontracted players recruited, Andrew Wills, was not originally from Western Australia. In contrast to the outstanding career of Lloyd, the careers of the other compensation selections was mixed. Whilst West Coast's Chad Morrison and Geelong's Steven King had long and successful careers, and North Melbourne's Stuart Cochrane and Geelong's Adam Houlihan each played around 100 AFL games, Hawthorn's selection of David McEwan didn't play an AFL game and Melbourne's David Cockatoo-Collins only played two games.

Traded to Fremantle

1994 National draft:

Pre-season draft:

Pre-draft selections:

Foundation Selections

Zone selections:

Uncontracted player selections:

Delisted before season started:

1995/96 off season

Traded to Fremantle

1995 National draft:

Pre-draft selection:

Zone selections:

Pre-season draft (uncontracted player selection):

Delisted

Traded Away

1996/97 off season

1996 National draft:

Rookie draft:

Retired

Delisted:

1997/98 off season

Traded to Fremantle

1997 National draft:

Rookie draft:

Retired

Delisted

Traded Away

1998/99 off season

Traded to Fremantle

1998 National draft:

Pre-season draft:

Rookie draft:

Rookie Elevation:

Delisted

Traded Away

1999/2000 off season

Traded to Fremantle

1999 National draft:

Pre-season draft:

Rookie draft:

Rookie Elevation:

Retired

Delisted

Traded Away

2000/01 off season

Traded to Fremantle

2000 National draft:

Pre-season draft:

Rookie draft:

Rookie elevation:

  • None

Delisted

Traded Away

2001/02 off season

The Croad trade

After a disastrous 2001 season during which Fremantle sacked coach Damian Drum mid-year and only won 2 games, Fremantle then became the first club to trade away the first selection in the national draft, which it received in addition to selection 4 as a priority draft pick due to their poor performance. In what would end up being considered one of the strongest drafts ever,[10] Fremantle traded its first three draft selections for Hawthorn's key forward Trent Croad, along with injury prone former East Fremantle junior Luke McPharlin. Two of those selections were used by Hawthorn to draft four time premiership players and club captains Luke Hodge (#1 selection) and Sam Mitchell (#36). Fremantle had not yet appointed a coach, so the recruitment was led by the chief executive officer (CEO) Cameron Schwab, who also had only recently been hired.

Schwab is quoted as saying that it didn't matter if they traded draft pick 1 or 4, they still would have drafted Western Australian key position player Graham Polak with their first selection, ahead of the three Victorian midfielders that were chosen in the actual draft, Hodge, Luke Ball and Chris Judd. "It didn't matter whether we could take him (Polak) at No 1 or 4 — the issue was that ranked the wrong player number one". Part of the reason for choosing three tall players in Croad, McPharlin and Polak was that they were concerned that Matthew Pavlich could leave Fremantle to return to Adelaide the following year, and they had no other key position players in their squad.[11]

Croad would only stay at Fremantle for two years, leading Fremantle's goalkicking in 2002, before being traded back to Hawthorn at the end of the 2003 season. He then played mainly in defence for Hawthorn and was a key member of their 2008 AFL Grand Final winning team. Polak played over 100 games for Fremantle before he was traded to Richmond in 2006, whilst McPharlin has played over 200 games for Fremantle and was named in the 2012 All-Australian team. Pavlich didn't return to Adelaide and remained at Fremantle to become the club's longest serving captain, games and goal scoring record holder, 6-time All-Australian and 6-time Doig Medalist and in 2014 became the first Western Australian based player to play over 300 AFL games.

Traded to Fremantle

2001 National draft:

Rookie Draft:

Rookie Elevation:

Retired

Delisted

Traded Away

2002/03 off season

Traded to Fremantle

2002 National draft:

Rookie draft:

Rookie elevation:

Retired

Delisted:

Traded away:

2003/04 off season

2003 National draft:

Rookie Draft

Pre Season Draft

Rookie Elevation:

Delisted

Traded Away

2004/05 off season

Traded to Fremantle

2004 National draft:

Pre-season draft:

Rookie draft:

Rookie elevation:

Delisted:

Traded away:

2005/06 off season

2005 National draft:

Rookie draft:

Rookie elevated:

Delisted:

Traded away:

  • No trades

2006/07 off season

Traded to Fremantle

2006 National draft:

Rookie draft:

Rookie elevated:

Retired

Delisted:

Traded away:
Dean Solomon was recruited by Fremantle from Essendon prior to the 2007 AFL season

2007/08 off season

Traded to Fremantle
  • None

2007 National draft:

Pre-season draft

Rookie draft:

Rookie elevated:

Retired

Delisted:

Traded away:

  • None

2008/09 off season

Traded to Fremantle
  • None

2008 National draft[12]

Pre-season draft

  • None

Rookie draft:[13]

Rookie elevated:

  • None

Retired

Delisted:

Traded away:

2009/10 off season

Traded to Fremantle
  • None

2009 National draft:[25]

Pre-season draft

Rookie draft:

Retired

Delisted:

Traded away:

2010/11 off season

Traded to Fremantle

2010 National draft

20: Jayden Pitt[33]
44: Viv Michie[33]
56: Josh Mellington[33]
72: Pass
87: Michael Barlow (rookie elevation)[33]
100: Matt de Boer (rookie elevation)[33]
109: Alex Silvagni (rookie elevation)[33]
112: Jay van Berlo (rookie elevation)[33]

Pre-season draft

6: Jack Anthony (Collingwood)[34]

Rookie draft:

20: Gavin Roberts (Norwood[35]
37: Nick Lower (Norwood[35]
53: Ben Bucovaz[35]
68: Tim Ruffles[35]

Retired

Delisted:

Traded away:

2011/12 off season

Traded to Fremantle

2011 National draft

Pre-season draft

Rookie draft:

Retired

Delisted:

Uncontracted player

Traded away:

  • Nil

2012/13 off season

Traded to Fremantle
  • Pick 36 for Greg Broughton and pick 58[51]

Free agent recruits:

2012 National draft

Pre-season draft

Rookie draft:

Category B Rookie selection

Retired

Delisted:

Uncontracted players/Free agents

  • Nil

Traded away:

2013/14 off season

Traded to Fremantle

Free agent recruits:

2013 National draft

Pre-season draft

  • None

Rookie draft:

Retired

Delisted:

Uncontracted players/Free agents lost

  • None

Traded away:

2014/15 off season

Traded to Fremantle
  • None

Free agent recruits:

  • None

2014 National draft

13: Lachie Weller (Southport/Broadbeach)[64]
34: Connor Blakely (Swan Districts)[64]
54: Ed Langdon (Sandringham Dragons)[64]
68: Josh Deluca (Subiaco)[64]

Rookie elevation:

  • None

Pre-season draft

  • None

Rookie draft:

Retired

Delisted:

Uncontracted players/Free agents lost

  • None

Traded away:

  • None

2015/16 off season

Traded to Fremantle

Free agent recruits:

  • None

2015 National draft

27: Darcy Tucker (North Ballarat Rebels)[73]
38: Harley Balic (Sandringham Dragons)[73]
55: Sam Collins (Box Hill Hawks)[73]
61: Shane Yarran (Subiaco)[73]

Rookie elevation:

Pre-season draft

    Rookie draft:

    Retired

    Delisted:

    Uncontracted players/Free agents lost

    • None

    Traded away:

    • Picks #16, #56 & 2016 2nd Round

    See also

    Notes

    1. ↑ Schmook, Nathan (21 May 2014). "Your club's best recent draft steals, and worst misses".
    2. ↑ Black, Keith (20 February 2008) National Recruiting Manager appointed
    3. ↑ Beacham, Digby (3 September 2009) Trade option last Drum roll at Dockers, The West Australian
    4. ↑ Harvey plans to mix it up in the middle again
    5. ↑ Les Everett (2014). Fremantle Dockers: An Illustrated History. Slattery Media Group. p. 25. ISBN 978-0-9875263-4-2.
    6. ↑ Pierik, Jon (10 October 2011). "Trading trick or treats".
    7. ↑ Les Everett (2014). Fremantle Dockers: An Illustrated History. Slattery Media Group. pp. 25–26. ISBN 978-0-9875263-4-2.
    8. ↑ Les Everett (2014). Fremantle Dockers: An Illustrated History. Slattery Media Group. pp. 41–42. ISBN 978-0-9875263-4-2.
    9. ↑ Rielly, Stephen (6 October 1994). "Dons, Dockers strike pre-draft agreement". The Age.
    10. ↑ Russell, Dwayne (15 March 2014). "The AFL draft of 2001 a gift from the footy gods that will never be surpassed". Sunday Mail SA.
    11. ↑ Les Everett (2014). Fremantle Dockers: An Illustrated History. Slattery Media Group. pp. 43–44. ISBN 978-0-9875263-4-2.
    12. ↑ AFL draft live
    13. ↑ Tim Clarke (16 December 2008) Dockers, Eagles target youngsters in draft
    14. ↑ "Bell calls an end to a glittering career". AFL website. 2008-07-07. Retrieved 2008-07-07.
    15. ↑ "Freo defender Black announces retirement". AFL website. 2008-08-06. Retrieved 2008-08-06.
    16. ↑ "Matthew Carr pulls pin on Freo career". AFL website. 2008-05-19. Retrieved 2008-05-19.
    17. ↑ "Jeff Farmer retires from AFL". Realfooty. 2008-09-02. Retrieved 2008-09-02.
    18. ↑ "Freo's Johnson will retire at end of season". AFL website. 2008-08-20. Retrieved 2008-08-20.
    19. ↑ "McManus to retire after Sunday's derby". AFL website. 2008-07-29. Retrieved 2008-07-29.
    20. ↑ "Luke Webster latest Docker to quit". PerthNow. 2008-08-27. Retrieved 2008-08-31.
    21. ↑ Robinson, Mark (2008-11-01). "Dockers set Carr free to Power". Retrieved 2008-11-02.
    22. ↑ "Ryley Dunn departs". 2008-09-03. Retrieved 2008-10-13.
    23. 1 2 O'Donoghue, Craig (2008-10-18). "Freo banner man eyes board seat". The West Australian. Archived from the original on 21 October 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-31.
    24. ↑ Townsend, Hamish (2008-10-10). "Down to the wire: Blues and Bombers get their deals". Retrieved 2008-10-13. - Note, due to some teams completing their involvement in the draft prior to the 5th round, Fremantle's 69th selection became the 65th, and Carlton's 72nd became the 68th.
    25. ↑ Club by club draft list
    26. ↑ Fremantle welcomes six new young faces
    27. 1 2 Rookie Silvagni to Fremantle
    28. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "News Browne, Gilmore among six delistings at Freo". AFL website. 2009-09-03. Retrieved 2009-10-09.
    29. ↑ Chadwick, Jason (13 November 2009) Dockers de-list Foster
    30. 1 2 "Your club's AFL trade week deals". 2009-10-10. Retrieved 2009-10-10.
    31. ↑ VFL boss praises new Docker Peter Faulks
    32. 1 2 Trade week report card
    33. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Who the interstate clubs picked
    34. ↑ Eagles, Dockers get their men
    35. 1 2 3 4 Dockers punt on Power discard
    36. ↑ Enforcer Dean Solomon calling it a day
    37. ↑ Barbieri, Paul (28 June 2010) Docker Thornton retires; Sportal
    38. ↑ Paul Hasleby calls it a day
    39. 1 2 Headland announces AFL retirement
    40. 1 2 3 4 5 Surprise as Dockers dump Ruffles
    41. ↑ Fremantle Dockers trade Chris Tarrant to Collingwood
    42. 1 2 "AFL Trade Week list". 3AW. 19 October 2011. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
    43. 1 2 3 4 5 Sapienza, Joseph (29 November 2011). "Meet the newest crop of Fremantle Dockers". PerthNow. Retrieved 14 December 2011.
    44. ↑ White, Simon (24 November 2011). "No tall story for Freo as West Coast keeps it local". WAtoday. Retrieved 14 December 2011.
    45. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Rynne, Nick (13 December 2011). "Dockers secure Zac Dawson". The West Australian. Retrieved 14 December 2011.
    46. ↑ "Final curtains for Freo's Schammer". The West Australian. 29 August 2011. Archived from the original on 26 October 2011. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
    47. ↑ Tullberg, Julie (August 31, 2011). "Injured Roger Hayden retires from the Dockers". Herald Sun. Archived from the original on 26 October 2011. Retrieved October 26, 2011.
    48. 1 2 3 4 5 Miller, Dale & Lewis, Ross (7 September 2011). "Dockers axe five from their list". The West Australian. Archived from the original on 26 October 2011. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
    49. 1 2 3 "Grover set for 14th season". SEN 1116. 26 October 2011. Archived from the original on 26 October 2011. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
    50. ↑ Chadwick, Justin (6 September 2011). "Fremantle's Rhys Palmer to join GWS". Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 26 October 2011. Retrieved October 26, 2011.
    51. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Chadwick, Justin (31 October 2012). "Fremantle list changes". Retrieved 2 November 2012.
    52. ↑ Chadwick, Justin (28 August 2012). "Docker Grover announces AFL retirement". Herald Sun. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
    53. ↑ "Family first for retiring Fremantle Docker Adam McPhee". Herald Sun. 20 November 2012.
    54. 1 2 3 "Van Berlo dumped by Dockers". The West Australian. 18 September 2012. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
    55. 1 2 3 Robinson, Chris (15 November 2012). "Fremantle Dockers delist three players including midfielder Nick Lower". PerthNow.
    56. ↑ Washbourne, Michael (20 November 2012). "Fremantle sacks forward Jack Anthony, Adam McPhee retires". PerthNow.
    57. 1 2 Schmook, Nathan (16 October 2013). "Michie Becomes A Demon". Retrieved 16 October 2013.
    58. 1 2 "Gumbleton heads to Dockers in AFL trade". The Sydney Morning Herald. 25 October 2013.
    59. ↑ Hogan, Jesse (3 October 2013). "Demon Sylvia becomes a Docker". The Age (Melbourne). Retrieved 16 October 2013.
    60. 1 2 3 Hooper, Mark (21 November 2013). "Freo go for Tasmanians, Eagles stay local". The West Australian.
    61. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Quartermaine, Braden (1 October 2013). "Fremantle youngster Jayden Pitt forced to retire due to heart condition". PerthNow. Retrieved 1 October 2013.
    62. ↑ "Freo look locally for rookies".
    63. ↑ "Dockers axe Josh Mellington in AFL". AAP. 31 October 2013.
    64. 1 2 3 4 Quartermaine, Braden (27 November 2014). "Fremantle Dockers spring draft surprise by taking Lachie Weller, while West Coast Eagles snare Liam Duggan". PerthNow.
    65. 1 2 3 Lacy, Bridget (3 December 2014). "West Coast snare former Blue".
    66. ↑ Malcolm, Alex (21 August 2014). "Ex-Bomber and Docker Bradley calls it a day".
    67. ↑ Fremantle Dockers Forward Scott Gumbleton Retires, Triple M Melbourne, 1 September 2014
    68. 1 2 Miller, Dale (1 October 2014). "Dockers axe two rookies". The West Australian.
    69. ↑ "Josh Simpson delisted".
    70. ↑ Lewis, Ross (13 November 2014). "Tanner gets Freo lifeline".
    71. ↑ Laughton, Max (15 October 2015). "AFL trades: Gold Coast’s Harley Bennell traded to Fremantle, five burning questions on the deal". Fox Sports.
    72. ↑ "Additional draft picks secured". 22 October 2015.
    73. 1 2 3 4 Foster, Brendan (24 November 2015). "Dockers pick up exciting Subiaco forward Shane Yarran in National Draft".
    74. 1 2 Rynne, Nick (30 October 2015). "Dockers keep faith in Morabito".
    75. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Elborough, Brad (8 October 2015). "Ryan Crowley delisted from Fremantle after serving 12-month drug ban".
    76. ↑ Malcolm, Alex (9 October 2015). "Crowley cut and Duffield retires among seven list changes for Freo".

    References

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