Fremantle general manager of football Peter Bell has defended the volume of players departing the club in recent seasons, with three players requesting to be traded in 2023.
Lachie Schultz stunned the Dockers on the opening day of the trade period when he requested a move to reigning premiers Collingwood — despite having a year left to run on his contract.
He joins wantaway winger Liam Henry and departed veteran Joel Hamling in looking to leave the club in a worrying trend of talent leaving Fremantle.
The trio follow Blake Acres, Griffin Logue, Darcy Tucker, Rory Lobb and Lloyd Meek last year, Adam Cerra in 2021, Jesse Hogan in 2020, Brad Hill and Ed Langdon in 2019, Lachie Neale in 2018 and Lachie Weller, Hayden Crozier and Harley Balic in 2017.
Bell said while they often did not want to lose players, their departures have also opened the door to bring quality players in through the draft or by other means.
“I’ll use Cerra as an example, who we loved in his time here at Fremantle,” Bell said on AFL Trade Radio.
“At the time we were thinking we really don’t want to lose him, he’s a great player and a great player, but we were able to turn the pick we got for him into Jye Amiss.
“So change in that of itself can sometimes offer you great opportunities as well.”
Amiss has been a terrific acquisition for the Dockers, kicking 45 goals across his first 25 games. In just his second season, Amiss was the club’s leading goalkicker.
Among other deals, Crozier was traded for picks which – combined with Weller – got pick No.2 off Gold Coast to secure All-Australian and Doig Medal winner Andrew Brayshaw.
They also traded received picks 22 and 79 in return for Langdon, which they traded up into pick No.8 and tused to secure current Doig Medallist Caleb Serong.
Hill was used to secure Blake Acres while Meek and Lobb’s defection helped bring 2022 draftee Hugh Davies and then-Hawthorn star Jaeger O’Meara into the club.
However, there have also been some mis-steps with Balic used to pick up, Tom North who never managed a game at the AFL level while Hogan turned into Joel Western who was delisted in 2022 after just four games.
Lachie Neale was traded for Lobb and Sam Sturt.
Acres was also practically given away for what is now pick 59 at this year’s draft.
“You look at them case by case and I think every club would say this, there are one or two that you would love to keep and that’s certainly the case for us as well,” Bell said.
“There’s also a large contingent that goes as well with our support to seek greater opportunities.”
