According to the CEO why not?
Fremantle Dockers expect contracted stars Nat Fyfe and Michael Walters to play AFL in 2025
Fremantle chief executive Simon Garlick has backed veterans Nat Fyfe and Michael Walters to play on next season saying he has full confidence in their ability to do important jobs for the team.
The Dockers’ season came to an end on Sunday with a 20-point loss to Port Adelaide seeing them finish 10th on the ladder. The club lost its last four games to slide from third position and experts turned the heat up on Fyfe and Walters at the end of the game.
The pair have one year remaining on their contracts but coach Justin Longmuir said he’d be speaking to them about 2025 during their exit interviews.
Garlick said there was no reason why they wouldn’t continue playing.
“I think they’ll be there next year, and our intent is that they see out their contract,” Garlick told The West Australian.
“They’re contracted for next year. They provide significant value in complementing our youth, both on and off the field and at times in crucial stages on game day.”
Fyfe played 22 games this season which was his highest tally since 2013. But he regularly came off the bench, was the sub once and got subbed out three times. He averaged 19 disposals and 4.4 clearances per game.
Walters suffered two hamstring injuries and played 17 games, which included four as the sub. He kicked 17 goals.
Fyfe turns 33 next month while Walters will be 34 in January. Both men are closing in on 250 games.
Garlick said it was wrong to expect them to play to the standard from their halcyon days.
“Sometimes players like these are a victim of their own standards and success historically. We’re talking about iconic figures of our club and more broadly, the game,” he said.
“Fyfey’s record speaks for itself. He dominated the competition for an extended period. So we, and Nat, are absolutely clear in our expectations of him and the role he can play for us, which we’ve seen at times this year has been incredibly valuable.
“It might not be to the same standard as Nat Fyfe at his prime, but there’s a handful of players in the history of the game that could actually live up to that.
“Sonny’s been a superstar at our club for 15 years now and finishes as well as anyone in the history of our club has done. So we’ll continue to work through with both of them and make sure we get to the right spot.”
Wonder if that view will change before the exit interviews.?
