Fremantle midfielder Will Brodie set to stay at Dockers despite not breaking into AFL side in 2024
Fringe Fremantle midfielder Will Brodie will stay at the Dockers next season despite not breaking into the AFL side this year.
Brodie is contracted until the end of 2026 after signing a three-year extension on the back of a blistering first season at the harbour club when he played 24 games in 2022.
The former Gold Coast midfielder has suited up for the Dockers only five times since and all of those were last year, with the clearance machine instead spending the year at Peel Thunder where he was pivotal to their third premiership.
Brodie was coy on his future after the victory over East Perth at Optus Stadium, last month, telling The West Australian “we’ll see” when asked if he was staying at Fremantle.
Dockers list boss David Walls said there were no plans to move on the 26-year-old former first-round draftee despite his struggles to get an AFL game.
“He’ll be at Fremantle next year. We haven’t shopped him around, he’s not looking around. He’s really happy at the club,” Walls told The West Australian.
“Obviously he wants to be playing but I think the opportunity will open up for him next year to play. But also to his credit, even though he didn’t play on the senior side he improved his games, his GPS numbers, his run.
“We know that he’s a quality AFL player, but we just need an opportunity in that role for him inside to open up.”
While Brodie’s future is certain, the same cannot be said for forward Tom Emmett as well as uncapped rookies Max Knobel and Odin Jones who will have to wait until after the trade period at least to see if they will earn contract extensions.
Emmett is probably the unluckiest of the trio given he has played 15 games – including 13 this year – since being drafted as a mature-age forward with pick No.41 in the 2022 draft.
“They’re in that unfortunate position where list spots are tight for us and you do under AFL rules have to have three draft picks and that sits outside your trades as well,” Walls said.
“We’re not going to have a huge amount of movement on our list this year so we’ve said to those guys we’ve got to get through the trade period to see what comes in through the trade and then where our picks sit then.
“Then we’ll be able to make a call on it and let them know. It’s a difficult position for them and we’re mindful of that and want to let them know as soon as possible but just with the flexibility needed with less list spots we need to wait until we get through the trade period.”
