Dockers great Peter Bell has declared Fremantle will enter next season with a “top-four list” – but has revealed which line-up position is still in need of an upgrade.
Bell last week confirmed his exit from his role as general manager of football talent, strategy and special projects, bringing to an end a long involvement at Freo that included a decorated playing career and stints as a board member and football boss.
The former Dockers skipper said the recruitment of 2022 All-Australian Shai Bolton from Richmond during last month’s trade period was a move that could launch the club into genuine premiership contention.
“I don’t want to put too much pressure on him, but as the type of player - he’s exactly what Fremantle needed,” Bell said on 6PR.
“He is exactly that missing piece, I feel… that mid/forward, that X-factor, that ability to create scores from chances that other people perhaps couldn’t capitalise on.
“He does put good pressure on the ball as well, and he makes defenders nervous.
“I think they’re really well-placed. I think it’s a pretty complete list. I think it’s a top-four list, personally, now.”
Bell suggested some extra drive and precision out of defence was the sole area where the Dockers could eye improvement.
“Probably one spot I still think – perhaps another good kicker off half-back,” he said.
“Perhaps (Freo list boss) David Walls and the team might be able to do something (on that) in the upcoming draft with pick 14.”
The Dockers enter the summer with coach Justin Longmuir’s contract as a looming talking point. He was granted a one-year extension on the eve of last season, with his side spending the majority of the campaign inside the top eight before falling short of finals with a loss in their last match.
As Longmuir prepares to enter his sixth year at the helm and eyes adding to his sole finals campaign from 2022, Bell backed the coach as the right man for the job.
“I’m probably of a mind that sometime in the first half of the year, if things are going smoothly and the team’s in most matches – I’d have no issues at all with the club (giving) a longer sort of extension to Justin,” he said.
Bell said he was yet to decide the next step in his career, but acknowledged it was likely it would be football-related.
