Anything and Everything Fremantle
Milestones
The Dockers have room within salary cap to accommodate Mitch Clark
Sep 2nd
Fremantle looms large as the new club of choice for out-of-contract Brisbane forward Mitch Clark.
Provided a suitable trade is orchestrated between the two clubs next month, Clark is poised to join the Dockers in a lucrative, multi-year contract.
But his future will become clearer within the next fortnight when he is expected to inform the Lions of his plans, after six seasons in Brisbane.
The Dockers, who have flat out rejected recruiting Brendan Fevola but are in need of a quality key forward, have expressed a keen interest in Clark for the second year in a row.
Clark seriously contemplated a move home to Western Australia last year to join Fremantle, if the Lions’ stretched salary cap continued to be an issue.
The Dockers have room in their salary cap to accommodate Clark, whose management is seeking remuneration of more than $500,000 a season in his next deal.
Grover gets set for 200
Aug 15th
Veteran Fremantle defender Antoni Grover will play his 200th AFL match against North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night.
Grover will become the fifth player to reach the milestone for Fremantle – following Shane Parker, Shaun McManus, Paul Hasleby and Matthew Pavlich – and the first Indigenous player to notch 200 games in the club’s 17 seasons.
The 31-year-old said his passion and competitive nature had allowed him to achieve longevity in the game after being recruited as a rookie in 1999.
“I never like to be beaten but I like to give my all for the club and for me personally,” he said. “I guess that’s something that comes from within.
“I don’t enjoy losing, so the last month hasn’t been as enjoyable, but I enjoy coming down to the club and walking through the doors every day. That’s the main thing.”
McPharlin inducted into the WA 200 Club
Aug 5th
Freo Docker Luke McPharlin has been inducted into the WA 200 Club for player, coach and umpiring categories at an official function on Wednesday night 3 August.
The other inductees included current WAFL players Steven Armstrong, Brent LeCras and Alistair Pickett, retired Subiaco premiership player Marc Webb, former WAFL player and coach Ian McCulloch and WAFL and AFL umpire Todd Keating.
The new inductees take the WA 200 Club total to over 40 umpires and more than 350 players and coaches who have participated in a minimum of 200 senior games in senior Australian state football league competitions.
Each 2011 inductee was presented with a framed certificate and official 200 Club tie on the night.
Congratulations Luke.
Luke McPharlin
East Fremantle 2002-2003 6 games
Hawthorn 2000-2001 12 games
Fremantle 2002-2011 172 games
Box Hill Hawks (VFL) 2000-2001 14 games
Total 204 senior games
Dockers utility Adam McPhee thrilled to reach 200 AFL games
Jul 26th
It has been quite a rocky road with more than its fair share of challenges, but Fremantle utility Adam McPhee believes it has made his impending milestone even more satisfying.
The experienced 28-year-old will play his 200th AFL match this Saturday night against Hawthorn at Patersons Stadium, in what will be another must-win game for the Dockers if they are to keep their fellow finals aspirants at bay.
McPhee began his career with Fremantle in 2001 before moving to Essendon two years later.
He set up camp at Windy Hill for seven seasons and in that time won not only the club’s best-and-fairest award in 2004, but in the same year also snared All-Australian honours and a spot in the Australian international rules team.
After 142 games and 83 goals for the Bombers, McPhee decided to head back to WA and rejoin the Dockers.
Crowley climbs off scrapheap
Apr 14th
Fremantle forward Ryan Crowley found himself on the AFL scrapheap at the end of 2004 after two unsuccessful seasons on the club’s senior list and zero games.
The hard-nosed youngster from the Calder Cannons was contemplating a stint in the SANFL before then Fremantle recruiter Phil Smart convinced him to hang around and picked him with selection No.39 in the 2005 NAB AFL Rookie Draft.
The show of faith has been rewarded by any measure, with Crowley set to play his 100th game for the club on Sunday against North Melbourne at Patersons Stadium.
Best known for his relentless tagging work on the opposition’s best midfielders, Crowley says he is proud to reach the milestone given the hurdles he’s faced.
“I obviously got delisted after my first two years at the club, so at that stage it felt like a long way off,” Crowley said.
“It was a pretty rocky road [and] it’s been a bit different to other guys that have got there.
Fitness guru reveals key to Pavlich success
Apr 6th
Fremantle captain Matthew Pavlich is a genetic freak but supreme dedication is the real reason he is surpassing Shane Parker’s games record, according to former Dockers fitness coach Ben Tarbox.
Pavlich will play his 239th game on Saturday, and overtake the record which has stood since Parker’s final game in round 14, 2007.
The five-times best and fairest and six-times All-Australian will achieve the feat having missed only eight games since making his debut in round five, 2000.
He has played more games than any player selected in the 1999 national draft even though several opponents have played more finals.
Tarbox, who worked at Fremantle from 2005-08, said Pavlich’s preparation set him apart.
Pav record likely to stick
Apr 6th
Fremantle coach Mark Harvey believes Matthew Pavlich’s eventual club games record is unlikely to be overtaken, with fewer players able to push towards the 300-game mark in the modern era.
Pavlich will break former full-back Shane Parker’s 238-game record when Fremantle clashes with Adelaide at AAMI Stadium on Saturday, and the durable skipper could reach 300 games within his current four-year contract.
Harvey said it was important not to make too much of the occasion with the players, but the club might not see a player with Pavlich’s longevity and durability again.
“The relevance of it and the importance of it is the fact that this might be the last time a player breaks a record like this, the way the game’s going,” Harvey said from Fremantle Oval on Wednesday.
“I’m not sure whether we’re going to see too many more 300-game players (across the AFL), let’s say, if he gets to that particular stage. I’m looking a little bit down the track.
Three Freo stars make All Australian Squad
Sep 2nd
Matthew Pavlich, Aaron Sandilands and David Mundy have been rewarded for excellent seasons by being named among the 40 players under consideration for All-Australian honours in 2010.
The Freo trio were all named in the squad, which will be finalised to 22 players on Monday 13 September in Melbourne and will reflect the best team balance as if to play a match.
AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou said selection in the squad was recognition for a tremendous year and should be held in high esteem.
“All-Australian selection is a great honour also because of the quality of those players you have competed against to win your spot,” he said.
“The selectors nominated the 40-best players of the year to highlight the outstanding players who are in contention for selection as one of the elite players of the season.”
Fremantle milestone man Michael Johnson
Aug 22nd
Fremantle milestone man Michael Johnson said he was comfortable with having his 100th game spoiled for the sake of the big picture after an understrength Dockers side was belted by Hawthorn on Saturday.
Johnson kicked two of Fremantle’s five goals in the 116-point defeat and was one of the few Dockers who could hold his head high amid the carnage.
The utility said the team that went out against the Hawks was fully supportive of the club’s selection strategy and he was hoping he could enjoy a delayed milestone celebration with a win over Carlton on Friday night.
Big 150 as Luke McPharlin etches Fremantle life membership in Derby XXXII
Aug 1st
LUKE McPharlin feels at home.
At home in the AFL, at home in defence and at home with the Dockers.
The Fremantle key-position star will play his 150th game for the club in Sunday’s Western Derby, making him eligible for life membership at his second club.
McPharlin has become such a fixture with Freo that his 12 games with Hawthorn in 2000 and ’01 are almost forgotten. Had he not been traded back home to the Dockers as the Chris Connolly era began in 2002, he could have easily held the premiership cup aloft with Shane Crawford and Lance Franklin two seasons ago.
But rather than looking back, the 28-year-old is focused on the future.
