The Fremantle Dockers are expected to have one of the quieter trade periods in 2025, with no significant gaps in their playing list needing immediate attention.
With a number of exciting talents recently recommitting to the club - notably emerging midfielder Neil Erasmus, who had been heavily targeted by the Western Bulldogs - the Dockers are electing to wait and see how the off-season plays out.
However, that doesn't mean Fremantle will be completely exempt from engaging in trade talks, with EGM of Football Joe Brierty revealing to the media on Thursday that the club is willing to move their first-round pick for the 2025 National Draft, should the right offer be presented.
"It's definitely up on the table if the right player is available for us," Brierty said.
"Day one of trade period will look very different to the last day of trade period. We're just really open to what's the best option for us as a club in adding talent to where we see the needs on our list.
"We want to continue to look at opportunities for players who might want to come and join Freo, and if it's the right player, and the right value is our [first-round] pick, then we're open to parting ways with it."
The Dockers currently hold Pick 11, though it is expected to fall down the order following potential compensation given to West Coast and Essendon by the AFL, as star players Oscar Allen and Sam Draper prepare to depart their respective clubs via free agency.
Fremantle have been linked with Melbourne defender Judd McVee, who may elect to seek a move back to his home state, which Brierty hinted at as a possible addition for the Dockers in 2026.
"I think McVee is a really talented footballer. When you look at players on your list and what might add value... how those discussions progress, we'll let that play out," Brierty said.
"We've had some really positive outcomes in bringing Western Australians back home and the improvement in their game when they've arrived at the club, particularly [Luke Jackson] and [Jordan Clark]."
McVee's foot skills off halfback could be a boost for the Dockers in 2026, with many fans criticising their lack of creation from that area of the ground outside of All-Australian Jordan Clark.
"When we're going into a trade period, we look at any type of player that can add any type of value to our list," Brierty said.
"Our scoring from our half-back is actually in a pretty good place, if you look at us from a competition perspective. We think there's some improvement for us in our slow play, so our ability to have control and ball movement out of half-back.
"At different times, our ability to move between modes in-game and there's a maturity to that as well that comes from how we use the ball from there."
Brierty also addressed the recent trade requests from ruckman Liam Reidy and midfielder Will Brodie, stating that he hopes the club can provide them with an ideal exit for their AFL careers.
"Both of them have been looking for senior opportunities, and the conversations with both players is that those opportunities haven't arisen in the last two years at our club," Brierty said.
"In being respectful of that fact and the conversations they've had with us and their management, we're open to trying to enable them to get to the clubs that they want to get to."
