Port Adelaide recruit Will Brodie was all but destined for a Fremantle departure as soon as Josh Carr assumed the Power duties from Ken Hinkley.
Carr became Port Adelaide's head coach after Hinkley stepped away from a glittering career, but his recruitment of Brodie began much earlier.
The Murray Bushranger was part of an unusual trade that saw Fremantle collect Pick 103 in exchange for the established midfielder.
The pair spent time together at the Dockers, where Carr was an assistant coach for three seasons before crossing state lines.
"Throughout the year, being in contact with Carry, and the idea of coming here and speaking through it with my manager," Brodie said.
"It became pretty clear that it was the best option for me. We worked through it. It was pretty simple in the end. Grateful it all happened pretty smoothly."
Brodie had developed a "great relationship" with the freshly minted Power senior coach in Western Australia, who always had belief he could make it at AFL level.
"He said he believes in me, and there's another opportunity to come here and give it a go," the 27-year-old said.
"Potentially play a role that suits me. It's all it really took. I was at a point where I was craving some more opportunity and the idea of a fresh start, I was willing to jump at.
"It wasn't too serious coming here until last season, as he took over the coaching job, maybe it ramped up a little bit, and discussions got more serious, and then my manager got involved."
The former top 10 selection has faced AFL exile over the past three seasons, despite a career-best campaign in 2022.
Brodie played 25 games for Gold Coast in five years before a move to the Dockers, and although featuring in every match in 2022, he was rarely seen as Justin Longmuir favoured the likes of Caleb Serong, Andrew Brayshaw and Hayden Young.
But the Shepparton product is confident he can return to his best, and reuniting with Carr at Port Adelaide could be the best environment.
"It's tough," he said. "You have that hope that things will change, and trying to improve in areas of my game that I can, so when the opportunity did come, you'd be ready.
"I've moved through that (period) well.
"I'm capable of getting back to that form. I've been working on some things in my game. It was a tough midfield to get into there at Freo. There was studs in there. As there is here.
"I'm going to keep trying to work and earn whatever I can get."
