Fremantle defender Jordan Clark says draftee Murphy Reid has yet to "put a foot wrong" since joining the club in November, firming for a Round 1 debut against Geelong on Saturday.
The Dockers boast one of the best midfields in the competition, with Caleb Serong, Andrew Brayshaw and Hayden Young donning the purple anchor for many years to come.
However, the inclusion of Shai Bolton and the emergence of a host of youngsters such as Neil Erasmus, Nathan O'Driscoll, Matthew Johnson and Jeremy Sharp makes Justin Longmuir's match committee longer than expected.
Adding difficulty to the decision is experienced duo Nat Fyfe and Jaeger O'Meara, and where they are best suited in the senior side.
So where does Reid fit in?
During his draft year, the Sandringham Dragons product was deemed the classiest in his crop, utilising his elite vision and poise in traffic to slow down the play, reminiscent of Collingwood great Scott Pendlebury.
Reid also spent time in front of the ball, showcasing his forward craft for Vic Metro and the Dragons.
But come Round 1 against the Cats at GMHBA Stadium, Clark thinks there's a case to be made for last year's Pick 17.
"Talking about our whole list, there's probably a lot of boys that won't play this weekend that are very stiff," Clark toldย Zero Hanger.
"I think Murphy is one of the players that it can fall either way for... but I think he's done enough to warrant a debut.
"That being said, the best on our list now, it wouldn't also surprise me if he had to bide his time a little bit and wait for a spot to open up... it's a tough midfield to crack into.
"But Murphy hasn't put a foot wrong and he's a special talent. We're super lucky to have picked him up and I'm a big fan of him and as a teammate, I'd love to see him play Round 1."
how about that ๐ฅ
Murphy Reid x Caleb Serong... beautiful.#foreverfreo pic.twitter.com/iJZJiUYtuS
— Fremantle Dockers (@freodockers) February 23, 2025
Reid didn't set the world alight but showed promise in the pre-season community series clash against Melbourne, recording 14 disposals, five inside 50s, four tackles and two clearances from 65 per cent game time.
But his ability to put teammates in better positions and impart maximum damage with fewer disposals, which is becoming more significant in the modern game, can put him ahead of Erasmus and Johnson, who are natural accumulators.
Adding to Reid's likely debut is the notion that Bolton may be absent from Round 1.
Channel 7's Mitch Cleary revealed that the former Tiger pulled up sore (leg) from the Demons contest and will need to prove his fitness before Saturday.
Despite Bolton's minor mishap, Clark declared the Dockers had a relatively full bill of health, noting that Hayden Young and Sean Darcy will be the only glaring absentees.
Fremantle is expected to improve in 2025 as Justin Longmuir enters his sixth season, with just one finals appearance under his belt.
The focus over the summer months has been adding versatility throughout the club, emphasising "second roles" for players.
Clark also said there's been a priority in developing a stronger running game, which suits the former Cat.
"We haven't left any stones unturned," Clark said.
"I think as a group, it's been one of the harder pre-seasons we've done collectively at (Fremantle).
"In terms of our running numbers and high speed sort of numbers, GPS wise, it's gone through even more this year.
"And I think what's the impressive part, sort of been a smaller preseason in that regard, but for us to turn out the numbers we have in the heat, it's been quite impressive.
"My role hasn't changed too much at all and the natural progression for me is to be better again.
"We have a new backs coach (Jade Rawlings) this year, so the type of stuff that we do and the way we play has been tinkered a bit.
"I would love to get thrown into a centre bounce, but a lot of boys have trained over the summer in different positions."
