5 greatest players in Fremantle history

Fremantle was founded in 1994. They are popularly called the Dockers or Freo. The young club has never won a flag but there were minor premiers in 2015. In the 29 years of their existence, they have had a number of legendary players go through their ranks. This article lists the five greatest players to put on the Walyalup purple and white Guernsey.

5 greatest players in Fremantle history

#5 David Mundy

David Mundy of the Dockers

David Mundy joined Fremantle in 2004. He holds the record for most games played for the Dockers with 376 games. He started as a defender whose kicking ability moved him to the midfield. He played 124 consecutive games from his debut until an illness before round 17, 2010.

Mundy still won the Doig Medal that season. He received his first All-Australian selection in 2015 after Fremantle were minor premiers for the first time in their history. He retired in 2022 as the player with the eighth most games in VFL/AFL history.

#4 Peter Bell

Peter Bell #32 for Fremantle leads his team off

Peter Bell began his career with Fremantle in 1995 but only played two games and scored two goals before he moved to North Melbourne after he was delisted at the end of the season. He returned to Freo at the end of the 2000 season and won the Doig Medal in the first season of his return and again in 2003 and 2004. Bell made the All-Australian team as a Fremantle player in 2003. He was part of Fremantle's first-ever finals game win when they defeated Melbourne in 2006. He retired in 2008.

#3 Aaron Sandilands

Aaron Sandilands of the Dockers

Sandilands was known for his height and size. He was the second heaviest and joint tallest player in AFL history. This meant he played almost always at the ruck position. He was named in the All-Australian team four times: 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2014. In 2010, he polled a team-high 20 votes in the Brownlow Medal voting which was one of the best finishes by a ruckman in recent AFL history. He received two Doig Medals in his career and was part of the 2015 minor premiership team.

#2 Matthew Pavlich

Matthew Pavlich of the Dockers

Matthew Pavlich was recruited to the Dockers in 1999 and spent 17 seasons with them. He holds the record for most goals scored in Freo's history with 700 goals which is more than double the amount the next name on the list. It is no surprise he was the leading goalkicker for eight seasons: 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2012. He received the Doig Medal six times; in 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2011, and also made the All-Australian team six times; 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008. He retired in 2016 after 353 games.

#1 Nat Fyfe

Nat Fyfe of the Dockers speaks to the media after winning the Brownlow Medal

Nat Fyfe was selected as pick 20 in the 2009 national draft. He debuted in Freo’s 39-point win over the Richmond Tigers in the Len Hall ANZAC Day Game in 2010. He was part of the Freo team that made the first-ever grand final in the club's history with a 16-1-5 win-loss record in the home and away rounds of the 2013 season.

Fyfe won his first Doig Medal and Freo’s Best and Fairest in the same season. He received the Leigh Matthews Trophy and his second Doig in 2014. He was also selected in the All-Australian team for the first time in his career and was only one point behind Brownlow winner Matt Priddis despite being ineligible to win it due to a suspension he received in the home and away rounds.

He was awarded the Brownlow medal and the Leigh Matthews trophy and was selected in the All-Australian team in 2015 as a result of his performance in Fremantle's minor premiership win. This was their first top-of-the-ladder finish. He won his second Brownlow in 2019 with a career-high 33 votes. He also made the All-Australian team as captain. As of the end of round 10 of the 2024 season, he has played a total of 228 games and kicked 175 goals for the Dockers.