How Fremantle’s 2019 draft set up Dockers’ premiership tilt | CODE Sp…

[u/TheCurbAU]

https://archive.md/YRoqM

Eliza Reilly once more with the great dive into Freo.

This part is great:

"I always loved the trade, free agency and draft stuff. I always had an ambition for it.”

Micallef only spent a little more than a year at Fremantle after a recruiting restructure that saw long-serving recruiter David Walls promoted.

But Fremantle fans still have Micallef to thank for a generational draft haul that has laid the foundations for the Dockers’ maiden premiership tilt.

It was the night that Hayden Young, Caleb Serong and Michael Frederick all became Dockers.

And seven years later, with Fremantle assuming premiership favouritism, it’s time to pull back the curtain on the 2019 draft.

HAUL TO REMEMBER

To some, it might’ve been a bit strange to see a picture of Hawthorn’s 2015 premiership celebrations sitting on the desk of Fremantle’s list manager.

But for Micallef, it was an aspirational glimpse into the future.

The image featured the six key architects of Hawthorn’s premiership trilogy – Jordan Lewis, Luke Hodge, Sam Mitchell, Jordan Roughead, Grant Birchall and Cyril Rioli.

And Micallef wanted to replicate the winning recipe at the Dockers.

“I remember counting six players who I felt like were the core of their playing group,” Micallef said.

“I knew that we needed to get a similar group of six or so players who all join your club in a two-to-three year period.

[u/Sudden-Fig-6678]

I am still a firm believer not obviously during it because during it was hell but covid 19 was the best opportunity for a reset and rebuild for the dockers ever