Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
If ‘Flagmantle 2026’ becomes a reality, the biggest unsung hero will be the AFL club’s director of performance Adam Beard.
Phil Merriman worked wonders in the role previously and was subsequently poached by cross-town rivals West Coast.
But Beard has taken things to a whole new level this season, ensuring Fremantle’s injury list has stayed at remarkably-brief levels throughout the season.
The Dockers released their weekly injury list on Tuesday, four days out from the grand final, and it featured Aiden Riddle (foot), Ollie Murphy (calf), Sam Sturt (hamstring). That’s it.
After 23 gruelling rounds plus three finals, two youngsters yet to make their AFL debut and an injury-prone forward are the only players unavailable for Saturday’s grand final against Brisbane at the MCG.
At one point in July there was only one player unavailable for selection.
Last Sunday, a total of 14 Fremantle-listed players were able to turn out for Peel’s 62-point WAFL grand final win over Claremont.
Brennan Cox was also due to play, but he was withdrawn with the AFL grand final in mind.
Beard, who completed a doctor of philosophy in Switzerland, has worked at MLB and NFL franchises and with Wales’ national rugby team.
The principles he’s brought to Fremantle have been a stunning success, helping players set new personal bests in both the weights they lift and their running work.
“He’s done an amazing job,” star Dockers midfielder Hayden Young said of Beard, who had been at Fremantle for three years before landing the high performance role at the end of 2025.
“I love that he’s been so courageous to do things that no one else in the competition is doing and bring out the best in us.
“He’s had a massive influence on me, putting belief in myself and in my body.
“He also treats every player differently … we’ve definitely homed in on that this year and identifying what are our strengths as athletes, and just doubling down on them and making them a superpower.”
Fremantle have become one of the league’s fittest teams under Beard, overcoming half-time deficits a remarkable eight times this year.
The way they ran down a tiring Sydney in the final quarter of a thrilling preliminary final was a thing of beauty.
“He’s done such a great job in conditioning us,” Dockers defender Karl Worner said.
“It can be pretty hot and tiring over in Perth in the summer, but he’s got a great deal of trust in the playing group to report things in our body and what we need at certain times of the year in the pre-season.
“A big thing for us is the trust we have with him, and he has in us as a group. When it gets deep in games, blokes know levers pulled during the week gives themselves the best chance of playing four quarters.”
Sean Darcy and Jaeger O’Meara will be among Fremantle’s many hard-luck stories of players who miss a spot in this year’s grand final.
But it won’t be because of injury, and Beard is the man Fremantle can thank for that.
