Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
Fremantle fans won’t need to look any further than the centre square for a reminder of one big difference between their AFL grand final team and Brisbane’s.
The flowing manes of Brisbane father-son star Will Ashcroft and younger brother Levi will prove just that before either brother, or fellow son-of-a-gun Jaspa Fletcher, get their hands on the ball on Saturday.
The closest Fremantle will have to that is Shai Bolton, whose father Darren Bolton played two games for the Dockers – 98 short of qualifying his son for priority access.
The Dockers’ only father-son pick, Jaren Carr, is yet to play an AFL game.
The Lions were able to snag Will and Levi Ashcroft, plus Jaspa Fletcher, as father-son selections by matching bids with a series of lower picks.
Will landed at pick No.2, Levi was a No.5 selection and Fletcher No.12, while Brisbane also boast a former No.1 pick Cam Rayner and No.3 in Hugh McCluggage among a bevy of early selections.
The Lions also have academy talent like Harris Andrews, Eric Hipwood and Ty Gallop at their disposal.
While Fremantle have some high picks themselves, this team is full of diamonds in the rough.
Spearhead Josh Treacy was a rookie pick, while antagonistic big man Patrick Voss was famously a supplementary selection period (SSP) pick after he was cut loose by Essendon.
Two other role players, Oscar McDonald and Corey Wagner, were both discarded by two previous AFL clubs before landing in WA.
Skipper Alex Pearce was pick No.37, while forward Michael Frederick was No.61.
Fremantle’s 23 for Saturday’s grand final will include 11 such bargain selections – players who have had to prove a point.
“It’s pretty crazy to think of,” Frederick told AAP.
“Some boys might have a bit of a chip on their shoulder and things like that as well.
“It just goes to show you can be picked up at any position and come into the big league and be able to do what you’re here to do.”
Pressed on whether those players had more of a point to prove, Frederick said: “You don’t want to let the team down.
“You don’t want to let go of your opportunity, and you don’t want to be complacent just because you’re here.
“Those guys work so hard on their game, and it goes to show why they’re playing the footy that they do. It doesn’t go unnoticed in our four walls.”
Of course, Fremantle have their own high picks, including Andrew Brayshaw (pick No.2), Hayden Young (No.7), Caleb Serong (No.8), Jye Amiss (pick No.8) and Neil Erasmus (No.10).
But some of those early draft picks have come from the players Fremantle once lost.
Amiss was selected with the pick Fremantle snagged for losing Adam Cerra to Carlton.
Andrew Brayshaw was the selection the Dockers prised out of Gold Coast for Lachie Weller.
The Dockers have also leaned into one factor they could turn in their favour: the go-home factor.
Fremantle targeted West Australian talent looking to get back from Victoria.
Two-time premiership Tiger Shai Bolton, premiership Demon and star ruckman Luke Jackson and Geelong dasher Jordan Clark were all lured home.
And crucially, the Dockers paid up to get the deals done.
Most notably, Fremantle gave Richmond picks No. 10, 11 and 18 in exchange for Bolton, pick No. 14, and a future third-round selection.
Fortune favours the brave and it certainly smiled on Fremantle when Murphy Reid slipped past all those Tiger picks to land at pick No.17 in that year’s draft.
Reid is already a Rising Star winner, All-Australian and one of the game’s most exciting talent.
“It’s pretty special how we built the list over the last few years,” Frederick said.
Now, having made their own luck, the Dockers and their unique combination of gems hope there is one bit of fortune left to fall their way: an elusive premiership.
