Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
Star-studded. Potent. Formidable. Scary. These are all terms commonly used to describe Fremantle’s forward line.
But this fifth one may surprise you: bargain basement.
Josh Treacy, Pat Voss and Jye Amiss are arguably the best and most feared spearhead trio in the league after they combined for 153 goals during the regular season.
At their feet they boast the exciting talents of Isaiah Dudley, Michael Frederick and the retiring Sam Switkowski.
They are Fremantle’s six permanent forwards, and aside from Amiss, they were bargain basement steals.
Voss, fondly dubbed the ‘Prancing Pony,’ was part of the GWS academy but was overlooked in the draft.
Essendon picked him up as a rookie in 2021 and he won a VFL best and fairest award in 2023, only to be cut by the Bombers a few weeks later without playing an AFL game.
Fremantle swooped on him as a Supplementary Selection Period signing at the start of 2024 and he has gone on to become a star forward of the competition.
Switkowski was overlooked in three consecutive drafts before being snared with pick No.73 in 2017.
Michael Frederick was pick No.61 in 2019.
Treacy wasn’t even considered good enough to be picked up in the national draft, with the hulking forward instead having to wait until the 2020 rookie draft to land on an AFL list.
Isaiah Dudley was a speculative SSP pick at the start of last season.
Five established forwards. All bargains. And it’s part of the story that makes Fremantle’s attack so special.
“It’s awesome,” says Switkowski, who will be retiring at the conclusion of Fremantle’s 2026 premiership push.
“I was drafted in from the state league after missing a few drafts and some of those boys are similar.
“It’s cool to be an example of a success story in a sense, or showing what can be done no matter where you get drafted or where you come from.
“All those guys have just got to work over a number of years in the gym, out on the track, watching vision with coaches, and we’ve really just stuck to our guns over the years to develop and get to where we are now.”
Amiss is the exception to Fremantle’s forward-line bargains, given he was highly touted when he was taken with pick No.8 in the 2021 national draft.
Shai Bolton was already a two-time premiership forward at Richmond when he arrived at Fremantle via a blockbuster trade, but he now mainly plays in the midfield.
And Murphy Reid, who was a steal at pick No.17 in the 2024 national draft, also plays mostly as a midfielder now.
When asked if succeeding as a basement pick is like a badge of honour, Switkowski couldn’t help but chuckle.
“I’m a bit biased to it, but I’ve always liked it,” he said.
“I don’t like the limelight and stuff. And there’s a lot of players out there that just need an opportunity to get their best shot.
“It’s pretty cool to see them doing so well.”
Switkowski’s career has only one or two more games left and the 29-year-old’s impending retirement will serve as big inspiration when Fremantle take on Sydney in Friday night’s preliminary final at the SCG.
