Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
West Coast and Fremantle stars are returning from a well-earned off-season break, ahead of what looms as a crucial pre-season for both teams for different reasons.
Several Fremantle players are expected to jet off to Japan soon, only a few weeks after they fell short in the grand final to Brisbane at the MCG.
But some have already taken off, duo Jaren Carr and Jeremy Sharp have gone to Perth-ites’ favourite holiday destination in Bali to enjoy some sun along with second-year sensation Murphy Reid.
Meanwhile, star forward Jye Amiss has turned his passion for a road trip into an Instagram page.
The spearhead is driving his 76 Series Land Cruiser up the north of WA and is documenting his travel through social media.
Defender Karl Worner has headed over to South Africa to take in Australia’s Test tour against the Proteas, and was snapped watching the second Test from the hill at St George’s Park in Gqeberha.
American Mason Cox has also returned to his hometown of Texas in the wake of his first season at the Dockers, having crossed from Collingwood late last year.
After a tough year dealing with both injury and form issues, former Doig Medallist Sean Darcy has also headed off to Japan.
Telethon was perhaps the most popular spot this off-season, with an abundance of West Australian footy stars making a cameo over the blockbuster weekend.
Despite it being the off-season, cult hero Patrick Voss still had no trouble finding the limelight.
Sitting on the panel next to veteran AFL commentator Brian Taylor, the prancing pony wasted little time to get his rig out, much to the enjoyment of both the RAC Arena crowd and Taylor.
Harley Reid also made an appearance on the broadcast, sharing the stage with a few Channel Seven stars, before helping to announce a $1.5 million donation through his partnership with Crown.
Fremantle’s Michael Fredrick and Matt Johnson also played their part over the weekend, appearing in the phone room as did West Coast’s Hamish Davis, Brady Hough and Reuben Ginbey.
While the Dockers’ season may have only just recently finished, their crosstown rivals West Coast are in the back end of their off-season break.
With the club enduring another disappointing season, having finished inside the bottom four for a fifth straight year, it meant an early start on their off-season break while the best of the competition were strutting their stuff in September, with the players not due back to the club until November 2.
Germany’s beer festival Oktoberfest was a popular choice, with a group of players spotted at the Munich festival.
Recently cut midfielder Clay Hall shared a post on Instagram alongside a handful of teammates.
Star forward Jake Waterman, co-captain Liam Baker, defenders Reuben Ginbey, Rhett Bazzo and Harry Edwards, along with second-year standouts Hamish Davis and Bo Allan, were all pictured enjoying a beer at the historic festival.
Hall shared pictures from other locations, as the group soaked up the sun, while Ginbey also shared a post himself from the European getaway.
Some, however, opted not to travel abroad and stayed home with Tom Cole, Jack Graham, Matt Owies and Baker exploring what was on offer in Margaret River’s wine region.
Owies, who was delisted with a year to run on his contract on Wednesday, shared multiple pictures alongside fellow veterans and their partners from the trip down south.
Reid’s teammates Reuben Ginbey, Hamish Davis and Brady Hough also made an appearance in the phone room.
Mid-season draft pick Marcus Herbert was quick to make the most of his first off-season at AFL level, with the dashing defender making the trip across the ditch to New Zealand.
The Geelong VFL product made an impressive start to life at the Eagles, featuring on 10 occasions at senior level since he was picked up in May.
Last month’s Brownlow Medal was also a chance for some to get away with Milan Murdock, Elliot Yeo, Willem Duursma, Bailey Williams, Tim Kelly and coach Andrew McQualter in attendance.
Despite comfortably polling his side’s most votes, superstar Harley Reid was not present.
