Fremantle's newest AFL draftees have received a powerful message from the club: follow the blueprint laid out by Rising Star winner Murphy Reid as they embark on their professional football careers.
New Recruits Hit the Training Track
The Dockers' fresh talent including Adam Sweid, Tobyn Murray, Leon Kickett, Ryda Luke and Toby Whan experienced their first official training session on Monday morning, getting an early taste of the demanding lifestyle that awaits them as AFL players.
Among the squad, a noticeably transformed Murphy Reid stood out with his impressive running capacity and sharp skills, mirroring the outstanding form that defined his breakthrough 2025 season where he claimed the prestigious Rising Star award.
Reid Sets the Standard
Fremantle's football boss Joe Brierty explicitly pointed to Reid's remarkable debut year as the inspiration for the new recruits, emphasising that immediate success at the elite level is achievable.
"Go after it. Murphy Reid showed in his first year what he could do," Brierty stated, while acknowledging that each player's development journey would be unique.
Brierty highlighted Reid's dedicated approach to improvement as the model for success. "With the work that goes into his own craft and his own game, Murphy is a great example of someone who knows what they need to improve on but also knows what his strengths are."
Building on Strong Foundations
The club's latest additions bring diverse backgrounds and experiences that should accelerate their adaptation to AFL standards.
Adam Sweid, selected at pick 25 and already nicknamed "Slim Sweidy" by teammates, arrives with valuable exposure to elite environments through Essendon's Next Generation Academy and training stints with the Bombers.
Tobyn Murray brings VFL experience from his time with Geelong, with that higher-level competition proving crucial in earning his opportunity with Fremantle.
While only players with one to four years of experience were mandated to attend Monday's session, the voluntary presence of most established stars demonstrated the strong culture driving the club forward.
Reid's physical transformation has become particularly evident as he focuses on building greater fitness and strength to increase his midfield minutes. "His body has matured," Brierty observed. "He came in as a young man in terms of his physical strength and work in the gym. That's something he needed to build on."
The young star is already working closely with Fremantle's new Director of Performance Adam Beard to enhance his gym performance and nutritional understanding, with clear goals to elevate his contest work and endurance capacity.
For the five new Dockers beginning their AFL journey, the path to success has been clearly mapped out by their inspirational teammate who proved that dreams can become reality in just one spectacular season.
