FREMANTLE defender Heath Chapman is a quiet and low-profile star, and he likes it that way.

He's never the loudest player in a team meeting, and he's one of the rare footballers who stays off social media.

But when the heat gets turned up in Thursday night's blockbuster clash against Hawthorn at Optus Stadium, the much-improved 24-year-old will transform into a vocal, determined competitor who embraces the game day spotlight.

A critical player in the AFL's best backline, Chapman has put together an excellent 2026 season as a composed defender who has played on forwards as varied as Jeremy Cameron, Bayley Fritsch and Steely Green.

One of the biggest shifts in his game has come above the shoulders, however, with the humble and reserved Chapman putting in the work required to become a more vocal presence on-field and a better leader.

While the change hasn't come naturally, it's contributed to a career-best patch of form that will likely see the right-footer among the defenders relied upon to stop star Hawk Nick Watson on Thursday night.

"Naturally, I'm a pretty introverted person … (but) I wanted to take my communication on field to another level this season," Chapman told AFL.com.au this week.

"Previously, I'd probably seen myself as one of the younger fellas within the group, but I think now realising that I've got a few games under my belt, I need to be able to communicate to the boys out there and take my leadership to another level.

"It's definitely something I've had to work on, but I feel really comfortable to be myself around the group now, and it's become second nature, which is nice. I put a lot of work into that.

"I needed to be more vocal out there and I guess lead a little bit more because we can't rely on too few. It's nice that I've been able to work on that and it's gone positively."

Chapman said his focus on being a better on-field communicator and leader had helped him build his form this season, keeping him more involved in games and on task when things aren't going his way.

He has been one of the underrated stars of the Dockers' back seven, playing every game and averaging 17.9 disposals (up from 12.8 last year), with the 73-gamer showing more poise and patience with the ball in 2026.

Putting himself into more chaotic scenarios during training and holding his nerve with the ball has been a focus. As one Freo leader put it, the game has slowed right down for him.

"As a young player when you step into AFL footy, it can feel quite fast and everything's going a million miles an hour when you have the ball in your hand," Chapman said.

"So I've had a focus on trying to put myself in situations in training where I have the ball in the middle of the ground and I can trust where my numbers are. So I've been getting more reps in those sort of scenarios.

"That slows the game down for me on game day because I can just lean in on the game plan and play freely."

Chapman has also become more of an offensive threat this season, adapting to the Dockers' increased focus on back-half ball movement and getting involved in scoring chains.

He even pressed up against the Western Bulldogs last Friday night to kick just the third goal of his career and his first since late 2024 in one of the highlights of the Dockers' seventh straight win.

The stability in the Dockers' backline is allowing the Freo No.5 to flourish in his role, with defenders Alex Pearce, Jordan Clark, Karl Worner and Chapman playing every game so far this season, and Brennan Cox, Judd McVee and Luke Ryan only missing only four between them.

"That continuity is really important, and most of us have played a lot of footy together now," Chapman said.

"I think that shows with how much we can trust each other to get certain jobs done and work together to play our best footy.

"Being able to trust the bloke next to you allows you to roll off, or you trust that they're coming across to make a spoil when you're potentially out of position. I think it definitely contributes to your own form.

"We all play for each other, and we talk about playing trademark footy. Within that is playing selfless and playing for the mate next to you."

Selfless is a good way to describe Chapman, who is also characterised by those around him as thoughtful, no-fuss and relaxed. His manager, Andrew McDougall, highlighted his contrasting attributes on and off the field.

"He's a fierce competitor, and his ability to match up on both tall forwards and crafty small forwards is genuinely unique," McDougall said. "Then off the field, he's a really down-to-Earth person and very humble."

Away from football, Chapman has been chipping away at a commerce degree, while travelling has become a big part of his life, heading away to Vietnam, Nusa Lembongan in Indonesia, the south island of New Zealand, and Exmouth in WA's mid-west, all in the most recent off-season.

Tokyo, Lisbon and Wanaka in New Zealand have been among his favourite destinations, travelling solo at times and completing periods of his off-season program in remote parts of the world.

"The draw for me is to experience different cultures and different food, to be honest," Chapman said.

"I'll let food take me to different places and I fit in all my training, but it's nice to be away from the places where you sort of grind all season and then come back refreshed."

While travel photos from AFL players are often viewed widely during the off-season on social media, Chapman's preference is to share his experiences the old fashioned way with his close friends and family.

It puts him in stark contrast to most 24-year-olds, and the growing cohort of stars like Watson, the man he may well line up against at Optus Stadium, with tens of thousands of followers online.

But it won't make him any less important under the spotlight of Thursday night football.