"IS THAT a feather in your cap?" 

The opening question to Peter Bell on Fremantle's Bradley Hill trade spoils – referencing his notorious line last year about Lachie Neale – prompted a smirk, before he launched into media speak. 

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Barely 12 months have passed since the accomplished Bell won the job as the Dockers' football boss, and it's been quite a ride.

The "feather in my cap" one-liner hasn't been forgotten, and he oversaw Neale's departure and the arrival of Jesse Hogan and Rory Lobb just weeks into his role.

At the same time, Bell also placed Harley Bennell on his last warning. The tone was set at Cockburn. 

His first season in charge this year was tumultuous as well, with coach Ross Lyon sacked and the club also parting ways with chief executive Steve Rosich.

Former Freo coach Ross Lyon departs his final media conference. 

Meanwhile, Hogan was held out of Fremantle's season-opener, after Bell said in a statement the ex-Demon's "clinical anxiety can lead to him making poor decisions around alcohol consumption". 

A recurrence of Hogan's navicular injury then kept the star recruit to only 12 games and 13 goals this year, while Shane Kersten retired in part because of a fallout with Lyon. 

Bell and Rosich's relationship was a constant talking point, although Bell told AFL.com.au in July there was no issue between them.

There was also some mid-season drama around new list manager Mark Micallef's role.

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Amid all that, the Dockers lost eight of their last 10 matches to slump from sixth to 13th and miss the finals for the fourth season in a row since making the 2015 preliminary final.

Bell will ultimately be judged on what happens in the coming years, including whether new coach Justin Longmuir succeeds, but he already has a reputation for his trade room dealing.

He released a statement during last year's Trade Period saying Fremantle was no longer pursuing Hogan, because of Melbourne's demand for multiple first-round picks in return.  

It was an alpha move, but the two clubs were soon enough back negotiating – and Hogan eventually became a Docker for picks No.6 and 23 (which slid to 27 by draft night).

This time around, Hill was Bell's top trade priority, after the star wingman requested a trade to St Kilda despite having two seasons to run on a five-year deal. 

Vigorous is an apt way to describe the Hill discussions, with the Saints' decision to trade pick No.6 to the Giants a cause of angst, and the trigger for Bell to be criticised en masse.

St Kilda rejected Bell's initial stance on wanting two first-round picks in the Hill package.

On the flipside, Bell was adamant after the trade deadline that what was reported about the Saints' counter-offer – specifically pick No.6 and a future second-round selection – wasn't true.

"Upon reflection, the disappointing part for me was there were a lot of trades that were supposedly out there and offered and turned down that actually never existed," Bell said.

Bell elected to dig his heels in and was still acquiring assets into the final day, with Blake Acres joining Fremantle along with picks No.10 and 58 and future second- and fourth-round selections.

Hill and a future third-round pick went the other way. 

If we predict all of those 2020 selections to land in the middle of the round, then the valuation of Hill is roughly pick four – a pretty handy outcome from a tough situation.

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"It's a funny one. I've got thick skin, obviously. I think you need to," Bell said. 

"I don't think you want a reputation as not being hard to deal with during trade week as well, because I think if you have a reputation as being easy to deal with, you might be out of a job pretty quick. 

"I'll never be embarrassed about really valuing our players, and I think that's what our stakeholders want us to do – and, hopefully, in time, that's what this deal will reflect."

Bell with Fremantle president Dale Alcock (left) and new senior coach Justin Longmuir. 

The smirk was one of momentary satisfaction.

Losing Neale and Hill, both Doig medallists, as Bell was in his playing days, in consecutive seasons is far from ideal, so stemming the top-line bleeding must be a priority.

Bell and co. still have a challenge ahead to resurrect the club's fortunes in the pursuit of a maiden premiership but he's proving himself up to the task.