FREMANTLE has finally been given the green light to invite players to train at the club ahead of the pre-season supplemental selection period deadline on March 9.
The Dockers didn't have a spot available on its list until Luke Valente made the decision to retire at the end of last month after three injury-interrupted seasons.
AFL.com.au can reveal the Dockers have invited ex-Cat Blake Schlensog, Sandover Medal winner Bailey Rogers and Peel Thunder pair Luke Polson and Lachie Cullen to audition for the spot.
The club had been waiting for the paperwork to be completed following Valente's departure before they were allowed to invite anyone to train. It took much longer than first hoped to be finalised due to the legalities involved in a deed of settlement.
Fremantle had made contact with South Fremantle star Zac Strom and were expected to invite the tall utility to trial for the spot, but it is understood the AFL knocked back the invitation due to the 28-year-old not nominating for last year's draft – a player is only eligible if they nominated for the most recent draft or have previously been on an AFL list.
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Strom has previously nominated for five or six drafts – but didn't last year due to a lack of interest from AFL clubs in 2021 – and has been waiting weeks to be permitted to train at the Dockers, preparing to put his career as a chiropractor on hold to have one last crack at playing AFL.
The highly regarded key defender has also attracted interest from Brisbane – who are currently trialling Williamstown midfielder-forward Mitchell Cox – during the pre-season supplemental selection period and another club, despite the unknown regarding his eligibility.
It may not be over for Strom just yet, who would earn less than half what he currently earns as a doctor and from South Fremantle if he landed a rookie contract, although the clock is ticking ahead of the deadline.
The Dockers were initially hoping to get at least two or three weeks of standard pre-season training to look at train-on options, but given they play West Coast in a practice match on Friday and then again in the AAMI Community Series next weekend, the program won't provide much time for senior coach Justin Longmuir to get a good look.
It is believed Fremantle are more likely to keep the list spot open for the mid-season rookie draft at the start of June, but the door is still ajar before the deadline slams shut.
While the delay in the completion of Valente's paperwork prevented the club from having players train with the club sooner, it has been somewhat of a blessing for Schlensog.
The 21-year-old had been stuck in Victoria until the West Australian border reopened on February 5 and had to quarantine for a week in Perth first.
Schlensog spent two years on Geelong's list as a category B rookie via the Cats' next generation academy, but failed to play a senior game.
Just 12 months after being delisted by Geelong, the club interviewed him again ahead of last year's NAB AFL Draft and rookie draft but chose not to offer him an AFL lifeline after he attracted interest from a few other clubs.
The tall utility put himself back on the radar of AFL clubs following an eye-catching season in the WAFL that resulted in team of the year selection after starring at both ends of the ground.
Schlensog is from Grovedale but moved to South Fremantle after he was delisted on the back of his friendship with West Coast star Tim Kelly, who played for the Bulldogs before Geelong plucked him out of the WAFL.
Claremont midfielder Rogers had been rewarded with a trial after a dominant run in the WAFL. The 24-year-old was named in the team of the year in 2019 and 2020 before claiming the Sandover Medal and state team selection in 2021.
Rogers put his name on AFL radars last season after moving from a half-back flank to the midfield, where he averaged 28 disposals, up from his career average of 19.5, as well as kicking 19 goals, to claim the WAFL's most prestigious individual prize.
Polson and Cullen have spent time training with the Dockers over the past six weeks as part of the club's alignment with Peel, with Polson playing 23 games in the Colts and one league game last year, while Cullen, 22, established himself in the league team in 2021.
With only four players – Paddy McCartin (Sydney), James Tsitas (Gold Coast), Tex Wanganeen and Nick Martin (both Essendon) – being confirmed as pre-season supplemental selections so far this season – Jack Hayes is still waiting to sign with St Kilda – list managers around the competition will spend the next fortnight thinking long and hard about the final spots on their lists.
That will include Fremantle list boss David Walls and head of football Peter Bell, who will weigh up whether to take a player without gaining too much insight over the next fortnight or to hold the spot for the mid-season draft. The clock is ticking.
