Former St Kilda coach Scott Watters says Fremantle Dockers need two of three veterans firing to win 2025 flag

Former St Kilda coach Scott Watters says Fremantle can’t win the premiership without at least two of their three veterans firing come September. The Dockers have gone into the bye on the back of three strong victories including tough wins on the road against Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney. Two of those wins were without a trifecta of veterans in dual Brownlow medallist Nat Fyfe, small forward Michael Walters and midfielder Jaeger O’Meara. Fyfe played his first game of the season as the sub in the win over the Suns after hamstring and knee injuries hindered his start to 2025. Walters is a chance to get on the field for the first time this year post-bye with a knee injury he sustained in the pre-season persistently troubling him, but he is listed as a test in the injury report. O’Meara started the season strongly but has not played since round six because of a hamstring and a foot injury and is a chance to take on North Melbourne at Optus Stadium next weekend. All three are set to play pivotal parts in the Dockers’ pursuit of a maiden premiership, but their returns will likely force a selection squeeze for coach Justin Longmuir and his team. Watters – who played 26 games for the Dockers across 1995 and 1996 – said it was a welcome issue for Longmuir. “The biggest problem for Fremantle is the biggest opportunity. The problem that every coach wants is too much depth and not enough spots at the selection table,” Watters told The West Australian. “For Fremantle to go deep into September and move towards their first ever premiership, the delicate balance of senior hardened experience and youthful energy and hunger is critical to the team achieving the ultimate. “Without a blend of Fyfe, O’Meara and Walters, Fremantle will fall short of their goal. In some ways the most important people at Fremantle right now are the medical staff. “Their availability at the critical end of the year will play a huge part in where Fremantle finish. Without at least two of those three contributing I think Fremantle’s hardness and experience falls short.” Fyfe’s role in the side is arguably the most intriguing given the strength of the Dockers’ midfield with vice-captains Andrew Brayshaw and Caleb Serong as well as the addition of recruit Shai Bolton. The 33-year-old impressed in only 25 minutes of gametime with seven disposals and a clearance after being injected into the game in the final term. Watters said he was surprised the Dockers played Fyfe as the sub and expected him to not play all their final 11 games even if fit. “For Fyfe, it’s managing his game time and managing where he spends his time. His midfield minutes compared to playing as a forward and then it’s being strategic about that he may not play every team between now and finals,” he said. “It’s such a delicate balance of getting the right amount of work into an older player and that fine line of overworking them and exposing him to more injury. “Don’t expect Fyfe to play every game between now and the end of the year. You’d think that Fyfe would potentially miss one of those Melbourne games to freshen him up.”