David Walls wraps up Fremantle’s 2025 AFL Continental Tyres Trade Period
Fremantle will now turn attention to next month’s Telstra AFL Draft following the completion of the 2025 AFL Continental Tyres Trade Period.
The Club traded in Melbourne defender Judd McVee, while farewelling ruckman Liam Reidy (Carlton) and midfielder Will Brodie (Port Adelaide) to chase more opportunities at AFL level.
“It was pretty quiet trade period for us, but it went the way we wanted it to,” said Head of Player Personnel David Walls.
“We’ve still got a pick at the back of the first round (pick 20) and pick 47. Hopefully we have a bit of balance between adding to the list straight away – and still being able to bring some young talent in.”
Fremantle struck a day three deal with the Demons to bring Geraldton-raised McVee back home to WA.
“We were pretty keen to bring in Judd, who we think is a real quality player,” said Walls.
“He’s still only 22, but he’s played 65 games so we’re expecting him to add us straight away.”
The McVee trade saw Fremantle’s pick 23 exchanged with Melbourne. To facilitate, Fremantle earlier swapped picks 12, 33, 44 and 50 in exchange for 19, 23 and 46 in a three-way deal with West Coast and Brisbane.
Out of contract ruckman Reidy, along with picks 53 and 71, were traded to Carlton in return for selections 50 and 68 from the Blues.
Signed until the end of season 2026, midfielder Brodie joined Port in return for pick 103.
“The pick obviously doesn’t have any value to us, we won’t be using it,” said Walls.
“The value for us was to free up a list spot – so that gives us the opportunity to use pick 47 and also some salary cap relief.”
“Will was contracted for next year, but he’s looking for opportunity. It’s been close to three years since we’ve seen him at senior level, so happy for him to have that opportunity and for us it frees up a little bit of money and frees up a list spot.”
Walls says the Club may look to state leagues to bolster ruck depth following Reidy’s departure.
“We’ve still got young Aiden Riddle, who’s still only 19, and we have high hopes for him as a ruckman on our rookie list – obviously also Sean Darcy and Luke Jackson,” said Walls.
“We were disappointed to lose Liam who we’ve put a fair bit of development into, but we’ll look at all avenues – the Draft, Rookie Draft or even an SSP (Pre-season Supplemental Selection Period).
“We’ve done that (SSP) the last few years and had some success so we might look to get a couple to come in and train out of the state leagues who are a little bit more mature.”
The Telstra AFL Draft will be held over two nights on Wednesday 19 November (Round One) and Thursday 20 November (Round Two onwards) and Fremantle enter with picks 20, 47, 69, 90, 103 and 108.
Fremantle have two vacant senior list spots and three rookie places available, with the Rookie Draft to follow on Friday 21 November.
Walls confirmed there is still flexibility with the exact make-up of the list.
“If we go with a list of 36 with six rookies, we’ve got two spots available in the Draft,” said Walls.
“There is also flexibility to go 37 and 5 or 38 and 4.
“You always want to add good players.
“I feel like when you look at the three parts of the ground, we’re looking reasonably healthy, but you always want to add talent. For us – particularly talent in the front half – is where we’d like to keep adding from now on.”