Karl Worner is a name you mightn’t have heard too often, but he’s the player being tipped by multiple teammates to break out in a premiership-contending Fremantle side in 2026. That’s in a side that just added Judd McVee — who plays a similar role — no less.

One All-Australian Docker went as far as declaring a particular facet of Worner’s game “nearly the best I’ve ever seen”. And he’s got evidence to support his claim.

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A rookie draftee back in 2021, there’s an argument to be made that Worner already had his breakout campaign, having played 23 senior games last year after a combined eight across his first three AFL seasons.

But the 23-year-old, who averaged 13.7 disposals and 4.1 marks last year, has only just introduced himself at the top level, if a glowing Caleb Serong endorsement is any indication.

The Fremantle dynamo, who also noted McVee’s smooth acclimation to life in purple after crossing over from Melbourne, named Worner and fellow backman Heath Chapman as breakout candidates at Cockburn ahead of the new season.

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“I think a couple of our half-backs are training incredibly well. Obviously, we’ve got Judd McVee being a new player in — he’s pretty much just tagged onto Jordan Clark and pretty much just done whatever he’s done, and it’s worked pretty well for him, so Judd’s training well,” Serong told foxfooty.com.au.

“But two guys that play that role as well, Karl Worner and Heath Chapman. Those two guys have played a bit of footy now; they played pretty consistently throughout last year, and they were incredible role players for us and did a great job and are highly respected throughout the four walls, but I think they’re starting to come out of themselves a little more and impact, whether that’s in the air or defensively.

“I think those two guys are the hybrid kind of guys — they can play tall, they can play a bit smaller, so they can play that middle line of defence and (have) that ability to rebound for us and get our ball movement going, which I think’s really exciting.

“I think the fans will be looking forward to seeing those guys this year.”

Star utility Luke Jackson also singled out 31-gamer Worner as a likely candidate to take the next step in Justin Longmuir’s side, telling foxfooty.com.au: “I think he (Worner) built on his game at the back end of last year; I think he could have a really big jump this season.”

Chapman, on the other hand, is heading into his sixth season after being drafted in the first round back in 2020, having also put together effectively a full season last year after a fledgling career prior to 2025.

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There was absolutely no hesitation from Serong when asked what stuck out most about Worner’s game, pinpointing a specific example that best spoke to it.

“Courage. His courage is nearly the best I’ve ever seen,” the three-time All-Australian said.

“And that was personified in Round 1 two years ago when he went back with the flight in one of his first (career) games, got knocked out clean, missed a month of footy.

“But his ability to then dust that off — the trauma of that — and then go back to doing the exact same thing, it’s admirable. I’m not sure I could have done it.”

Worner, courageously coming from side-on to try and intercept a Brisbane kick, was poleaxed by an oncoming Lincoln McCarthy — knocked out on the spot.

The brutal knock sustained saw Worner miss the next three rounds before making his footy return with Peel Thunder, where he went on to average over 23 disposals per game and play a pivotal role in their 2024 premiership side.

He was able to return to the senior side at the back end of the season, featuring in three games before playing all but one AFL match last year in what was his fourth Fremantle season.

Caleb Serong traces Karl Worner’s courageous manner of play back to a brutal incident in Round 1, 2024.Source: Getty Images

Worner has shown signs of growth as a disruptive backman — upping his intercept possessions year on year — but it’s the nuances of playing the position that have impressed his superstar teammate.

“He’s built a brand within the four walls that everyone just knows what you’re going to get from him,” Serong said.

“And the trust is through the roof, so I think he’s built more on that this pre-season, and then probably added more of those running-pattern smarts as a high back, because the game a lot of the time is in front of you, you’ve got to make good decisions to be able to get into good spots.

“So I think he’s added that offensive string to his bow, but the trust and the courage have always been there, and he’s very, very highly respected within the four walls.”

Caleb Serong is backing Worner and Heath Chapman to make waves across half-back. (Photo by Daniel Carson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

Elsewhere, probed on top performers at the club across the summer, Serong zeroed in on a pair set to play pivotal roles for the Dockers this year — but two who had very different campaigns last year.

Rising Star winner Murphy Reid, who’s already at the top of the game in his age bracket, and Hayden Young, who’s always had big wraps but managed just nine games last year due to recovery from a 2024 broken leg before a suite of soft-tissue issues.

After his sparkplug role up forward last year, Reid is eyeing more midfield minutes as his game continues to flourish in just year two.

“A lot of the young guys (have stood out), like Murphy Reid — he’s taken another step forward this pre-season,” Serong said.

“He’s been training in the midfield, and I think for him, adding that different string to his bow is great at the AFL level, to be able to play both forward and midfield.

“And it’s something we’re trying to work on — our ability to get more guys going through the midfield and get more guys going forward, to the wing, or whatever it is, and be a bit more unpredictable.

“That’s something that he’s taken really well, and now that we’re into match sim, he’s playing really well. He’s one I’m really excited about.”

Murphy Reid could be set for more midfield time after taking the league by storm as a forward in year one. (Photo by Janelle St Pierre/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

As for Young, the 24-year-old’s impact is immense — felt even in fleeting glimpses last season — but it’s all about staying healthy this year if the Dockers are to fulfil finals expectations.

But the hard-nosed left-footer, who jetted off to Doha in the off-season to address his persistent soft-tissue problems with specialists, hasn’t missed a beat in a hugely promising sign of what could be on the menu in 2026.

“More senior guys like Hayden Young — his ability to stay fit this pre-season and just train, do every session,” Serong said. “It’s incredible what he’s doing.

“I think with him, over the last 12 months, you don’t often get the results straight away with this kind of stuff (injury prevention measures). He had a lot of recurring injuries, and when you’re in-season, you’re trying to play catch-up.

“When you didn’t train in the pre-season, you’re always those couple of steps behind, and it’s almost like holes in a boat trying to plug everything, and there’s always something leaking. And for him, I think this pre-season’s been a byproduct of the work he’s done in the last 12 months.

“He’s got a lot of understanding of his body now that he didn’t have before, and I think for him, his main focus was just trying to get every session out of the pre-season, or as many as possible, and I don’t think he’s missed yet.

It isn’t lost on Caleb Serong how important it is that Hayden Young has had an uninterrupted pre-season. (Photo by Daniel Carson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

“So, I think the fact that he went to Doha throughout the off-season, had a really consistent block through that period, worked really hard, and then has been able to stay on the track, has been his number one thing.

“But aside from that, his strength and his ability to win contests have gone to another level … I haven’t seen someone go against me in a one-on-one contest on the ground with a ball in between and come out on top yet. And that just goes to show what his ability is in and around the footy.

“That adds a lot to our midfield — something that we were kind of chasing a little bit last year, and he’s definitely going to change the way we play.”