Star Fremantle midfielder Caleb Serong hopes hulking forward Josh Treacy will get the chance to display his "elite" talents in the club's new-look attacking set-up this year.
The departure of Rory Lobb and swingman Griffin Logue has left Fremantle with two holes to fill, and the Dockers have plenty of options.
The presence of two-time Brownlow medallist Nat Fyfe as a permanent forward will help bolster Fremantle's attack, while Matt Taberner is back to full fitness and ready to hit the season running.
New recruit Luke Jackson is expected to spend long periods up forward, while Treacy is hoping there's room for him in attack as well.
Treacy, a 92kg, 195cm forward - nicknamed The Big Cohuna after the area in country Victoria from which he hails - played just four AFL games last season following on from 15 in 2021.
His strong pre-season campaign has boosted his chances of earning a call-up for Sunday's clash with St Kilda at Marvel Stadium, and Serong is pushing the 20-year-old's cause.
"I love Josh - country Victorian as well," Serong said of Treacy.
"His ability to attack the ball, both in the air and on the ground ... is elite.
"You just love ... seeing him on the run calling for it.
"He's got a big frame and he has a lot of intensity in the contest, so you just want to kick it to him and allow him to get to work.
"He's someone who we have a lot of faith in."
Fremantle revealed on Tuesday that veteran forward Travis Colyer will miss at least six weeks of action after undergoing knee surgery.
The Dockers are confident Michael Frederick (quad), Luke Ryan (back), Jackson (concussion) and Jaeger O'Meara (ankle) will all be fit for the season opener, but some doubt still surrounds Michael Walters (achilles).
Sunday's match will pit St Kilda coach Ross Lyon against Fremantle for the first time since his axing from the Dockers in 2019.
Serong, who was drafted to Fremantle several months after Lyon's departure, said the players will treat the match like any other.
"A lot of us never played under Ross. I never met Ross," Serong said.
"There's a lot of guys my age or younger who never had that experience.
"It's just another round one clash against an opposition. It doesn't come into it too much in terms of Ross being their coach."
