Fremantle Dockers veteran Jaeger O’Meara is loving the depth and health of the team leading into AFL season

Fremantle veteran Jaeger O’Meara has declared the Dockers will enter pre-season games vastly healthier and with much more depth than last summer as they look to surge up the ladder in 2026.

Fremantle have avoided major injury drama throughout the pre-season, to the point where minor setbacks for ruckman Sean Darcy (calf) and cooper Simpson (hip) suddenly appeared significant.

But the Dockers have five men - Caleb Serong, Jordan Clark, Luke Jackson, Shai Bolton and O’Meara - playing in next week’s AFL Origin game, and still be able to field two strong squads for match practice during their Community Camp in Bunbury.

It was a different story last season where Alex Pearce, Sean Darcy, Luke Ryan, James Aish, Nat Fyfe and Hayden Young were all unavailable for the match against the Indigenous All-Stars. Shai Bolton and Michael Walters were barely allowed to participate in that match and then Sam Switkowski was concussed early against the All-Stars.

O’Meara said the 2026 group is extremely well placed.

“It does feel like that. We’re in a healthy position,” O’Meara said.

“Last year a lot of our guys that were not getting full pre-seasons were a lot of our senior guys which hurt - Young, Moose, Switta was out for a little while.

“A lot of our senior guys have had great lead ins to the season and good summers. Collectively, I think Sam Sturt is the only one who is a long term one. A couple of guys have a few minor niggles but we are in a good spot so far.”

Fremantle added Melbourne defender Judd McVee and Collingwood ruckman Mason Cox to their squad at the end of last season. Corey Wagner and Matthew Johnson will also return after being injured in the build up to the finals.

O’Meara said competition for selection would be fierce.

“I’m excited by that,” he said.

“We’ve got a number of guys who can play in the midfield. It’s a real strength of our squad at the minute. There’s going to be some guys who are disappointed who don’t get selected for round one.

“That’s a great problem to have, particularly in our midfield where we bat really deep. One of my strengths is my flexibility to be able to play a number of roles.

“I’ve played a little bit of half-back this pre-season. Given we have an extra on the bench this year that might be something we go to throughout the season.”