Last summer, Fremantle coach Ross Lyon boldly declared the Dockers weren't about to fall off a cliff.
He was wrong. Horribly wrong.
Fremantle not only went over the cliff, they crashed and burned as their premiership window slammed shut.
The Dockers were minor premiers in 2015, but could only manage four wins last year as their ageing list finally succumbed.
Injuries to key players such as Nat Fyfe, Aaron Sandilands, Michael Johnson and Harley Bennell severely hurt Fremantle's cause.
But the writing was on the wall even before those players went down, with Fremantle's switch to a more attacking game plan backfiring badly.
By round five, Lyon knew the season was gone.
So he started planning for the future, getting vital games into the club's batch of emerging talent.
Connor Blakely, Matt Taberner, Ed Langdon, Michael Apeness, Darcy Tucker and Lachie Weller were among the players to benefit, and they're expected to make further strides this year.
The emergence of prolific midfielder Lachie Neale was another bonus.
But with any cleanout comes a long rebuild, and Lyon is warning fans not to expect miracles this season.
"We've got a dual narrative," Lyon says.
"We're aiming high this year, but we all signed off on a four-year rebuild last year. Restump, rewire, replumb.
"But it still means in the near term we are aiming to win and play better footy. That's going to be going on from now until the next four years.
"We understand what's required to be a great team. We'll continue to shift until we get there."
The addition of Shane Kersten, Bradley Hill, Cam McCarthy and Joel Hamling could fast track Fremantle's rise.
And if Bennell can finally overcome his calf issues, the Dockers may be a sneaky chance of reaching the finals.
But Fremantle have encountered plenty of distractions over the summer.
Forward Shane Yarran was slated to play an important role up forward in 2017 after showing promise last season.
But he has since been turfed from the club after getting caught up in two separate assault charges.
Veteran Michael Johnson still faces a nervous wait over a late-night incident in a kebab shop where he is alleged to have punched another man.
They say nothing good happens after midnight.
And as Johnson found out, drunkenly pulling down your pants in a kebab shop is just a recipe for disaster.
Fremantle have lost a wealth of experience from last year.
Matthew Pavlich (retired), Chris Mayne (Collingwood), Michael Barlow (Gold Coast), Tendai Mzungu (GWS), and Matt de Boer (GWS) are all gone.
But the players Fremantle traded in all have the potential to fill key roles.
And with Fyfe appointed as skipper, a new era has begun at the Dockers.
Fyfe is still yet to re-sign with the Dockers beyond this season, but he has publicly committed to staying at the club.
Fremantle had become renowned for their defensive prowess under Lyon.
But that went out the window last season as the club conceded an average 94 points per game - a staggering 23 more than the previous year's home-and-away campaign.
Lyon feels he may have delegated too much responsibility to his assistant coaches last year, so expect the 50-year-old to be more hands on in 2017.
Fremantle's depth is thin, so they can't afford many injuries.
Zac Clarke (knee) and Alex Pearce (leg) are already grounded, and Lyon hopes no more of his key players will succumb.
A finals finish in 2017 would be a dream result for Fremantle. But fans shouldn't hold their breath.
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