Fremantle skipper Nat Fyfe is back in top shape and wants to reclaim the mantle of being the AFL's best player.
The superstar midfielder broke his leg during Fremantle's 2015 preliminary-final loss to Hawthorn, just days before winning the Brownlow Medal.
Another fracture of the same leg restricted Fyfe to just five games in 2016 and had kept him from returning to his explosive best.
But with a full pre-season under his belt, Fyfe is determined to overtake Dustin Martin and Patrick Dangerfield as the league's best player.
"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't motivated individually by being the best player I can be and, potentially, being unanimously recognised as the best player does have some real motivation aspects to it," Fyfe told reporters on Thursday.
"As the captain of a footy club, it takes somewhat of a back seat to getting our team going and really performing as a team.
"But I will acknowledge that it does have some motivational value."
Despite being below his best last season during his 21 games, Fyfe still managed to place third in Fremantle's best-and-fairest count.
The 26-year-old's return to top shape will come as welcome news for Fremantle fans as the Dockers look to improve on last year's 14th-placed finish.
"I've stacked a lot of work of actual high-intensity football, which is different to just running around the boundary line chasing the white line," Fyfe said.
"I'm fit; I'm seeing the game pretty well at the moment; I'm enjoying working with our young midfielders and our experienced midfielders.
"I'm looking forward to what the year can bring."
Entering their third season of a rebuild under coach Ross Lyon, Fremantle have added handy recruits Nathan Wilson and Brandon Matera and promising draftees led by top pick Andrew Brayshaw.
Troubled midfielder Harley Bennell's future remains clouded, but Fyfe believes the Dockers are primed to again be in finals contention.
"We're at a point where we've invested in youth, we've got games into young players and we've traded to get experienced players into our team," Fyfe said.
"Anything is possible for us."
Share
