IT WAS a fall from grace in season seven for Fremantle, which missed the finals for the first time since 2018. Injuries decimated the side, but ultimately it sent out retiring inaugural captain Kara Antonio on a high. 

Star midfielder Kiara Bowers continued to stun, however, laying a record 22 tackles in round 10, taking her season total to 146, as she attempted to put the team on her back. 

Over the next few weeks, womens.afl will look at each of the 18 AFLW teams' season's in reverse ladder order.

Head coach: Trent Cooper 

Leadership group: Hayley Miller (captain), Ange Stannett (vice-captain), Gabby O'Sullivan, Janelle Cuthbertson, Laura Pugh 

Ladder position: 12th, three wins, one draw, six losses, 66.8% 

Debutants: Madi Scanlon, Tara Stribley, Megan Kauffman, Orlagh Lally, Amy Mulholland, Madizen Wilkins (AFLW debut), Nikki Gore (club debut) 

Milestones: Ebony Antonio, Gabby O'Sullivan (50 games), Nikki Gore, Roxy Roux, Philipa Seth, Sarah Verrier (25 games) 

Rising Star nominations: Nil 

Retirements: Kara Antonio 

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Best team performance 

In a tough season in which the Dockers had registered just one win and one draw across the opening eight rounds, their round nine performance against Sydney was a reminder of the dominant, smooth-moving Fremantle side we have come to know in recent seasons. 

The Swans had just come off their best game of the season and could sniff a maiden win against the struggling Dockers, but a returning Ebony Antonio in her 50th career game had other ideas. After the Swans challenged, the Dockers pulled away and put on their second-highest score of the season. 

They rebounded out of defence with an intent and cleanliness that had been absent for much of the season, and displayed a clear system right across the field for the four quarters. 

Best individual performance 

It is impossible to look past Kiara Bowers' record-breaking performance in round 10 against Hawthorn. Determined to see friend and fellow inaugural Docker Kara Antonio go out on a high, Bowers left everything out there. 

'Turbo' laid a record-breaking 22 tackles, but it wasn't simply a hyper-defensive game from the prolific tackler, she also won 34 disposals, eight clearances and 481 metres gained. 

Her strength and ability to move from inside the contest where she wins clearances, to then get to the outside and gain plenty of ground is a rare skill in AFLW, and something that was particularly evident in Fremantle's final game of the season. 

Most improved 

Although she has been on the Dockers' list since 2020, knee injuries meant Aine Tighe only made her debut last season, and with that first run of games under her belt she was then able to excel in season seven.  

With injuries decimating Fremantle's forward line, Tighe stepped up to lead the line, kicking 11 goals in the process. Playing every game, she proved that she can be a focal point of a strong forward line, she just needs a bit more support at her feet. 

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Tighe is a clever player who works hard to set teammates up in front of goal and possesses an in-game awareness that, although only coming to footy three years ago, suggests she has been playing for much longer. 

Star recruit 

Straight out of the amateurs, Megan Kauffman's hard work and willingness to dig in saw her play every game of the season, kicking four goals in the process. 

Playing as a midfielder/forward, Kauffman wasn't necessarily the classiest ball user at the Dockers, but she never shied away from a physical contest, averaging 11 disposals, 5.7 tackles, 2.4 inside 50s and 1.7 clearances in her debut season. 

Unsung hero 

One of the most underrated players across the competition, Mim Strom has been an important contributor since her debut in the opening round of 2020, and this season was no different. In that time, Strom has had to hold down the No.1 ruck role with limited support. 

Of all the rucks to win 150 or more hitouts throughout the home and away season, Strom won the most intercepts, second-most disposals and laid the third-most tackles, indicating her impact not only at the ruck contest but right around the ground. 

Her quick hands out of the contest and positioning behind the ball to support a sometimes depleted defence was representative of her intelligence on the field. 

What went well 

Out of pure necessity, the Dockers debuted six fresh faces over the course of the season, while also getting consistent games into important players like Amy Franklin and Philipa Seth. While it was a tough season and players were regularly put under the pump, they are now better equipped than ever to attack next season. 

Outside of personnel, they were largely able to stay with good sides for long portions of games. They challenged eventual premier Melbourne for three quarters, until a 10-minute lapse resulted in a 30-point loss. They also pushed last season's premier Adelaide, leading by nine points at quarter-time only to lose by three goals in that final quarter. So, while this may seem wholly negative, the feeling is that they do have the ability to go with the best sides, it's just about doing it for a little bit longer.

What needs improvement 

Injuries really were the main cause of Fremantle's woes this season, with important players like Janelle Cuthbertson, Kara Antonio, Ebony Antonio, and Gabby O'Sullivan sitting on the sidelines, compounded by the off-season loss of Steph Cain and Gemma Houghton. 

That resulting lack of experience was felt across all lines, and while players like Kiara Bowers, Hayley Miller, Ange Stannett and Aine Tighe worked hard to prop each part of the field up, they needed stronger support. 

They are still a little too reliant on that experienced contingent to lift the lower end of the list, and that was exposed this season. This may have been just the season Fremantle needed to have, however, after coming agonisingly close to a Grand Final appearance in recent seasons and always falling short. 

Off-season focus 

With the club opting not to renew head coach Trent Cooper's contract, the highest priority is finding a new captain of the ship.  

Outside of the hunt for a new coach, the area that the Dockers were most exposed this season - outside run - would be a good place to target recruitment efforts in the coming months. 

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