2013 LADDER FINISH: Runners-up

ARRIVALS: Michael Apeness, Jacob Ballard, Brady Grey, Scott Gumbleton, Alex Pearce, Colin Sylvia, Tom Vandeleur, Michael Wood

DEPARTURES: Jesse Crichton, Peter Faulks, Alex Forster, Alex Howson, Josh Mellington, Viv Michie, Jayden Pitt, Haiden Schloithe

BEST 22
B: Paul Duffield, Zac Dawson, Lee Spurr
HB: Michael Johnson, Luke McPharlin, Cam Sutcliffe
C: Stephen Hill, Ryan Crowley, Tendai Mzungu
HF: Nat Fyfe, Matthew Pavlich, Chris Mayne
FF: Michael Walters, Zac Clarke, Hayden Ballantyne
FOLL: Aaron Sandilands, David Mundy, Michael Barlow
INT: Matt de Boer, Lachie Neale, Danyle Pearce, Nick Suban

MEDICAL ROOM 
Kepler Bradley, knee (2-3 weeks)
Zac Clarke, knee (2-3 weeks)
Jonathon Griffin, knee (TBC)
Scott Gumbleton, hamstring (12 weeks)
Garrick Ibbotson, Achilles (2-3 weeks)
Anthony Morabito, TBC

Check out the AFL's injury list

PASS MARK FOR 2014: The reality of last year's Grand Final result and the stability of Fremantle's list means that anything other than another appearance in the final game of the season will be perceived as a failure.

NEEDS A BIG YEAR: Colin Sylvia. He has signed a three-year deal so contractually there are no issues for the ex-Demon but with 157 games to his name and 10 years experience he will need to make a strong first impression to change some of the perceptions that surround him.

FIRST FIVE GAMES: Collingwood (ES), Gold Coast (PS), Hawthorn (MCG), Essendon (PS), Sydney Swans (SCG)

Click here to see Fremantle's entire 2014 fixture

PLAY TWICE: Hawthorn, Geelong, West Coast, Port Adelaide, Brisbane Lions

TOUGHEST RUN: The Dockers' first five weeks are very tough. They face Collingwood, Hawthorn, and Sydney away and Gold Coast and Essendon at home. Thereafter, it doesn't get too much easier with North Melbourne, West Coast, Port Adelaide, and Geelong all looming before the bye.

DREAM SCENARIO: The Dockers win the flag and their three great servants in Matthew Pavlich, Aaron Sandilands, and Luke McPharlin bow out as premiership players.

WORST NIGHTMARE: The Dockers suffer key injuries and lose a raft of tight games to tough opponents in the first nine weeks and face an uphill battle just to qualify for September, let alone win the premiership.

PRESSURE RATING ON THE COACH: Ross Lyon 6/10. It is ridiculous to think that Ross Lyon should be under any pressure given what he has achieved in two years at Fremantle. He deserves all the plaudits and should have a mountain of credit in the bank. However the nature of AFL football means you can be a victim of your own success because winning breeds expectation, and that's the pressure facing Lyon and his team this year.