FREMANTLE star Michael Walters is set to remain a Docker for life after inking a contract extension through until the end of 2022.
The brilliant 27-year-old was already locked away for the next two seasons but has agreed to an extra two years, confident the rebuilding club is on the right track.
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"Everyone knows there's going to be a bright future with our young group," Walters said.
"I think I'm in the top-five eldest players at the club now and I'll be 28 (in January) next year. I'm very excited to be a part of it for the next four years.
"The culture here is strong as a footy club. As I keep saying, we do have a young group and the exciting part is, they can play with each other for a number of years and that chemistry is just going to get stronger."
Walters won the Dockers' goalkicking award for the fourth time this season, despite booting just 22 majors after rotating through midfield and attack in 18 games.
He will put his hand up for more time in the engine room next season in the wake of Lachie Neale's departure to Brisbane, but is excited by the prospect of playing inside 50 alongside tall recruits Jesse Hogan and Rory Lobb in 2019.
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"For me, they'll be someone to crumb off," Walters said.
"We can't expect 'Tabs' (Matthew Taberner) to do everything. He's a quality player but he's going to be even better with those guys around him.
"It frees up Cam McCarthy and 'Ballas' (Hayden Ballantyne) and myself as well.
"We can crumb off those guys and, hopefully, it will be a strong forward line."
After being banished to Swan Districts in 2012 for being overweight, Walters has turned his career around and is now among Fremantle's hardest trainers and role models.
By the end of his contract, the 129-gamer could join the expanding list of Dockers in the '200 club'.
Walters is also likely to trail only club legend Matthew Pavlich (700) on Freo's all-time goalkicking chart by the end of 2022.
He currently sits in fourth spot, only three majors behind Jeff Farmer (224) and not far off second-placed veteran Hayden Ballantyne (253), who will almost certainly hang up the boots at the end of next season.
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"It's exciting to know we will have Michael at the club for at least another four seasons," general manager of football Peter Bell said.
"We all know how hard Michael works on and off the field and that attitude he brings to his planning, preparation and playing sets an important example.
"He's been a part of the leadership group for two seasons and we know he will play a crucial role in the development of our young playing group."
