FREMANTLE recruit Bradley Hill has upstaged last year's Doig medallist Lachie Neale and superstar skipper Nat Fyfe to become just the third Docker to be named club champion after their debut season in purple.
Hill, who was one of four Dockers to play every game this season, polled 158 votes to lead Neale home by 23 votes after Saturday night's count.
Fyfe (132) was amongst a tight chasing pack in third spot, ahead of former captain David Mundy (128) and Michael Walters.
Walters polled 123 votes from his 17 games, and boasted the best average votes per game before his season was cut short by a knee injury.
Hill was one of Freo's four recruits from rival clubs at the end of last year after he decided to leave Hawthorn to play alongside his brother Stephen.
The triple-premiership wingman arrived at Fremantle via the second-round compensation pick the Dockers received when Chris Mayne joined Collingwood.
Hill produced an outstanding season, averaging career-high disposals (23.5) and leading Fremantle for metres gained, with his elite disposal and repeat efforts adding a different dimension to the club's midfield.
Hill's elite aerobic capacity came to the fore in energy-sapping conditions in round seven against Essendon at Domain Stadium, when he racked up 37 touches, took 16 marks and delivered six inside 50s in a rousing victory.
The 24-year-old gathered at least 20 disposals in 16 games as he became the first player since Troy Cook in 2000 to win Freo's best and fairest in their first season (the other was Peter Mann in the club's inaugural season).
Hill thought being closer to loved ones was the catalyst for his finest individual campaign yet.
"Maybe being home and being happy. I've got all my family and friends around me and I'm just enjoying life," Hill said.
"I played some alright footy, and I was pretty consistent I thought and I want to keep improving on that.
"I probably thought I would've had to take my time to fit in and start gelling with the boys, but it happened pretty quick.
"It's a good bunch of boys, they're pretty young and made me fit in pretty easy."
Three of the Dockers' recruits placed in the top 10, with former Bulldogs full-back Joel Hamling coming in sixth, while ex-Cats forward Shane Kersten finished 10th.
In his first year as captain, Fyfe received the Players' Award – as the Docker who best displayed the group's values – for the fourth time.
Mature-age draftee Luke Ryan took home the Beacon Award as Fremantle's most promising young player, adding the trophy to his Simpson Medal as best afield in Peel's WAFL Grand Final triumph.
The courageous 21-year-old defender played 11 games and was nominated for the NAB AFL Rising Star Award for his 28-disposal effort against Gold Coast in round 20.
Retiring full-back Zac Dawson was honoured as best clubman for passing on his knowledge to the Dockers' next generation at Peel following his axing from the AFL side after round two.
Feisty goalsneak Hayden Ballantyne, out-of-contract utility Nick Suban and former board member Syd Corser received life membership.
Doig Medal Top 10:
1. Bradley Hill - 158
2. Lachie Neale - 135
3. Nat Fyfe - 132
4. David Mundy - 128
5. Michael Walters - 123
6. Joel Hamling - 119
7. Michael Johnson - 110
8. Connor Blakely - 92
9. Stephen Hill - 88
10. Shane Kersten - 63
* Fremantle coach Ross Lyon and four members of the coaching staff award votes from zero to five for each player in each game. A player can receive a maximum of 25 votes for an outstanding performance and a minimum of zero.
