CLASSY defender Garrick Ibbotson is set to re-sign with Fremantle for three more years.
Ibbotson, who turned 26 last Saturday, was set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season, but AFL.com.au understands he has agreed to terms to remain at the Dockers to the end of 2017.
The Dockers have now secured three prospective free agents in the past three weeks, having also recently re-signed defender Paul Duffield and ruckman Aaron Sandilands to the end of 2015.
Freo still has three 2014 free agents who are yet to re-sign.
Captain Matthew Pavlich and key defender Luke McPharlin, both 32, appear extremely unlikely to go anywhere, but midfielder David Mundy, 28, will be heavily courted by clubs in his home state of Victoria.
Although not free agents, star utility Nathan Fyfe and small forward Hayden Ballantyne are also set to come out of contract at the end of 2014.
Ibbotson has played 115 games for Freo since he was selected with pick No. 26 in the 2005 NAB AFL Draft.
After starting last year in the WAFL, he returned in round five against Richmond and became an influential player in Freo's back half, at one stage leading the AFL for intercept marks.
But Ibbotson missed the Dockers' exciting run to the Grand Final, ruled out after round 18 with Achilles tendon soreness that eventually required surgery.
The defender missed Freo's round one win over Collingwood, but last week was listed as being one week away from playing.
