ROSS Lyon is confident Fremantle is on the right track and says it is "just a matter of time" until the club delivers a premiership.
Entering their 25th season in the AFL, the Dockers are yet to achieve the ultimate success.
The club fell agonisingly short in a 15-point Grand Final loss to Hawthorn in 2013, during Lyon's second season as senior coach.
But the Dockers haven't made it back to the big dance since, and plunged towards a rebuild after a home preliminary final defeat to the Hawks in 2015.
Showing signs that the worst is behind them, Lyon's charges are aiming to return to finals this year after three seasons outside the top eight.
Addressing a packed crowd of more than 800 people at Fremantle's season launch on Tuesday, Lyon was bullish about the club's direction.
"We're a young club, we're an expansion club, 25 years (in the competition), in context we're still building," Lyon said.
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"I have no doubt that this club will deliver premierships.
"We've just got to keep our shoulder to the wheel, everyone committed to the big picture, keep bringing in great people, get our selection right, get our strategies right, working in a system and the wheel will turn and we'll deliver.
"It's just a matter of time."
The Dockers have brought in some elite talent in recent years via the draft, headlined by midfielders Andrew Brayshaw and Adam Cerra, promising ruckman Sean Darcy and defender Griffin Logue.
The additions of prized key forwards Jesse Hogan and Rory Lobb, plus experienced recruits Reece Conca and Travis Colyer, during the NAB AFL Trade Period has built on successful homecomings for Bradley Hill and Joel Hamling.
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With superstar skipper Nat Fyfe, 27, set to remain at the peak of his powers for several more years, the Dockers have cause for optimism.
While Fyfe declared on Tuesday it was too early to talk finals for 2019 ahead of round one, he expressed faith in the goal of securing the club's maiden flag.
"I am confident that the players we have brought in to our club, the coaching staff we have, the age demographic of our group, that we are in a position over the next five years to really move forward and have success in this competition," Fyfe said.
"But it now falls back on us to get to work and words aren't going to get it done."
The Dockers open their 2019 campaign at home against North Melbourne on Sunday, March 24.