ONLY the most optimistic Fremantle fan expects the Dockers to play finals in 2018.

And even they will be questioning themselves.

As a barometer, in round 22 last season the Dockers received a 104-point drubbing from eventual premiers Richmond.

By my estimation, 18 players who were part of the vanquished team that day could be playing in round one.

To climb the ladder, Fremantle needs to be far better in attack.

The forward line is a work in progress and it could take at least another three years before Ross Lyon has the team back in the hunt. A restump, rewire, replumb, whatever Lyons wants to call it, takes longer than two years and they are really only 12 months into a five-year plan.

The Dockers finished 14th in 2017, winning eight games, and continued the cleanout which began at the end of the previous season.

Shane Yarran was forced into retirement to face personal issues before the 2017 season started, leaving Freo a player short.

Zac Dawson and Garrick Ibbotson saw the writing on the whiteboard and retired, while experienced trio Nick Suban, Zac Clarke and Jonathon Griffin were delisted along with Sam Collins, Josh Deluca and rookie Matthew Uebergang.

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Three players were traded — two talented youngsters in Lachie Weller and Harley Balic who would have been in Fremantle’s best 22 but had issues living in Perth— while Hayden Crozier, who has proved himself at the top level, was traded to the Western Bulldogs.

There were 12 changes in total after 13 the previous year — that’s a lot of new faces.

Cam McCarthy, Shane Kersten, Bradley Hill, Joel Hamling, Brandon Matera and Nathan Wilson were traded in, while three top-10 national draft picks have been acquired in the past two years — Griffin Logue, Andrew Brayshaw and Adam Cerra.

Sean Darcy, Brennan Cox, Luke Ryan, Hugh Dixon, Tom North, Mitchell Crowden, Lloyd Meek, Sam Switkowski and Scott Jones have also been added to the main list in the past two national drafts, while five newcomers Taylin Duman, Luke Strnadica, Bailey Banfield, Stefan Giro and Ryan Nyhuis are all first and second-year players.

One of the biggest questions for the Dockers will be whether Aaron Sandilands regains his fitness and best form.

I hope so because the new ruck rules will only help him get his hands on the ball and give his midfield first use.

The midfield is pretty good compared with most teams in the competition.

Nathan Fyfe, Lachie Neale, Stephen and Bradley Hill, Connor Blakely and Michael Walters have all shown their class in there. Newcomers Brayshaw and Cerra are expected to make their mark and veteran David Mundy can be called upon to perform a role.

Camera Icon Andrew Brayshaw will have plenty of chances to play. Credit: Simon Santi

Matera joins McCarthy, Kersten, Cox, Hayden Ballantyne, Matt Tabener, Michael Apeness and Tom Sheridan in the forward mix along with midfielders Mundy, Walters, Fyfe and Neale.

The question is whether this group can kick enough goals to win more games and right now I don’t think they can.

Down back they have added the dash of Wilson, Alex Pearce returns from injury and joins Hamling and Michael Johnson as key defenders, while Luke Ryan was very good last season and veteran Lee Spurr still can play a part.