FREMANTLE’S No.1 recruit this off season should be a dual premiership ruckman.

He’s contracted to Richmond, 194cm tall and 66 years of age, but his pedigree and track record is outstanding.

Neil Balme has been described as the “messiah” and it’s an apt given description given he was football manager at Geelong when the Cats broke a 44-year premiership drought, and held the same position at Richmond last year when the Tigers stormed to their first flag since 1980.

Whatever he has touched has turned to gold and he should be the Dockers’ chief target to replace their football operations boss Chris Bond, who resigned this week.

The former Mt Pleasant junior and four-game Subiaco player has family in Perth. He claims he does not have much time left in the game. I urge Freo to invest in Balme’s experience before it’s too late.

The former Melbourne coach arrived at Tigerland at the end of 2016, after Richmond had finished the season in 13th with an 8-14 record, punctuated by an 113-point defeat in round 23. Sound familiar, Freo fans?

“There is calmness and experience when he speaks,” Richmond president Peggy O’Neal said of Balme in 2017.

Former Fremantle skipper Peter Bell has been linked to the role and would be a good choice. Though he does not have hands-on experience, his time on the board gives him inside knowledge on Freo’s workings and future direction.

He would be better at controlling key working relationships.

It’s been a torrid year for the Dockers. The Ross Glendinning Medal saga; Lyon’s harassment scandal, the departures of Bond and list manager Brad Lloyd and now the potential exit of their most consistent player in 2018, Lachie Neale.

That Neale is entertaining a move to Brisbane should have alarm bells ringing at Cockburn. Is it money, the environment or personal development? All are possible.

If Freo want the Doig Medal favourite to stay, then chief executive Steve Rosich must unlock the war chest. Five-year contracts are commonplace in the AFL and should be offered to Neale.

Freo’s list manager needs to be appointed as soon as possible and needs to be based in Perth, not in Melbourne, as was the case with Lloyd.

WAFL players have been slipping through to other clubs for years, Geelong’s Tim Kelly being a prime example, because our WAFL competition has not been rated highly at the club.

Which leads me to the coach. Where there is smoke there is fire and you only have to listen to the fans, they do not like the style or what they are watching and are voting with their feet and finance.

Lyon must win more than eight games next season to see out his contract to the end of 2020. He has blooded many players who have improved under his regime; Ed Landgon, Sean Darcy, Luke Ryan and Taylin Duman to name a few and his recruits from other clubs; Brad Hill, Nathan Wilson and Joel Hamling have stood up.

The Dockers will get back Connor Blakely, Stephen Hill, Aaron Sandilands, Griffin Logue and Michael Apeness, and Harley Bennell might finally get a game. Those names will should make Freo better, and those names will also determine Lyon’s future.