FREMANTLE finds itself at the crossroads.

With the oldest list in the competition, the time is right for Ross Lyon to begin a reset of the Dockers playing group and build for a sustained tilt at a maiden premiership.

But it must start now.

With Lyon locked in until the end of 2020, Fremantle must undergo a regeneration of its list in order to ensure the mastermind coach is the man steering the Dockers to that flag push.

Finals Week 1

Sure, it might result in some short-term pain. But the result will be the long-term success that everyone at the club desperately craves.

I’ve tipped Fremantle to miss the eight this season and that wouldn’t necessarily be a disaster, so long as that reset finally begins.

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The Dockers won’t bottom out to 17th or 18th on the ladder. In fact, I think they’ll still win their eight or nine home games and finish with around 12 wins for the season.

But, given the evenness of the competition, I don’t think that will do.

So what better time to begin blooding some youth and ensure the club’s talented youngsters are reaching their peak when the time comes for them to take the mantle of the veterans?

There are a host of good young players at Freo. Darcy Tucker, Harley Balic and Sam Collins were all drafted this year, while Lachie Weller, Connor Blakely and Ed Langdon were claimed in 2014.

While they won’t simply be given games - doing that is a recipe for disaster - they must begin banging down Lyon’s door in order to secure their place in the team.

The onus is on them to earn their stripes at AFL level – and for Fremantle to decipher whether or not they have the ability to eventually replace the likes of Matthew Pavlich and Aaron Sandilands as the club’s on-field leaders.

You can’t start that transition in 2018. By then, it’s too late. If they haven’t already packed their bags and joined other clubs, the youngsters will be too inexperienced to immediately challenge for a flag.

But, by starting the transition now, the kids can settle into the side with the buffer of more senior guys protecting them.

If Fremantle gets that mix of youth and experience right, they can undergo a subtle rebuild in a similar manner to how Collingwood has done since Nathan Buckley took over.

That will mean there’s no extreme hurt, like what Carlton and Melbourne has suffered by leaving rebuilds too late.

Recruitment will also play a key part in how Lyon looks at getting Fremantle’s list to a premiership standard.

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The Dockers will keep going to the draft in order to add youth, but they can also target free agency and trades to assist some of the good young key position players they already have.

Matt Taberner will be an okay option up forward, but he needs help – especially when Pavlich leaves. Whether that comes in the form of Cam McCarthy – or even Jesse Hogan – remains to be seen.

Alex Pearce is also a capable key defender, but someone like Cale Hooker would be perfect for him to learn from as the Dockers target premiership success by 2020.

Structurally, Lyon can also make some bold changes in order to help Fremantle become a more attacking prospect.

According to Champion Data, the Dockers ranked 18th for inside 50s that stemmed from defensive midfield turnovers last year.

Basically, they were the worst side in the AFL while in transition.

They need more aggressive ball use coming out of defence and there’s ways in which they can start doing that this season.

For example, play Stephen Hill and David Mundy off half back. Their kicking is their biggest strengths and Hill’s speed would add an element of penetration the Dockers didn’t have last year.

It could also free up a couple of positions for young men through the middle – like a Lachie Weller or a Darcy Tucker.

By doing that, you’re killing two birds with one stone.

Don’t get me wrong, Fremantle isn’t a bad side. But the stats say they’re also not a premiership side.

Perhaps by 2020, they will be.

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