Michael Walters: Retiring Fremantle great confident Dockers can break through for maiden flag in 2025

West Australian

8 hours ago

Retiring Fremantle forward Michael Walters has backed his teammates to win a maiden premiership this season if they remained focused on the right things.
Walters, 34, who announced on Thursday he had played his last AFL game due to a chronic knee injury, said it would be 'unreal' if the Dockers could win the flag even though he will be watching from the other side of the fence.
'I reckon they can go all the way. If they stay in the moment,' Walters said.
'It's one of those things with footy you can look back, but then you can also look too far ahead as well.
'But this group is a mature group, they've got the right coaching staff and everyone around them, with the right leaders.'
The Dockers sit in sixth spot on the AFL table with a 10-5 win-loss record heading into Sunday's clash with Sydney at the SCG.
Walters said it was crucial his teammates focused 'on the now'.
'Keep playing consistent footy, keep playing their brand of footy,' he said.
'Obviously, it's going to be tough. We're not saying it's going to be easy. There's still a lot of water to go under the bridge, but at the same time, you can never say never either.
'You have to be confident in what you can do, confident in your ability, and having confidence in the coaching staff and what they what they put together.
'And that should keep them in good stead to compete, but what we want to do is win a premiership.'
'Son Son' Walters played 239 games and kicked 365 goals, after being selected with pick 53 in the 2008 national draft from Swan Districts, having grown up in Bushby Street, Midvale. It was the same road as West Coast ruck legend Nic Naitanui and former Carlton and Richmond player Chris Yarran.
He bows out a five-time leading goalkicker, an All-Australian in 2019 and a life member of the Dockers.
Asked how he would like to be remembered, Walters said: 'Someone that's just enjoyed it, someone that just enjoyed football'.
'Obviously, footy is a tough industry to be in (with) a lot of internal and external pressures, but every time I was at the club and every time I played football, suited up in the purple kit, I always had fun,' he said.
'I always wanted to be a role model, always wanted to inspire and always wanted to be the best teammate I could be.'
He told teammates and staff of his decision prior to his official announcement at Cockburn.
'I said to the boys today that I may have ruffled a few feathers along the way, but it was all in the way that I wanted to just get better,' he said.
'I've been thinking about it for a while.
'Saw the surgeon last night and it almost forced my hand as well, which also ripped the band-aid off as well.
'The weight's off my shoulders. I feel good, I feel content, I feel happy.'