Nat Fyfe, the retiring Fremantle Dockers legend, will go down as one of Western Australia's greatest footballers, alongside icons such as Stephen Michael, Lance Franklin and Polly Farmer. The 33-year-old announced on Monday that he will retire at the end of the 2025 season after 16 years in the AFL, leaving as a two-time Brownlow medallist, three-time All-Australian and twice voted the AFL Players' Association's most valuable player.
Fyfe's journey to stardom was far from certain. When he arrived at Fremantle in 2009 as a scrawny 74kg teenager from the wheatbelt town of Lake Grace, the club had reservations. Recruiting manager Phil Smart revealed that some list management members wanted a 'bona fide midfielder' and had concerns about disciplinary issues from Fyfe's time at Aquinas College. However, after former coaching staff convinced Smart to scout him, Fremantle selected Fyfe with pick No. 20 in the 2009 draft.
Fyfe debuted in round one of 2010 and quickly established himself as an elite midfielder. During his prime, he was an unstoppable force around stoppages, paving the way for power midfielders like Patrick Cripps and Marcus Bontempelli. His dominance was such that in 2015, betting agencies paid out on his Brownlow win after just nine games. He won a second Brownlow in 2019, becoming the 15th player in AFL history to win multiple medals.
Injuries have limited Fyfe to five games this season, bringing his career total to 245. He said the time felt right to retire, adding: 'I leave with a sense of understanding that I don't need anything further, which is a really peaceful place to be.' Western Australian Premier Roger Cook called him 'a Western Australian sporting legend' and praised his legacy on and off the field.
Despite his achievements, Fyfe's set-shot goal-kicking was a noted weakness, particularly in the 2013 grand final when he kicked two gettable goals out on the full. As Fremantle sit fourth on the ladder, Fyfe's retirement marks the end of an era for the club and the AFL.
