AFL: Six Peel Thunder guns on Fremantle Dockers’ radar as AFL clubs reveal COVID contingency lists

A group of Peel Thunder stars could be up for a shock selection at AFL level, including a country footy bolter who is yet to even debut for the WAFL club. Lachlan Cullen, Wade Derksen, Ben Hancock, Traye Bennell, Tyrone Thorn and Harvey-Brunswick-Leschenault best and fairest winner and new recruit Ty Anderson have been named on Fremantle’s COVID contingency list. They are among 20 players from across the WAFL who will be made available for Fremantle should the virus reduce their available playing stocks to less than 25. If less than 30 players are available to train at the Dockers, the club can dip into the player pool and invite recruits to train with the main group at its Cockburn facility. Anderson is the biggest surprise among the list, with the South West Football League gun moving to the Thunder only this off-season. He was called upon by the Dockers to fill a spot on a wing in an intra-squad practice game and played for the Thunder in its own pre-season meeting with West Perth at the weekend. He said the early exposure to the Dockers’ set-up was a significant learning experience as his time in the State league begins. “It was a good opportunity; I learnt a lot out of it,” Anderson said. “It was very quick, fast-paced. They have the way they want to play and I just needed to adjust to that. “It was good to go round and have a run with some of the top quality athletes in the State.” Thorne, a 20-year-old Rockingham product, is already a Tuckey Medal winner at the Thunder with just 26 league games to his name, while the significantly more experienced Hancock finished runner-up in the 2021 count. Hancock, Peel’s skipper, is a versatile midfield option who can win his own footy but also play a run-with role if required. Cullen has quickly become one of Peel’s most impressive youngsters through just 25 league appearances, while fellow former SWFL product Bennell would be a more experienced option should he be required by the Dockers.