Nat Fyfe’s Illustrious AFL Journey Comes to an End: A Look at the Fremantle Champion’s Final Chapter

The End of an Era

Fremantle champion and two-time Brownlow medallist Nat Fyfe has called time on his decorated career at the end of the 2025 season.

His career concluded dramatically on Saturday night when Fremantle suffered a heartbreaking one-point loss to Gold Coast in their elimination final at Optus Stadium. The Dockers led by six points with less than two minutes remaining, but ultimately fell short in the closing moments.

A Legendary Career

Raised in Lake Grace in Western Australia’s wheatbelt region, Fyfe was drafted from WAFL club Claremont with pick No.29 in 2009. He made his debut the following year and quickly established himself as a star in the engine room. He became the first Fremantle player to win the Brownlow Medal in 2015, before becoming just the 15th player in AFL history to win the league’s highest individual award twice in 2019.

His impressive accolades include 178 goals, two Brownlow Medals (2015, 2019), three Doig Medals (2013, 2014, 2019), and three All-Australian jackets (2014, 2015, 2019), including one as captain in 2019. He was also voted the AFLPA’s MVP twice by his peers (2014, 2015).

Final Season and Legacy

Fyfe, who will turn 34 in September, has been hampered by injury this season, playing just five games for the year to take his career tally to 245 over 16 seasons.

Despite not achieving the ultimate team success, Fyfe leaves the game content, stating that he “tried everything and gave absolutely everything” to the club and evolved along the way. In his view, his journey without a premiership might have been more important than winning one, acknowledging that “the game does not give up its rewards very easily.”

As noted by Fremantle football boss Joe Brierty, “Nat’s legacy at the Fremantle Football Club will live on forever.” The club knows he will leave no stone unturned to make the most out of every moment left in his final campaign.