“He’s a really nice fit for them”: Former Swan identified as a potential pick for Fremantle in mid-season draft

UPDATE

Fremantle has since indicated that they will take no part in the 2024 Mid-Season Rookie Draft.

EARLIER

The AFL’s national talent manager, Michael Ablett, believes Norwood midfielder Matt Ling will be selected in the 2024 Mid-Season Rookie Draft.

Drafted at Pick 14 by the Swans in the 2017 national draft, Ling only recorded four senior games for the red and white.

However, Ablett is confident that the 25-year-old midfielder should get another chance at AFL level in Wednesday night’s mid-season draft as Fremantle looks to strengthen their midfield heading into the second half of the season.

Ablett loves Ling’s kicking skills and feels he would be a good point of difference for the Dockers.

“He’s a really nice fit for them,” Ablett said on SEN WA Breakfast.

“It’s his accuracy, he is pinpoint, (his) precision. He is versatile, he started down back but has now pushed up into the midfield with Norwood.

“The added foot skills and polish into their midfield, he (could) come off half-back and give them some real genuine speed.”

With Fremantle currently sitting ninth on the AFL ladder and just two points out of the eight, getting their mid-season pick right could go a long way in determining whether their fans will see finals football in 2024.

Ablett suggested that Ling can fill a potentially decisive gap in an otherwise strong Fremantle midfield unit.

“When I came and watched Sydney play Freo a couple of weeks ago, I haven’t seen a team pull apart a side by foot like Sydney did to Freo that night,” Ablett added.

“So therefore I look at the importance of kicking these days, Matt Ling would be great.

“He gives you some speed, and I’m not taking anything away from those guys who are currently in the Fremantle midfield, but he would be a nice injection of pace and we all know left footers over recent times have a history of being very good kicks of the footy.”

With comparisons to Sydney star Errol Gulden, Ling could be a shrewd pick for Freo on Wednesday night.

He is averaging 19.7 disposals, 3.3 rebound 50s and 2.2 inside 50s for the Redlegs across six games this season.

The Dockers currently hold Pick 10 in this year’s mid-season draft.