Fremantle have secured another of their rising stars to a long-term contract, with midfielder Matthew Johnson signing a four-year extension. After The West Australian revealed last week the Subiaco product was deep in discussions with the Dockers, the club announced on Tuesday morning the 23-year-old had penned a deal which would keep him in purple until at least the end of the 2030 season. Johnson has played 65 games across five years with Fremantle — who have adopted the name Walyalup for the Sir Doug
Nicholls rounds — and is in the midst of a career-best season. He slotted what proved to be the match-winning goal in their dramatic win over Collingwood in Gather Round and gathered a season-high 22 disposals a comfortable 43-point win over Essendon on Sunday. Johnson said he was “over the moon” to be remaining with the Dockers for the rest of the decade. “It was a pretty easy decision in the end. I love the club and I love everyone who works at the club,”
Johnson said. “I feel like I’ve grown up with a lot of the players — some of them are my best mates now — so I’m so privileged to be able to stay here for another four years and be a part of hopefully something special. “The future is very bright at Freo and I want to be a part of that.” Fremantle’s list manager David Walls said the club saw Johnson “as part of that core group of players we’re trying to keep together.”
“At 23 we see him really coming out of his apprenticeship now and he’s played quite a significant amount of footy for someone his age,” Walls said. “He’s been building year on year, getting bigger and stronger. We love his size and he has really good running capabilities. “He can go inside and play multiple roles and really do whatever the team needs at that time, which is valued by our coaches and his teammates.” Johnson has joined Josh Treacy, Pat Voss, Brennan Cox, Sean
Darcy and Judd McVee in being committed to the Dockers until the 2030 season. Midfield stars Andrew Brayshaw (2031), Hayden Young (2032) and Caleb Serong (2034) have also tied their long-term futures to the club, while Luke Jackson and Murphy Reid are signed through until 2029.
Matthew Johnson, Fremantle Dockers, four-year extension, contract, 2030 season, Walyalup, Gather Round, Collingwood, Essendon
Four years til the 2030 season?? That’s wild. Glad he’s staying or whatever.
Wait so it’s Matthew Johnson like the Mathew from school? Also the “Walyalup” thing is cool but I’m still confused why they changed the name for one event.
So he signed a deal and now he can’t leave til 2030? I feel like players always say it’s an easy decision and then later demand trades anyway. Also match-winning goal vs Collingwood like that’s the whole resume lol.
Is this the same Fremantle that’s doing the whole Walyalup for the Sir Doug Nicholls rounds? I swear I saw something about that and thought it was just merch branding. Anyway 22 disposals in a 43-point win is insane, but I don’t really get why they’re talking about 2034 like it’s tomorrow. Hope he doesn’t get injured right after signing, that always happens.