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Fyfe named Freo best and fairest

Fyfe named Freo best and fairest

Nat Fyfe says he wants to be a leader at Fremantle after becoming just the third multiple winner of the Doig Medal in the club’s history.

The 23-year-old was last night crowned as the Dockers best and fairest winner at Crown Perth for the second year running.

He joins captain Matthew Pavlich and former skipper Peter Bell as the only Dockers to have taken out the award on more than one occasion.

The achievement came on the back of a season where Fyfe missed four games through suspension, but still managed to poll 283 votes – 32 more than runner-up Aaron Sandilands.

Dockers coach Ross Lyon told a packed gathering at the Doig Medal count there would be changes to Fremantle’s leadership group for 2015.

And Fyfe, who has not previously been voted into the select group across his five AFL seasons, said he wanted to step up into a leadership role.

“I haven’t been in a leadership group, but our leadership group works on a player driven system and is player voted,” Fyfe said.

“We’ve got great leadership at our club as it is. Until now there’s been no need to change that because we’ve had such solid and continuous leadership from our senior guys.

“But I’ve played five years now, I’m an established player. I feel like I can have a real impact and say in the direction of this club and leadership is something I aspire for at this footy club.”

Fyfe expressed his desire to take on new responsibilities on a night where captain Matthew Pavlich failed to finish in the count’s top 10 players.

Stephen Hill was third with 238 votes, while clearance king David Mundy (219) rounded out the top four.

Fyfe said he wanted to build on his ability to be a threat in attack after booting a career-high 24 goals this season.

“This year I was quite happy with my consistency and my ability to back up week after week,” Fyfe said.

“My body’s been something that’s held me back in recent years as a developing teen and (into my) early 20s.

“But now that I’ve grown into my body I feel I can get through a whole season and now it’s just continuing to build on my all-round game.

"My ability to go forward, kick goals and be a threat in the forward line is also something I want to work on.”