Docker Mzungu poised to re-sign
Tendai Mzungu is set to become the latest Fremantle player to re-sign with the club after achieving career-high benchmarks this pre-season.
The 28-year-old is among 21 Dockers who have recorded a personal best in 3km time trials.
_The West Australian _understands negotiations to keep Mzungu at the club beyond this year are advanced. The Dockers are expected to announce a one-year contract extension soon.
The new deal would tie him to Fremantle until the end of 2016.
Mzungu, who has missed only one game in the past three seasons in reaching 86 career matches, has developed into one of the team's most versatile midfielders and a proven finals performer. Only Matt de Boer has come close to matching Mzungu's running during pre-season.
De Boer has put up his hand to be anointed as Ryan Crowley's successor with a strong pre-season.
He was moved from training with the forwards - the area where he has earned most of his 115 matches - to working with the midfield group on the back of his pre-Christmas results.
His push to win back a regular senior berth comes after falling from favour with the match committee last season and being voted out of Fremantle's leadership group.
De Boer, 24, managed just 14 matches in 2014 and only five after round nine, with injury playing a part in his lack of game time. He is out of contract at the end of this season but has committed to winning back his place as the side's tagger or as a midfielder.
The efforts come with established tagger Crowley behind schedule after an interrupted pre-season.
Crowley, who turns 31 next week, is one of the club's oldest players. He has battled back issues and returned to full training only late last month.
The Dockers host Melbourne in their NAB Challenge opener at Fremantle Oval next Thursday.
Crowley was one of just six Dockers to play every game last season.
_The West Australian _understands the 188-game player weighed up his future at the end of the season before deciding to play on for at least another year.
Dockers star Nat Fyfe confirmed earlier in the week at the club's season launch that de Boer was pushing for a senior berth as a run-with player.
"Matt de Boer has put his hand up to be a potential tagger and we've got some other types who can take that job because Ryan's not going to be around forever," Fyfe said.
"But I'm certainly confident in what Ryan can produce this year."
