A preseason intra-club game could provide an major insight into the Dockers starting line-up for round one of the AFL season.
And one observation is that Ross Lyon's favoured son Zac Dawson appears to finally be on the outer, with the arrival of Western Bulldogs premiership defender Joel Hamling seemingly pushing the dour defender out of Fremantle's best 22.
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The lineups in the scratch match suggest Lyon plans to unveil four of the club's high-profile trade recruits in the Dockers critical season opener against premiership fancies Geelong in Perth next month.
Key forwards and new arrivals Cam McCarthy and Shane Kersten, former Hawthorn premiership midfielder Brad Hill and Hamling were all standout performers in a near full-strength Dockers practice match side on Wednesday.
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However established full-back Zac Dawson lined up in defence for the "second" team in a full-scale game against what appeared to be the Dockers preferred starting line-up.
The game also marked the final time Dockers will play a match at established home ground Fremantle Oval ahead of next week's switch to plush new $107million training and administration base at Cockburn.
Only gun ruckman Aaron Sandilands was missing from Lyon's "first" team, as the Dockers giant recovers from a nagging calf strain.
Sandilands is expected to be fully recovered in time for the season opener and if fit is a sure thing to lead Fremantle's ruck division in 2017.
In his absence veteran Jon Griffin controlled on-ball big man duties as he pressed his claim for a spot against the Cats as a back-up lead ruckman.
Starting fullback Alex Pearce appears the only player assured of a spot in Lyon's defensive line, however the key defender is still recovering from a broken leg and will sit out the early rounds of the season.
Dockers management has also already declared controversial recruit Harley Bennell will miss round one of the new premiership home-and-away campaign.
The star onballer is yet to play a senior game for the Dockers since making a high-profile move from Gold Coast at the end of the 2015 season.
Only reigning club champion Lachie Neale, emerging young gun Connor Blakely and experienced winger Danyle Pearce were planted into the "second" team to oppose the Dockers front-line starting on-ballers.
Nippy utility Hayden Crozier was back in action in a midfield role with the "second" team after a fortnight in rehabilitation following a groin injury.
Top draft choice Griffin Logue started in the "second" outfit, but was swapped into the senior unit's defensive battery for the second half.
The 18-year-old is tipped to play early games for the Dockers, and a strong finish to the preseason could push the powerfully-built utility into contention for a first-team spot in the side to take on the Cats on Sunday, March 26.
The full dress rehearsal from Lyon's apparent preferred starting make-up was significant in determining the Dockers selection priorities for the 2017 season.
Also evident was a style of play with ball movement from backward of centre and Fremantles forwards pressing well up into the midfield when their side wasn't in possession.
Lyon has been adamant that more sustained and power running into formations, whether in possession or defending territory, and a more defensive style is on the cards after last year's disastrous campaign which saw just four wins and a disappointing 16th-placed finish.
A distinctive defensive style was the blueprint for Lyon's success in his opening four seasons at Fremantle from 2012-15, a style which saw the Dockers reach a grand final and emerge as premiership fancies before last year's stunning fall from grace.
Wednesday's match was highlighted by an additional midfielder floating into defence.
Tidy ball users David Mundy and Stephen Hill pressed back to give the Dockers additional numbers in the defence while established backmen Michael Johnson, Cam Sutcliffe and Garrick Ibbotson were constantly creating loose targets to help efficiently move the ball from backward of centre.
Meanwhile up forward, 23-year-old Shane Kersten played as a crucial link-up target with the former Cats man a regular presence around the midfield before streaming forward when his side was storming towards scoring zones in transition from defence.
Joel Hamling, also 23, will lead the Dockers defensive division from fullback with veteran Johnson back in action after missing virtually the entire 2016 season through injury.
Cam McCarthy, 21, also makes his comeback to AFL after the key forward sat out the entire 2016 season following a dispute with Greater Western Sydney after Giants blocked his move back to his home state to the Dockers.
His presence and attacking style has been prominent in Dockers training into the New Year while Kersten has only this month resumed full training after battling groin strains and then a bout of food poisoning.
Kersten and Hamling both suffered from salmonella poisoning after sharing a pizza in Fremantle late last month.
The retirement of Dockers champion Matthew Pavlich, and Chris Mayne's decisions to head to Collingwood, means there will be a new-look Dockers forward battery this season with Kersten set to operate in tandem with McCarthy.
New captain Nathan Fyfe shone throughout the practice match while new leadership group member Michael Walters also put in a lively display.
Fremantle's possible Round 1 "starting" line-up.
Backs: Garrick Ibbotson, Joel Hamling, Lee Spurr.
Half-Backs: Cam Sutcliffe, Michael Johnson, Tom Sheridan.
Centres: Stephen Hill, Nat Fyfe, Brad Hill.
Half-Forwards: Lachie Weller, Shane Kersten, Ed Langdon.
Forwards: Michael Walters, Cam McCarthy, Hayden Ballantyne.
Followers: Aaron Sandilands, David Mundy, Lachie Neale.
Interchange from Jon Griffin, Griffin Logue, Matt Taberner, Connor Blakely, Danyle Pearce, Nick Suban and Darcy Tucker.