By Aaron Kirby
Developing Fremantle forward Charlie Nicholls says he and the other WAFL Dockers will continue to put their best foot forward for Peel Thunder and remain ready should the seniors come calling.
A series of untimely injuries derailed the Dockers鈥 2024 campaign, seeing the harbour club fall from third to 10th in just seven weeks.
Spearhead Josh Treacy was the linchpin of the capitulation, hurting his PCL to miss a crucial final three games.
However, Nicholls said the WAFL brigade were working hard behind the scenes to ensure they were ready to be the next man up.
鈥淚 think we just keep putting our best foot forward, keep focusing on things to improve ourselves and improve as a team down here,鈥 he told The West Australian.
鈥淲hatever happens happens, and we鈥檒l just keep putting our best foot forward down here and keep working on the things we need to work on.
鈥淚鈥檓 feeling good and feel like I鈥檓 building every week. Obviously, a tough one today, but I鈥檓 feeling fit, feeling strong.鈥
Peel鈥檚 young forward line found the going tough in a 28-point defeat at the hands of East Perth in Mandurah on Saturday, especially with the ball being blazed into the 50, rarely suiting the leads from Nicholls.
However, the 19-year-old South Australian said he enjoyed getting to know his Thunder teammates and learning to work together as a forward group.
鈥淲e鈥檙e a very young team as a whole, so it is tough,鈥 he said.
鈥淏ut the boys are really good to work with, and we work really well together and get along really well.
鈥淲e鈥檙e just going to keep getting more experience every time we play and just keep building. The group down here makes it really easy for the Fremantle guys to come down and slot in.鈥
Peel managed just six goals for the day against the Royals despite booting three of those in the first term, and Nicholls said the side had learnt plenty to work on.
鈥淗ow contest and our team D were the main things we鈥檙e going to look at,鈥 he said.
鈥淚 just think we got beaten in the contest and then lost field position, and then it鈥檚 hard to defend from that.鈥