The evolution of Fyfe: From ‘anti-authoritarian’ kid to inspirational leader – AFL

WHEN Nat Fyfe arrived at Fremantle at the end of 2009 as a skinny, shy but talented draftee, he immediately struck new teammate Matt de Boer as a player with an "anti-authoritarian streak" who was going to challenge the norms.

With a desire to be the best as soon as he could, it was that tendency to push boundaries and question the way things were done that initially rubbed some teammates up the wrong way.

But 12 years and 199 games on, it is a trait that has shaped the champion midfielder's career and allowed him to become a superstar of the competition and a unique leader of a young team.

"He was clearly in a hurry to make a mark," de Boer recalled ahead of Fyfe's 200th game on Saturday.

"He was shy with a bit of anti-authoritarian about him, and he was happy to push boundaries.

"He thinks differently and wants to do things in his own way, whether it was weights or touch, he would have his own take on it. But that was always coupled with a team element and a will to win."

De Boer describes his close friend as "anti-normal" in the way he thinks deeply about why things are done and then takes the actions he believes are needed to improve, rather than falling into line out of habit.

He had a clear plan from an early age to be the game's best player, de Boer said, which would lead him to do his own research and seek out his own specialists when they were needed.

"The fact that he always had a purpose to not just get better but to be the best, that was the difference between him and other players," de Boer said.

"He aimed high and wanted to be the best, which took him to another level."

Michael Barlow is another former teammate who remains close with Fyfe and recognised the anti-authoritarian and challenging side of his personality early on.

"That's exactly the way he is wired," Barlow said. "To challenge normal essentially and do things his own way in the confines of an elite program and team sport."

Barlow believes Fyfe is different to 99 per cent of AFL players in the extent of his professional ambition.

He is motivated by team success but is also acutely aware of the role he can play in that if he reaches the pinnacle individually, as he did twice as a Brownlow medallist in 2015 and 2019.

"This is not to put pressure on him, but he would sit there and think 'I can be the greatest of all time'," Barlow said.

"He would be driven by the team success but also the involvement and significance of his own individual performance.

"He is top one per cent in his field. He's one of the outliers in terms of performance and expectation, and with that comes a fair bit of behaving differently and finding different edges."

Barlow left Fremantle at the end of 2016 before Fyfe was made captain the following season, but he saw the midfielder's leadership style emerging.

The Werribee VFL coach has also remained in touch with the 29-year-old, sharing ideas on leadership, where Fyfe again brings a unique style.

"He's tapped into a little bit more about personal relationships and finding a little niche with every player," Barlow said.

"He might do a gun club with Brett Bewley once a week, and then he'll do surfing with James Aish, but each individual is different, and it might be 15 minutes a week where he invests in each individual in different ways.

"He has genuine care in people and he is very direct and invested in your life. It's a pretty special element of his character."

Former Docker Brady Grey has become a regular training partner for Fyfe in the off-season after the pair struck up a close friendship during their recoveries from injury in 2016.

He has watched Fyfe grow as a captain and believes his desire to be the best player is now matched with his desire to be the best possible leader of a young Fremantle team.

"It's starting to reflect in the way Freo are playing and how everyone accepts him for who he is and how he leads," Grey said.

"He's worked out who he wants to be a leader and he is bring the young guys along with him and really embracing that everyone is their own individual.

"His ability to connect with different generations and different players has made him a better player and a better leader."

Grey, who will join Fyfe up and down the WA coast for training stints, or in-land at the star's Lake Grace home, can still see the three-time All Australian's desire burning to be the best player in the competition.

Goalkicking issues have prevented him reaching those heights in an otherwise excellent season, but there have been performances in 2021 that show the champion Docker still has that level in him.

"Something that has been a constant is that he is not complacent about being good or great he wants to be the best and I don't think that's changed," Gray said.

"There's a reason why he's played 200 games and had the success he's had as an individual, but he always comes back to how can we win a premiership?

"He knows that if he's in that position where he's the best player in the comp then Freo can achieve something special."

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The evolution of Fyfe: From 'anti-authoritarian' kid to inspirational leader - AFL