Dom the Docker: Myrtleford star earns his second chance in the AFL

Myrtleford’s Dom Bedendo is ready to have another crack at the bigtime, after earning a dream second chance in the AFL with Fremantle. The 24-year-old winger signed a two-year deal with the Dockers as a delisted free agent last week after two seasons in the VFL. Speaking from his Myrtleford home, Bedendo said it was an incredible feeling to have another chance at living out his footy dream. “I’m so grateful for Freo for giving me the opportunity to have a crack at it again,” he said. “There’s a lot of hard work and dedication that’s gone into it...in footy there’s no guarantees of anything, but to get picked up has been incredible. “I sort of knew that I had the talent to play at a high level and it was just more about getting my body right and getting continuity in my football.” Bedendo was drafted with the 55th pick in the 2020 AFL draft by the Western Bulldogs, where he’d play two AFL games. His time at the club was hampered by a run of injuries, which led to him being delisted at the end of 2024. He joined Port Melbourne in 2025, kicking 23 goals in 17 games and coming home to play a couple of games for Myrtleford that season. But it was his 2026 campaign which saw Bedendo reach another level. His size and marking ability as a 187cm outside player saw him become a goal kicking X-factor, kicking 35 goals in 20 matches, which included a season-high five goals against North Melbourne in round eight. Bedendo helped Port Melbourne to a preliminary final appearance in the VFL finals this year and he was awarded for his strong season as a Borough Spirit Award winner at the club’s end of season presentations. The 24-year-old said he credited much of his improvement this year to his coaches, in particular senior coach Brendan McCartney and assistant James Hird. “They instilled a lot of belief in me and I’m incredibly grateful for them,” he said. “I worked really closely with James over the last two years, more so this year, and his main thing was to know that I've got the talent, it's just about believing in myself, it was great to hear. “Macca is a real old-fashioned type of coach, he loves the contest and the fight… a bit like Myrtleford, built on hardness, grit and working hard. “I learned so much off him in that sort of department, and it was awesome to learn off them.” Bedendo said he met with a few AFL clubs throughout the year, with Fremantle approaching him late in the season. At the beginning of the AFL trade period the Dockers dealt wingman Nathan O’Driscoll to Richmond, which opened up a vacancy on the Dockers’ wing stocks. Almost as soon as the deal was done, the Dockers made their offer to Bedendo. “They’ve got a great footy program, they obviously fell just short in the granny this year and hopefully we can go another step further next year and I can be part of some success there,” Bedendo said. In a club statement, Fremantle head of player personnel David Walls said signing Bedendo as a delisted free agent was a great outcome. “We’ve been watching Dom really closely since he returned to the VFL as a mature-age player,” he said. “He’s performed strongly as an athletic, hard-running winger; his size makes him an aerial threat and he also has good agility. “The trade with Richmond for Nathan O’Driscoll gave us an additional draft selection, rather than wait to see whether Dom would still be available in the draft, we decided to secure him now as a delisted free agent. “We’ve added Pat Voss, Corey Wagner and Oscar McDonald to our list from VFL clubs in recent seasons and we’re confident Dom adds to our wing stocks and depth, which we felt was important.” Following his big announcement last week Bedendo spent the weekend at home in Myrtleford to get away from the noise and reset for a big couple of months ahead. Bedendo will pack his bags and make the move to Perth next month, with pre-season set to begin on 22 November. “I’ve got a few mates who live in Perth and they tell me it’s God’s Country over there so I’m keen to check it out,” he said.

Dom the Docker: Myrtleford star earns his second chance in the AFL

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