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Mornings from 10am todayThe duo most likely to join Tassie and the “perfect” captain choice
SEN • July 16th, 2026 11:42 am
Tasmania has its eyes set on Fremantle skipper Alex Pearce to lead the Devils in their inaugural 2028 season.
As reported by Mitch Cleary on Agenda Setters, Tasmania are said to be ‘chips in’ on the veteran defender who is set to be an unrestricted free agent at the end of 2027, just prior to the Devils entering the competition in 2028.
SEN Breakfast’s Tom Morris and Sam Edmund believe it’s the obvious choice for Tassie to pursue as their inaugural leader, given his origins in Tasmania and his resume as a captain at the current ladder leaders in Fremantle.
Morris: “Mitch (Cleary) reported last night, and Nick Riewoldt and I got involved as well, that Tasmania is chips in on Alex Pearce, potentially to be their first captain.”
Edmund: “How could they not be?”
Morris: “Alex Pearce is very much open to this as well, but the Pearce camp has learned from Oscar Allen meeting with Sam Mitchell last year not to meet with Tasmania this year.
“In a two-team town, a captain meeting with a rival club is a recipe for disaster. It absolutely cooked Oscar Allen last year.
“Pearce hasn't met with Tasmania, but this will be reconsidered at the end of the year, and I wouldn't be surprised if there are some conversations over the summer around what the end of 2027 looks like for Alex.”
Edmund: “He’d be a great first captain.”
Morris: “It makes perfect sense. He's 31 now and 32 next June, he could almost write his own cheque there for an older player.
“As first captain, he'd have that legacy. He's from Tasmania, and also there's a sign-on bonus as well, he'd be able to make a great last paycheque.
“It is possible for players, as we've learned, to commit to the now and hopefully be a premiership captain for the Dockers and also think about the future, which is clearly how Pearce is straddling the two objectives.”
Edmund: “I'm sure he's got plenty of family and friends still back in Tassie, he'd be perfect.”
With Pearce an obvious target, Edmund asked Morris which other players he expects to join Tasmania for that initial 2028 season.
Morris named two players from big Melbourne clubs - Collingwood and Richmond - that he expects to head south after next season.
Edmund: “Who else do you suspect, just while we're on Tassie? I think Cal Twomey said two players have formally agreed already.”
Morris: “A bit of a crystal ball here, if I had to pick two, I would pick Beau McCreery given the money that's on offer to him, and I would pick Rhyan Mansell.
“He (Mansell) was going to sign a two-year deal with Richmond, that was on the cards… but it was just a one-year extension. He’s locked into the end of 2027 now, which lines up perfectly.”
