Chris Bond Biography

Chris Bond steps down as football manager of Fremantle.

"I have always been heavily invested and committed to Fremantle, with the sole aim of always doing what was in the best interests of the club," Bond said.

"I have been in discussions with Steve Rosich for some time about the best way forward for myself and we agreed that the time was right to announce my departure today."

James Hird turns down an opportunity to join Fremantle as an opposition analyst based in Melbourne.

"We've spoken to James over the last week or so and both James and the club have decided it's going to be quite difficult in regards to his time commitments to be able to do that role," Fremantle football manager Chris Bond said.

Fremantle development coach Peter Sumich has decided to end his tenure at the Dockers immediately after it was confirmed over the weekend that he would be leaving the club at the end of the season.

"The decision, which was by mutual agreement between Peter and the club, allows Peter more time to start planning for the next phase of his career," Fremantle general manager of football operations Chris Bond said.

"From the club's perspective it provides us with an earlier opportunity to finalise our coaching structure for 2017.

"Peter brought a wealth of football knowledge and experience with him when he joined Fremantle in 2011 and has made a significant contribution to the progress and development of the club during the past five seasons.

"We wish Peter all the very best in his future endeavours."

Fremantle confirms a meeting with Dean Laidley but says no place for former Roos' coach at the Dockers.

''Dean is an experienced coach and we believed it was due process to have an informal discussion with him about football in general,'' Fremantle football manager Chris Bond said.

''At this stage there is no assistant coach position to discuss with Dean.''

Fremantle has moved to block opposition clubs swooping on superstar pair Matthew Pavlich and Aaron Sandilands next year particularly with Gold Coast set to make a play for uncontracted players.

"We will have strategies in place where people aren't vulnerable and we're not going to be caught out where we'll be attacked by those clubs for our players," general manager Chris Bond said.

"Key players who fit into that model won't be allowed to do that, but we won't be held to ransom on the other side of things as well."

Fremantle could rest prized recruit Stephen Hill from matches in a bid to protect the 19-year-old's rangy body.

"If we have to give 'Hilly' a break before the end of the year because our fitness and medical people came to us and said he needed a break, we wouldn't hesitate in giving him a rest," Dockers football boss Chris Bond said.

"That wouldn't matter who we were playing because we see our first-year players as especially being looked after for more long-term availability views."