WAFL Ones To Watch : Fred Rodriguez (South Fremantle)Tuesday, May 6, 2025 - 9:09 AM

Fred Rodriguez is one of the leading draft prospects Western Australia has to offer in 2025, and the South Fremantle product has pushed his name into top 10 calculations in the upcoming AFL draft.

Rodriguez is a big-bodied midfielder, currently listed at 184cm, and able to use his strength as an inside midfielder to shrug off would-be tacklers and burst out of stoppages to create forays forward.

He won’t turn 18 until July, giving him plenty of time still to grow and develop as he looks to follow in the footsteps of big-bodied WA midfielders Patrick Cripps, Nat Fyfe and Bo Allan.

Rodriguez played 11 WAFL Colts games last season as a bottom-age prospect and dominated as a 16- and 17-year-old, averaging 22.5 disposals per game and winning 20+ touches in nine of those 11 games.

He also played four Colts games the year prior as a 15 and 16-year-old, proving how long recruiters and talent managers have noted his talent.

Rodriguez possesses some impressive skills for a bigger player. He is extremely sound by hand and foot and composed with ball in hand, able to assess situations, take his time and break tackles if need-be and then fire off the footy to a target.

He’s also very fit and runs smart patterns to get himself open around the ground.

Rodriguez can often be seen during games exploding into space to mark the ball in transition, despite his number of strengths as a contested player.

His running power and ability to find space is elite.

One of Rodriguez’s talents is his ability to kick on both sides of his body.

He is a right-footer, but you wouldn’t know it if you saw his booming left foot kicking.

AFL clubs will be attracted to his ability to use both sides of his body with elite ball use and composure.

Recently the Fremantle City Dockers product has shown an ability to venture forward and provide versatility in his game as well.

In Round 1 this season, Rodriguez made his WAFL League debut for the Bulldogs, playing against Perth who parade a midfield of strong ex-AFL players including Charlie Constable, Brandan Parfitt and Sam Simpson.

He spent plenty of time inside 50 during this game and popped up to kick his first goal in the seniors.

In his only Colts game of the season so far against Swan Districts, Rodriguez amassed 29 disposals, laid five tackles and kicked a goal, once more showing his can impact the scoreboard.

The reason Rodriguez has only played one WAFL Colts game this year to date is because he has been representing the AFL Academy, which he was named in late last year.

In mid-April the Academy took on the Richmond Tigers’ VFL team, where he played a midfield/forward split, collecting 14 disposals, taking three marks and delivering three inside 50s.

Rodriguez also played for the AFL Academy alongside 21 other top draft prospects against VFL side Coburg on April 27, winning by 23 points to showcase the serious talent this draft class has.

Rodriguez represented Western Australia last year at the Under 18’s National Championships, playing all four games as a bottom-ager and averaging 18.8 disposals across the carnival.

He then went on to play in the AFL Under 17’s futures match, played annually at the MCG on Grand Final Day as a curtain raiser, where he won 17 disposals and took four marks through the midfield for Team Sloane.

Adding to his versatility, Rodriguez also spent time off half back during this game, providing line-breaking run and smart ball use in transition.

Rodriguez has already written an impressive junior and representative football resume for himself and will now look to add to it by returning to South Fremantle in preparation for the upcoming 2025 Under 18’s National Championships carnival, beginning in June.

Western Australia has announced a strong squad and is expected to compete for the title, whilst Rodriguez is likely to play a prominent part in WA’s midfield.

Keep your eye on Fred Rodriguez as the year goes on as he is likely to continue his improvement and development, feature heavily for Western Australia in the National Championships and be a top draft prospect at the end of the season.