Luke McPharlin, Aaron Sandilands, Antoni Grover and Des Headland have been promoted to Fremantle's leadership group, while Matthew Pavlich will captain the AFL club for a third year.

The retirements of Peter Bell, Shaun McManus, Matthew Carr, Mark Johnson, Luke Webster and Jeff Farmer, plus Josh Carr's defection back to Port Adelaide, left Pavlich as the sole remaining member from the 2008 leadership group.

Fremantle are yet to name a vice-captain to replace Carr, with McPharlin and Sandilands the early frontrunners.

"The five players in the new leadership group have, collectively, played more than 700 AFL games and we will be calling on that experience, both on and off the field in 2009, to lead what is now one of the youngest playing lists in the AFL," coach Mark Harvey said.

"Each is a consummate professional and they are all committed to taking the Fremantle Football Club forward in the coming years.

"They realise the importance of their roles within the leadership group and will be entrusted with assisting the coaching staff in helping the 14 new draftees at the club develop both as footballers and good citizens."

After much hype, Fremantle finished a disappointing 14th in 2008 with just six wins to their name.

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