Fremantle Dockers’ captain Alex Pearce is having a standout season, playing every game so far, and leading his team with resilience and determination. As an athlete, Pearce has already overcome some mountain-high physical challenges, including a broken arm suffered in late 2019. Beyond this, he fights debilitating anxiety as the sub comes down to each fight.
In a revealing interview with The West Australian and 7NEWS, Pearce shared the significant emotional impact anxiety has on him leading up to games. This webinar was the first in their new “Unfiltered” series. He was candid to admit that he personally struggles with the urge to retreat. He portrayed that feeling colorfully, explaining that, “There’s a point when I go, if there was a button that would allow me to just leave and give up playing this game in this moment, would I hit it? A lot of the time I’m just like, ‘get me out of here.’”
Pearce’s anxiety comes from the pressures of expectation—both self and team imposed. He opened up about his sense of deep crisis around not being able to do what he’s trained to do. Perhaps most importantly, he never doubts whether he is capable of playing well enough to lead his team to victory. Even in the face of these obstacles, he’s certainly tremendously optimistic about himself.
Fremantle is leading the pack this season. Pearce is adamant there is “no reason” the team can’t take home its first premiership title. He is excited that his leadership can contribute to that success coming to the club and its passionate fans. Imagining what we can do not just for our club but for our great city gives me goosebumps. Now let’s find all the best opportunities to create our Freo first family! And that’s really what drives me… because I know at the end of it the reward can be so big.
Looking forward, the future looks bright for Pearce. Fans are understandably eager to hear about his likely return to Tasmania, given a new team is expected to enter the AFL competition in 2027. When questioned about whether he would consider such a move after achieving success with Fremantle, he shook his head, emphasizing his commitment to the Dockers. I would respond to that, except that we just won the premiership! Now, in any case, we’re concentrating on back to back this year and then at Fremantle next year.
As club captain, Pearce knows what his role means, not just to the club, but to the community. He noted the importance of connecting with fans who rely on the team’s success for their own happiness: “I have touched on not only how proud I am to lead my team but the club and the community… their weekends can revolve around it, how much success will mean.”
Pearce’s journey exhibits a blend of vulnerability and tenacity, as he navigates personal struggles while striving for excellence on the field. For him, it always comes back to that idea of going all in. You have to be all-in, open to being vulnerable, and prepared to lose—and to heartbreak.
