Fremantle Football Club (FFC) represents more than 140 years of WA football heritage. The men’s team entered the AFL in 1994, and the women’s team was among the inaugural AFLW licence holders in 2017.

In late 2019, the Fremantle Football Club (FFC) conducted an employee engagement survey, which revealed 65% satisfaction among the club’s employees, 5% below the national average. Identifying this as a problem and linking unsatisfactory off-field performance to poor results on-field, FFC undertook a major management restructuring.

FFC’s new leadership set about delivering cultural change – recognising that exceptional results on the field could only come from exceptional performance off the field. Over five years, the club has undergone a radical transformation, introducing a range of People and Culture initiatives to help recruit high-performance talent:

• The club created the “Freo Best Self Academy”—providing $2,500 per employee for bespoke training and learning (47% higher than the AFL average) – the “Purple Pathway” career development framework, and compensation packages that broke AFL norms of paying up to 18% below market rates.
• The club also created a comprehensive “Wellbeing Framework”, including appointing a groundbreaking Head of Wellbeing and Wellbeing Dog, annual wellness assessments, skin checks and flu vaccinations; the “Golden Anchor” peer-to-peer recognition system; industry-leading paid parental leave (primary carers can choose between six months full pay or 12 months half-pay); an additional 12 days of time off in lieu per season; and a “Connection Calendar” of opportunities to gather as a team (e.g., matchday huddles, cultural immersion events).
• The club rolled out the “Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan” for Aboriginal inclusiveness; changed the club’s name to “Walyalup” during the AFL Indigenous rounds; developed a partnership with Diversity Australia, establishing a comprehensive framework for inclusion; achieved accreditation for gender equality sourcing from Work 180; and became an active member of CEOs for Gender Equity.
• The club created a custom-built performance management system that aligns individual and organisational objectives. It introduced advanced data analytics, engaged PhDs in performance management, and implemented a Microsoft Copilot AI pilot program, as well as a comprehensive SharePoint knowledge management system.

These initiatives focused on people and culture have resulted in remarkable, sustained improvements that position FFC as an industry leader. FFC achieved employee engagement of 87% in 2024 (15 percentage points above the national average, up from 65% in 2018). Staff surveys show 100% feel proud to work at FFC, 99% have clarity on success requirements, and 98% would recommend FFC as a workplace.

Furthermore, all staff are paid WA market-competitive rates (most AFL clubs still do not achieve this), there was a 15% gender-pay-gap reduction in 2023-24 (averaging 4% reduction a year for seven years), and the club has an “All of Club Bonus Scheme” (ensuring organisational success translates into shared rewards), and a comprehensive range of benefits.

The club has achieved record-breaking membership growth (surpassing 63,000 in 2023) and improved on-field performance (from finishing 14th in 2018 to 6th in 2022 and 2025).

The club is also deeply involved in the community, including Indigenous youth development through the “Next Generation Academy,” community outreach via the club’s “Purple Hands Foundation” charity, and educational, healthy lifestyle, and sporting programs that reach over 1,400 schools annually.

The club’s 2026-30 strategic People and Culture objective, “Destination Freo”, positions FFC as the club of choice for talented staff and players nationally. It is centred on an industry-leading relocation package, hardwiring high performance into leadership development, improvements to football and administration facilities through the development of an indoor training centre, and the expansion of the club’s headquarters and Melbourne offices. The club’s transformation demonstrates an authentic cultural change, backed by strategic investment and courageous leadership decisions, which has elevated performance at every level.

For more information about Fremantle Football Club, visit fremantlefc.com.au.