Alex Pearce is set to be voted in by his peers as Fremantle's next captain, according to SEN's Kane Cornes.
Nat Fyfe officially stepped down last week, bringing to an end a tenure than began back in 2017.
Key defender Pearce and gun midfielder Andrew Brayshaw had long been speculated as the next leaders of the club, with the former taking the captaincy in much of Fyfe's injury-enforced absences across 2022.
Former Sydney star Gerard Healy had previously advocated for Pearce to be handed the reins short-term, and Cornes believes that is what the club is set to do.
“(I've been told) that your inkling that Alex Pearce could be the next skipper of Fremantle will be correct,” Cornes told Healy on SEN's Sportsday.
“So what I was told is the players will vote in Pearce because he challenges the group more so than Andy Brayshaw and Brayshaw is at the level where he hasn't quite been able to challenge players when they're stepping out of line or need to be pulled back into line, whereas Pearce has got that.
“Now, Brayshaw I'm sure will get that eventually, from the outside I thought he was the obvious one, but I think you're going to be proven right on that one.”
Healy advocated for Pearce on the basis that there was no need to rush Brayshaw into the leadership role too early.
The midfielder has developed into one of his side's best, now with five AFL seasons and 100 games under his belt.
But at 23, Brayshaw has plenty of footy ahead of him.
“If Alex Pearce who did it really well in Fyfe's absence last year can do it for another year or two, that's what I'd be doing,” Healy added.
Pearce, who turns 28 during the 2023 season, has endured a recent history of injuries but managed 19 appearances in 2022 and finished fourth in the best and fairest which was won by Brayshaw.
Pearce has now played 84 games across nine seasons at the top level.