A Rising Star at Fremantle
Earlier in the year, Fremantle star Caleb Serong labeled Karl Worner as the club’s most courageous player. However, at the mid-point of the season, the 23-year-old is proving he has much more craft to his game than just blind bravery. As a defender for the Dockers, Worner has been steadily developing into a key player, showcasing not only his physicality but also his tactical awareness and skill.
Worner was taken in the 2021 Rookie Draft with pick eight, marking the beginning of his journey with Fremantle. Since then, he has been a development project for the club, learning the ropes while playing for Peel Thunder, Fremantle’s reserves side, in the WAFL. Despite the Dockers’ strong backline, which is rated as the number one defense in the league in 2026, Worner has managed to cement his spot in the 23-man squad alongside established players like Jordan Clark, Alex Pearce, Brennan Cox, Heath Chapman, Judd McVee, and Luke Ryan. Even keeping a two-time All-Australian, Luke Ryan, out of the starting lineup has been a testament to his growing influence.
A Family Legacy in Football
Back in 2019, Worner and his blonde locks were rolling around the Eastern football league for the East Burwood Rams, a club with deep family ties. His father, Steve, was president of the senior club, while his uncle, Andrew, was president of the junior club. Both had played at East Burwood and won several flags. The Rams were excited when the Worner name returned to the club.
Jim O’Shannassy, who was the under-19s coach at the time, remembers how thrilled the club was when Karl joined. “Karl’s family has a huge history at East Burwood,” O’Shannassy said in an exclusive interview. “His father was president of the senior club, his uncle was president of the junior club, and both his father and his uncle played at East Burwood and won a few flags.”
O’Shannassy recalls that Karl was involved with Carey and Oakleigh Chargers during his early years. “We were lucky enough to get as many games out of him as we did.” He praises Karl’s humility and work ethic. “He was absolutely well loved by all his teammates. Humility is one of his biggest assets. He’s not a big flamboyant guy, he looks like he is, but he’s an intelligent human being and he just goes about his business very humbly.”
Stats and Substance
Worner currently leads Fremantle and ranks in the top 20 in the league for intercept possessions. He is also third at the Dockers for intercept marks and averages just under 20 possessions a game while maintaining an 84 percent disposal efficiency. These numbers reflect a consistent and impressive defender, but what can’t be captured in stats is his bravery on the field and willingness to put his body on the line for the club.
In Round 1 2024, Worner was knocked out cold after colliding with Brisbane’s Lincoln McCarthy. He was stretchered off the ground and missed four weeks as he recovered. However, this incident hasn’t deterred him from putting himself in harm’s way for the club that took a chance on him.
A Legacy of Courage
O’Shannassy believes that Worner’s bravery on the football field runs deep through the Worner DNA. “He is an instinctive footballer, he’s also a thinker, but when he was playing instinctively, it didn’t matter… he would just see ball get ball and he would go for it no matter what,” he said. “Some of the marks he took were extraordinary, really.”
The coach also mentions that Karl’s cousins, Ben and Liam Worner, were on the same side and were hard at it as well. “I know his old man pretty well, so yeah, I think there’s a bit of a crazy streak in there. The Worners don’t lack courage, there’s no doubt about that. They don’t take a step back.”
The Road to the Draft
Worner spent the lead-up to his draft working hard, doing extra running sessions and any one-per-centers that would see him get picked up. However, as the draft rolled on, excitement turned to despair as his name wasn’t called. O’Shannassy, who remains in frequent contact with Worner, was at the family home during the draft. A night he remembers fondly.
“I was there the night he got drafted with his Dad and his uncle,” he said. “That was a big moment. I wasn’t there when Freo turned up, but I was certainly there on the night of the draft and that was, it was very exciting for him.”
The night was a rollercoaster, with Geelong showing interest before Fremantle ultimately selecting him. “He’s also pretty good friends with Nick Daicos, so he turned up later on as well that evening, and they sort of celebrated together, so yeah, it was good. Great night really, it was.”
