FREMANTLE have been the biggest shorteners in betting for next year’s premiership on the back of their busy trade period.

The Dockers have been wound in from $41 to $34 to win the 2019 flag with TABtouch, after they brought in tall targets Jesse Hogan and Rory Lobb.

Fremantle also secured Essendon speedster Travis Colyer and Richmond free agent Reece Conca, although they lost star midfielder Lachie Neale to Brisbane.

Collingwood and Essendon’s flag quotes were also trimmed on the back of their moves during the trade period. The Magpies ($8 to $7) brought Brisbane star Dayne Beams back to the club, while the Bombers ($13 to $12) secured in-demand Greater Western Sydney midfielder Dylan Shiel.

Richmond ($5) heads premiership betting with TABtouch, with West Coast ($5.50) second in the market after the Eagles retained Andrew Gaff but missed out on adding first-year Geelong revelation Tim Kelly.

GWS were the biggest drifters, from $10 to $13, to win next year’s premiership after losing Shiel, Lobb and Tom Scully.

While the Dockers would have to make up significant ground to figure in the 2019 premiership race, there are a string of recent precedents of teams making dramatic surges up the ladder which offer hope.

Collingwood made this year’s grand final having finished 13th in 2017, Richmond won the 2017 flag from 13th the previous year and the Western Bulldogs came from 14th in 2014 to clinch their drought-breaking flag two years later.

TABtouch is yet to release its top-eight market.

Sportsbet has the Dockers at a lengthy $4 to play finals next season.

Superstars Nat Fyfe, Dustin Martin and Tom Mitchell, all previous winners of the award, are joint $6 favourites for the Brownlow Medal.