Since they joined the competition in 1995, the Dockers have seen 30 players depart for other clubs at the end of their 19 premiership-less seasons. Some were moved on by the club because they didn’t fit in with their plans, but others wanted out.

As the club struggled for success and stability, several players sought both elsewhere.

Jeff White, Winston Abraham, James Clement, Jess Sinclair, Brodie Holland, Adam McPhee, Trent Croad, Graham Polak, Paul Medhurst, Robert Warnock and Chris Tarrant were either big names involved in trades or who found success once they left Fremantle (some by choice, others not).

In fairness, three of those trades delivered talent to the club - Des Headland (for McPhee), Peter Bell (for Sinclair) and Tarrant (for Medhurst).

All of those aforementioned swaps occurred before one significant moment in the club’s history – the signing of Ross Lyon as coach.

Since Lyon’s switch from St Kilda, there appears to be calm and stability at the port club.

And it’s something that both Fyfe and Mundy eluded to this week.

“I've been through some bleak years at Fremantle and they're not times that I want to really go back to,” Mundy said when asked if the potential for success kept him at the club.

“I feel like we've got a very strong culture here at the moment, which will really help propel the group forward.

“The accountability and the 'top down' kind of performance from the club is something that I really admire and I'm really privileged to be a part of.”

Fyfe was just as positive about the atmosphere around the club.

“Playing team footy and succeeding in a team is ultimately what we're in the game for,” he said when he also announced his three-year contract extension.

“Fremantle are building a strong culture which will set this club up for success, or the best opportunity for success, for not only my time, but going forward from that. I'm really keen to be a part of that.”

Both Fyfe and Mundy would have received significant offers from other clubs, as would forward Hayden Ballantyne who also signed a contract extension at the start of this season. All would have been for big dollars and would have been tempted to leave – Fyfe admitting that a seven-year deal was tabled by a rival club.

While in the past players may have been inclined to give Freo the old heave-ho, clearly this week’s announcements show that is no longer the case.

Since Lyon took over as coach during the 2012 pre-season, only three players have left the club: Rhys Palmer went to GWS before even attending a training session held by Lyon; Greg Broughton moved to the other expansion club, the Gold Coast, a year later and Vic Michie returned to Victoria in search of opportunities after playing just one game with the Dockers (he’s played two under Paul Roos at Melbourne this season).

Fyfe is from WA, but it was that lure back to the east coast that had many believing Mundy would up stumps at the end of his 10th season in the west.

And while he said a desire to move back home was a major stumbling block in his decision-making, it wasn’t enough to prompt leaving Fremantle.

“Yeah, it was a heavy consideration and I didn't want to rush this decision. It's a major life decision, not just a football decision, so I don't apologise for taking my time and taking the time I felt I needed to make this decision,” he said.

“But definitely, the pull to move close to my family was definitely one of the major factors that I was considering.

“It was about life choices. I am not thinking about in two years’ time or four years’ time, I am thinking in 10 years - what is best for me and my family and the best way for me to support my family at this stage was to stay in Fremantle.

“I am more than happy to stay here; I love playing my football here and I am obviously very grateful that Fremantle gave me my shot, 10 years ago, so I am just hopeful to repay that faith.”

The Dockers are a different club under the new Lyon regime, with CEO Stephen Rosich and football operations manager Chris Bond also working hard in the backgrounds to deliver the club its first premiership. It's a closed shop, with a united front; no rumours of secret player meetings or revolts.

Winning certainly stops most of that from happening and the club appears to be planning to avoid a slip back to the dark days.

Rosich said earlier this week: “We are really well placed as a football club to retain players that we seek to retain and also to attract players to our football club.”

The proof is in the signings.

The club has avoided losing three stars this season, with Mundy one of the big players available on the AFL’s restricted free agent list.

In the past two seasons the club has also lured Danyle Pearce from Port Adelaide and Colin Sylvia from Melbourne under free agency rules.

But perhaps the club's best signing this year was that of Lyon, who extended his initial four-year contract by a further two years which keeps him at the club until at least 2017.