They struck it rich with Danyle Pearce, but Fremantle will review their free agency recruiting in the wake of the latest saga involving Colin Sylvia.

Sylvia has been banished to the WAFL after failing to meet a series of physical markers during the pre-season.

The former Demon was already in the bad books after producing an underwhelming 2014 campaign that was also blighted by poor fitness and questionable work ethic.

Sylvia was a highly-prized recruit when he was snared by Fremantle via free agency at the end of 2013.

But the 29-year-old’s career is now at the crossroads, despite having two more years to run on his lucrative deal.

“From the time Col came through the door off his break, he’s the first to admit he rolled up in poor condition and hadn’t done the work,” Dockers coach Ross Lyon told the AFL website.

“From that period we supported Colin, mapped out programs, gave him every resource and to cut a long story short, he came back in really poor condition again.

“He wasn’t able to complete the first time-trial when he arrived and 12 months later off the eight-week break (this pre-season), he still couldn’t.

“Well, he completed it but at the bottom end of the list.

“Then post-Christmas he was unable to complete it.

“So we wrapped some parameters around for Col and gave him some skin-folds and times that he needed to meet and there was plenty of time to do that.

“We had the 3km time-trial (on Thursday) and it was really – for where he’s at – it wasn’t at a level.”

Pearce has become a key cog in Fremantle’s team since crossing from Port Adelaide at the end of 2012.

But Fremantle will reassess its recruiting policies after Sylvia’s poor display..

“It’s such an important aspect of building your list, so you need to get it right,” Lyon said.

“To this point it hasn’t worked (with Sylvia). That’s not to say it can’t work.”

Dockers defender Lee Spurr hopes Sylvia can follow in the footsteps of Michael Walters by using the time away from the club to transform his work ethic.

“Walters went back there came back and now he’s one of the best small forwards in the competition,” Spurr said.

“There’s no reason why Colin can’t do that and we’ll give every resource to him to achieve that.

“I certainly hope he can and hopefully in six months time we’re standing here talking about how good his comeback has been.”