Anything and Everything Fremantle
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AFL clarifies stance on sliding
May 11th
The AFL has written to all 18 clubs to outline and clarify the position around rough conduct and “sliding into contests”.
AFL General Manager Football Operations Adrian Anderson said the AFL and the Laws Committee had last year identified sliding into contests as an emerging tactic in the game and had notified all clubs in its pre-season DVD of its concern around the potential for serious injury to players.
Anderson said the practice had increased in prevalence through the early part of the 2012 Toyota AFL Premiership Season and the medical advice to the AFL was that the potential for serious injury to players would continue to rise.
All clubs were today provided with formal correspondence from Anderson, with some of the points including a reminder of the 2012 Laws DVD, which was presented to all AFL clubs earlier this year, that referred to sliding as an emerging dangerous tactic with the potential to cause serious injury.
Sliding a grey area: Tendai
May 9th
Fremantle midfielder Tendai Mzungu admits players still view sliding as a “grey area” after teammate Greg Broughton was cleared by the AFL Tribunal on Tuesday night.
Broughton successful challenged a rough conduct charge after he slid to win possession of the ball and injured Gold Coast midfielder David Swallow at Metricon Stadium last Saturday.
The decision to clear Broughton, who won possession of the ball before making contact with Swallow, follows the tribunal’s decision to clear North Melbourne’s Lindsay Thomas of a similar charge in round four.
Mzungu said players were working through what was acceptable after the Match Review Panel initially offered Broughton a reprimand for the slide.
“It’s still a little bit of a grey area, but we’re working really hard to learn the rules and what the procedure is there,” Mzungu said on Wednesday.
Broughton successfully challenges rough conduct charge
May 8th
Fremantle has successfully challenged the rough conduct charge against Greg Broughton at the AFL Tribunal tonight.
The AFL’s Match Review Panel had initially offered Broughton a reprimand for an incident involving Gold Coast’s David Swallow.
Broughton’s legal counsel John Prior successfully argued that although Broughton slid to take possession of the ball, his eyes were on the ball at all times and the contact with Swallow occurred after he’d taken possession.
At the time of contact, Prior argued Broughton had turned his back from Swallow, who ran in from his left and into his left knee.
Fremantle’s successful challenge removed any points hanging over Broughton’s head and allowed him to maintain his clean record.
Contract extensions for Freo trio
May 8th
Fremantle’s Stephen Hill and Matt de Boer have committed to the club by signing two-year contract extensions.
Hill, 22, who debuted in 2009 and has played 73 games, agreed to an extension that will see him remain at the club through to the end of the 2015 season.
De Boer, who has made 59 appearances and is a member of the club’s leadership group, agreed to terms that will see the 22-year-old remain a Freo Docker until the end of the 2014 season.
Meanwhile, 18-year-old recruit Lachie Neale, who was drafted from South Australia last year, has agreed to a one-year extension through to the end of the 2014 season.
General manager of player management Brad Lloyd said the club was delighted to shore up the futures of the promising trio.
Recover, prepare, play
May 8th
Fremantle’s preparation for this Sunday’s match against Port Adelaide at Patersons Stadium began moments after the final siren sounded at Gold Coast’s Metricon Stadium last Saturday.
The importance of recovery was paramount considering a one hour bus ride to Brisbane Airport to catch a five-and-a-half-hour flight home awaited the team.
To speed up the recovery process, Freo’s players received a series of quick-flush massages and ice baths in the change rooms after the game, along with plenty of stretching and fluid replenishment in preparation for the long trip home.
Sports science manager Jason Weber said following these protocols was vital to aid recovery after a game.
“Flush massages assist the body in re-circulating blood and waste products that have pooled in the peripheral musculature following extreme levels of endurance activity,” he said.
Dockers in the hunt for duck season
May 8th
Fremantle coach Ross Lyon says it is time for rivals to study West Coast’s games and practise the techniques the Eagles are using to draw high tackle free kicks.
Lyon last night said he had barely watched the Eagles this year because he had been focusing on upcoming opponents, but couldn’t ignore the publicity that West Coast’s free kick count was getting.
“The technique is a good technique,” Lyon told 6PR.
“You’ve just got to get low in the tackle and drive.
“I like the technique that Selwood and those guys have perfected.
“It’s a bit about if you can’t beat them join them so I think the rest of the competition will catch on quick and then get low in the tackle.
“No arm tackles, tackle full body and then they won’t be able to slip off you.
“I haven’t watched much West Coast at all to be honest because they haven’t come across my radar. But I am noticing what all the other coaches are saying.
Broughton charged with rough conduct, can accept reprimand
May 7th
Greg Broughton has been charged with a Level One engaging in rough conduct offence against Gold Coast’s David Swallow, during the second quarter of the match against the Suns at Metricon Stadium on Saturday.
He can accept a reprimand and 93.75 points towards his future record with an early plea, which would make him available for selection for this Sunday’s match against Port Adelaide at Patersons Stadium.
Based on the video evidence available and a medical report from the Gold Coast Suns Football Club, the incident was assessed as negligent conduct (one point), medium impact (two points) and body contact (one point).
This is a total of four activation points, resulting in a classification of a Level One offence, drawing 125 demerit points and a one-match sanction.
As Broughton has no previous record, an early plea reduces the penalty by 25 per cent to a reprimand and 93.75 points towards his future record.
Mayne’s goal is a win
May 7th
Chris Mayne says he’s enjoying playing his role for the team, whether that includes kicking goals or not.
The 23-year-old has made a solid start to the season up forward, booting an accurate 10 goals straight.
But he said the only statistic that mattered to him was the win.
“It’s never been about kicking goals for me,” Mayne said.
“That’s part of my role but it’s about doing what I can for the team.
“It doesn’t matter who kicks the goals as long as we’re kicking the goals.
“I’m fortunate enough to get on the end of some from the acts of my teammates in defence and midfield, but if we win and I don’t kick any, it doesn’t bother me.”
Mayne kicked three important goals in Saturday’s nail-biting seven-point victory over the winless Gold Coast.
Panel set to punish Broughton’s slide
May 7th
Fremantle’s Greg Broughton is expected today to become the latest player punished for a dangerous slide.
The Fremantle defender is likely to attract match review panel attention for an incident in Saturday night’s match against the Gold Coast that resulted in his opponent David Swallow receiving treatment for an ankle injury.
Broughton and Swallow were pursuing a loose ball immediately before the incident occurred. While Broughton was slightly ahead of Swallow, he ensured he would get to the ball first by sliding across into Swallow’s path while reaching forward for the ball. Swallow’s ankle seemingly became wedged between Broughton’s legs.
Extra time for Suns-Freo
May 6th
The AFL has launched an investigation into an apparent time clock blunder in the dying minutes of Saturday’s thrilling Gold Coast-Fremantle game at Metricon Stadium.
The apparent error came with 7:55 remaining on the clock in the final term, with Gold Coast leading the match 81-76.
After a ball-up in the middle of the ground, the clock remains on 7:55 for 39 seconds.
There was no scoring in this period.
Fremantle won the match by seven points after a goal from Tendai Mzungu with a second remaining.
Gold Coast football manager Marcus Ashcroft and a Fremantle spokesman said their clubs were unaware of the apparent error when contacted by AFL.com.au on Sunday morning.
But AFL spokesman Patrick Keane said on Sunday the League was aware of the incident and was investigating.
