Anything and Everything Fremantle
Miscellaneous
Form wasn’t good enough: Duffield
012 years
by DockerNow.com
in Miscellaneous
Paul Duffield admits that it was his form that saw him dropped from the team earlier this season.
The skilful half-back was omitted for round 11 and missed three games while he went back to the WAFL to find touch with South Fremantle.
Duffield said an honest conversation with senior coach Ross Lyon identified where he needed to improve.
“Ross is really good at holding all the players to account and making sure we’re consistently giving great effort,” he said.
“He felt I wasn’t doing that, which was understandable. There were a few things I had to work on.”
Duffield was tasked with re-focussing on doing the basics and doing them 100 per cent of the time.
“AFL players have expectations of what they must deliver on game day, and my effort wasn’t good enough,” he said.
Fyfe ‘will make big impact’
012 years
by DockerNow.com
in Miscellaneous
Fremantle ruckman Jon Griffin is confident young star Nat Fyfe can hit the ground running in his return from a shoulder reconstruction and boost the team’s engine room against Port Adelaide on Sunday.
Fyfe has been declared a certain starter by coach Ross Lyon as Fremantle looks to notch its fourth straight win – and its fifth in succession against the Power – at AAMI Stadium.
The 20-year-old hasn’t played since round five, but his rehabilitation from a second shoulder reconstruction has been faultless and Lyon confirmed he would return along with sharpshooter Chris Mayne.
“He (Fyfe) was right to go last week in his mind, but we wanted to give him more work and make sure he really ticked all the boxes thoroughly,” Lyon told radio 6PR. “He’ll play, that’s how close he is.”
Fyfe led Fremantle for disposals and contested possessions last season and he was the team’s most effective midfielder in the opening two games this year before injuring his shoulder in round three.
Never about percentage: Johnson
012 years
by DockerNow.com
in Miscellaneous
Michael Johnson says Greater Western Sydney were too talented for Freo to ever consider playing for percentage.
The defender, who is having one of the best seasons of his career, said the only points Freo spoke about during the week were the four points for winning the match against the young Giants.
“We didn’t focus on the score or percentage at all,” he said.
“If we put our guard down, GWS was talented enough to kick a few goals or even get close to winning.”
Johnson said Freo’s only aim was to replicate on the field the way the players had trained all week.
“It doesn’t matter who we play, we go out there and play the way we want to play,” he said.
“If we get the four points, it’s a bonus. We played the way we’ve been training and we got the four points.”0
Freo boy Griffin happy to stay
012 years
by DockerNow.com
in Miscellaneous
Fremantle ruckman Jon Griffin says a contract extension at the club he’s loved all his life was a “dream come true”.
Speaking after the 95-point win over Greater Western Sydney, a content Griffin said he was “very happy and rapt” to sign on for two more years.
“I’ve enjoyed my time since I’ve been here,” he said
“As a kid, I followed Fremantle and I barracked for East Fremantle as well.
“I’m a Fremantle boy and it’s a dream come true for me to play for the footy club.”
Griffin has been excellent leading the ruck since Aaron Sandilands went down injured in round 11.
He had a bit of help on Sunday with Kepler Bradley and Zac Clarke filling in at the stoppages, allowing him to spend some time in attack.
“All three of us had a bit of a taste at the ruck and up forward as well,” he said.
Ballantyne excited to play with Walters
012 years
by DockerNow.com
in Miscellaneous
Hayden Ballantyne is excited at the prospect of a forward line partnership with Michael Walters for the rest of the season.
Walters kicked three goals and set up numerous others in a brilliant return against Melbourne last weekend following his banishment to Swan Districts in January.
While Ballantyne is also keen to spend time in the midfield, he looked forward to playing with Walters when in attack.
“Hopefully we will be a really strong duo once we get a bit of chemistry working together, which just happens naturally,” Ballantyne said.
“Small forwards, we know what we are going to do most of the time, so it’s good.
“We work really well down there together.”
Ballantyne said Walters’ performance in his comeback game was an inspiration to the entire team.
AFL, Freo honour the women of the game
012 years
by DockerNow.com
in Miscellaneous
This weekend’s round of fixtures celebrates AFL Women’s Round, acknowledging the valuable contribution of women to Australia’s Game. It also focuses on recognising and developing female leadership across all levels of the Australian football industry, from community to the elite.
Fremantle will honour the ladies of the game at this Sunday’s game against Greater Western Sydney when members of the club’s female supporter group, the Sirens, will form a guard of honour to welcome the players out onto Patersons Stadium.
A range of activities will take place across the AFL during the week, headlined by the AFL Women’s Industry Luncheon on Friday July 20 and culminating in several match day events across the weekend.
A key element of this year’s luncheon will be the inaugural Jill Lindsay Oration.
The Oration will be held each year in memory of Jill Lindsay, the longest-serving employee in the history of the VFL / AFL and the only woman in the competition’s history to be honoured with Life Membership.
2012 Bravery Awards
012 years
by DockerNow.com
in Miscellaneous
Eleven special children and young adults were today honoured for their courage at the annual Bravery Awards ceremony at Fremantle headquarters.
Now in its 18th year, the Bravery Awards ceremony is acknowledges of the amazing strength, determination and courage of the special young people and their families who, for one reason or another, pass through the wards of hospitals within the South Metropolitan Area Health Service (SMAHS).
Fremantle first-year players Lee Spurr, Lachie Neale, Tom Sheridan, Cam Sutcliffe, Sam Menegola, Jordan Wilson-King Alex Forster and Haiden Schloithe shared stories of bravery from the 11 award recipients.
One of those stories, detailed by Spurr, was of Carl-Akira Fujinami. Carl, 17, was enjoying a holiday in Perth when he injured his spine while playing in the surf at Cottesloe Beach on 2 January.
Carl is now a tetraplegic, which means that he cannot move his legs and has limited function in his arms.
One lucky award recipient was also given the opportunity to be the Docker 4 a Day at the round 17 game against Greater Western Sydney at Patersons Stadium.
Roberton ready to run
012 years
by DockerNow.com
in Miscellaneous
Hard running Freo defender Dylan Roberton has been challenged to take the game on more by his coaches.
The 21-year-old returned to the side and played solidly in Saturday’s loss to Collingwood, gathering 19 disposals and showing a fair bit of dash from defence.
Roberton said it had been a focus of his to use his legs and turn his strong speed and endurance into a weapon for the side.
“A couple of times in the first quarter I just blazed away with the ball,” he admitted.
“Ross said just use your legs a bit more and run it out and I listened.
“I like to get my hands on the ball and run and set up a bit of play.”
Roberton played on young Collingwood forward Jackson Paine for the majority of Saturday’s game.
Griffin says he’s at Freo to stay
012 years
by DockerNow.com
in Miscellaneous
Fremantle ruckman Jonathon Griffin is happy in Perth and has no plans to seek a trade at the end of the AFL season.
He has endured a frustrating time since arriving at the Dockers from Adelaide at the end of 2010, with the 201cm tap specialist forced to bide much of his time in the WAFL due to the dominance of Aaron Sandilands.
But with Sandilands sidelined by a toe injury, Griffin is enjoying his time as the club’s stand-in No.1 ruckman, and hopes he can keep his spot in the side once Sandilands is ready to resume
Griffin is out of contract at season’s end and would command serious interest on the open market, with Greater Western Sydney and several Victorian clubs, including St Kilda, on the lookout for a reliable ruckman.
McGuire laughs at Anthony’s Docker woes
012 years
by DockerNow.com
in Miscellaneous
By SportsNewsFirst
Collingwood president Eddie McGuire has ridiculed the declining football career of former Magpies forward Jack Anthony as the war of words between Fremantle and the Magpies intensified.
With the Dockers still open about their desire to attempt to lure Pies premiership forward Travis Cloke away from the league leaders, McGuire continued to fight fire with fire by declaring war on the West Australian team should they succeed.
The Pies chief went one further on Monday, using the struggles of Anthony as an example of the difference in footballing stature between the 2010 premiers and the perennial AFL under achievers.
