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Lyon says ‘no’ to Davis
Nov 21st
Leon Davis will not play at Fremantle next season after coach Ross Lyon emphatically denied his club would chase the former Magpie.
Speaking after Fremantle’s first full training session on Monday, Lyon said pursuing 30-year-old Davis would compromise its policy of playing youth.
Davis sensationally quit Collingwood last month, saying he wanted to live in either his hometown of Perth or that of his partner’s family, Adelaide.
The dual All Australian half-back spoke with Port Adelaide earlier this month, but Lyon took Fremantle’s hat out of the ring.
“I can categorically say we have no desire to take Leon Davis,” Lyon said.
“He is a highly decorated player, All Australian last year and we’re very respectful of Leon’s talent.
Roger Hayden back on board at Freo
Nov 16th
Recently retired Fremantle defender Roger Hayden is set to join the club’s development coaching staff.
Fremantle general manager of football operations Chris Bond confirmed today that Hayden had accepted a position as a development coach under senior development coach/assistant coach Simon Lloyd.
“It’s a real positive for both Roger and the club that we have been able to retain the services of a former player who is held in such high regard,” Bond said.
“As a senior player coming straight out of the game, Roger will provide great insight, particularly for our younger players, about the level of preparation and professionalism required to succeed at the elite level.”
After recently gaining a coaching certificate from the WA Football Commission, Hayden said the opportunity was too good to pass up.
“I had planned on enjoying some time with my family, but after the position became available, I had a chat with the wife and family and they said I should give it a go,” Hayden said.
Alex Silvagni and young teammates to show Fremantle veterans how it’s done
Nov 16th
The future pillar of Fremantle’s backline says now is the time for the Dockers youngsters to show the veterans how it’s done.
While it has been exciting learning a “different philosophy” from coach Ross Lyon, young defender Alex Silvagni believes the challenge is to keep working hard to ensure players like skipper Matthew Pavlich, Antoni Grover and Luke McPharlin hit the ground running when they resume training in the coming weeks.
Silvagni and his fellow first-to-fourth year peers were joined by the club’s fifth-to-eighth year players at Fremantle Oval yesterday and he said the onus was on the young brigade to keep the club’s elder statesmen honest.
Dick looks to Freo
Nov 15th
Former Collingwood forward Brad Dick is attempting to restart his career at Fremantle after being granted permission to train with the Perth-based club this week.
The 23-year-old was delisted by the Pies last month but kept training with them and had been considered a chance to be retained on their rookie list.
But the former East Fremantle player has decided to return to his home state after five injury-riddled seasons as a Magpie.
He endured a knee and two shoulder reconstructions ahead of the 2011 season before disaster struck again in June this year when he injured his right knee while playing for Collingwood’s VFL team against the Casey Scorpions and required another reconstruction.
He recently told The West Australian he thought he faced his last chance at an AFL career after being drafted in the 2006 NAB AFL Draft.
“I’ll be back home, so a bit of luck might go my way and we’ll see how we go from there. I think this will be my last chance,” he said.
Injury-free the key at Freo
Nov 14th
Fremantle is tackling its first pre-season under new coach Ross Lyon with an increased focus on running and injury prevention, delaying the football component of its summer program.
Under former coach Mark Harvey, Fremantle’s past two pre-seasons had a “combative” focus, with the club intent on developing big-bodied players that excelled in the contest.
But after last season was ruined by injury, Fremantle players have returned to a new program that will see them complete a significant block of running work before football drills are introduced.
“Obviously with a new coach there’s been a different philosophy from Ross [Lyon],” key defender Alex Silvagni said from Fremantle Oval on Monday as the club’s fifth to eighth-year players returned.
“It’s working on fitness early on and then incorporating skills and things, the footy aspect, at a later stage.
Bootsma the bolter
Nov 11th
Western Australian defender Josh Bootsma, son of former Fremantle player Brad, has come a long way since starting the season playing country footy in Albany in the state’s south.
The 190cm half-back flanker moved to Perth to play with South Fremantle’s colts team in May, where his competitiveness, closing speed and rebound from defence soon brought him to the attention of AFL clubs.
Fremantle’s recruiters clearly liked what they saw of Bootsma because they had a crack at claiming him under the father-son rule, but we’re told he didn’t meet the requirements set down for interstate clubs – despite Brad’s 162 WAFL games for South Fremantle and 23 AFL matches with Fremantle.
Freo will be one of several clubs keen to secure his services at the NAB AFL Draft with some talent spotters now rating him a first-round prospect.
Ballantyne eyes midfield role
Nov 7th
Fremantle goalsneak Hayden Ballantyne is hopeful his first full pre-season can translate into an expanded midfield role under new coach Ross Lyon in 2012.
Ballantyne was one of 14 first- to fourth-year players to start pre-season training at Fremantle Oval on Monday morning, with the group completing a series of short distance run-throughs in a light 90-minute session.
The 24-year-old, who is entering his fourth season, was restricted by a knee injury in his preparations for the 2011 campaign and he suffered three separate hamstring injuries during the year.
However, he is confident that a full pre-season will allow him to stay injury-free in 2012 and develop as a midfielder, where he showed promise for periods last season.
“I’d love to play in the midfield,” Ballantyne said on Monday.
“I think it’s more from a fitness kind of thing that I haven’t been pushed into the midfield, but hopefully if I can get through a full pre-season I might get a bit of a run.
2012 starts now
Nov 7th
The 2012 pre-season officially kicked off today for the Fremantle Dockers as a group of the club’s first to fourth year players were put through their paces at Fremantle Oval.
There was a mixture of ball work and plain old hard running for the development squad members as new coach Ross Lyon looked on with a keen eye.
A beefed up Stephen Hill was looking as graceful as ever as he bounded through sprint after sprint, while Hayden Ballantyne also presented very well.
Ballantyne signalled in his media conference at Freo HQ today that a more prominent midfield role was his goal for 2012 and he made a good start, looking very quick and fit.
Another to appear in great nick was Zac Clarke, while rookie listed Gavin Roberts, who had his 2011 season ruined by injury, was also out on the track and running freely.
Lyon raising the bar for pre-season
Nov 5th
New coach Ross Lyon has brought a new regime to the Fremantle Dockers – a regime that has seen the benchmark shifted, according to Sports Science manager Jason Weber.
Pre-season training officially begins this Monday 7 November for the club’s first to fourth year players, with fifth to seventh year players returning the week after.
Senior players, including Matthew Pavlich and Aaron Sandilands are due back on Monday 21 November.
Weber said although the players had been on leave, the club still expected them to come back at a level of preparedness where they could progress and get better.
“We want them at the gates and ready to go,” he said.
Starting with an address to the playing group just before Doig Medal night, Weber said that Lyon made it abundantly clear what he expected of the players and what they could expect from him.
New role sees McCartney depart Freo
Oct 31st
Development coach Jason McCartney has advised the Fremantle Dockers that he is leaving the club to return to Melbourne to take on a new role with the Western Bulldogs.
McCartney, who joined Fremantle in November 2010, has been appointed the Western Bulldogs’ List Manager.
The club wishes Jason all the best in his future endeavours.
