Anything and Everything Fremantle
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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.
Lyon not backing down
May 5th
Fremantle coach Ross Lyon stands by his pre-match comment that Gold Coast lacks respect for his club despite the unfancied Suns almost pulling off their first home-ground win on Saturday night.
Lyon, who admitted relief at the seven-point victory at Metricon Stadium, made the call in response to Suns’ skipper Gary Ablett’s now infamous tweet regarding the style of Freo tagger Ryan Crowley.
Ablett’s plea for the umpires to penalise Crowley for what he believed were scragging tactics on Carlton’s Chris Judd, kicked up a media storm with Lyon’s strongly worded response lending an edge to the teams’ round-six clash.
Post-game, the coach’s feelings on the matter had not changed.
“I was unhappy with the new paradigm, the social media platform being a vehicle to personalise a view on our players and I think it is uncalled for and unnecessary,” Lyon said.
“I don’t shy away from that at all.
Freo home in a thriller
May 5th
FREMANTLE 3.0 5.3 10.7 14.10 (94)
GOLD COAST 3.1 8.2 10.2 14.3 (87)
GOALS
Fremantle: Mayne 3, De Boer 3, Neale 2, Crowley, Pavlich, Clarke, Mzungu, Roberton, Hill
Gold Coast: Bennell 3, Swallow 3, Iles, Hunt, Russell, Brennan, Shaw, Caddy, Brown, Day
BEST
Fremantle: Mayne, Crowley, De Boer, Pearce, Ibbotson
Gold Coast: Bennell, Prestia, Hunt, Swallow, Warnock, Iles
INJURIES
Fremantle: Hill (corked quad)
Gold Coast: Bock (fractured leg), David Swallow (ankle), Jared Brennan (knee), Trent McKenzie (calf)
SUBSTITUTES
Fremantle: Lee Spurr replaced Stephen Hill in the third quarter
Gold Coast: Josh Toy replaced Nathan Bock in the first quarter
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Nicholls, Kamolins, Mitchell
Official crowd: 11,670 at Metricon Stadium
Backline chemistry building says Duffield
May 4th
Fremantle’s backline has a new look about it in 2012, but according to defender Paul Duffield it is a group that has been quick to build chemistry under new coach Ross Lyon.
Michael Johnson and Adam McPhee have returned to defence this season, while former St Kilda full-back Zac Dawson has been the team’s preferred second tall defender alongside Luke McPharlin.
The back six, which has also included Garrick Ibbotson and Greg Broughton for the opening five rounds, has been solid in Fremantle’s 3-2 start to the season and Duffield said assigning players consistent roles had been the key.
“One of the great things that Ross did when he first came in, he settled our group really quickly and we’ve had a lot of time to work together,” Duffield said.
“Obviously we’ve played a lot together in the past as well, so it is a pretty settled group at the moment and there is some chemistry.
“Adam McPhee and Michael Johnson have come back into defence and they haven’t necessarily played as utilities and swung around.
Freo Line-up: Spurr him on
May 3rd
Debutant Lee Spurr is one of two inclusions to Fremantle’s team to play Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium on Saturday afternoon.Hard-running defender Dylan Roberton has also earned senior selection after a sizzling month of footy for WAFL side East Perth.
Nathan Fyfe is out after the club announced earlier this week that the star youngster would require surgery on his shoulder, while Jack Anthony has been omitted.
The emergencies for the trip to Queensland were Jay van Berlo, Alex Silvagni and new recruit Tom Sheridan.
Spurr already has senior experience, having spent the past five seasons playing for Central Districts in the SANFL, winning three premierships.
The 24-year-old rookie, who was elevated onto the senior list last week, said he was experiencing a range of emotions after finding out he would be playing his first AFL game.
“I’m pretty nervous and I’m pretty excited,” Spurr said.
Lyon silent on Cloke
May 3rd
Coach Ross Lyon has refused to comment on speculation linking Fremantle to star Collingwood forward Travis Cloke, simply acknowledging that the club has a clear list management and free agency policy in place.
A report in the Herald Sun on Wednesday said Fremantle had made a play for the All Australian with an offer of about $1 million a season, prompting an angry response from Magpies president Eddie McGuire.
“I’m aware of what’s hit the public domain in the back page of theHerald Sun [and] from a football club perspective we’re on record as having a clear, strategic list-management plan in place, which (football manager) Chris Bond and (list manager) Brad Lloyd head up,” Lyon said on Wednesday.
“They’ve been planning for free agency since inception and clearly they’re trying to identify opportunities within the market and work within the bounds of the AFL policies of that.
“As a senior coach I have a list-management meeting with them probably monthly and then the bigger picture stuff.
Underestimate nobody
May 2nd
Michael Barlow says senior coach Ross Lyon shifted the team’s focus towards the Gold Coast Suns just minutes after last Friday night’s loss to Carlton at Patersons Stadium.
The 24-year-old said Lyon chose to relay a positive message to the players after the eight point defeat.
“Ross was upbeat about our efforts and what we were applying,” Barlow said.
“In all, he’s a really positive coach and he’s not one to dwell too much on the negatives, but really reinforce the positives and the things we’re doing right.”
Lyon soon reminded the players that the longest road trip in footy awaited them this week, with a journey to the Gold Coast to face the Suns at Metricon Stadium on Saturday.
Barlow said there was no chance of Freo taking the winless Suns lightly.
“It’s another week at the office for us,” he said.
Shoulder surgery for Fyfe
May 1st
Fremantle midfielder Nat Fyfe is to undergo surgery on his left shoulder.
The 20-year-old dislocated his shoulder today at training ahead of the club’s round six clash with Gold Coast on Saturday.
Fyfe was a late withdrawal from the game against St Kilda in round four but returned to play against Carlton last Friday night at Patersons Stadium following specialist medical advice.
Senior coach Ross Lyon has previously said that if Fyfe aggravated the injury again, the club would have no hesitation in sending him for surgery.
General manager of football operations Chris Bond said today that the operation would be carried out by the Melbourne specialist Fyfe consulted last month.
“We believe that the appropriate course of action for Nat’s long-term playing future and his general well being is to have the operation at this time,” Bond said.
Lyon says Fyfe alright
May 1st
Ross Lyon says star midfielder Nathan Fyfe pulled up well after Friday’s eight point loss to Carlton and is good to go for Saturday’s clash against Gold Coast and beyond.
Fyfe missed the round 4 win over St Kilda after he injured his troublesome left shoulder in round 3.
The 20-year-old returned to action against the Blues on Friday night and had 22 disposals and six tackles, an outcome that left Lyon satisfied.
“He got through unscathed, particularly in the first half he was really strong,” Lyon said.
“I think we’d all be happy that he got through and contributed.”
Fyfe’s heavily strapped left shoulder was tested on a few occasions on Friday.
A heavy bump with Carlton ruckman Matthew Kreuzer in the second term left the Freo youngster looking a bit sore and caused him to protect the shoulder in the ensuing minutes.
Room to improve for Freo and Griffin
Apr 30th
Freo’s Jonathon Griffin made a solid return to AFL footy in Friday night’s loss to Carlton at Patersons Stadium.
Thrust immediately into the role of number one ruckman after champion Aaron Sandilands had been ruled out of the match, Griffin competed admirably against up-and-coming Blues’ big man Matthew Kreuzer.
The 26-year-old had 14 disposals and 25 hitouts, which helped Freo enjoy a 38-32 clearances advantage.
He was reasonably pleased with his performance but acknowledged there was still plenty of room for improvement.
“The intensity of the game definitely caught up with me, but it’s my first game back and, hopefully, there’s many more to come,” he said.
Griffin said captain Matthew Pavlich chose to focus on the positives when he addressed the team on the ground at the conclusion of the game.
“He told us that we’re not too far off and that we’ve still got improvement to go,” Griffin said.
