Pearce to join Dockers

Updated October 03, 2012 18:29:14

Port Adelaide will lose Danyle Pearce to Fremantle under the AFL's new free agency system.

The Power announced on Wednesday they would not match the Dockers' offer.

The Dockers put in a substantial restricted free agent bid for Pearce on Monday and the Power had three days to make a counter offer.

"We have taken time to think about the situation and have resolved that it would be irresponsible in the context of our team structure at Port Adelaide to match the offer put forward by Fremantle," Power football manager Peter Rohde said in a statement.

"Danyle has made a strong contribution during his eight years at Port Adelaide and we wish him well with his new opportunity in the AFL."

Pearce won the 2006 Rising Star award and since his 2005 senior debut had played 154 matches, including 20 appearances for the Power this season.

Richmond also made a restricted free agent offer on Monday for Power key defender Troy Chaplin but the club is yet to announce whether they will match that bid.

AAP

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, port-adelaide-5015

First posted October 03, 2012 16:15:53

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Walters commits to Dockers

Updated September 27, 2012 08:22:53

Fremantle has re-signed out-of-contract forward Michael Walters for a further two years after the 21-year-old's impressive 2012 season.

Walters will remain at the Dockers until at least the end of the 2014 season.

"Michael's become an important player for the team and we look forward to a successful contribution from him again in 2013," general manager of player management Brad Lloyd said in a statement.

Walters battled fitness issues in preseason but worked his way into an improving Fremantle side in the back half of this season, including finals.

He kicked two goals in the Dockers' upset win over the Cats and another three in the defeat to the Crows during the finals.

Walter has played just 21 AFL games after being selected with pick 53 of the 2008 Draft.

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, fremantle-6160

First posted September 27, 2012 08:22:53

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Dockers blow their finals chances

Updated September 15, 2012 12:47:54

Fremantle coach Ross Lyon says there is no guarantee his club can challenge the AFL heavyweights next season.

The Dockers' finals campaign ended with a 10-point loss to Adelaide on Friday night which left Lyon lamenting a missed opportunity.

Fremantle twice appeared in control and set for a preliminary final.

The Dockers led Adelaide by 29 points early in the second quarter of the Football Park semi-final, kicking six of the initial seven goals.

Then later, after being reeled in by the Crows, Fremantle kicked the initial two goals of the last quarter to hold momentum and a seven-point advantage.

But the Crows booted the final four goals to win 12.9 (81) to 11.5 (71) and advance into next Saturday's preliminary final against Hawthorn.

"That is footy - if you don't play for four quarters you miss an opportunity," Lyon said.

"I thought Adelaide persisted until it turned their way.

"There were (warning) signs late in the second and the third quarter, and then we fought back in the fourth.

"But they just had a little bit more polish when required."

Lyon said there were no guarantees the Dockers would again be a finals contender next season.

"I think that is yet to be proven," he said.

"I have got a simple philosophy - review it, failure is feedback.

"We clearly need to improve and we have got plenty of work to do.

"There is no guarantee we'll be back here next year, I think that's the over-riding message, we all start equal next year.

"History is a guide, but it's not a precursor to anything.

"We really need to roll up our sleeves and do the work because if you don't do the work you're no chance."

While Adelaide coach Brenton Sanderson believed Fremantle paid a price for consecutive six-day breaks between games, Lyon dismissed that theory.

"It's irrelevant, it's all garbage to be frank," Lyon said.

"We're not into excuses ... we wouldn't be talking about scheduling if we had of been a bit more organised and a bit more polished."

AAP

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, perth-6000, wa, adelaide-5000, sa, australia

First posted September 15, 2012 12:46:34

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Pavlich stars as Dockers give Cats the heave-ho

Raman Goraya

Updated September 09, 2012 10:38:28

Geelong's five-year finals dominance came apart in the space of one quarter as the reigning premiers fell victim to a 16-point boilover at the hands of Fremantle on Saturday night.

The well-drilled Dockers jumped the stunned Cats from the opening bounce to open up a 36-point quarter-time advantage, before holding on to register a famous 14.12 (96) to 11.14 (80) victory and seal a semi-final against the Crows in Adelaide next Friday night.

Meanwhile, Geelong's empire, built on five consecutive preliminary final appearances and three premierships, was reduced to rubble as the Cats were dealt their earliest elimination from a finals series since 2000.

"We have proven over a short period of time now that our way of football will stand up against anyone," Dockers midfielder Ryan Crowley told Grandstand after his side's first finals win away from home.

"As long as we bring that every week I don't see why we can't beat anyone."

Central to the shock win was Fremantle captain Matthew Pavlich, who led the MCG assault with three first-term goals, ending his club's most memorable triumph with nine marks and six majors.

Two of those came at crucial junctures early in the third quarter when Geelong brought the margin back to 20 points after booting six of eight goals either side of half-time.

The inspirational skipper, who spent time on the bench late in the contest with a leg injury, was on hand to kick his sixth and the sealer in the dying minutes when the battling Cats got within three goals.

"He is amazing," Crowley said of Pavlich's performance.

"He is one of those guys, when you are on the field you get stuck looking at him.

"I've seen him play some amazing games but that will have to be up there with the best."

Fremantle's midfield run and fierce pressure laid the foundation for the upset, reducing the Cats' kicking efficiency to 46.2 per cent in the telling opening term and helping stretch the margin to 48 points in the second.

Michael Barlow topped the possession count with 27 disposals and 11 tackles, while he had another 11 team-mates who registered 15 or more touches.

The master tactics of coach Ross Lyon helped the Dockers lock Geelong inside its own defensive half, holding the Cats to eight inside 50s entries and zero marks inside 50 before quarter time.

Crowley said Lyon's game plan and expectations of his players has brought a harder edge to the Dockers.

"He likes guys that do a role, and I think once you start seeing the results of those roles and when you execute it, it makes it easier to sacrifice yourself for the team," Crowley said, adding he probably would have been traded if not for Lyon's arrival at the start of this season.

"He has brought a harder edge to us and a professionalism that I've probably not seen at my time at Freo."

Key Geelong forward Tom Hawkins, who booted 62 goals during the home and away season, was hardly sighted in the opening half, a result of a Fremantle's stifling midfield and organised defence.

Adam McPhee stepped in to fill the role of injured veteran Luke McPharlin with 11 marks and 18 possessions, his impact resulting in Hawkins finishing goalless with just two scoring shots and three marks.

In contrast, Pavlich and forward partners Hayden Ballantyne (three goals), Michael Waters (two goals) and Chris Mayne caused havoc amongst a uncharacteristically lethargic Cats defensive unit.

Harry Taylor was well below his best while a forlorn Matthew Scarlett left the field for the last time after 284 games for the Cats.

Dockers: 14.12 (96) - M Pavlich 6, H Ballantyne 3, M Waters 2, R Crowley, M De Boer, C Pearce.

Cats: 11.14 (80) - A Mackie 2, J Hunt 2, A Christensen, M Duncan, S Motlop, J Selwood, M Stokes, H Taylor, N Vardy.

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, geelong-3220, vic, australia, fremantle-6160, wa

First posted September 08, 2012 22:23:30

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Dockers face finals without McPharlin

Updated September 03, 2012 16:32:53

Key Fremantle defender Luke McPharlin is unlikely to play again this season unless the Dockers defy the odds and advance further in finals.

In a major blow for Fremantle, the veteran defender, who is being widely-tipped for all-Australian selection, injured his hamstring in his side's win over Melbourne on Saturday.

Coach Ross Lyon says McPharlin will be sidelined for Saturday night's elimination final against reigning premier Geelong on Saturday night and probably longer.

"He has had scans, spoke to our doctors and conditioners, they'll treat it like a normal hamstring which it is," he said.

"[He will be out] anywhere from two to three weeks, we'll clearly push him along."

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, perth-6000, wa, melbourne-3000, vic, australia

First posted September 03, 2012 16:32:53

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Dockers down Port in Adelaide

Updated July 30, 2012 00:22:41

Fremantle is still knocking on the door of the top eight after a 27-point win over Port Adelaide at Football Park.

Skipper Matthew Pavlich kicked two goals for the Dockers along with Chris Mayne and Clancee Pearce, as they picked up their 10th win of the season, 11.9 (75) to 6.12 (48).

Nathan Fyfe was also among the Dockers' best after a lengthy stint on the sidelines following shoulder surgery in May.

It was a dismal performance from the Power, the home side managing just two goals to half-time and failing to add another major in the third term.

Only four goals, from nine scoring shots, in the final quarter added some respectability to the score.

Brett Ebert tried hard up forward kicking two goals while Brad Ebert was also effective along with Travis Boak and Daniel Stewart.

The Dockers jumped Port in the opening quarter with five goals to one to take a 24-point lead into the first break.

A series of defensive errors kept the Power under the pump throughout much of the term with only a goal to Brett Ebert at the 25-minute mark relieving some of the pressure.

By the main break Fremantle had extended the lead to 34 points but inaccurate kicking from the Dockers kept Port in the match.

The visitors added 1-5 for the term but restricted the Power to just a solitary point despite the home side kicking with the aid of a handy breeze.

In the third term the Power failed to kick a major with Fremantle adding three to extend the lead to 44 points as Pavlich started to have an impact up forward.

The Power had most of the play in the final quarter, but Fremantle steadied with two goals to continue its good form in July.

Port Adelaide: 6.12 (48) - Brett Ebert 2, Boak, Cornes, Stewart, Westhoff

Fremantle: 11.9 (75) - Mayne 2, Pavlich 2, Pearce 2, Fyfe, Mundy, Mzungu, Sutcliffe, Walters

AAP

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First posted July 29, 2012 15:55:33

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Dockers don't hold back against Demons

Updated September 02, 2012 14:17:02

Fremantle cruised to a 61-point win over Melbourne at Subiaco Oval, but in doing so ensured they would be on the road in the first week of the finals.

The Dockers had little trouble accounting for Melbourne with a 14.17 (101) to 5.10 (40) victory to finish the home-and-away season with a 14-8 record and in seventh position, but that means an elimination final against reigning premiers Geelong at the MCG on Saturday night.

If Fremantle had lost to Melbourne or failed to win by 13 or more points they would have remained in eighth position and have stayed in Perth to play West Coast next week.

But the first western derby final remains elusive to the Western Australian football public.

The victory was comfortable for Fremantle with captain Matthew Pavlich kicking two goals to move to 62 for the season and equal Geelong's Tom Hawkins as the league's leading goalkicker.

The only thing that could stop him sharing his first Coleman Medal would be if Jack Riewoldt kicks four or more goals against Port Adelaide at the MCG on Sunday.

Small forward Hayden Ballantyne booted three for Fremantle with ruck pair Jonathon Griffin and Aaron Sandilands as well as Tendai Mzungu kicking two goals each.

Michael Barlow racked up 32 possessions, David Mundy 31, Nat Fyfe 30, Michael Johnson 24, Paul Duffield 23, Clancee Pearce 23 and Stephen Hill 22.

But the news was not all good for Fremantle with likely All-Australian defender Luke McPharlin subbed out of the match in the third quarter with a hamstring injury.

His battle to be fit could give Antoni Grover the chance to end his career in the finals after announcing his retirement during the week, although Alex Silvagni is another option with both playing well at WAFL level.

Melbourne provided little opposition for Fremantle kicking just four goals in the first three quarters, and then just one more in the last to end its disappointing first season under new coach Mark Neeld with a 4-18 record.

Jack Fitzpatrick kicked two goals for the Demons while Colin Sylvia picked up 25 possessions, Jack Grimes 23, Jack Trengove 21, Tom McDonald 18 and Jordie McKenzie 18.

Fremantle: 14.17 (101) - Ballantyne 3, Mzungu 2, Pavlich 2, Sandilands 2, Griffin 2, Mzungu 2, Mundy, Mayne, Walters

Melbourne: 5.10 (40) - Fitzpatrick 2, Jones, Blease, Sellar

AAP

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, fremantle-6160, wa, australia, melbourne-3000, vic

First posted September 01, 2012 22:24:59

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Dockers win in the wet at MCG

Updated June 09, 2012 18:41:36

Fremantle has rebounded from three straight defeats to beat Richmond by 12 points at a wet MCG on Saturday afternoon.

The Dockers played better wet weather football, sending the ball quickly in to spearhead Matthew Pavlich, whose six goals helped Fremantle get the win, by 12.6 (78) to 9.12 (66).

It was not a good start for the visiting side, with star ruckman Aaron Sandilands subbed out inside the opening five minutes of the match with a leg injury.

Backup ruckman Jonathon Griffin told Grandstand it had been a long day at the office, after he was forced to play out the full four quarters in Sandilands' absence.

"In the first quarter I was looking around for him on the bench and I couldn't see him," Griffin said.

"I was sort of blowing a little bit, but I got through it and I'm glad we won."

Griffin was up against his old Adelaide team-mate Ivan Maric, who has been a runaway success this season at Richmond.

Griffin had 43 hitouts to Maric's 44 in a strong performance.

"It would have been nice to have had a bit more of a rest," Griffin said.

"But it was great to win, and the feeling down here (in the rooms) is fantastic, and we can go into the bye with a lot of confidence.

Fremantle has received stinging criticism for the team's defensive gamestyle, particularly after their loss to West Coast in the recent Western Derby.

But on a day when the Tigers were expected to win, Fremantle came out with a more enthusiastic and simple approach.

Not only did they manage to play a more streamlined and effective game in attack, the Dockers also racked up an amazing 118 tackles compared to the Tigers 84.

Fremantle hit the front for the first time late in the second quarter, and apart from a short period in the third term the Dockers were not headed again.

The misty rain and slippery conditions made it a tough day for forwards, making Pavlich's performance more remarkable.

Richmond's best attacking option was Shane Edwards with three goals, while Jack Riewoldt copped a knock in the second quarter and was never operating at 100 per cent, finishing with just one for the day.

Hayden Ballantyne kicked the sealer for the Dockers with a minute left on the clock, but he is likely to miss some matches after he appeared to elbow the Tigers' Chris Newman in the stomach, leaving the Richmond captain doubled over for some time.

Tigers: 9.12 (66) - Edwards 3, Cotchin, Martin, Nahas, Riewoldt, Vickery, Tuck.

Dockers: 12.6 (78) - Pavlich 6, Ballantyne 2, Crichton, DeBoer, Griffin, Mayne.

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, australia, vic, melbourne-3000

First posted June 09, 2012 16:32:17

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Tigers expecting Dockers lockdown

Updated June 08, 2012 12:39:57

Richmond is not expecting any repeat of the basketball-style AFL on show last week when they face Ross Lyon's Fremantle at the MCG on Saturday.

The Tigers and St Kilda put on a scoring feast in one of the best matches in recent memory last Friday night, Richmond posting a eight-point win in a match featuring 34 goals.

But as Lyon works on getting the Dockers to adopt his miserly defensive style, the Tigers are banking on a return to more conventional scores one week on.

"He is an outstanding coach and the sides he coaches are very disciplined about the way they play, very methodical about the way they play," Tigers coach Damien Hardwick says of Lyon.

"Defensively they're the best in the AFL ... if we don't control the game the way we need to control it, they can do some damage and stifle us offensively."

While the Tigers' midfield has taken much of the spotlight, their defence has improved markedly this season.

The Tigers conceded more than 100 points a match last season.

But they have reined that back to just under 90 in 2012 and the figure was tracking at much less until the Saints booted 16 goals against them last week.

The match pits the Tigers' cult hero ruckman Ivan Maric and his run of career-best form against the competition's ruck benchmark Aaron Sandilands.

So big has Maric's impact been, he looms as a possible All-Australian but his biggest test comes on Saturday against the freakish Sandilands, according to Hardwick.

"His (Sandilands) ability to cover the ground is enormous," he said.

"He's 123 kilograms and he covers the ground like a six-foot player.

"He's a formidable opponent, no doubt about that."

The Tigers' midfield has suffered a blow with in-form Nathan Foley missing with a minor leg injury.

Small forward Jake King is out suspended, with wingman or half-forward Brett O'Hanlon brought in for his AFL debut and defender Matt Dea recalled.

The Dockers have axed defender Paul Duffield, ruckman Zac Clarke and forward Jack Anthony for Nic Suban, Adam McPhee and Jonathon Griffin.

But midfielder Anthony Morabito will not return to the AFL until at least after the Dockers' bye next weekend.

He has played three matches in the WAFL since recovering from a serious knee injury, but the Dockers have resisted throwing him into action against the Tigers.

Both teams boast 5-5 win-loss records but contrasting form, with the Tigers winning their past two and the Dockers losing their past three.

AAP

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, richmond-3121, fremantle-6160

First posted June 08, 2012 12:39:57

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Crows keep Dockers anchored at Subiaco

Updated June 02, 2012 20:40:34

Adelaide regained its mantle as the king of the final quarter, clinching its eighth win of the year by beating Fremantle by 29 points on Saturday.

The Crows broke open a very tight game in time on in the final quarter to defeat the Dockers by 17.9 (111) to 12.10 (82) at Subiaco Oval.

Adelaide kicked the last five goals of the game after being headed at the three-minute mark of the fourth quarter.

Crows ruckman Sam Jacobs told Grandstand that Adelaide had been fired up after being bulldozed by Collingwood in the final quarter at Football Park last week.

"The third quarter there were times when we were in control, but we blazed away and allowed them to get back on track," Jacobs said.

"We weren't happy with what happened last week, we have been a really strong fourth quarter team this year (and) we wanted to get back into it."

While Aaron Sandilands won the hit-outs comfortably, Adelaide smashed the Dockers at the clearances by 52-31.

The Crows found a way to win even with important players like Scott Thompson, Nathan van Berlo and Bernie Vince restricted by the Fremantle defence.

Best on ground Rory Sloane had 10 possessions and a goal in the final term for 33 touches overall, and with Patrick Dangerfield he was critical in turning the match Adelaide's way.

Jacobs, who came to Adelaide from Carlton, said the team was seeing its work on clearances pay off.

"I've only been in the club 18 months, it (clearances) is something that didn't work last year, so we worked really hard on it in the preseason," he said.

The home side responded to a barrage of criticism of its game style after posting its lowest-ever Western Derby score last week to keep within striking distance of the Crows for most of the match.

More importantly for Ross Lyon's men, the Dockers kicked seven more goals than last week, but they lacked composure in attack when it counted.

Fremantle gave the Subiaco Oval crowd hope when goals to Chris Mayne and Matthew Pavlich early in the final term allowed the home side to hit the front at the three-minute mark.

The Dockers then had chances to increase the pressure on Adelaide but wasted a number of attacks, while the Crows steadied to finish the game strongly.

For Adelaide, Taylor Walker had four goals while Sloane and Sam Wright had three.

Adelaide has the bye next week before playing St Kilda in round 12.

It does not get any easier for Fremantle, which has to travel east to face Richmond at the MCG next week.

The only downside of the victory for Adelaide was the report of Bernie Vince for contact with the Dockers' Zac Clarke in the third quarter.

Dockers: 12.10 (81) - Pavlich 3, Barlow 2, Crowley 2, Mayne 2, Ballantyne, Hill, Mundy,

Crows: 17.9 (111) - Sloane 3, Walker 3, Wright 3, Callinan 2, Dangerfield, Jenkins, Petrenko, Porplyzia, Johncock

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, australia, adelaide-5000, wa, subiaco-6008

First posted June 02, 2012 19:40:37

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Soaring Eagles smash the Dockers

Updated May 27, 2012 20:32:20

West Coast decisively won the Western Derby with a crushing eight-goal defeat of Fremantle at Subiaco Oval on Sunday.

Fremantle was coming off a 56-point thumping by Hawthorn last week, but nothing could have prepared coach Ross Lyon for what happened as the Dockers went down 11.18 (84) to 5.6 (36).

It was the Eagles' eighth win of the year - for Fremantle it was the team's lowest ever score in a Derby.

The game was locked down for most of the first quarter, with only one goal scored to Hayden Ballantine.

Everything changed after the first break as the Eagles found another gear - West Coast kicked 11 goals to four after quarter-time.

Lyon's defensive game-style will again come under question after the result - the Eagles had 63 inside-50s to 30 for the match, and in the second half they had 37 forward entries to seven.

West Coast's dominance was so extensive that Fremantle kicked its third goal at the 13-minute mark of the second quarter, but its fourth did not arrive until the 13-minute mark of the final term.

Eagles defender Brad Sheppard told Grandstand his team had adjusted well after a tight opening to the match.

"We knew (Fremantle's Michael) Johnson was dropping off and playing the loose player at the back," he said.

"Whenever we looked up, Freo had the loose numbers in defence.

"We talked about that ... and using our hit-out forwards (in attack), it caught Freo out a bit, we were able to kick it over their loose players."

Sheppard said he and his team-mates were happy to get the win in John Worsfold's 244th game in charge, as he passed Mick Malthouse to become the longest-serving Eagles coach.

"John has been a great leader at this club, it was awesome to play under him today and share this milestone with him," he said.

Matt Rosa won the Ross Glendinning Medal as best on ground with 42 possessions.

Josh Hill had a great first Derby, kicking three majors including a superb goal from the boundary line.

The Dockers were dominated, with the Fremantle players waiting for the siren to go for some time before the finish.

Fremantle ruckman Aaron Sandilands told Grandstand the Dockers' defence had been standing up all year, but that the team was still working on creating more avenues to goal.

"We practiced during the week to be more attacking, unfortunately we couldn't get the ball inside 50 as much as we would like," Sandilands said.

The heat will be on Lyon as the Dockers now have to back up against Adelaide, Richmond, Essendon and Collingwood.

"We've got to focus on next week against Adelaide," Sandilands said.

"We've got six days before that comes on, we'll hit the training track very hard and hopefully we'll come out firing next Saturday."

Eagles: 11.18 (84) - Hill 3, Darling 2, Lynch, Naitanui, Priddis, Shuey, Rosa, Schofield.

Dockers: 5.6 (36) - Ballantyne, Clarke, Mayne, DeBoer, Dawson.

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, subiaco-6008, australia, wa

First posted May 27, 2012 19:34:15

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Dockers' Lyon hits back at critics

Updated May 31, 2012 15:41:13

Fremantle coach Ross Lyon says it is not time to panic despite his team's worrying form slump, claiming he and his players are crystal clear on the areas they need to improve.

The Dockers have been hit hard by fans, past players and the media following back-to-back thumpings at the hands of Hawthorn and West Coast, with Lyon's defensive tactics coming under particular scrutiny.

Tenth-placed Fremantle (5-4) could slip even further down the ladder over the coming month, with Saturday's home clash against third-placed Adelaide to be followed by games against Richmond (MCG), Essendon (home) and Collingwood (MCG).

But Lyon was confident his team would rebound from a disastrous fortnight.

"There's really no panic, but as I always say to my players ... if you're ever under any anxiety or stress, whatever you're feeling, emotions are just feelings," Lyon said on Thursday.

"So whether you're happy, confident or stressed, focus on what's important - that's getting into action.

"We do as a club, that's what I do as a coach."

When asked what he thought of Carlton great Mark Maclure's claim that he was destroying the game with his defensive tactics, Lyon replied: "I don't think I'll dignify that with a response."

But he was more forthcoming when asked about Kevin Bartlett's view the Dockers had become "unwatchable".

"Kevin's been banging on for a long time. I wish when the teams I coach played great football the headlines were as loud," Lyon said.

"At the end of the day there's a lot of minnows out there that like to get heard above the pack, and there's clearly some heavy hitters in journalism that have an opinion.

"You guys are trying to get heard. How do you do that? I don't think you get heard if you're vanilla.

"Everyone's entitled to their opinions.

"I don't think I'll dignify that with a response either."

Lyon said he and his family hadn't been overly affected by the criticism, saying he had been in a "vacuum" while he attended his day-to-day family duties.

AAP

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First posted May 31, 2012 15:37:42

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Dockers go tall for Eagles derby

Updated May 24, 2012 21:23:26

Fremantle is set to throw caution to the wind by playing three ruckmen in Sunday's western derby against West Coast.

Three-times All-Australian Aaron Sandilands and 201cm tap specialist Jonathon Griffin are yet to play in the same side as each other since Griffin's switch to the Dockers at the end of 2010.

Sandilands has been the preferred ruckman over that time, with Griffin only getting a chance whenever the 211cm giant has been injured.

But with the Eagles boasting a formidable ruck duo of Dean Cox and Nic Naitanui, Dockers coach Ross Lyon said he was "more likely than unlikely" to include Griffin alongside Sandilands this week.

And fellow ruckman Zac Clarke is set to keep his spot after being named in a forward pocket in Fremantle's 25-man squad, with Griffin slotted in on the extended interchange bench.

Lyon said the inclusion of Griffin would allow Sandilands to spend more time in attack, where his height could stretch West Coast's defence.

"It will be a threat if we can supply the ball to Aaron in the forward line, no doubt about that," Lyon said.

The Dockers included Griffin, defender Alex Silvagni, Nick Suban, Jesse Crichton and Hayden Crozier, while Dylan Roberton and Garrick Ibbotson were dropped.

The Eagles welcomed back Matt Priddis from concussion and goalsneak Ashton Hams from suspension, with ruckman Scott Lycett also added to the extended squad.

Although the focus has been on the ruckmen this week, Eagles coach John Worsfold said the fight at ground level was just as important.

The Dockers can attest to that after winning the hit-outs 52-25 but losing the clearances 48-24 in last week's 56-point loss to Hawthorn.

Lyon admitted his team's midfield were annihilated against the Hawks.

But he leapt to the defence of 174cm speedster Hayden Ballantyne, who has struggled to hit top form this season after spending more time in the midfield.

Ballantyne's best football has come while playing as a small forward who pinch-hits in the midfield, but Lyon said he was keen for the 24-year-old to continue the experiment of spending prolonged periods on the ball.

"You'll see Hayden in the midfield," Lyon said.

"Kevin Sheedy was all about flexibility in his great teams and we want to build to be a great team, so we need to have flexibility.

"It's easy to look at peoples' failures, but (Ballantyne) was a catalyst for our round one win (over Geelong) and (against) the Saints in the last quarter.

"He's a key driver of our team."

Fremantle tagger Ryan Crowley is expected to get the job on gun Eagles on-baller Daniel Kerr.

Kerr complained earlier this week about the unfair attention he and fellow key midfielders around the league were copping from taggers.

AAP

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, perth-6000, wa, australia, fremantle-6160

First posted May 24, 2012 21:21:59

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Pavlich kicks milestone goal in Dockers win

Updated May 13, 2012 20:46:28

Fremantle captain Matthew Pavlich kicked his 500th career goal, as the Dockers overpowered Port Adelaide by 40 points at Subiaco to break into the top eight.

The loss was Port Adelaide's sixth defeat in a row, putting more pressure on embattled coach Matthew Primus.

The Power started strongly, attempting to draw a line under the proverbial week from hell since its insipid performance against Richmond last weekend.

But after taking an early lead, Port Adelaide produced a very patchy display, with a lot of skill errors.

The Power was still just in the contest at three-quarter time, despite Fremantle having 22 scoring shots to 10 at that point.

Dockers coach Ross Lyon delivered a ferocious spray to his players at the final break, and the message stuck, as his team kicked four goals to one in the final term to seal the win.

Port captain Domenic Cassisi told Grandstand his team had tried to remain focused despite what he called "a tough week".

"Today I thought our efffort, our contested stuff was pretty good," Cassisi said.

"What really let us down was our skill level once again, so we need to keep working on that - until we can tidy that up, we are going to make life pretty hard for ourselves."

Following the Richmond game, which Port Adelaide lost by 37 points at Football Park, the Power received a barrage of criticism with some media outlets saying it was time for Primus to go.

On Sunday Cassisi defended Port Adelaide's start to the year, despite the setbacks.

"We thought prior to last week, the 10 weeks we had including the NAB Cup were more than capable," he said.

"Last week was totally unacceptable, the criticism we copped was probably a little bit over the top but we've just got to move on."

The highlight of the match came with five minutes left in the match, as a mark in the left forward pocket gave Pavlich a chance to reach the milestone.

He did not disappoint, kicking truly to prompt a huge roar and a standing ovation from the home crowd.

Pavlich becomes the 51st AFL / VFL player to reach 500 goals.

He is now the third highest active goalkicker in the AFL, behind only St Kilda's Stephen Milne (501) and Brisbane's Johnathan Brown (504).

The Dockers now face another tough trip to Tasmania to play Hawthorn at York Park.

Fremantle defender Michael Johnson told Grandstand that the Dockers were beginning to adapt to coach Ross Lyon's new game style.

"(The style) is a lot more defence, getting the defence right and working from there," Johnson said.

"The only thing letting us down right now is the midfield clearances ... but the guys are getting more used to the game plan (Lyon) brought over, we're 5-2, the guys are pretty happy at the moment."

Dockers: 12.15 (87) - Pavlich 4, Mayne 3, Crowley, Ballantyne, Pearce, De Boer, Sandilands.

Port: 7.5 (47) - Butcher 2, Broadbent 2, P Stewart, Westhoff, Ebert.

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, australia, wa, subiaco-6008

First posted May 13, 2012 19:51:45

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Dockers scrape past rising Suns

Updated May 05, 2012 20:42:05

Gold Coast lost its chance for an opening win of the season after falling seven points short against the Fremantle Dockers at Metricon Stadium.

Fremantle shaded the second half to win its fourth game of the year and move into the top eight with the 14.10 (94) to 14.3 (87) victory.

The Dockers' Luke McPharlin told Grandstand his team was happy to get away with the win.

"We came to get the four points, and we did achieve that in the end," he said.

"It wasn't our best performance by any stretch ... the Suns were excellent all night, thankfully we won the game but there's certainly many things we can improve on.''

McPharlin said the Dockers had expected a tough contest from the winless Gold Coast.

"We knew they were going to come in hard, they've shown glimpses of it this year,'' he said.

"We expected that at some stage they were really going to come at us.''

The result was the least of the Suns' worries, as the second-year team lost veteran key defender Nathan Bock for the year to injury.

The incident came in the first term, when Bock crumpled after his leg was caught beneath him in a contest.

The game was stopped for nearly five minutes as medical staff attended the former Crows' player, who was taken to hospital after fracturing his lower right leg in a contest with the Dockers' Matt De Boer.

The Suns came from 17 points behind in the opening quarter to lead by as much as 17 points at half-time thanks to a goal by Karmichael Hunt after the siren.

But with Bock out, and inspirational young gun David Swallow struggling with a leg injury, Gold Coast could not hold out the visitors.

It was an extremely brave performance by the Suns, who were already missing Gary Ablett and Michael Rischitelli before the opening bounce.

In the absence of the senior players, Swallow, Hunt, Sam Iles and Dion Prestia played strongly for Gold Coast, but the star was Harley Bennell who kicked three goals and had a massive 37 disposals.

The momentum swung in a four-minute stretch from the 19-minute mark of the third quarter, where a Lachie Neale score was followed by two goals from De Boer to give the visitors hope.

Suns: 14.3 (87) - Swallow 3, Bennell 3, Caddy, Day, Hunt, Iles, Russell, Shaw, Brown, Brennan.

Dockers: 14.10 (94) - De Boer 3, Mayne 3, Neale 2, Clarke, Crowley, Hill, Roberton, Pavlich, Mzungu.

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, australia, qld

First posted May 05, 2012 19:35:22

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Dockers coy about chasing Cloke

Updated May 02, 2012 14:53:26

Fremantle coach Ross Lyon says he is in a hurry to add a power forward to his list, but refuses to reveal whether Collingwood's Travis Cloke is in the club's sights.

The Dockers are reportedly in the hunt to sign Cloke on a deal that could be worth around $1 million a season.

Cloke will be a restricted free agent at season's end, meaning the Magpies could retain his services if they are able to match any offer made by a rival club.

The Dockers are in desperate need of a reliable key forward to partner Matthew Pavlich in attack.

Former Magpies forward Jack Anthony has failed dismally since crossing to Fremantle two years ago, while Kepler Bradley has struggled to hold his position up forward for any length of time.

Lyon confirmed the Dockers needed more firepower in attack, but says there are a number of ways the club can achieve their goal.

"From a football club perspective, we're on record as having a clear, strategic list-management plan in place, which Chris Bond and Brad Lloyd head up," Lyon said.

"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.

"We started a list-management process four years ago when we were paying maximum salary cap and finishing on the bottom. Since then, it's been four years of drafting and a lot of youth brought in.

"I mentioned that Carlton took 10 years to get to their position from when they were bottom in a similar position and I said we don't want to take 10 years to do that. We're in a hurry.

"Talent identification is through draft, trade and free agency, and a power forward sits within that model."

Lyon says ruckman Aaron Sandilands will miss Saturday's clash with Gold Coast at Carrara due to a knee injury.

Midfielder Nat Fyfe will also be out for the next 12 weeks after opting for surgery to fix his troublesome left shoulder.

AAP

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, fremantle-6160, collingwood-3066

First posted May 02, 2012 14:53:26

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Ablett to miss Dockers visit

Updated May 01, 2012 16:51:16

Gary Ablett will have to wait for his showdown with Fremantle tagger Ryan Crowley after the Gold Coast captain was ruled out for at least another week with a knee injury.

The stage was set for a memorable clash between the pair at Carrara on Saturday after Ablett tweeted that Crowley was a "joke" for using negative tactics on Carlton's Chris Judd last Friday night.

But Ablett has not only been ruled out of the much-hyped match with Fremantle, he is also in doubt for the Suns' round-seven game against fledgling club Greater Western Sydney in Canberra.

The Suns were desperate to avenge their preseason loss to the Giants and create some much-needed season momentum with off-contract Gold Coast coach Guy McKenna's future being reviewed by the club's board.

Suns football general manager Marcus Ashcroft said in a worst-case scenario, Ablett might not be fit until the round-eight clash with the Western Bulldogs in Darwin.

"After reviewing his scans, our medical team deemed that Gary would miss anywhere between two and four matches, and we still believe that to be the case," Ashcroft said in a statement.

"We will be in a much better place to assess his progress once he has had a couple of running sessions under his belt.

"Gary is one of the most professional players in the game and we know he will do everything possible to get himself right."

Ashcroft was more positive about midfielder Michael Rischitelli (ankle).

"Michael has responded really well to treatment and we hope that he will complete a little bit of training tomorrow," he said.

"If he can do that, there would be a small chance that he will be available to play this week."

AAP

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, carrara-4211, qld, australia

First posted May 01, 2012 16:51:16

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Barlow back for Dockers

Updated July 13, 2011 15:07:37

Fremantle will be bolstered by the return of gun midfielder Michael Barlow for Sunday's match with Sydney at the SCG, while veteran Adam McPhee and defender Nick Suban could also return for the crunch encounter.

Barlow has not played since pulling up sore from his return in the round 13 loss to Melbourne, but Dockers coach Mark Harvey says the 23-year-old is now ready to resume after training strongly on Monday.

"We did some aggressive training on Monday and he was fighting the fire," he said.

"I'd like to think he'd be a lot better in the second half (of the season) ... in (terms of his) preparation."

Harvey is also seriously considering handing recalls to one or both of McPhee and Suban, despite neither having a WAFL match under their belt since suffering their injuries.

"I remember doing the same thing with Tendai (Mzungu) after missing 10 weeks. (Garrick) Ibbotson was the same," Harvey said.

"Both those guys are really professional in the way they have done their preparation in regards to rehab.

"It will only be probably touch and maybe a little bit of match fitness as to whether we play them or not."

- AAP

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, fremantle-6160

First posted July 13, 2011 14:10:34

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Harvey hopeful of Dockers improvement

Posted July 7, 2011 15:41:00

Fremantle coach Mark Harvey hopes the impending return of several key players will transform the Dockers into a major force for the remainder of the season.

The sixth-placed Dockers have defied one of the worst injury runs in the league this year to post a creditable 8-6 win-loss record heading into this weekend's bye.

The recent returns of Alex Silvagni, Roger Hayden and Antoni Grover from injury have helped ease the load, while the squad will be further bolstered when midfielder Michael Barlow slots back in for next week's away clash with Sydney.

And with ruckman Aaron Sandilands (toe), defender Nick Suban (leg) and veteran Adam McPhee (knee) also nearing returns, Harvey expects his team to show vast improvement in the remaining eight matches of the home-and-away season.

"We've had our difficulty with availability and, hopefully, we can get somewhere near our best side out on the park in the next couple of weeks, so anything can happen," Harvey told Perth radio station 6PR.

"I'd like to think we've got a lot of improvement in our side in the coming weeks.

"We've put ourselves in a situation where we can control hopefully where we finish.

"We've got an important phase so all the players understand how important it is for us to make sure that mentally and physically we're ready for what lies ahead.

"As it stands, we haven't beaten any sides above us at the moment, so that's a real area of need for us."

Emerging Dockers star Nat Fyfe says the club's bye has come at the perfect time, allowing the team's sore bodies to get a well-earned rest.

"At the start of the season, when we had the bye, we probably didn't really need it but now that the body is a little bit sore and the mind needs refreshing, it's really important to get it now," he said.

"Last time we had the bye, we lost the week after so this time it's a bit different.

"We've got a little bit more training to do. I think we're training on the weekend but, as I said, this time we really needed the bye, we really needed the break so we'll be fresh coming up against Sydney next week."

Thirteen teams are still in the hunt for the finals, but Fyfe claims he has barely looked at where everyone stands on the ladder.

"Obviously, every win is really important, but I myself don't really know what the exact points are and where we sit exactly," he said.

"We've just got to get a win against Sydney next week and try our hardest for the rest of the season."

Fyfe has grown three centimetres and put on around 14 kilograms since being snared by the Dockers with pick number 20 in the 2009 national draft.

That pick has turned out to be an absolute steal, with the midfielder/forward fast establishing himself as one of the most important players at Fremantle.

The 19-year-old has averaged 25.6 possessions a match this season and has also booted 14 goals to put himself in line for All-Australian selection.

- AAP

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, fremantle-6160

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Demons down the Dockers

Published:Sunday, June 19, 2011 7:18 AESTExpires:Saturday, September 17, 2011 7:18 AEST

Fremantle did little to challenge Melbourne with the Demons storming to a 149-60 victory.

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Tags: australian-football-league, melbourne-3000

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