Fremantle coach Ross Lyon is very much his own man. He doesn’t care who criticises him, especially the media.
Who could forget his performance almost two years to the day at his first press conference as the Dockers new coach, just a day after Fremantle pulled off footy’s great heist sacking Mark Harvey and then only a couple of hours later announcing Lyon had replaced him.
This move took everyone involved in the game by surprise, particularly the team he was coaching at the time, St Kilda, who thought he was going to sign a new contract that day.
Lyon had to contend with an unimpressed group of Western Australian journalists, all miffed with the way Harvey had been replaced by him.
But he didn’t bat an eyelid – he stood by his convictions and took the attiude ‘if people don’t like it, bad luck!’
This again was exactly how he handled his controversial decision to rest half his team for last Saturday’s last home-and-away match against the Saints at the Docklands, knowing that they were going to have to travel to Victoria again next week for the qualifying final with Geelong.
The Dockers had six players who had played five games or less and ten who had played less than 20 and were thrashed by the 16th placed Saints, who were farewelling three retiring stars in Stephen Milne, Jason Blake and Justin Koschitzke.
Lyon had before this match already conceded Geelong would beat Brisbane at Kardinia Park and finish second, consigning his side to third, so he thought this game was basically a dead rubber and it would be ideal to give many of his regulars a change to recharge their batteries.
However, it almost backfired, with the Cats pushed all the way by the Lions and eventually hanging on by just one point.
As Lyon said in his press conference after the match once the Geelong result came through, it was a calculated risk that came off.
But what if Brisbane did win?
By deciding not to take their game seriously, the Dockers would have blown a golden opportunity to finish second and host a home final in the first week.
Although it’s in the rules, what Lyon did – and he has done it before, when in charge of the saints in 2009, when they dominated the home-and-away season – it’s certainly not in the spirit of the game and he’s actually showing disrespect to the competition and Brisbane.
You hope the Lions players have long memories when the two clubs meet in 2014 and try and prove to Lyon and Fremantle they deserve their respect.
Could the Dockers’ tactics be seen as bringing the game into disrepute under rule 1.6?
That was what the Bombers were charged with regarding their supplements scandal and they received some significant penalties including not being allowed to play in the finals.
Essendon have been punished for poor governance more than anything else, but who’s to say Fremantle didn’t tank?
They didn’t bring their best side across and the reason for not selecting many of their best players was they were being rested.
At the moment there’s no rule not allowing clubs to do that and you have seen the teams who sealed their spot in the eight weeks ago managing their list and giving players break, but not half a team.
While there isn’t a rule in place stopping this practice, teams will continue to do it near the end of the season if they are in finals, especially if, like Fremantle are, they are travelling in consecutive weeks.
League CEO Andrew Demetriou, in a radio interview on the ABC on Friday, said they were not impressed with Fremantle’s actions and they are monitoring it.
They need to discourage it by bringing in a rule ensuring all teams pick the strongest side they can every week.
The way the Dockers approached this match, they could be accused of tanking, which Melbourne were investigated for.
The AFL has always stated tanking doesn’t exist, but the Demons were still penalised for bringing the game into disrepute, because written documentation showed there had been discussions about compromising the game plan and even team selection in 2009.
Two officials, then coach Dean Bailey and football manager Chris Connolly, were suspended.
The Dockers had no intention of beating the Saints, even though Lyon’s old team had won just four games for the season, so what’s the difference between that and what Melbourne were accused of doing in 2009 to ensure they got the first two picks in that draft (which they ultimately did in Jack Tremgove and Tom Scully)?
I would say nothing, but because clubs can choose any team they like, the AFL can’t prosecute them.
But they wouldn’t want a repeat of it and could be looking to make changes.
This controversy, as usual, is water off Ross Lyon’s back and he doesn’t care what people think.
He will just concentrate on his manic preperation for the clash against the Cats and, although it will be almost impossible to beat Geelong at the cattery, where they have tasted defeat just once since 2007, Lyon will do everything in his power to make the Dockers tough to play and score against next Saturday.
If they cause a boilover, his decision to rest half a team, which remains in the rules, will allow Lyon to have the last laugh yet again.
Hang on! Have you ever seen Ross laugh?
Jess
Guest
I as a freo fan dont care one little iota that we are playing Geelong in Geelong. What i do care about is that the situation was only predicated on Geelong vs Freo, with any other team not required to play down there, and the decision being made a week before the game even though in July (only two months ago) Andy D said no finals would be played at Geelong. Annouce it at the beginning of the year and I am happy with it. Announce it last week just because it is freo and it stinks. For a man who is supposed to be unbias when it comes to the 18 teams in the league, he really does seem to have a stink about the dockers
Clark
Guest
Being a NZ'er I don't really follow AFL all that much, but in relation to this idea of tanking... although it may be the intention to rest players and save them, the unseen consequence may be that it will have a negative effect on another team. But in teams of it not being in the spirit of the game, in my opinion, if you have players who are in your squad that you have paid for, surely you should be able to play whoever you want. This is a non issue if opposed to going out and actually purposely playing badly.
Geoff Lemon
Expert
If Freo had finished second, Geelong would play them at Subi, where they have a significant home ground advantage. Geelong finishes second, so Freo instead plays them at Kardinia, where Geelong have a significant home ground advantage. If someone can explain how this is unfair, I'd be very interested. Top teams get the ground advantage, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, amen.
Kev
Guest
Balthazar - If Freo fans haven't been able to get a ticket why have there been reports that only half of Fremantle's allotment of tickets have been sold? "With the tyrannies of distance, the home ground advantage at that smaller ground will be exacerbated for Fremantle fans." - Are you seriously having a whinge that Geelong will have considerable home ground advantage because the crowd will be mainly filled with Geelong supporter's? Give me a break. "Anyway, as has been said so many times that it has become boring, as soon as you determine fixturing so that team A has to play at a certain ground and team B doesn’t (based on highly implausible crowd number predictions) then there is a reasonable apprehension of bias, particularly where that ground is well known for partisan crowds and home team umpiring (Brisbane Lions, anyone?)." - You're whinging because of partisan crowds? Seriously? Interstate teams may have to travel considerably more but they also enjoy the benefit of partisan crowds and yet when a Victorian team gets this you bitch and moan about it. If that's the case then all Fremantle home games should be played at the MCG since that's effectively a neutral venue. "I still don’t understand why some people cannot comprehend this. Clearly, a lot of people do, however, and hence my point that Vlad’s decision has been strongly criticised by most of the football articles I have read and on most of the football shows." - The crux of your entire argument rests solely on the fact that you don't like that Fremantle have to play Geelong in Geelong. It has nothing to do with the inconsistencies in how home grounds for Victorian teams are applied in finals based on estimated crowd sizes or contractual arrangements and claiming that that is the main reason for your complaint is nothing more than a smokescreen and an attempt to be disingenuous.
theBird
Guest
Taishan Tigers?? My point was that for a game with a rapid rate of rule changes and a large influence of our culture on its actual rule comprehension, makes ALF less appealing to outsiders. A good example is the "out of bounds on purpose" rule. Just saying. Not hating.
Gezza
Guest
Love some of those meds!
Bayman
Guest
Jake, You assume the intention was to be uncompetitive, as opposed to just resting key players for the finals next week. I assume that most people think tanking involves actually trying to lose. I'm sure Ross Lyon was hoping his team would do well even if the possible outcome of such an action was a loss to the Saints. It doesn't mean he was actually trying to lose. Every selected player had an opportunity to impress the coach for future reference. I'm sure even Lyon was aware he was somewhat handicapping his team but I bet he wasn't trying to lose. So not tanking but list management. That said, I imagine the AFL will soon be putting in place rules where this sort of thing carries some penalty in future. The issue of the impact on betting, as far as I'm concerned, is not Freo or Ross Lyon's problem. The teams were announced according to the timing requirements of the AFL so anybody who then bet on Freo is probably an idiot. If they bet before the team was announced that's their problem and I have no issue with Freo on that score.
Samuel Gates
Roar Pro
I'm not a Freo fan, but I think Ross Lyon is the smartest coach in the AFL. He's not afraid to be innovative and his team has bought his strategies so well.
Samuel Gates
Roar Pro
Comparing the Essendon drug saga and Fremantle resting players for one match, really? Fremantle are well within their rights to do such a thing. They're obviously not doing a Melbourne. They're setting up to go as far into September as possible and they think this is the best way to do it.
Gezza
Guest
so why the pretend season comment from Ross Lyon - ergo tanking!
peter
Guest
The game Melbourne was fined for was lost after umpires awarded a (very dubious) penalty to Richmond that was kicked after the final siren. Nothing was proven yet Melbourne were fined. The AFL need to apply their own rules consistently.
Darren
Guest
Glad to see most people disagree with the article. Ross Lyon is trying to win the premiership. It was a calculated risk on two fronts. He had the courage to make the call. One risk proved successful - Geelong won. The other risk - major changes to a team coming into finals we won't know until the weekend. In the end it is the coaches call and the AFL, commentators can have an opinion but it is not their call. Not tanking, not bringing the game into disrepute - just focussed on the main game. As Ross Lyon said ideally they would have rested two players a week for the last 6-7 weeks (the Geelong method) but they needed to sure up a top 4 berth and due to other injuries were not in a position to do that.
Hansie
Guest
Freo were two points adrift of Geelong going into the last match; if they were two points in front, I doubt Ross Lyon sends the WAFL team over for the last match.
Buk Phang
Guest
Yes How about the AFL cheating , in making Fremantle travel more than any other team in the East. And how many times has Geelong traveled to WA to play the Dockers?? and how few times they get to play at the MCG?? Is all cheating!
Axel
Guest
Funny how people expect Dockers to fly their best team to a dead rubber at Etihad, go home, then fly back to Geelong for a QF, where they clearly would be fatigued and not be able to produce their best footy. I think a less than 100% performance in a QF would be more detrimental to the competition than a subpar effort in a dead rubber against St Kilda the previous week. If they were playing St Kilda at Subi things would be different. 3-4 players may have been rested like what Sydney and Geelong have just done. Open your minds people!! This article is written by someone with another agenda against Ross Lyon or the Club. Or they are tied up with Melbourne tanking scandal, or a Geelong fan. Either way never heard of them.
Balthazar
Guest
Oh and for Gene's sake - I said fans and not members, you know the people who you seem to class as neutrals
Axel
Guest
Here is the simple argument: - Fremantle didn't tank because they selected from their available squad. The selected players gave 100% and the non-selected ones were left out due to player management, due to heavy travel requirements. - Fremantle are at more of a disadvantage playing Geelong at Simonds than any other team would be playing them at the G (which is where it would be fixtured had it not been Fremantle). On top of that this will be the only opportunity Geelong get to have a Simonds final. If it was fair they would play all their home finals there. Also, the last minute nature of this decision was really poor. Fremantle play all their home games at Subi, and all their away games interstate. Its consistent for all opponents.
Calum
Guest
I just can't get my head round that point of view.... They are resting players so that their performance in the finals (for which they have already qualified) is better. In these situations, teams still want to win because it maintains their momentum. The may still win, but they accept that they are more likely to loose than they were and the altered risk/ benefit equation. Still want to win though....
Cat
Roar Guru
Well Balthazar at last report while Geelong and neutral tickets have been sold out, freo members have bough just 2000 of 4000 tickets available to them at Simonds. That alone proves Freo members are not missing out. PS: that's also 1000 more Freo members then purchased tickets for the final at the MCG last year, which means more Freo members are traveling to Geelong then were willing to travel to the MCG.
Hondo
Guest
Mark True, Not sure what Eddie meant about finger to the WAFL Commission on the Geelong match switch but a finger for freo for resting but players were rested everywhere but Fridays nights Swans game was as intense as any...Tankng cannot be proved so we just take away the autonmatic priorty pick which they have done..