In 2009 and 2010, St Kilda’s manic pressure under Ross Lyon made them impossible to play against. Ultimately, a lack of goal-scoring power cost them a premiership in both years.
2009 was their most dominant season, with two narrow home-and-away losses. They finished 2010 in third spot, suffering six defeats, and there were times that their intense style started to take its toll.
Fast forward four years, and with Lyon now in charge at Fremantle, there are signs after six rounds of the 2014 season that the Dockers are beginning to suffer the same fate.
They trounced Collingwood in Round 1 and Gold Coast in Round 2, and in those two encounters there were signs Fremantle could emulate St Kilda in 2009 and finish this home-and-away campaign on top of the ladder. However, three losses in the past four indicate Fremantle might be jaded by Lyon’s lock-down style.
Other issues include injuries to key players. You can’t make injuries too much of an excuse, because all teams get them, but the two Michaels – Walters and Barlow – are among the Dockers’ best players and not easily replaced.
Hayden Ballantyne also missed the North Melbourne defeat due to suspension, and the lack of goal-scoring options other than Matthew Pavlich was badly exposed.
Ballantyne should return this week, but Walters may be gone for the season and they have to find other avenues to goal. It’s no doubt a sense of frustration that they like the Bulldogs have been unable to nab more key forwards to offer Pavlich support.
Clubs like Sydney and the Roos may have also learnt from Hwathorn’s demolition job in Round 3 of how to break down the Dockers’ game plan.
It’s not in the DNA of either Ross Lyon or his teams to be satisfied with a loss, especially in a grand final, but the Dockers struggled for most of their first 20 years in the competition and may be finding it hard to maintain the focus of last year.
If Freo can find that hardness and restrictive power again, there’s no doubt they will be back in contention, but it’s not a tap and can’t be turned on that easily.
The Dockers find themselves back in a big pack, with three wins and three losses. The loser of this week’s derby with West Coast – who have lost three in a row – will be under the pump. If it’s Fremantle, expect Lyon’s game plan to be put under the microscope.
We know he’s a great coach tactically, but does he have more to his game plan than strong defence and working harder? It looks like we are about to find out from Ross the Boss!
johno
Guest
Against teams like Melbourne, GWS, Adelaide and Brisbane! Context of opposition. If Freo had played those teams Pav could sit on the sidelines drinking latte's and they would still win in a canter. Most likely though he'll kick a bag of goals and be part of a team that demolioshes the opposition
dave
Guest
20 years with no flag. Port came in later and already has one. Now we have GWS and Suns to start threatening in the next decade. So in reply to the comments about Ross leaving our list in tatters. I dont care GET US A GODDAMN FLAG QUICK. Trade all our draft picks,do whatever it takes,I wont mind losing for the next decade(us Freo supporters are conditioned) But If another 10 years roll by and we are the only expansion team with an empty cabinet......
EddyJ
Guest
Yes, some very harsh critics on this page, that can only think about the last seven days. Ross Lyon is a very good coach – his winning record is 64.5% after 169 games. Four grand finals is proof of that, nearly winning two. I know that nearly winning a grand final doesn't count as a win, but these are pretty good statistics. Something obviously gets found out when his teams make the grand final (10 goals is the highest score), but getting to a grand final is half of the reason for playing football. Luck also plays a part in football – if he had the same luck as Paul Roos or John Longmire, he might have has three premierships under his belt, and this post wouldn't have been written. When asked, Napoleon stated that he neither wanted skilful or strong generals, but lucky ones, ones who could seize an opportunity. Perhaps Lyon is not a lucky coach. Is his game plan too demanding? Is it too tiring? Is he too inflexible? Has he lost his players? Not many people were asking these questions after Round 2. Being 3–3 after Round 6 is not great, but many teams have recovered from this position to win the flag. Let's wait a few more months before claiming the demise of Fremantle is nigh.
Jack Smith
Roar Guru
Agreed. I mean for god's sake, the two clubs on the bottom of the ladder only need to catch up two wins to be in top 8. Stranger things have happened...
Jack Smith
Roar Guru
Not passing judgement on Freo, waiting to see, but last time I checked Riewoldt (a captain forward) has (all bar last week) practically hauled his sign over the line with his impressive inspiring performances.
Michael huston
Guest
Did you not read my comment that specifically said I like Fremantle and they are still playing good footy? It's just not the kind that wins premierships. Look at Geelong, Sydney and Hawthorn in their premiership years and see the level they play, then look at Freo. You also make a point about Fremantle coming good because they get to play several easy-beats? Is that really how you want your team reaching a GF?
Swampy
Guest
Jesus - it is round 6 ffs. Freo are 3-3. May we'll win this week and be one game from the top 4. If they lost they would still be a good chance to make the 8. Let's reconvene this discussion in August.
Cat
Roar Guru
Takes more than 22 to make it through a season. Taking snapshots of a single game really proves anything.
Dockersfan
Guest
Surely mental exhaustion is relative to success? How exhausting would winning be? Not very. Whereas expending your energy only to fail, that is exhausting. Either way, you would think 6 games would not be enough to convince a side they were failing or succeeding. Lyon also said at the start of the year that you can't have both, an incredible defence and attack, he said there would have to be a trade off between the 2. His actual aim was to be top 4 attack and defence, implying that being 2nd, 3rd or 4th for defence would be ok if we were also in that zone for attack. He's said the same thing in many post match conferences, talking of the time for attack and how that leaves you vulnerable in defence. It's no wonder why every team aspires to his forward press style mechanism, because it's genius and works in both a defensive and offensive manner, creating score opportunities by applying manic defensive pressure.
Dockersfan
Guest
You just proved the point I was making. Although keen to see the average age of the players that actually played for their sides over the weekend? Fremantle: 26.2 yrs North Melbourne: 25.8 yrs Geelong: 26 yrs Hawks: 26.4 yrs My point stands, older players make for better sides. Just because you have 4 rookies under 19 who won't play a game, that doesn't mean you have a young side. When Geelong played Hawks a couple of weeks ago, there was not 1 player in either side under 20. My point stands.
macca
Guest
Gene - I am not saying that those players are all going to retire tomorrow but they will all go close together (within 2-3 years for the bulk of them) and my point was that while the average might be low it looks like it is the result of a sort of "hour glass" effect with a lump at each end but a gap in the middle.
Cat
Roar Guru
Sorry macca, can't be bothered to go through each of 120 people to sort out ages for each one. 30 for one player isn't the same as another. Not saying any of your above list is gonna be the next Dustin Fletcher or Brent Harvey but imagine writing those off just because they turned 30. I'll reserve my comments for the players I know best but Bartel has not lost a step yet and doesn't look set to retire anytime soon and Johnson is just getting better with age, he became a true A grade midfielder after turning 29. The oldest player on the list Corey Enright is the most likely next retirement and I think he is far from done, he has played 22 or more games every season for 8 years now so the body is no concern if he wants to keep playing.
macca
Guest
Gene - You have heard what happenned to the statistician who tried to cross a river that had an average depth of just 1m! Geelong will have 9 of their best 22 30 or older by the time next season starts Freo will have 12 of their best 22 29 or older by the time next season starts Hawthorn will have 7 of their best 22 30 or older before this season ends And not only that those olders players include the very best thsoe teams have, names like Hodege, Mitchell, Johnson, Bartel, Pavlich and McPharln the players who are winning the games for the club.
Axle an the guru
Guest
Just want to let you know Dalgety i dont dislike your club, and wouldnt begrudge you a flag,, i also like your gurnseys just not the way you are being coached.
Cat
Roar Guru
Average Age of list in 2014: #1 Freo @ 24.90 #5 Hawthorn @ 24.47 #10 Geelong @ 23.96 Average Games played of list 2014: #2 Freo @ 79.80 #4 Hawthorn @ 74.50 #8 Geelong @ 68.03 Just sayin' ...
Dalgety Carrington
Guest
Well they were in front for most of Friday night. I think North only hit the front well into the last quarter. As for last year, they were behind Geelong for a fair portion of that final, and stormed home against Sydney earlier in the year (only to snatch a draw). On the converse Essendon overran them in the game they snatched early on. Just a few examples, but I reckon your claim that it's easier when you're in front would apply to most sides, but it's easier to fight back if you're in touch, which is a major advantage of a defensive game plan.
Dalgety Carrington
Guest
I think you've hit the nail on your head with the first point and given yourself away with point 6 (i.e. it being an emotional reaction rather than one based on proper analysis). So the training load is aimed at getting them up for the part of the season that counts rather than these early stages. The additional thought being that they'll still have enough juice to get over enough teams early on. I think 2009 does play heavily in Ross Lyon's thinking. That year the Saints peaked at the wrong time of the year and lost a bit of momentum as the finals came into the frame (also see West Coast in 1991). So Lyon is more attuned to September than April (at the same time last year the Dockers were only one game better off with 4-2 win-loss). But in the past two years the Dockers have travelled and won a finals game interstate, against pretty handy opposition that also prided itself on superior fitness levels.
Cat
Roar Guru
Should be simple then for you to provide a link to these scientific studies. Facts without confirmed sources are just opinions. Not saying your claims are false but I'd like to see what it actually says before agreeing with it. There is also mental exhaustion, and a game plan like lyons that relies on every single thing going to plan and being perfected time and again, would certainly take a mental toll. A defense above everything else style game plan requires huge buy in from the group because its only as strong as its weakest link. If any one part of the team defense fails it gets cut apart and once behind the game plan leaves no ability to catch up. Freo last year were typically playing from in front, mentally thats easier to lock down as you know in your mind if you keep the opponent from scoring you'll win. When playing from behind though as Freo has done more of this year so far, mentally the player would be thinking locking down defensively won't be enough, we can't just stop them from scoring we still need to score as well. The more you lose the harder it is to mentally buy into a negative game plan. Last year Lyon wanted the team to lock down defensively, this year he wants them to maintain that same lockdown but ALSO score an average of 2 more goals a game, maybe thats too big an ask. *shrug* I don't know for sure.
Xman
Guest
Speaking of floundering how is it the Fairfax papers mentioned Eddie dropping the C word and didn't mention the blundering NRL/ARL chairman calling an NRL player from the Cronulla Hawks instead of the cronulla Sharks
Dockersfan
Guest
Hate to be scientific, but it's been proven that poor performing teams cover more ground than the top performing teams, irrespective of game plans. That's been proven, in journal reviewed studies. During Ross Lyon's time as a coach of St Kilda, it was proven. I know opinions carry more weight than science on an opinion site, but the only reason the Dockers would be doing more running and getting more tired, is because they weren't winning the ball. Not because of a game plan. Like Ross says his game plan is: 1) win the ball 2) keep the ball 3) When you lose it, get it back