Fremantle president Dale Alcock said that the club’s board had to act in the best interests of fans and supporters in their decision to make a change to the club’s coaching and CEO roles.

On Tuesday morning, Fremantle announced that senior coach Ross Lyon and CEO Steve Rosich would not be at the club for the 2020 season.

While Alcock praised the contributions to Fremantle from both Lyon and Rosich, he said that the club needed to move in a new direction after missing finals for the fourth consecutive season. 

“Football is a high performance business and there’s no sugar coating it - it’s clear that for a number of reasons that we have not performed in recent seasons at a level that either meets our expectations or our supporters' expectations,” Alcock said.

“The board has a duty to act in the best interests of its members and supporters and to be bold in making strategic decisions. 

“As a result, the Fremantle Football Club board has decided that the club requires a new coach and a new CEO for the 2020 season and beyond.”

Alcock said that the search had begun for ‘talented and dedicated’ people top fill the vacant roles.

In the meantime, current assistant coach David Hale will stand in as senior coach for Sunday’s clash against Port Adelaide, while chief operating officer Graeme Parker will act as interim CEO until a permanent CEO is identified.

“We’ll be casting the net as wide as possible over the coming months to find the right people, the best people to join our club and set the course for the next 10 years,” Alcock said.

“I do want to be clear, no-one has been anointed to take over either of these two roles. Our first priority will be to identify and engage a new senior coach.”

Alcock thanked Lyon and Rosich for helping transform the club, with Lyon coaching at Fremantle for eight years and Rosich in the role of CEO for 11 years.

“It’s important to acknowledge the contribution that both Ross Lyon as senior coach and Steve Rosich our CEO, have made to the club,” Alcock said.

“In Ross’s first four seasons we played finals. The highlight being the 2013 AFL Grand Final. 

“He instilled great professionalism, drive and commitment into our club. 

“Steve has done his utmost for the Fremantle Football Club over 11 years and he is leaving the club in good shape.  

“The club’s breadth and depth of sponsors has never been greater and the club is in a sound financial position. 

“Steve was instrumental in the completion of our state of the art training facility here at Cockburn, a complex and challenging task, as well as the transition from Subiaco Oval to Optus Stadium. 

“In any organisation, a CEO with more than 10 years standing is rare and the board believes that it is the right time for a new CEO to reset the club’s course.

“The board and I personally have the utmost respect for both Steve and Ross and what they have contributed to our football club.”