It is a common tactic of most AFL teams, but Fremantle senior coach Ross Lyon says Freo is bucking the trend of playing a designated tagger.
 
With 2012 Doig Medallist Ryan Crowley unavailable, Fremantle have only used a heavy tagging role once this year, in Round 1 against Port Adelaide.
 
In that game, Clancee Pearce followed Port Adelaide captain Travis Boak.
 
Lyon told 6PR’s Sports Today that since then, the midfielders had been left to focus on the ball not the opposition.

 
“We’ve backed our midfielders in to deliver,” he said.

Midfield mix crucial
 
“If someone gets away from us and we’re not going that well, we’ll send a (Matt) de Boer, Clancee (Pearce) or (Nick) Suban to them, just to quiet them down.”
 
Lyon said the depth of the midfield was promising this season, with players standing up if others were having an off day.
 
“They (midfielders) are all feeding off each other,” he said.

Goals galore, as midfield makes mark on scoreboard
 
“Not everyone is going to have a purple patch, but when you’re not going well, we keep trying hard.”