Ross Lyon confirms at least six Dockers to be rested against Port
The Australian
“Anyone, anywhere, anytime” has been Fremantle’s mantra for almost all of Ross Lyon’s time there as senior coach.
This weekend, though, will bring a rare exception to the code.
The Dockers will briefly break with their “bring it on” tradition after Lyon yesterday confirmed that at least six of his senior players would miss Saturday's clash with Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval.
The AFL gave Fremantle the green light on Monday to rest up to 11 players in their lead-up game to the finals after securing the minor premiership with one round remaining.
Match Preview: Fremantle v Port
Fremantle Dockers confirm David Mundy, Matthew Pavlich and Luke McPharlin among rested players
PerthNow
Fremantle coach Ross Lyon admits he already has one eye on Sydney as the teams prepare for what is shaping as their third final in three seasons.
The Dockers, who are guaranteed to finish on top of the ladder, will host the fourth-placed Swans in a qualifying final at Subiaco Oval should results go as expected in the final round this weekend.
Lyon said the club’s forward planning involved preparing to face the Swans in the opening weekend of the finals.
No excuses, Lyon tells Dockers B team
The West Australian
Fremantle coach Ross Lyon has demanded players make the most of their opportunity to play against Port Adelaide on Saturday, warning they may not get a second chance.
Lyon confirmed that skipper Matthew Pavlich, Luke McPharlin, David Mundy, Aaron Sandilands, Lee Spurr and Stephen Hill would be rested.
Defender Cam Sutcliffe will miss after injuring a shoulder against Melbourne and Michael Walters will be given another week off with a calf injury.
The club will decide later in the week whether to play Michael Johnson, Chris Mayne, Danyle Pearce and Nick Suban.
Lyon said draftee Connor Blakely would make his AFL debut but Hayden Ballantyne was unlikely to be risked.
We're still aiming to win: Lyon
Fremantle Dockers fans already chartering flights for AFL Grand Final
The West Australian
Fremantle Dockers tragic is so confident Fremantle will make this year's grand final he has already chartered a 80-seater jet for the trip to Melbourne and says the flight is booked out.
Scott Bruce said he scrambled to charter a jet two years ago when the Dockers made their first grand final against Hawthorn, but the experience left him exhausted.
This time around he decided to book a Cobham Aviation jet two months before the grand final to avoid the stress.
"When I did it two years ago, I did it a week before the grand final and it was hard work getting a jet and collecting the money off people," he said.
"But I still managed to do it just through friends and we got an 82-seat jet."
