Click to view on YouTube.

AFTER being forced to consider the possibility that his AFL career was over last year, Fremantle stopper Ryan Crowley says public criticism of his tagging tactics is water off a duck's back.

Indeed, the 28-year-old says Gary Ablett's tweet during Fremantle's round five clash with Carlton suggested he was doing something right as he enjoys a career revival under Ross Lyon.

At the end of last season, with former coach Mark Harvey still in charge, Crowley was told that he would be put up for trade, and if there were no takers his future at Fremantle was uncertain.

Out of form in a new forward line role and lacking hunger for the game, his prospects took a turn when Lyon arrived and told him there was a midfield role for him to play if he was willing to do the work.   

"Ross came in and gave the perception of me from the outside - he gave me great confidence because he said I was someone he wanted around the club," Crowley told AFL.com.au. 

"He saw a role for me in the team straight away and he said if you go away and do the work you'll get first crack at the role.

"Through the last regime I wasn't getting a good go in the midfield and that was all I really wanted.

"They told me they were going to look at putting me on the trade table and see what happened there. After that if nothing eventuated they were going to have a talk to me."

Crowley's response at the end of last season was to jump straight into training three days after the club's final game in an effort to rebuild his engine and return to his midfield playing weight.

He changed his diet, scaled back his weights program and lost nine kilograms. Now he is now one of Lyon's most consistent performers, routinely tagging the opposition's best midfielder. 
 
"I feel like I've massively got that hunger completely back," he said. "I love coming to the club every day and I'm loving my footy again.

"Things were getting a little bit on top of me [last year]. I was struggling to get a kick and I felt like I was playing out of position.

"As much as I didn't want to admit it to myself, it sort of got to that point where I was starting to fee like it was getting away from me a bit.

"That's not a good feeling, but now I feel like I've definitely got a lot to offer."

Crowley has played every game this season, averaging 17 disposals and two clearances and chipping in with seven goals. His prospects of continuing into a 13th season appear strong.

In round five he held Judd to 18 disposals (including six in the first half) prompting Ablett to tweet: "Crowley is a joke! Play the ball not the man! That's why lingy (former Geelong captain Cameron Ling) was such a great player he ran both ways! #givejuddafreekick."

Crowley said the public criticism was surprising but it didn't bother him as long as his coaches were happy with the role he was playing. 

"I see it as the way that I'm going to get a game every week, so I'm going to do everything that I can to play that way," he said.

"[The umpires] watch nearly every contest I go into, so if I'm doing the wrong thing I'm going to get penalised.

"I didn't think I stood over the mark in any way, and Chris (Judd) was great after the game. We shook hands and had a little chat and he seemed fine with the way I played.

"It (the criticism) obviously means I'm doing something right."

Nathan Schmook covers Fremantle news for AFL.com.au. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_Nathan

The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs