This was published 7 years ago
Ross Lyon to get more hands-on at Fremantle after Dockers' 2016 disaster
By Kim Hagdorn
Fremantle coach Ross Lyon is poised to step back into more direct hands-on control of Dockers ball movement strategies in a bid to eradicate hurtful turnovers from his side's defence.
Lyon is considering a major overhaul of his support staff in launching a planned return to the finals next year.
A significant step in his sweeping makeover will be the coach himself to take increased handling of ball transfer processes and skill development, as well as structures and implementation of full team defensive strategies.
Lyon could coach training and specific match-day attacking and scoring attempts as well as defence when his unit is not in possession of the ball.
Ross Lyon will take on a more hands-on approach to ball-movement next years, with a Dockers side that may not include Hayden Ballantyne.Credit: Will Russell/AFL Media
His attempts last season to radically improve ball movement from deep in defence into scoring zones crumbled into dismal 2016 results with last year's minor premiers plummeting to a 16th finish from just four wins after starting the home-and-away campaign among premiership favourites.
The Dockers ranked 18th for effectiveness in movement from defence according to official AFL statisticians Champion Data, at 15.3 per cent of retaining possession to enter their forward 50-metre arc.
Lyon constantly lamented his struggling outfit's turnovers from backward of midfield when he had been determined to increase disposal efficiency and to also lift scoring in his plans to remain firmly in calculations.
The Dockers ranked 16th for scoring at an average of only 71.5 points an outing and were 14th for scores conceded at 96 points a game.
In Lyon's first two years at the Dockers in 2012 and 2013, they emerged as defensive trendsetters they were the toughest unit in the league to score against.
Lyon assigned ball movement responsibilities last summer to first-year Dockers assistants Brent Guerra and David Hale with their expansive knowledge of the exquisite Hawthorn kicking program that won three straight premierships under master coach Alastair Clarkson.
Guerra will move from defensive line-coach duties into development.
Hale is expected to take over running of a substantially revamped Dockers forward division with departure of veteran champion Matthew Pavlich into retirement, as well as Chris Mayne and Hayden Ballantyne moving on to new clubs.
Hale, 32, will move from a development role into forward coach.
North Melbourne premiership on-baller Anthony Rock looks likely to step into the hot seat as midfield coach.
He will directly oversee one of the most formidable centre-square combination in the business if champion play-maker Nat Fyfe, star big man Aaron Sandilands and injured recruit Harley Bennell are back full fit from next season.
Former Essendon hard-nut Michael Prior is one of the few Dockers to retain his previous position as defensive coach in the new-look coaching team, as well as Simon Eastaugh, who is expected to stay in charge of rucks and big man development.
Midfields specialist Marc Webb is likely to join Guerra in development coaching and mentoring with real prospects of an influx of new young talent with Dockers recruiters tipped to be a significant priority at November's national draft.
Dockers management is planning to substantially turnover their existing playing list with as many as another eight departures from as early as next week when alignment outfit Peel Thunder plays the WAFL Grand Final on Sunday.
Other significant changes in Lyon's coaching restructure are expected to include last season's forwards coach Mark Stone taking up opposition analysis and game strategy assessment.
Dockers management is also still searching for a new appointment of general manager for high performance coaching manager to work alongside Lyon and his entire support staff.
The new elite sports management appointment follows departure of high profile assistant Peter Sumich and Simon Lloyd over the past 12 months as from their director of coaching development posts under Lyon.
Lloyd is now at Geelong ,while Sumich is in discussions with a host of other AFL outfits seeking his vast football nous as a possible coaching assistant or advisor.