Lyon ready for Fyfe AFL free agency hype
Feb 9, 2017 - 4:24 AM Ross Lyon notes nothing lasts forever, although the speculation about Nat Fyfe's AFL future might well feel endless to the Fremantle coach.Fyfe's decision to test the free-agency market guarantees he will be one of the major ongoing stories this season.
The 2015 Brownlow Medallist said last August he would explore his free-agency options.
Fyfe added if he saw a strong future at Fremantle, he would stay.
Inevitably, there has been media talk already about Victorian clubs showing interest in Fyfe.
So far, nothing concrete has emerged.
In an interview with the AFL website, Lyon was asked if he was comfortable with Fyfe's situation heading into the new season.
"Well, yeah. We're all passing through, we're all passing through. Nothing is forever," he said.
If Fyfe was to change clubs, it would rival the biggest player moves of the past decade - Gary Ablett to Gold Coast, Lance Franklin to Sydney and Patrick Dangerfield to Geelong.
But Lyon noted Fyfe was a restricted free agent, meaning if a rival club made a bid for the star midfielder, the Dockers could match the offer.
"There's a big difference," the Fremantle coach said.
Lyon is philosophical about Fyfe's outlook on free agency and the conjecture that generates.
"It's reality, I think it generates news, it generates interest and it's going to be an ongoing narrative, one that I'm not going to comment on," Lyon said.
"We can't control it and, at the end of the day, every player is entitled to source the market, make a decision and move on."
Lyon says all Fremantle can do is provide a solid environment that is commercially viable.
"At the end of the day, it's a profession for them," he said.
"It's not something I sit around and mull about it. I just do what I can do and I've experienced it before. There have been lots of great players that have been out of contract, but I let the cobblers do the cobbling.
"That's between Nat, his manager and the club and, whether they do it at round one, round 26 or in the off-season, it's not for me.
"But the speculation is going to be there all year."
Source: AAP
No one has shouted yet.
Be the first!
Be the first!
Related News
- Rebuilding Dockers to find their identity Dec 8
- Pilates the secret for Dockers' Ballantyne Nov 19
- No West Coast AFL interest in me: Matera Nov 15
- Dockers secure shock draft pick from Suns Oct 19
- Dockers' Weller wants AFL trade to Suns Oct 16
- Dockers delist AFL ruckman Jon Griffin Oct 6
- Dockers re-sign Ballantyne in AFL for 2018 Sep 13
- Fyfe not surprised by All-Australian snub Aug 28
- Change agent Lyon set for busy AFL summer Aug 27
- No wobbles for Fremantle's AFL coach Lyon Aug 23
- Docker Garrick Ibbotson retires in AFL Aug 22
- Dockers could be in for more AFL pain Aug 20