Essendon will soon have to sit down and discuss Dustin Fletcher’s future, writes Mark Robinson
ON the day Fremantle announced skipper Matthew Pavlich would play in 2015, the career of Essendon icon Dustin Fletcher is at the crossroads.
Mark Robinson
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ON the day Fremantle announced skipper Matthew Pavlich would play in 2015, the career of Essendon icon Dustin Fletcher is at the crossroads.
To everyone’s surprise, Fletcher was dropped for the Port Adelaide match and, more surprising, he is no certainty to return for Sunday’s clash against Collingwood.
It was said he was axed because of a lack of a match-up, but that was a bit of a furphy.
For just about all of Fletcher’s 390 AFL games, he has been able to play on key forwards and small forwards, and anyone in between, but those days are passed.
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A month ago, Fletcher was a monty to play next year.
But poor games against Greater Western Sydney and Adelaide, and an OK game against Geelong, has suddenly put Fletcher’s longevity into question.
Could it be that the end has arrived quickly for the great man?
It’s certainly a question for the Bombers to ponder.
And if he’s not back this weekend, then when?
There were a couple of instances in the Cats game where Fletcher could not impact the contest.
Maybe he was caught out on the slick track at Etihad. Maybe he was just sore and needed rest a to rejuvenate his body. Maybe, like a thief in the night, father time went swoosh.
Whatever the case, it has left the Bombers wondering about ‘’Fletch’’.
He was 39 and 52 days old at his last outing.
Fletcher’s father, Ken, last week told the Herald Sun his son wanted to play in 2015 and that exiled coach James Hird was enthusiastic about coaching Fletcher passed 400 games.
And what a wonderful moment that would be.
But it’s not entirely Hird’s decision, for the match committee and list management of 2014 - of which Hird is not a part of - would need to contribute to the discussion.
If Fletcher is not selected this week, then clearly a meeting between coach Mark Thompson and the champion defender is on the agenda.
Missing one game created talk. Missing two and the media will want a Royal Commission.
That said, he is a chance to play against the Magpies.
Teammate Brendon Goddard accepted a his one-match penalty yesterday, so there’s a spot for the taking.
If Thompson returns Jason Winderlich to the forward line, or uses him for Goddard in the middle, a defensive spot opens up.
Fletcher’s problem is Collingwood doesn’t even have a centre half-forward, meaning Cale Hooker and Michael Hurley can take Travis Cloke and one of the resting ruckmen.
And if Michael Hibberd is over his leg injury, he’s an automatic inclusion.
This is not attempt to write off a champ — how can you write off a 39-year-old? — it’s about performance and selection.
There isn’t the same issue with Pavlich, who is just 32.
“Clearly, when you get to this age, it’s a mind and body decision,” Pavlich said yesterday. ‘’We sat down and had a bit of a chat about where I was at.’’
The same conversation with Fletcher will be had soon enough.
Originally published as Essendon will soon have to sit down and discuss Dustin Fletcher’s future, writes Mark Robinson
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