Nat Fyfe’s Brownlow Medal hopes hang in the balance after his hit on Levi Greenwood
FREMANTLE superstar Nat Fyfe’s Brownlow Medal hopes hang in the balance after his clumsy high hit on Levi Greenwood. Is he in trouble? Watch the incident and have your say.
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Fremantle superstar Nat Fyfe’s Brownlow Medal hopes hang in the balance after his clumsy high hit on Levi Greenwood in Sunday’s 61-point defeat to Collingwood at the MCG.
The Dockers were left counting the cost of the horror 21.12 (138) to 12.5 (77) defeat after Alex Pearce went down with an ankle injury during the third quarter.
The key defender will have scans today to determine the extent of the damage.
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Lachie Neale (calf), Connor Blakely (shoulder) and Michael Walters (calf) were also hurt, but played out the match and are expected to be fit to take on Adelaide at Optus Stadium on Sunday.
Match review officer Michael Christian is certain to scrutinise footage of Brownlow favourite Fyfe’s third-quarter hit on Greenwood.
The Dockers skipper leapt off the ground and collected Greenwood with a forearm to the head after the Collingwood midfielder had punched a loose ball clear.
Greenwood got up quickly and did not appear to be overly bothered by the contact.
A grading of careless, high contact with low impact would attract a fine, rather a suspension.
Fremantle coach Ross Lyon said he didn’t see the incident.
“I didn’t see it and that’s not just a throwaway line,” Lyon said.
“Even if I did, unless you’re going to pay my fine for comments on the MRP, I’m probably not prepared to comment.”
Fyfe did not have a huge impact against Collingwood.
He gathered just 24 disposals, well down on his average of 31.2 over the opening 10 rounds.
It was his lowest tally since the Dockers’ defeat to Port Adelaide in round one.
Lyon backed Harley Bennell to eventually return to AFL level despite the troubled star sustaining yet another calf muscle injury playing for Peel Thunder on Saturday.
“He had calf tightness and a bit of tone, but he felt like he hadn’t done anything, so they called him out,” Lyon said.
“Harley texted me and said it was a smart move and I think I’m fine.
“It’s still frustrating but it’s still the big picture for Harley.
“There is no saviour for us or boom recruit.
“It’s going to be a weight of numbers exercise where everyone is all-in and aims to improve their footy and commits to the harder choices every moment to take us forward.
“That’s the only model I know. That’s the only model that works.
“If Harley can do that, he’s an important part of trying to build a good team.
“Am I confident in his attitude to do the work? That’s been unfailing.
“It’s well-documented that he works incredibly hard.
“All of us when we get devastated and challenged sometimes don’t handle it how we should and he would acknowledge he hasn’t been perfect.
“But he’s also had a great capacity to get back on the horse, be supported by the club and commit and train and get back.
“We’re more confident at this point in time than we’ve ever been, even withstanding him being tapped out on the weekend.”
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Originally published as Nat Fyfe’s Brownlow Medal hopes hang in the balance after his hit on Levi Greenwood