Fremantle Dockers’ youngster Josh Simpson on leave, defender Luke McPharlin says club doesn’t have culture issue

JOSH Simpson is on leave as Fremantle tackles ‘issues at hand’, while the club is adamant it doesn't have culture issues. | Ballantyne ‘undisciplined’

FREMANTLE defender Luke McPharlin is adamant the AFL club doesn't have a culture issue, but admits a minority of the player group needs to clean up their act.

Josh Simpson's immediate playing future hangs in the air after the midfielder's refusal to make the trip to Sydney as the club's travelling emergency last week.

Simpson, the No. 17 pick from the 2012 national draft, missed training again this morning.

He is dealing with some sensitive family issues in his remote hometown of Yalgoo, and the Dockers are unlikely to end his AFL dream just yet.

However, given his workrate has come under the spotlight in the past, he is sure to earn some form of punishment from the leadership group.

Late today, Fremantle’s general manager of football operations Chris Bond said: “The club has advised Josh Simpson and his management that we will be having ongoing discussions throughout the week with regards to the issues at hand.

“Until those discussions have been finalised, Josh will be on leave from the club.”

Forward Hayden Ballantyne is also in the bad books of coach Ross Lyon after being suspended for the fourth time in two years.

■ HAVE YOUR SAY: Does Hayden Ballantyne’s talent justify his discipline record?

Ballantyne will miss Friday night's Len Hall game against North Melbourne at Patersons Stadium after pleading guilty to kneeing and striking Sydney's Rhyce Shaw in Saturday's 17-point loss at the SCG.

His ban came just a week after high-profile recruit Colin Sylvia copped a two-week suspension for an off-the-ball hit in the WAFL.

McPharlin said the string of recent discipline issues shouldn't reflect the culture of the wider player group.

“We believe our culture is very strong, and has been for a number of years now,” McPharlin said.

“We've had a couple of incidents early in the season that we wish didn't happen. But this is part and parcel of trying to organise and manage 40 players from different walks of lives.

“For the great majority of our playing group, it's a very strong brand and culture. Unfortunately some players fall by the wayside, but we deal with them internally.”

McPharlin urged Simpson to revive his career by following in the footsteps of teammate Michael Walters.

Walters was banished to the WAFL in 2012 for substandard fitness standards.

But the goalsneak worked hard to win back the trust of his teammates, and is considered as one of the best small forwards in the competition.

“No one really thought he'd come back and play, but he certainly turned it around,” McPharlin said.

“I don't think you can every write anyone off, but the incident on the weekend (involving Simpson) was pretty serious and we'll have to look at it.”

Ballantyne's suspension, combined with the season-ending loss of Walters (ankle), has robbed the Dockers of their two premier small forwards.