Ross Lyon was blindsided by a Fremantle axing which was a ‘cold-blooded ambush’, writes Mark Robinson

Ross Lyon was blindsided by a shock Fremantle axing which was akin to a ‘cold-blooded ambush’, writes Mark Robinson. But there’s a job the departing Dockers coach could soon be linked with.

Ross Lyon would be linked with Essendon should John Worsfold depart, Mark Robinson says. Picture: Kerris Berrington.

If anything, 2019 is the season of the sacking.

That’s four coaches banished by their football clubs and we haven’t even reached the end of Round 23.

Brendon Bolton. Brad Scott. Alan Richardson. And now Ross Lyon.

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As Lyon said, footy’s a brutal business.

Lyon’s sacking at Fremantle was, we learnt, months in the planning and three days in the execution.

The loss to Essendon on Saturday night prompted an impromptu board meeting, where it was decided, because the Dockers wouldn’t play finals this year and Lyon would not coach out his contract in 2020, then why keep him.

The dismissal was a clinical, cold-blooded ambush.

Ross Lyon was sacked as Fremantle coach on Tuesday. Picture: AAP Image/Julian Smith.

Lyon was blindsided, as were the assistant coaches, namely David Hale, who will coach the Dockers this weekend.

Dockers president Dale Alcock was impressively pragmatic and powerful.

And despite being on the wrong end of this decision, Lyon should have respect for how Alcock handled it.

Indeed, Alcock was unsentimental and direct and didn’t mince his words nor feel the need to defend his actions.

In a lot of ways, he was like Lyon the coach — pragmatic to the point of being curt and with a belief in his own behaviour and actions that was absolute.

“They’ve made some big decisions that I don’t agree with, but I certainly respect it,’’ Lyon said.

“As Leigh Matthews says, don’t complain and don’t explain.’’

This was a true sacking.

Ross Lyon addresses his Fremantle players during one of his last games as coach. Picture: Will Russell/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

There was no dancing around the topics by Alcock or any attempt to avoid hurting feelings.

He stood up, delivered the news, answered questions and stood down.

He left no one in doubt that change was urgently required.

“Everything needs to improve and evolve at this club to be elite,’’ he said.

“It’s bold, I think it’s required and we’ll need to significantly improve on field … we think it’s the right decision.’’

To the fans, he said: “They deserve more’’.

“We are concerned that if we did not make this decision today, we would be, in a sense, treading water for 12 months.

“We brought that forward and made that decision today.”

Perhaps, Lyon had an inkling of today’s announcement.

With hindsight, you need to mull over how he’s been talking in recent weeks.

He’s been taking to the hustings, telling everyone how good he’s been and will be, as if he was reminding the Dockers and any potential suitor that he’s a good coach.

He revealed he was going to study “behavioural economics” at Harvard, further evidence he sees himself as coach in the future.

He departs after several tumultuous seasons.

In a rebuild since 2016, the team has played inconsistent and injury-riddled football.

Off the field, he was the centre of sexual harassment claims in early 2018.

An AFL investigation into the incident exonerated Lyon and found no sanctions were necessary.

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How much of a role that played in today’s decision is unknown, although the club and Alcock were fully supportive of Lyon at the time.

This season enjoyed promise and endured failings and yesterday more or less felt like the ending of a relationship that had run its course.

“We must act to ensure we are reinvigorated and re-energised for the future,’’ Alcock said.

Chief executive officer Steve Rosich, who lured Lyon out of St Kilda, clearly departed because of his loyalty to Lyon.

He, too, spoke with class and dignity yesterday.

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There’s is still so much to play out.

Will Lyon coach again? Which club would look at him? What was Fremantle head of football Peter Bell’s role?

It would be naive to say Bell has blood on his hands, but also probably naive to think his counsel wasn’t sought by Alcock and the board.

The list of contenders for the Dockers job has already been shaped.

Justin Longmuir is favourite, whatever that means, because Rhyce Shaw and David Teague were never going to coach their clubs.

So, don’t believe the early markets.

Ross Lyon would be linked with Essendon should John Worsfold depart, Mark Robinson says. Picture: Kerris Berrington.

Brad Scott, Scott Burns, Jarrad Schofield and Peter Sumich will also be named and promoted.

The curious one is current Essendon coach John Worsfold.

It’s believed Lyon’s name has not been mentioned internally at Essendon, but circumstances have now changed.

If the Bombers were to amicably split with Worsfold and look to a new direction, then Lyon’s name would figure prominently as a replacement. And it should.

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He’s taken the two clubs to a Grand Final and the Bombers haven’t won a final since before Lyon started coaching.

Of course, that could change this year with Worsfold.

The negative on Lyon is the perception he’s too demanding and confrontational and his game style is boring and unproductive, notwithstanding the three Grand Final appearances.

He would say he always tried to embrace the media and the fans, but a contingent of the media and fans in Western Australia would argue otherwise.

“It’s an opinion business,’’ Lyon said yesterday.

In the end, Alcock’s opinion reigned supreme.

Ross The Boss had to go.