Dockers stand by decision to sign veteran trio despite heavy criticism

FREMANTLE boss Steve Rosich says the club’s decision to re-sign Harley Bennell and a trio of plus-30s is about retaining balance on the rebuilding Dockers’ list.

Nat Fyfe and his teammates after being belted by Geelong in Round 22. Picture: AAP

FREMANTLE boss Steve Rosich says the club’s decision to re-sign Harley Bennell and a trio of plus-30s is about retaining balance on the rebuilding Dockers’ list.

The Dockers have been hammered by critics over the weekend for re-signing Bennell as well as Hayden Ballantyne, David Mundy and Aaron Sandilands

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Premiership coach Robert Walls said it had been years since Ballantyne had played good football, with the Dockers having a trio of young rucks but re-signing injury-prone 35-year-old ruckman Sandilands.

Ross Lyon has been the key driver behind many of those decisions, with Rosich temporarily taking over the running of the club’s list management while searching for a replacement for Carlton-bound Brad Lloyd.

Fremantle coach Ross Lyon addresses the media as club president Dale Alcock and club chief executive Steve Rosich look on. Picture: Getty Images

He said on Wednesday a club already going through a transition that involved a series of heavy defeats couldn’t strip all the experience off its list.

“It’s all about balance. We are already quite young. You can’t tip out everyone who is 28 and over. They are all good people and they help us with our environment on and off the field,’’ he said.

Nat Fyfe leads off the young Fremantle team after they were thumped by Geelong.

“We have fielded the youngest team and least experienced team for much of the year and you can see how that can give you variable results. It is important that the mature-aged players who we have added another year on can perform but also add to our environment.”

Ballantyne is seen as a serial agitator but Rosich said of his reputation: “He is excellent, you couldn’t picture a more different person to what he is on the field.”

The Dockers have already extended the contract of Angus Brayshaw, with Adam Cerra expected to sign a two-year contract extension over the summer despite a deal running to 2019.