Nat Fyfe injury concern adds to Fremantle’s problems

FREMANTLE fears Nat Fyfe could miss an extended period with complications to the broken leg he suffered last season.

SPORT - AFL, Fremantle Dockers vs Carlton Blues, Subiaco Oval, Perth. Photo by Daniel Wilkins. PICTURED- Fremantle's Nathan Fyfe leaves the field with a trainer, early in the third quarter

FREMANTLE fears Brownlow medallist Nat Fyfe could miss an extended period with complications to the broken leg he suffered last season, as coach Ross Lyon labelled 2016 an “annus horribilis’’ amid the biggest crisis of his decade-long coaching career.

Fyfe was on crutches following Carlton’s four-point win at Subiaco Oval, with ice on his lower left leg, and will have scans Monday to determine the full extent of the damage.

Fyfe, who broke his left fibula last season and is playing with a plate in his leg, appeared to hurt himself in a tackle from Patrick Cripps in the second quarter and sat out most of the second half.

“We’re really concerned in relation to where he’s got his plate and his broken leg,’’ Lyon said.

The Dockers, who began last season 9-0, are now 0-5 and on the bottom of the ladder and it could get even worse when they hit the road to face Adelaide on Saturday.

Nat Fyfe on crutches after the game. Picture: Daniel Wilkins

Lyon admitted he was shocked at the club’s predicament, which has come just months after Fremantle won the minor premiership and pushed Hawthorn in a preliminary final.

Lyon lamented his team’s poor ball movement and overuse of handball and said his messages to players were being “misconstrued’’.

He said it was time to scrap his new game-plan and start again.

“The brand we wanted to build, we haven’t built. We’ve built something totally different,’’ Lyon said.

“So it’s back to the drawing board, clearly. I’ve got no alternative (than to start again). We don’t rebuild, but we restart and we rewire and we re-plumb.

“Clearly we’re not going to play finals the way we’re playing. Clearly we’re playing some horrible football and we’re moving the ball just terribly.

“We’re just getting opened up off terrible turnovers. Quite simply, we’re playing straight-line, uncomposed football, high handball, high turnover and a consequence of that is we’re getting beaten and giving ourselves no chance to win.’’

Carlton coach Brendon Bolton had his first win as a fulltime coach.

“You always feel a little bit better with a W next to the group’s name,’’ Bolton said.

“I’m just pleased because we’ve had a mantra of trying to improve every game.

“We’re under no illusions, that’s just one little step and one little affirmation that we are improving.

“I’m happy for the boys that they feel a bit better, that their effort is getting rewarded.’’

Bolton labelled the victory “the first step’’ for the Blues in his rebuilding plan.

“We’re not lacking confidence even though we hadn’t been winning, because we had clear direction and understanding of what we’re doing well and what we need to improve on,’’ he said.

“We’ve still got lots to improve on. We can improve in our stoppages, we can improve with our execution, no doubt about that. But it is a good step that they were rewarded for their effort.’’