Sore knee stalled Docker's lead-in
Fremantle star Nat Fyfe last night revealed that a "wrenched" right knee from Fremantle's first NAB Challenge match against West Coast had curtailed his pre-season.
Best afield for three quarters in last night's 70-point win over Collingwood, Fyfe said the knee injury was the reason he was rested from games against the Western Bulldogs and the Eagles.
But it was just a shortened preparation that led to him being substituted out at the 29-minute mark of the third quarter with 20 touches, 15 contested possessions, nine clearances and a goal.
"It was pretty much just some maintenance," Fyfe said. "I was a little bit underdone.
"I have missed the last two pre-season games. I wasn't thrilled with it initially, but it was the smart thing to have done.
"In the Eagles game up at Joondalup, I just had a little wrench of my right knee and it was purely a management thing from there. I could have played, but the cautious approach was to let me have a bit of a rest.
"The thinking from the medical staff was to give it an extra week to recover and it was worthwhile."
Fyfe said the most pleasing thing about the win was the unyielding nature of Fremantle's play.
"For me personally, the most pleasing thing was the way that we were relentless for four quarters," he said.
"Often when you get out to a lead like that you can take your foot off the gas and let them get back in, but I thought we were pretty relentless for the four quarters and that is what is required to be a top team."
He was also very pleased with Fremantle's new aggressive ball movement.
"It is a really good way to start it. We have had a really good pre-season. It has been short, but it has been intensified," he said.
"We have renewed focuses with ball movement out of defence.
"That is the way the game is moving. Teams have really sharp defences. To get over the back of them you really need to move the ball quickly and it is something we have worked on. We have said we want to get another two goals to be a top-four attack so that is something we have worked on and it really came to life tonight."
