Dockers in a hole
Ross Lyon admitted Fremantle had dug themselves a hole in last night's 58-point humiliation at the MCG but were capable of recovering from what shapes as their first crisis of the season.
Three key players were hurt as the Dockers were left to count the cost of the 21.11 (137) to 11.13 (79) drubbing by Hawthorn in a one-sided clash between last year's grand finalists.
Garrick Ibbotson (dislocated shoulder), Michael Walters (ankle) and Chris Mayne (ankle) are in serious doubt for Fremantle's home game against Essendon at Patersons Stadium a week tomorrow - a contest in which the battered Dockers will still be missing midfield duo Nat Fyfe (suspended) and Michael Barlow (knee).
Lyon said his players weren't proud of being thrashed by the premiers, a result that called into question Fremantle's ability to perform on the game's biggest stage. Fremantle have won just three of their past 10 matches at the MCG.
"There's no excuses here for particularly our first half," Lyon said. "We're really disappointed. We're licking our wounds at the moment … Mick's not going to be there for five or six weeks and Nathan's still got another week to serve, but they're not irreplaceable. We need to stand up."
Lyon compared last night's loss to the 41-point defeat to Geelong at Simonds Stadium in round 14 last year.
The Dockers responded by toppling the Cats in a qualifying final at the same venue en route to an historic grand final berth.
"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger," Lyon said.
"We've certainly been in bigger holes than this."
Ibbotson came from the field cradling his right shoulder with three minutes left in a horror first term for the visitors in which Hawthorn booted six goals to stun their opposition.
The dislocation, which came from an innocuous defensive contest, was a cruel blow for Ibbotson in his first game since Achilles surgery that ruled him out of last year's finals.
The fallout became worse when Mayne landed badly on his left ankle in the second term, and Walters hobbled from the ground midway through the third quarter. Both players finished the match on the interchange bench.
"It's not ideal, but that's life in the AFL jungle," Lyon said.
Young ruckman Jack Hannath is likely to face scrutiny from the AFL match review panel for a clumsy head-high spoil on Matt Spangher in the first term.
The statistics were damning reading, with Fremantle flogged 492-311 in the possession count.
"It's not something we're proud of," Lyon said.
"We're disappointed for our fans and members. We're pretty keen to rectify it."
"It's not something we're proud of. We're disappointed for our fans and members."" Fremantle coach *Ross Lyon *
