Dockers love for the glove
The gloves were on at Fremantle Oval this morning as the Dockers prepared for their road trip to Darwin to play Melbourne on Saturday night.
Many of Fremantle’s senior players, including Matthew Pavlich, Aaron Sandilands and Nat Fyfe, were wearing a glove at training this morning as a trial ahead of the TIO Stadium clash.
The club hopes the gloves will combat the high humidity and oppressive heat forecast for the game.
Coach Ross Lyon said the players would choose whether they wore the gloves in the game but they had received permission from the AFL to do so.
“They’ll trial them with a view to wearing them in the game,” he said.
“If we need them, they’ll wear them because of the conditions.
“No directives from me, I give them enough orders as it is.
“I asked the guys who was going to try them and a fair few put their hands up.
“A couple of guys have played up there before.
“It’s not a big one but attention to detail, trying to give ourselves the best opportunity.”
Lyon said the Darwin trip would be tough but repeated their philosophy of being an anywhere, anytime team.
“It’s a significant challenge,” he said.
“But it’s great we take the game to all parts of Australia.”
Lyon said veteran defender Luke McPharlin was a good chance to line up against the Demons.
He ruled youngster Matt Taberner out with a slight niggle and revealed Alex Silvagni was struggling with a collapsed lung and would have scans today to see if it had re-inflated.
“He’s(McPharlin) travelling really well, he’ll train today,” Lyon said.
“He needs to jump the final hurdle and if he does that, we’ll name him and play him.
“Hopefully Luke will come up and he’ll play, otherwise we’ve got some real difficulties.”
