Ross Lyon outlines Fremantle’s future

When Ross Lyon speaks, he doesn’t sound like the coach of a winless team in 2016.

Always measured, Lyon accepts where the club is at right now and is ‘looking forward’ to the challenge ahead, rather than shying away.

Injuries and poor form have resulted in a tough year for the 2016 preliminary finalists.

‘We had our chance to mount our campaign and we didn’t do that,’ Lyon told Sports Today.

‘Our players understand there’s some fallout from that.

‘When you’re not performing, you need to reward the people below.’

As the Dockers look past 2016, the development of younger players will be important for the well-resourced club.

‘As you get a lot of younger players in, I’ll have to spend more time with the development of those young players,’ said Lyon.

‘We might go a bit thinner at the top with our line coaches and strip one back and put one in with development.’

The Western Bulldogs have gone through a similar patch in the past five years, after reaching three preliminary finals in a row.

Since then, Lyon has been impressed with the recruiting at the Bulldogs, with the likes of Jack Macrae, Jake Stringer, Marcus Bontempelli and Luke Dahlhaus all proving to be good picks.

‘The Bulldogs aren’t an overnight success.’

‘It’s a six year rebuild at the Bulldogs. They got the talent right.’

So what will be the template for the Dockers next wave of success?

‘Identification of talent, bringing those players through, putting the resources around them to grow them.’

‘Then hopefully we’ve got the right talent and we can develop them the right way.’

Lyon has recently re-commited long term to the club, which means he’ll be there to drive the success once again.

‘I’m really looking forward to where we’re shifting to.’

Click PLAY to hear Ross Lyon on Sports Today