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Dockers defend tribunal record
24 May 2007 Herald-Sun
Bruce Matthews
FREMANTLE has rejected accusations its players lack on-field discipline.
Football manager Robert Shaw said only three of the 13 guilty tribunal verdicts this season came after breaches of club rules.
Jeff Farmer, suspended for six games for eye-gouging, Steven Dodd, given one match for stomping, and Heath Black, who copped one game in the WAFL, were the only ones disciplined by the club.
"Our team values and team rules state clearly if you put your personal feelings before that of the team, that's an undisciplined act and you'll be penalised by the club. It's a very clear line we take," Shaw said yesterday.
"Steven got angry with (Port Adelaide's) Damon White that he had kicked a goal on him and stomped on his foot -- undisciplined for putting his personal feelings before that of the team.
"We fought that (eye-gouge) vigorously because it was such a serious matter. The other one is Heath playing for South Fremantle to get back into fitness. First game back he got frustrated by tagging and lashed out. Undisciplined.
"They can write all the lists they like and say the club is undisciplined. I'm saying 33 per cent (sic) of the time the club has been undisciplined, other times the player has made an honest error in judgment. If in this game you're five inches out, you can get reported. That's not being undisciplined."
Shaw said it was a concern that 15 games lost to suspensions from 13 guilty verdicts from 15 charges had affected team performance but most were the outcome of judgment errors from a more physical playing style.
"Last year, because we were labelled as a soft side, we really did try to be aggressive," he said.
"We've tried to change the way we play our football and we've done that reasonably successfully. One of those ways is to be more vigorous with our intent and attack on the ball and the man, because we had to do that.
"So there has been times where we've gone over the top and need to adjust.
"To say we haven't addressed it is wrong. It's a serious issue and we take it seriously. We counsel our players individually and as a group."
Shaw said he and the club's legal advocate interviewed each accused player after an AFL match review panel decision or tribunal hearing.
"Ryan Crowley, for instance, said, 'Look, it was a poorly executed bump'. We said, 'OK, make sure you learn from it'," Shaw said.
Shaw said Freo didn't indiscriminately challenge penalties, citing several instances of having charges downgraded by the tribunal as evidence of a measured approach.
24 May 2007 Herald-Sun
Bruce Matthews
FREMANTLE has rejected accusations its players lack on-field discipline.
Football manager Robert Shaw said only three of the 13 guilty tribunal verdicts this season came after breaches of club rules.
Jeff Farmer, suspended for six games for eye-gouging, Steven Dodd, given one match for stomping, and Heath Black, who copped one game in the WAFL, were the only ones disciplined by the club.
"Our team values and team rules state clearly if you put your personal feelings before that of the team, that's an undisciplined act and you'll be penalised by the club. It's a very clear line we take," Shaw said yesterday.
"Steven got angry with (Port Adelaide's) Damon White that he had kicked a goal on him and stomped on his foot -- undisciplined for putting his personal feelings before that of the team.
"We fought that (eye-gouge) vigorously because it was such a serious matter. The other one is Heath playing for South Fremantle to get back into fitness. First game back he got frustrated by tagging and lashed out. Undisciplined.
"They can write all the lists they like and say the club is undisciplined. I'm saying 33 per cent (sic) of the time the club has been undisciplined, other times the player has made an honest error in judgment. If in this game you're five inches out, you can get reported. That's not being undisciplined."
Shaw said it was a concern that 15 games lost to suspensions from 13 guilty verdicts from 15 charges had affected team performance but most were the outcome of judgment errors from a more physical playing style.
"Last year, because we were labelled as a soft side, we really did try to be aggressive," he said.
"We've tried to change the way we play our football and we've done that reasonably successfully. One of those ways is to be more vigorous with our intent and attack on the ball and the man, because we had to do that.
"So there has been times where we've gone over the top and need to adjust.
"To say we haven't addressed it is wrong. It's a serious issue and we take it seriously. We counsel our players individually and as a group."
Shaw said he and the club's legal advocate interviewed each accused player after an AFL match review panel decision or tribunal hearing.
"Ryan Crowley, for instance, said, 'Look, it was a poorly executed bump'. We said, 'OK, make sure you learn from it'," Shaw said.
Shaw said Freo didn't indiscriminately challenge penalties, citing several instances of having charges downgraded by the tribunal as evidence of a measured approach.
