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Ross Lyon interview

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Fascinating double page interview in The Age today that was done by The West's Steve Butler (which I assume is also in that paper over there).

I assume it is the same interview that will be as a video interview on the Freo site today.

Here's a link to a story on the interview.

I couldn't find a transcript but will keep looking.
 
10 minute interview so a lot was said. A few standout statements about the players. Only rates 4 of our players as elite; Pavlich, Sandi, McPharlin, Mundy. Interested in playing McPhee off a half back line. Talks about getting an AFL physique with Michael Walters but likes his hardness and skills. Wants to inject Ballantyne's pace to the midfield, he really rates Ballantyne. Mentions getting Crowley back to playing his best footy.

Said there are some obvious holes in the best 18. Mentioned Johnson and said something along the lines of; a lot to work with. Wants 2nd and 3rd year players to take the next step. Mentioned Silvagni, Suban, Roberton as players who need to be stepping up. In my opinion got caught unaware about Silvagni's and Suban's injuries.

Said he's really looking forward to working with 'the Broughton's and Ibbotson's'.

Called Hill and Fyfe midfield talent. Then said there's Morabito returning from a Reco.

Was aware of Pitt, Michie and Mellington. 'Pitt just needs a body', Michie is a rare talent and likes Mellingtons hardness.

All i can remember at the moment.
 
Lyon mentions:

1. Pav, Sandi, McPharlin, Mundy as the top level players.
2. He really rates Hayden Ballantyne very highly.
3. Emerging class in midfield - Fyfe, Hill, Morabito
4. 2nd/3rd year players like Suban, Roberton, Silvagni need to step up.
5. Best 18 there's a lot of work to do. Does this mean we will be recruiting heavily?
6. He has visions of player re-positioning.
7. Crowley back to his best - this means Crowley isnt going anywhere.
8. McPhee off half-back, monster athlete
9. Ballas - speed through midfield
10. Getting the best out of Anthony, Bradley, Silvagni - means he rates Anthony and Bradley - Kepler wont be going anywhere either?
11. Getting to know Broughton, Ibbotson, Duffield
12. Michie, Pitt, Crichton, Mellington, Walters - exciting talent
13. Michael Johnson - can really develop more than he has
14. Discussed about trades with Lloyd and Bond already on whos going/player acquisition.
 

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Great interview.

Next year it sounds like it will be a development year, but I still hope we can sneak into the 8.

Was hoping he would've mentioned Mayne, and was surprised he was knowledgeable about Mitchie considering nothings really been said of him before.


Wasn't it refreshing to have a well spoken head coach. No crazy eyes, no speech oddities, no comedy routine, no forced words.
 
Really enjoyed listening to that interview. Good to see that within a few days he is starting to get a grasp on the playing list. Some of his assessments are the same as a lot of people on here have been saying for a while.
 
Was pleasantly surprised that he gave brief 'player assessments'. I wonder what the players are thinking right at this moment?

Really looking forward to seeing how players develop under Lyon.

Have to try and be realistic about next year though.
 
Interesting to hear he knows all about Pitt, Mitchie and Mellington as the Saints would have scouted all three of them as well. On top of that rated all three of them.

Crowley looks like he'll get another contract, obviously Lyon doesn't want to discard a tough nut when we have so few.

In fact, hearing him talk about Crowley and McPhee it sounds like he knows that those two are his 'ready-made' mature bodies. Looks like he's got McPhee earmarked for a Fisher role?
 
I found the lack of mention about Mayne concerning, hopefully he is not on the draft table. Although working on that mentality Fyfe is outta here too. :)

Both should be alright I imagine. Hopefully Crowley comes back to his best and Johnson takes the next step.

He is aa good speaker now lets see it all happen. A very honest appraisal of our list I thought.
 
13then7 said:
I found the lack of mention about Mayne concerning, hopefully he is not on the draft table. Although working on that mentality Fyfe is outta here too. :)

Both should be alright I imagine. Hopefully Crowley comes back to his best and Johnson takes the next step.

He is aa good speaker now lets see it all happen. A very honest appraisal of our list I thought.
Click to expand...

Nah its ok, he mentioned Fyfe along with Hill as young talented midfielders.
 

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"SB: So you want to keep Ryan Crowley?

RL: Yeah, I was going to ring him today. I've seen him play some really good football. (He's) familiar with go-with and work-off roles and I'd love to see him get back to his best.

SB: Jonathon Griffin?

RL: I've been told he wants to stay, to be honest, and I value ruckmen really highly. We'd have to work through that."
 
http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/sport/a/-/afl/10306497/no-place-for-normal-under-lyon-regime/
SB: What have you seen in Fremantle's list to make you take this role?

RL: I think they've been in a transition, I still think they're in a transition. They've got three or four really top-end (players). Obviously (Aaron) Sandilands, (Matthew) Pavlich, I put (Luke) McPharlin in that and (David) Mundy. I rate (Hayden) Ballantyne really highly. There's a lot of maturity, but there's some holes as well. They came 11th. I know we talk about injuries, but at the end of the day every club has injuries. You can package it anyway you like, 11th is 11th. I don't think I've inherited Nirvana, but certainly the transition is going to continue. There is some emerging class in the midfield with (Nat) Fyfe, (Stephen) Hill, Mundy and (Anthony) Morabito coming off a reco. There's still a few who have made some inroads. But from here it's are you going to continue on? (Alex) Silvagni, (Dylan) Roberton and (Nick) Suban have shown glimpses, but they really need to be stepping up from where they're at. It's a list with a good run at it, a good game plan and everyone working really hard, we can really challenge consistently against the best teams. You've got to create a top-four opportunity and until you do that, it's incredibly difficult to win a premiership. There's some work to do, but I know the club knows that.
Click to expand...

SB: How radically will you change Fremantle's game plan?

RL: I know it from the outside and I think we've beaten them the last eight (times). When we went over this year on our knees, we still came back with a 46-point victory. I think we've been able to pull them apart quite well. We obviously identified Pavlich and how to handle the clearance work and we felt we identified their Achilles heel. We put pressure on and (forced) the turnovers and went away with a comfortable result. The philosophy we had at St Kilda where we went from a top-four team that couldn't win it, to a good team with a chance to win it was when we said, "How we play is how we play no matter who we play" with some slight tweaks. I'll give them a consistent game plan that won't change from week-to-week bar some slight adjustments. Obviously a really strong stoppage emphasis, team defence and (work) without the ball.
Click to expand...

SB: Do you see them as defensively sound?

RL: I think they've ebbed and flowed, to be honest. Obviously there were a lot of things that happened, but they sort of leaked a bit at the end. In '10, their press was stronger than it was this year. I thought it got lost a bit.

SB: Does the list allow you to implement a similar game plan to St Kilda?

RL: Look, I got the (white) board in there today and I put the positions up to see who slots where in the midfield. In my head I've got some visions for a few players to reposition them. I need to get (Ryan) Crowley back to his absolute best. In my view from the outside, he's a player who has played better than he's played (this year). Adam McPhee when he tagged Lenny Hayes was fantastic, but I see him playing that half-back role. He's a monster athlete. The injection of Ballantyne with speed through the midfield, Morabito coming back and then it's getting the best out of (Jack) Anthony, Silvagni, Kepler Bradley. Then it's really getting to know the (Greg) Broughtons and the (Garrick) Ibbotsons. (Paul) Duffield was really good against the Saints and then fell away. I feel I know them because I've analysed them twice pretty well. I know (Viv) Michie is a really exciting talent, (Jayden) Pitt, the beautiful skill and the athlete, (Jesse) Crichton from the year before. I really liked (Josh) Mellington myself, I think he's quick and he's hard, I really like (Michael) Walters' skill and hardness. But we've got to develop AFL, physically fit and mental toughness. There's a bit there to work with. Michael Johnson, he can really develop even more than he has.
Click to expand...
SB: So you want to keep Ryan Crowley?

RL: Yeah, I was going to ring him today. I've seen him play some really good football. (He's) familiar with go-with and work-off roles and I'd love to see him get back to his best.
Click to expand...

SB: Jonathon Griffin?

RL: I've been told he wants to stay, to be honest, and I value ruckmen really highly. We'd have to work through that.
Click to expand...

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/sport/a/-/afl/10306497/no-place-for-normal-under-lyon-regime/

Looks liek Walters and Crowley have got a guernsey for next year
 
He is still obviously in Saints mode refering to them as US and to us as them.
Maybe he doesn't rate Barlow.Maybe he is worried about his lack of pace,or maybe he just takes him for granted.
Going to be interesting times ahead.
 

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Interesting, he is never going to be a Fremantle man through and through, like many suggest Harvey was, but he will give his all whilst he is here.Depends on what you prefer. Success would be nice.

The more he talks the more I am intrigued with what he can achieve.
 
There's a real sense of excitement there.

Interesting the comment about the starting 18 still needing work, and also the bit about how they knew exactly how to pull us apart.


RL: I know it from the outside and I think we've beaten them the last eight (times). When we went over this year on our knees, we still came back with a 46-point victory. I think we've been able to pull them apart quite well. We obviously identified Pavlich and how to handle the clearance work and we felt we identified their Achilles heel. We put pressure on and (forced) the turnovers and went away with a comfortable result. The philosophy we had at St Kilda where we went from a top-four team that couldn't win it, to a good team with a chance to win it was when we said, "How we play is how we play no matter who we play" with some slight tweaks. I'll give them a consistent game plan that won't change from week-to-week bar some slight adjustments. Obviously a really strong stoppage emphasis, team defence and (work) without the ball.
Click to expand...

Watching that, I'm seriously happy we made the move. :thumbsu:
 
Must rate our recruiting dept, good to hear Walters may get another gig, and about time Mellington is considered in the best 22.
 
Good that he rates ruckmen and it sounds like he will want to keep Griffin if he can. We cannot get away with playing Sandi one out with a a part time ruckman as back up.
 

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