If Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson was worried about Fremantle poaching star AFL forward Lance Franklin, he can rest easy.
Rumours were building that the Dockers were preparing to offer Franklin a multi-million dollar deal in a bid to lure him to Perth.
A Melbourne-based newspaper report added further fuel to the fire when it claimed Dockers coach Ross Lyon wanted Franklin with a “burning passion”.
But Lyon rubbished the claims, saying he had even sought out Clarkson at a Coaches’ Association meeting to tell him Fremantle weren’t the club chasing Franklin.
“I said to him, ‘this is not us – just to let you know so you don’t have to worry. It is not us’,” Lyon said on Wednesday.
“That’s on the public record, and that hasn’t changed.
“I can’t be any clearer than that.
“We’ve got some real emerging, leading players of the competition. Our No.1 priority is to sign and manage our list.”
Franklin – a restricted free agent – has put contract negotiations with Hawthorn on hold until the end of the season, sparking suggestions he is keen to test his value on the open market.
Greater Western Sydney have been heavily linked to the 26-year-old, while West Coast were another club rumoured to be in the frame, given Franklin’s WA heritage and the fact he used to share a house with Eagle Sharrod Wellingham.
However, West Coast will find it hard to squeeze Franklin into their salary cap, and they already boast two formidable spearheads in the form of Josh Kennedy and Jack Darling.
Fremantle, on the other hand, are desperate to find someone to succeed 31-year-old skipper Matthew Pavlich in coming years.
Lyon admitted the Dockers attempted to recruit Collingwood’s Travis Cloke last year, but were now banking on one of the club’s younger players to fill Pavlich’s boots down the track.
“When Taylor Walker came through, did anyone know he was going to be a power forward? And Tippett? And young Reid from the Swans – he went pick 38,” Lyon said.
“So we’ve taken some young players. They’ll take time to grow and mature. Sometimes people grab opportunities and you think, ‘gee, where did he come from?’.
Meanwhile, Lyon said it was an emotional time for 20-year-old utility Jayden Pitt after he was forced to put his AFL career on hold due to a heart irregularity.
Pitt, who has played 10 games for the club since being drafted with pick No.20 in the 2010 national draft, will return to Melbourne with his family to seek out further medical opinions.
“It’s obviously come as a shock,” Lyon said.
“It’s thrown this up as a really big risk for Jayden in his career.
“We’re all taking time out and doing some further investigations.
“This is a unique situation I haven’t come across before.”