Forrest Gump would be right in saying that AFL rebuilds are like a box of chocolates – you never know what you’re going to get.
Calls for Ross Lyon’s sacking are growing louder following Fremantle’s 133-point loss to Geelong, the heaviest defeat in the club’s history.
Fremantle boast brand new training facilities and are now playing in a state-of-the-art 60,000 seat stadium.
But their bid to become a destination club has suffered huge damage this year because of their on-field performances, and there are now grave doubts whether their rebuild is on track.
Eight wins this year is by no means a disaster for a club halfway through a stated four-draft rebuild.
But the size of Fremantle’s defeats is what has raised red flags, and brought into question Lyon’s position.
The Dockers have lost nine games this season by 50 points or more.
Against Geelong on Saturday, the Dockers conceded 23 unanswered goals after quarter-time.
Lyon has two more years on his contract, and Dockers chief executive Steve Rosich has already declared the club will be sticking by their man.
But Lyon now has little wiggle room. If the 12th-year coach isn’t able to plug the heavy losses next year, the axe could fall, especially if angry fans keep voicing their displeasure.
There’s one burning question that only time can answer – Are Fremantle in the early stages of building a premiership team, or will this rebuild go down the path of what Melbourne, Brisbane, Carlton, and St Kilda have experienced in recent times?
The Demons have taken 12 years to get back into the finals, while the wait continues for Brisbane (nine years), St Kilda (seven years) and Carlton (five years).
There is no exact science to rebuilds.
Sydney, Hawthorn and Geelong have been doing rebuilds on the run in the modern era – never truly bottoming out.
Fremantle’s cross-town rivals West Coast spent just two years out of the finals before getting back into the premiership picture in 2015.
The Dockers have unearthed some promising young talent since starting their rebuild early in 2016.
Connor Blakely, Andrew Brayshaw, Brennan Cox, Sean Darcy, Ed Langdon, Adam Cerra and Bailey Banfield represent the future.
Nat Fyfe, Brad Hill, Stephen Hill, Joel Hamling, Nathan Wilson, Matt Taberner and Michael Walters are experienced players now in their prime.
But the Dockers look short of gallop when it comes to having a critical mass needed to turn them into a premiership contender.
The worrying holes in their list – especially up forward – could potentially be plugged via free agency and trading.
But their disastrous displays this year will hurt their chances of snaring stars from other clubs.
Lyon points out that there was always going to be “pain on the agenda” when embarking on the rebuild.
But when will that pain turn into gain? Only time will tell.