With the race to the AFL finals entering the home straight, Ross Lyon concedes Fremantle’s lacklustre effort in a 47-point loss to the Western Bulldogs left him and his charges embarrassed.
The Dockers had the opportunity to climb to ninth with a win over the Bulldogs but they were never in the hunt at Marvel Stadium on Sunday, trailing by as much as 59 points before suffering a 16.17 (113) to 9.12 (66) defeat in front of 21,181 fans.
Fremantle were able to match the Bulldogs’ four goals in the second half but much more was required to repair the damage suffered in the first half.
“We’re really quite embarrassed by the performance,” Lyon said.
“I thought the second half probably flattered us a little bit even though at least we gathered ourselves a bit.
“There were a lot of fingers to be put in a lot of dykes to be truthful. We’ve been a lot better than that.
“I thought we had a really competitive team so I’m really disappointed.
“With finals up for grabs, you win that game and you’re equal eighth bar percentage.
“Both teams were in the same position and they got it done.”
The loss is a major blow to Fremantle’s finals hopes, leaving Lyon’s men in 12th spot with a poor percentage and four games left in the home-and-away season.
Matchwinning midfielder Nat Fyfe was stationed deep in attack for most of the first quarter as the dominant Dogs onballers set the win up with a blistering eight-goal term.
Fyfe (33 possessions) finished goalless but Lyon defended the move in what was the Brownlow Medallist’s first match since he was hospitalised with an elbow infection.
“He was a really sick boy,” the coach said.
“He was cleared to play but it was an incredibly serious infection.
“So there was his mental toughness and ability to recover but the specialist said that regardless of that there will be an aerobic effect and it’s brutal AFL football.
“We wanted an aerial threat in the front half but it’s king or dunce, isn’t it.
“If we clear it out of the middle and he kicks three (goals) we’re all saying what a brilliant move it was.
“But that’s not why we won or lost the game.”
