Ross Lyon dinner with Brisbane Lions’ Lachie Neale, Josh Fraser on Carlton coaching job
Updated ,first published
In today’s AFL briefing:
- Josh Fraser says he sees his future at Ikon Park in his first year on the Blues’ coaching panel.
- Ross Lyon will do his due diligence during his dinner with Lachie Neale, saying it would be negligent not to ask about his future.
- Sydney coach Dean Cox confirms replacement Hayden McLean Wounded Joel Amartey.
Carlton interim coach Josh Fraser has committed his future to the Blues, revealing he will be at the club regardless of who is promoted next year.
As the number of candidates to replace Michael Voss in the long term grows, Fraser said he has not been invited by the club to take part in the selection process.
Despite six wins in as many matches since taking charge of the once-struggling Blues, Fraser is adamant he will not put his hand up for the role.
Fraser, in his first year on the Blues’ coaching panel, said he sees his future at Ikon Park.
“That’s what I do,” Fraser said Thursday morning. “I see myself being involved in a path forward for the football club.”
The Blues are casting far and wide in their search for a manager whose long-suffering fans hope can lead the club to its first title since 1995.
Former Blues coach David Teague’s ill-fated reign will not count against Fraser if he throws his hat in the ring. Teague replaced Brendon Bolton in 2019 after winning six of 11 games, but left the team just two years later after disappointing seasons.
When asked about the process the Blues are running, Fraser turned to his current job.
“[It] It makes me feel like we need to train well today,” said Fraser. “That’s part of it, as is my role now and my responsibilities to the players and the football club as interim coach. I will respect the process going sideways. To be honest, I didn’t pay much attention to this.
“As soon as I started doing that, I think the energy and focus I needed for our playing group was lost.”
Fraser guided the Blues from the last four to the top of the wild card positions. A win against Richmond would likely push them into the top 10, depending on other results.
The Tigers have been a thorn in the side of the Blues for the last 18 months. Voss’ reign failed to recover after the Blues blew a huge first-round lead last year and they narrowly avoided a similar fate this season, only to lose the next seven games in a row.
Under Fraser’s management, the declines in the second half disappeared. “We focused a lot on our connection on the field and being able to manage different moments and momentum shifts in games,” Fraser said. “I wouldn’t say we’re fixed by any means, and I think we’ll be offering something different every week. But really it comes back to our training and our habits.”
The Blues are unsure when star defender Jacob Weitering will return after re-injuring his calf in training last week.
“With Weiters, I think it’s going to be a really thoughtful approach to how we heal him from here, bring him back and give him every chance to be a part of the season,” Fraser said. “This is a re-injury and he will be reassessed and every option will be explored to ensure he is eligible to return.
“I think it’s still relatively early to come up with a plan for him, but we can be hopeful.”
Dinner and contract offer? Lyon caught Lachie
AAP
Ross Lyon will do due diligence on his dinner with Lachie Neale and says St Kilda would be remiss not to ask about the Brisbane Lions star’s future.
Widespread speculation about where Neale will play next season took on another dimension this week when it was revealed he would be joining Lyon.
Lyon trained Neale at Fremantle and they have semi-regular dinners with the two-time Lions champion in Geelong for Thursday night’s big game against the Cats.
“It’s tremendously overrated; I keep a close eye on Lachie in the city on a regular basis. [mutual] man,” Lyon said Thursday morning.
“This is a normal dinner with both people window shopping. Neither party has a strong agenda at all.”
Lyon were disappointed by news that dinner could be a distraction ahead of the Lions’ game against the Cats.
“Our meals tend to stay private. I know Lachie and I don’t talk about it, which means it’s talked about with less honesty with other people,” Lyon said.
But the Saints coach admitted he suggested star midfielder Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera also attend the dinner to impress Neale.
“This was a mistake I made to get you all excited, and that’s what happened. This is not true,” Lyon said. “There are often no facts on both sides of the fence.”
Lyon said at dinner that a mountain was made out of a molehill.
“It takes due diligence to try to get better, and that’s all there is here,” he said.
“Maybe in the club [credit] If we talk about football cards, but they run a pretty tight ship here. Maybe McDonald’s.”
Lyon doubt Neale will leave the Lions when he becomes an unrestricted free agent. The messy end of Neale’s marriage has further complicated his acting future, with his children now living in Perth.
“I wouldn’t have thought he would leave Brisbane and I still don’t think that’s guaranteed,” Lyon said.
“But if Collingwood and Essendon and everyone are talking to Lachie, I think I can get in between the starter and the main, ‘What do you plan to do with your life in football?’
“Obviously it was a tumultuous time. A dinner of friendship that somehow turned into a circus.”
Circus or not, even Lyon later wandered off when talking about the young talent in Saints’ midfield. “Get Lachie Neale in and everything will be fine… the icing on the cake,” he said.
Lyon also confirmed that vice-captain Jack Sinclair will not play again this season due to a serious calf injury, while Tom De Koning will be out for approximately three to four weeks with a fractured rib.
Rowan Marshall (shoulder) will start against Essendon on Sunday and Matteas Phillipou will return.
Key forward Max King, who has not played since 2024 due to injury, has returned to full training.
“We love Max and he’s getting closer to a return doing full sessions. He looks a million dollars worth – the Gold Coast was a real circuit breaker,” Lyon said of King’s trip north.
“He’s in as good a shape as he’s been in a long time, and so are we. We’ll move forward with that and keep our fingers crossed.”
Swans make changes to Bulldogs clash
Jonathan Drennan
Sydney coach Dean Cox has confirmed Hayden McLean will replace the injured Joel Amartey against the Western Bulldogs at the SCG on Friday night.
Amartey has scored 29 goals in 15 games this season but will be out for 10 weeks after the Swans suffered a 43-point Achilles injury against the Brisbane Lions last Thursday.
McLean has been battling Amartey for a place in the Swans’ forward line-up all season. He has only played four matches so far but has scored nine goals.
The tall forward has consistently excelled for the Swans’ reserves and scored six goals against Sandringham in the VFL last Saturday.
Cox said he was confident McLean would feature after kicking three goals against North Melbourne in round nine and four against Richmond in round 12.
“Hayden did a really good job when he came in and played for North Melbourne, and likewise against Richmond he did that and played his part,” Cox said.
“I think the most important part of what he’s done is to come back and do what he needs to do at VFL level. We’ve got a lot of confidence and confidence that he’ll carry out his role really well when he comes back into the AFL system.”
The Swans have a growing injury list; Linebacker Sam Wicks also ruled the field for at least another month after aggravating his hamstring strain in the heavy loss against the Lions.
Cox is set to recall veteran defender and former captain Dane Rampe after he recovers from a calf injury to help plug holes in a defense that has been ruthlessly exploited by the Lions.
“It will be good for him to come back into the team and provide some experience communicating behind the ball and adjusting what we need to do,” Cox said.
The Bulldogs cruised to a 21-point win against St Kilda last Sunday. The Swans won by 66 points when they last faced the Western Bulldogs in April, but Cox said his players were ready for a different team on Friday night.
“We think their team will be a little different than the one we played at the beginning of the year,” Cox said.
“We watched them very closely last month. They were 3-1 up, they beat very good teams in Hawthorn, St Kilda. [and Collingwood] … ”
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