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'The worst position in Fremantle's history': Dockers champion lashes former club

"It's sad to say as a Fremantle person, but this is as bad a position that the club has been in - in its history."

These are the words of former Dockers legend Paul Hasleby who lashed out at his former club on talkback radio on Monday night.

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Hasleby lashes former club

Dockers legend Paul Hasleby lashes out at his former club on Sportsday WA.

Hasleby, who played more than 200 games in the purple jumper, gave a scolding assessment of the club, saying Fremantle is in a worse position now than in its two-win season under Damian Drum in 2001.

"Everybody at that club has to be on notice at the moment," he said on 6PR's Sportsday WA program.

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"That goes for the board, that goes for the football manager, that goes for the recruiting staff, the coaching staff, Ross Lyon and all the players.

"They were deplorable on the weekend.

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"If you go back to 2001 and look at the days under Damian Drum, at least there were some younger players coming through like Pavlich, Hasleby and Longmuir. Des Headland came along the next year," he said.

The four-time Ross Glendinning medallist said he didn't have any faith in the current crop of players and believed "every person should be under scrutiny at that football club" and should be judged upon what happens next.

"That includes the coach - I don't care about contracts - you've got to make the right decision about the football club going forward," Hasleby said.

"Nat Fyfe is out of contract. He should be up for debate about what they do with him, whether they try and bring in some youth because at the moment we haven't won a premiership in 21 seasons and it is easily going to go out beyond 26 and 27.

"Nobody is safe at the Fremantle Football Club."

Hasleby's comments come after the Dockers were embarrassed by Port Adelaide on Sunday, sapping whatever optimism fans still clutched at for season 2017.

The 89-point drubbing made it evidently clear Fremantle are not in any shape to challenge for a finals berth this season.

How will Ross respond?

The Dockers coach said the club would make "significant changes" at the selection table before their round three clash with reigning premiers the Western Bulldogs.

"On these results, we are just going to have to start playing kids," Lyon said post-match on Sunday.

"We have stuck with the group, we showed faith. We didn't get delivered on, now we need to act."

But will Ross Lyon throw a handful of kids into his senior side, or simply swap and change fringe players?

History suggests the latter, but now is the time for drastic change.

It's hard even for the most die-hard purple fans to disagree with Hasleby's comments, and it is now time to act by throwing young kids into game situations and letting them learn on the job.

Look at how teams like Greater Western Sydney and the Bulldogs have built premiership-contending lists by trusting their youngsters with big assignments every week.

They threw them into the deep end, and they learned to swim. Fremantle must learn from their success.

Sam Collins was a beacon in an otherwise dreary 2016, and has been stiff not to receive a call-up in the first two weeks.

It's time to not only give him an AFL game, but to trust him with a head-to-head job against an in-form Travis Cloke.

Sam Collins showed glimpses of his potential in 2016.

Sam Collins showed glimpses of his potential in 2016. Photo: Getty Images

It's time for Ethan Hughes to take on the Bulldogs potent small forwards, and it's time for Harley Balic to go toe-to-toe with and learn from someone like Tom Liberatore or Jackson Macrae.

Sure they might get belted, perhaps by even more than 89 points, but Fremantle fans can at least watch games knowing their youngsters are learning from the best and improving at the top level, instead of toiling away for little reward in the WAFL.

And, over time, those losing margins will become smaller and smaller, as the younger players grow and become more mature footballers.

Seeing the development from a group of talent younger players might also inject a dose of enthusiasm to more senior players like Nat Fyfe, Lachie Neale and Michael Walters, who would probably relish watching their young peers succeed as they did in the not-so-distant past.

Imagine the smiles from the team, and the fans, when Griffin Logue nails his first goal, or the new face sing their first team song after a successful win.

Fremantle fans are holding their breath, waiting for a change at the selection table.

The ball is in Ross Lyon's court now.

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