Brisbane could breathe a sigh of relief after Fremantle captain Nat Fife decided to return through the WAFL this weekend.
Fyfe have not played a competitive match since undergoing shoulder and back surgery in the off-season and were on their way back against the Lions in Sunday’s AFL clash at Optus Stadium.
The Dockers (8-3) are in third place after their stunning 38-point win over Melbourne in the MCG.
The temptation for Fife to return against the Lions was big, but the two-time Brownlow medalist feels he will serve well for both himself and the team if he hits the WAFL first.
This means that Fyfe will have its first WAFL match since 2010 for the Peel Thunder against Subiako at the Leaderville Oval on Saturday.
“It was his idea, to be honest, he knows his body better than anyone and he knows his confidence,” Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir told the Seven Network.
“He thinks it’s the right move for him to get a big crack in the second half of the year, so we just listened to him.”
Debate continues over whether Fyfe will return to the AFL level as a full-time midfielder or move his time forward.
Longmuir was adamant about what role Fife would play for Peel Thunder.
“We’ll play him for about 90 minutes, which is a good development for him,” said Longmuir.
“I probably won’t say much about what position he will play in, but he will play a role that will allow him to adapt to the AFL.
“I think it’s really important for him to go back and get some confidence, not just in his body, but in his game.
“I think it’s a good move to come back to the AFL and I said we want to make sure we build him in the right way so that he can make a real impact in the AFL in the second half of the season. We think it works best. “
If all goes well, Fyfe will return to Optus Stadium for next week’s clash with Hawthorn.
“If he feels really confident and he thinks he has adapted really well and taken hits and his fitness is at a good level, then we will be guided by him next week,” said Longmuir.
Taylor Walker’s contract is a hot topic
If you’re in Adelaide, there’s no news about Taylor Walker and his desire to extend his contract or just get a contract in general.
It seems that this has become too much for former Port Adelaide player Ken Cornes who took aim at Tex the way he is referring to it in the press.
“I’m worried about trying to get a kick right now,” Walker said.
“Number one is, ‘Do I want to stay in Adelaide?’ Yes i did Is there a deal on the table right now? No, no.
Rumors are rife that Walker has received offers from multiple clubs.
But why does Cornes believe Tex should not put pressure on his current club because he is not fair to do so?
“I’m sick of hearing about Taylor Walker’s contract,” Cornes Sen told the radio.
“What does he expect? However, the club did not offer him a contract. He is 32. Nine months ago, some people thought he might never play again.
“He broke up with his teammates and broke down in tears as he came out in front of the media behind the (racism) story.
“Tex’s achievement is that he’s back, but he’s not in great form anymore. His form has dropped significantly since the first three matches where he was fresh. He has not scored more than two goals in Round 7 and has conceded just six in his last four games. “
“Then why would the Adelaide football club put a deal on the table for Taylor Walker now?”
Taylor Walker (Photo by Daniel Kallis / Getty Images)
The way the AFL handles head knocks
The AFL is not only reviewing targets using video technology, a report in the Herald Sun today revealed that doctors are also sitting in bunkers to review potential injuries in real-time.
Apparently, this has been going on since 2020 and is known as the ‘Medical Spotter’ program which allows independent doctors to review the footage and then send ping messages to the club’s doctors if they see signs of an initially missed injury.
Concussion campaigner Peter Jess has now called on the AFL to hand over the Medical Spotter’s report since today’s release.
According to his website Concussion Watch, there have been 58 concussions so far this season.
West Coast recovering from heart attack
Great Peter Matara of the West Coast needs another stent insertion and is lucky to have survived a heart attack on Sunday.
The AFL world was shocked when it filtered the news that the mother had suffered a serious heart attack while chopping wood on her family farm in Ichuka.
The 53-year-old was rushed to Bendigo Hospital by his wife and two stents were inserted into his heart.
His younger brother, former Eagle Phil Matera, says Peter is recovering and will leave the intensive care unit soon.
“She’s much better today,” Phil said Tuesday
“She is OK. He’s still in the ICU, but he’s looking better, and he wants to take a bath and get out of the ICU.
“She is OK. Another stent will have to be inserted into another part of his heart.
“It’s a small operation, and hopefully after that he’ll be able to start getting his bounce back on his own.”
Phil said his brother survived simply because he had a heart attack not far from the 120,000-acre farm, but closer to home.
“This (farm) is a huge operation,” Phil told 6PR.
“She could be in a tractor 100 kilometers from home. If he had kept that pad miles away, he certainly wouldn’t have done it.
“Fortunately, he (his wife) was cutting wood from home with Suzy.
“She was able to get in the car and take him to the hospital. It’s very lucky for him. “
Phil urges people to check-up with their doctor to avoid similar consequences.
Matera is one of the greatest players of all time on the West Coast, having won two Premiership and five All-Australian jumpers in his glittering 253-game AFL career.
He also won the 1992 Soft Smith Medal for his breathtaking five goals in the club’s 28-point grand final win over Gillong.
West Coast coach Adam Simpson, who has played 306 games for North Melbourne, said Matera said he “burned me every time I approached him” on the field.
“He’s a club legend so our hearts go out to him and hopefully he’ll get well soon,” Simpson said.
“These things always give a push and it puts things in perspective a bit too, doesn’t it?”
With AAP