Fremantle has been accused of being “all talk with no action” by former captain Matthew Pavlich amid its stuttering start to the 2023 season.
After reaching the semi-finals last year, Justin Longmuir’s side came into the season as one of the popular premiership picks, particularly after the addition of star big man Luke Jackson.
However, the Dockers have won just two of their first six matches and sit in 13th on the ladder following a 49-point hiding at home to the Bulldogs.
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Pavlich was scathing in his assessment of his former club, saying players had been “outworked” by their opponents.
“It’s been all talk with no action,” he told 9News Perth.
“In the AFL there is trying, and then there is really trying, and at the moment they are being simply outworked.
“It’s all well and good to be aggressive off the ball, I didn’t have too much of an issue with some of the stuff on Rory Lobb, but unless you’re willing to put that aside and focus on winning the ball and working for and with your teammates, then you may as well forget about the bluff and bluster.”
To make matters worse for Fremantle, two-time Brownlow Medal winner Nat Fyfe has again struggled to get on the park after being limited to just seven appearances in 2022.
The 31-year-old, who is out of contract at the end of this season, has not played since round one due to a foot issue.
Fyfe is expected to miss at least the next fortnight as he deals with a plantar fasciitis setback.
Fremantle will face one of the stiffest roadtrips in the AFL next weekend when it travels to Brisbane to take on the Lions, before returning home to face Hawthorn in round eight.
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