FREMANTLE coach Ross Lyon says he has contacted the AFL umpiring department to seek clarification about holding and blocking tactics that opposition midfielders have employed on Nat Fyfe in recent weeks.
The Dockers had been one of the most dominant clearance teams in the AFL through the first nine rounds but have found in recent weeks that teams have sent extra numbers to stoppages to curb the influence of Aaron Sandilands and Fyfe, who have been the best clearance combination in the competition this year.
WATCH: Fyfe's eventful afternoon against Hawthorn
"Teams are rolling up more players around the ball," Lyon said on Thursday.
"There is a lot more attention going into players. We've certainly made contact with the umpiring department about what's legal and what's not legal, which teams have done to us with Ryan Crowley (in the past).
"Obviously a lot of time has gone into Fyfe."
Lyon believes the debate about increased congestion at stoppages could be solved in part by stricter policing of holding and blocking of players to avoid secondary ball ups.
"It's topical and our view is if you can adjudicate around the ball strongly so the clearance players can clear the ball and then you don't get secondary (stoppages)," he said.
The coach held a long one-on-one discussion with Fyfe on Thursday at training.
Lyon said he was not concerned with Fyfe being close to suspension after receiving a second fine for the year from the Match Review Panel on Monday.
"You have to play on the edge," Lyon said.
"So it doesn’t interest me. I don't want to lose him, but he's a big boy, he can look after himself."
The Dockers still sit a game clear on top of the ladder but following a 72-point hammering at the hands of Hawthorn, their premiership credentials have taken a hit.
Their scoring over past six matches has dried up, averaging just 66 points per game compared to the 97 they averaged in the first eight rounds.
Lyon said he was happy to wear the criticism.
"They're saying we're no good and can't play, can't score, can't win and can't win the premiership," Lyon said.
"If that's the summary, we're happy to wear that until we prove otherwise."
Lyon said his side's ball use was as much to blame as a dysfunctional forward line.
"We need to improve," Lyon said.
"We were disappointed with our performance, there is no doubt about that.
"(Hawthorn's) pressure was really good and we went into our shells a little bit.
"It's a work in progress. We need to get back to where we were, but it's not going to happen overnight."
Lyon all but guaranteed ruckman Jon Griffin would come into the side this week to face the Blues, following some good form in the WAFL.
Key defenders Zac Dawson and Alex Silvagni are both expected to return in the WAFL this weekend.
Dawson had pins taken out of his broken thumb on Tuesday and should play a full game for Peel Thunder. Silvagni is set to play limited minutes in Peel's reserves team as he works his way back from a serious hamstring injury.
