Latest news with #Windhager
Courier-Mail
27-06-2025
- Sport
- Courier-Mail
AFL 2025: Ross Lyon doubles down on Marcus Windhager defence
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News. St Kilda coach Ross Lyon has again defended tagger Marcus Windhager after his highly documented role on Collingwood star Nick Daicos. Windhager was issued a $1500 fine for his shove to the chest of Daicos in the opening 10 seconds of their entertaining battle last Saturday night. Lyon post-game asked whether there were two sets of rules for certain players and said he would seek clarification from the AFL on two early free kicks. He gave little away about the umpire explanation on those free kicks but said the league was poised to make a windfall after setting the benchmark for fineable contact. 'It's set a high standard for contact, hasn't it? It's really interesting. That's interesting in itself, there's going to be a lot of fines in the AFL,' he said. All eyes were on the Daicos-Windhager battle on Saturday night. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images 'Marcus was in the rules, I think the umpires just tried to stamp stuff early, there's a lot of noise. 'Collingwood come and supported, Marcus was physically grabbed and dragged off, he gets some clarity, put your hands in the air so it's easy to see you're getting tackled without the ball in the stoppage.' Windhager was critiqued for parts of his coverage of Daicos, specifically the apparent knee to the back of the Magpie's hamstring. Lyon bristled when asked if Windhager would use those 'tactics' this Sunday against any of Fremantle's midfielders. 'Just to be clear, what are the tactics? I don't quite understand … sorry for going out and competing, I thought you were allowed to compete in the AFL,' he said. 'I never knew playing on someone was a tactic, manning up at the stoppage; since Adam was a boy people have played and great midfielders get tighter attention.' Windhager kept close tabs on Daicos. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images Fremantle ball-winner Caleb Serong said he would 'embrace' the company of Windhager if he was St Kilda's target. 'If it's really challenging, then you to go to the levers you can pull around stoppage and the team things that we'll work on,' Serong said on Thursday. 'But first and foremost, you've got to embrace it and stick to your guns.' Lyon responded to Serong's comments in trademark fashion. 'Terrific. Well done, Caleb,' he said. Originally published as AFL 2025: St Kilda coach Ross Lyon doubles down on Marcus Windhager defence
Sky News AU
27-06-2025
- Sport
- Sky News AU
AFL 2025: Ross Lyon doubles down on Marcus Windhager defence
St Kilda coach Ross Lyon has again defended tagger Marcus Windhager after his highly documented role on Collingwood star Nick Daicos. Windhager was issued a $1500 fine for his shove to the chest of Daicos in the opening 10 seconds of their entertaining battle last Saturday night. Lyon post-game asked whether there were two sets of rules for certain players and said he would seek clarification from the AFL on two early free kicks. He gave little away about the umpire explanation on those free kicks but said the league was poised to make a windfall after setting the benchmark for fineable contact. 'It's set a high standard for contact, hasn't it? It's really interesting. That's interesting in itself, there's going to be a lot of fines in the AFL,' he said. 'Marcus was in the rules, I think the umpires just tried to stamp stuff early, there's a lot of noise. 'Collingwood come and supported, Marcus was physically grabbed and dragged off, he gets some clarity, put your hands in the air so it's easy to see you're getting tackled without the ball in the stoppage.' Windhager was critiqued for parts of his coverage of Daicos, specifically the apparent knee to the back of the Magpie's hamstring. Lyon bristled when asked if Windhager would use those 'tactics' this Sunday against any of Fremantle's midfielders. 'Just to be clear, what are the tactics? I don't quite understand … sorry for going out and competing, I thought you were allowed to compete in the AFL,' he said. 'I never knew playing on someone was a tactic, manning up at the stoppage; since Adam was a boy people have played and great midfielders get tighter attention.' Fremantle ball-winner Caleb Serong said he would 'embrace' the company of Windhager if he was St Kilda's target. 'If it's really challenging, then you to go to the levers you can pull around stoppage and the team things that we'll work on,' Serong said on Thursday. 'But first and foremost, you've got to embrace it and stick to your guns.' Lyon responded to Serong's comments in trademark fashion. 'Terrific. Well done, Caleb,' he said. Originally published as AFL 2025: St Kilda coach Ross Lyon doubles down on Marcus Windhager defence
Perth Now
27-06-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
‘I walk back in comfortably': Lyon on Freo fan reunion
Ross Lyon was at his theatrical best as the St Kilda coach denied he'd put any thought into the reaction he would get from the Fremantle fans as he prepares to face them for the first time. Lyon also passionately defended tagger Marcus Windhager, but stopped short of revealing if he would get the job on Brownlow Medal fancy Caleb Serong when they meet at Optus Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Lyon has returned to Perth three times since he began his second stint as coach of the Saints in 2023, but all of them games have been against West Coast. The three previous encounters against his former side have been at Marvel Stadium, but he will finally front the Fremantle faithful this weekend for the first time since he was sacked by the Dockers in late 2019 after 184 games at the helm. His time at the Dockers ended in turmoil, leading them to only 29 wins from 87 games before he was sacked in August with only one game left in the season, having taken them to their first grand final appearance in 2013. A jovial Lyon played down any potential reactions when asked about the match before he and the Saints flew to Perth. 'It's not something I've thought about to be honest,' Lyon said. 'It's a decade ago. That's a 10-year rebuild, it's almost a decade. It's part of a history, I'm proud of what we achieved there. A few top fours, a couple of prelims and a grand final. I walk back in comfortably.' All eyes will be on whether Lyon sends stopper Windhager to tag Dockers star Serong after he made headlines for his tactics against Collingwood gun Nick Daicos. Windhager was fined for an open palm whack to Daicos, while vision emerged of him apparently kneeing the Magpies vice-captain in the hamstring in an off-the-ball incident. Serong told the media this week that he and fellow vice-captain Andrew Brayshaw would embrace the tag should it come their way. Lyon wouldn't reveal if would tag Serong, but when asked about the Dockers' comments Lyon said: 'Oh terrific. Well done Caleb. Lyon will face Fremantle in Perth for the first time since his depature. Credit: Darrian Traynor / via AFL Photos Lyon also defended the tactics used by Windhager, saying he played 'within the rules'. 'Marcus was in the rules, I think the umpires just tried to stamp stuff early, there's a lot of noise,' Lyon said. 'Collingwood come and supported, Marcus was physically grabbed and dragged off, he gets some clarity, put your hands in the air so it's easy to see you're getting tackled without the ball in the stoppage. 'I'm sorry for going out and competing. I thought you were allowed to compete, I never knew playing on someone was a tactic. Since Adam was a boy right, people have played and the great midfielders gets some tighter attention, that's just the way it is.'
West Australian
27-06-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
St Kilda coach Ross Lyon says he is comfortable ahead of first game against Fremantle in Perth
Ross Lyon was at his theatrical best as the St Kilda coach denied he'd put any thought into the reaction he would get from the Fremantle fans as he prepares to face them for the first time. Lyon also passionately defended tagger Marcus Windhager, but stopped short of revealing if he would get the job on Brownlow Medal fancy Caleb Serong when they meet at Optus Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Lyon has returned to Perth three times since he began his second stint as coach of the Saints in 2023, but all of them games have been against West Coast. The three previous encounters against his former side have been at Marvel Stadium, but he will finally front the Fremantle faithful this weekend for the first time since he was sacked by the Dockers in late 2019 after 184 games at the helm. His time at the Dockers ended in turmoil, leading them to only 29 wins from 87 games before he was sacked in August with only one game left in the season, having taken them to their first grand final appearance in 2013. A jovial Lyon played down any potential reactions when asked about the match before he and the Saints flew to Perth. 'It's not something I've thought about to be honest,' Lyon said. 'It's a decade ago. That's a 10-year rebuild, it's almost a decade. It's part of a history, I'm proud of what we achieved there. A few top fours, a couple of prelims and a grand final. I walk back in comfortably.' All eyes will be on whether Lyon sends stopper Windhager to tag Dockers star Serong after he made headlines for his tactics against Collingwood gun Nick Daicos. Windhager was fined for an open palm whack to Daicos, while vision emerged of him apparently kneeing the Magpies vice-captain in the hamstring in an off-the-ball incident. Serong told the media this week that he and fellow vice-captain Andrew Brayshaw would embrace the tag should it come their way. Lyon wouldn't reveal if would tag Serong, but when asked about the Dockers' comments Lyon said: 'Oh terrific. Well done Caleb. Lyon also defended the tactics used by Windhager, saying he played 'within the rules'. 'Marcus was in the rules, I think the umpires just tried to stamp stuff early, there's a lot of noise,' Lyon said. 'Collingwood come and supported, Marcus was physically grabbed and dragged off, he gets some clarity, put your hands in the air so it's easy to see you're getting tackled without the ball in the stoppage. 'I'm sorry for going out and competing. I thought you were allowed to compete, I never knew playing on someone was a tactic. Since Adam was a boy right, people have played and the great midfielders gets some tighter attention, that's just the way it is.'
West Australian
26-06-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
Fremantle Dockers star Caleb Serong to embrace tag in St Kilda rematch
Fremantle midfield dynamo Caleb Serong says he not only expects a hard tag, but is ready to 'embrace' it when it likely comes in Sunday's clash with the Ross Lyon-coached St Kilda at Optus Stadium. Serong said he and co vice-captain Andrew Brayshaw were preparing for a close-checking onslaught in Lyon's first game against his old team in Perth since he re-entered the senior AFL coaching ranks in 2023. 'If we go in trying to avoid it or hope it doesn't happen, then you're you're a loss already before you even start, so we'll both go in expecting heavy attention,' Serong said. 'If it doesn't happen, then sweet. We'll support the other one or kind of adjust to whatever they're doing, but if it does, then we're ready for it. 'That's the mentality ... not diverting from the way you want to play, not letting them dictate your game, not letting them dictate the way you run, the positions you get to, the role you play for the team. 'It's keeping it really simple. And from there, if it's really challenging, then you go to the levers you can pull around stoppage and the team things that we'll work on, and the strategies, but first and foremost, you'll embrace it and stick to your guns.' The match will be Fremantle's annual Starlight Purple Haze Game and Serong surprised one of the hero kids, six-year-old Mateo Domazetovski, with the news he will be run out with the team at a lunch held at the club's Cockburn headquarters yesterday. 'It's something that's far bigger than footy, and the reach and the impact that we can have as a football club and as individuals is pretty special and it's something that I and the group don't take lightly and I'm very proud to be an ambassador for Starlight,' Serong said. Tagging has been a talking point since St Kilda's master tagger Marcus Windhager unsuccessfully tried to put Nick Daicos off his game in the last round. He was successful the previous round, restricting six-time All-Australian Marcus Bontempelli to 13 disposals in 99 minutes, ending his streak of at least 15 disposals across 106 games. In the Saints previous outing he stopped the hot-streak of Melbourne forward Kysaiah Pickett. Brayshaw and Serong are the seventh and 14th ranked AFL players in the competition, so will be a key focus for the Saints, with Windhager and Jack Steele the likely run-with weapons Lyon will call on. Dockers defender Luke Ryan said this week teammates would 'make it hard' for Windhager. 'I've got no doubt there'll be support from the boys. We're a very tight group and a group that's all about doing it together and doing what we need to support each other,' Serong said. 'I always feel a lot of support from from my teammates whenever I get tagged, or whenever there's a bit of tension. So it'd be no different this week if that happens. And he (Ryan) will be there front and centre as he always is.' The Saints' 10-goal win over Fremantle in round eight at Marvel Stadium was the Dockers last heavy loss this season and after the game Lyon denied Windhager had a tagging role, saying he 'was having fun out on a wing'. 'He didn't tag us last time, he was playing on the wing. But there were definitely some roles and some other guys in the midfield that were doing jobs,' Serong said. 'Either way, we didn't do a great job of helping each other out or actually getting our roles done ourselves. 'Andy and I .. didn't play our role for the team as leaders or as players. So we didn't really look externally there at what they did or what their midfield did to try and nullify either of us or anything, we just pretty much looked internally and looked at what we did, and we weren't good enough that day. 'We've learnt a lot from that, and I think we've got better both as players and as a midfield group.' Serong denied it was a 'revenge' match. 'We don't have a point to prove to anyone except ourselves and our midfield group and our team,' he said. 'Where we let let the team down in that kind of game, and not from a point of view of touches or kicks, marks, clearances, whatever it was, it was just the way that we committed to the way we want to play. 'We pride ourselves on being able to play our role for the team, whatever that looks like. And if any of us get targets, it might not be getting 35 touches, it might be playing our role stoppage, playing our role in transition, doing what we need to do, pressuring, doing all the team acts that we talk about all the time. 'If I do that, I know that I can look my teammates in the eyes, coaches in the eye, say I've played my role, and every single bloke in our team can do that as well. 'That's going to be our focus this week. It's not going to be how many touches we can get and trying to dominate the stat sheet. 'It's going to be playing our role for the team. If that results in stat stats, or if that results in clearances, whatever it is, then great. But if not, I know I'm going to go out there and play my role.' Serong said he would not be playing for free kicks, but the umpires would be able to rule on any unfair or illegal tactics. 'I think the umpires know. And I'm not out there trying to draw three kicks or pull one over the umpire's head or anything. I'm just going out there and just trying to be physical and go win the footy when it's my turn to win it,' Serong said. 'And if there's a holding free kick or something like that, then sweet. But if you're relying on that, then you're going to be forever asking umpires for a free kick because there's plenty of physicality, plenty of things missed. 'It's a hard game to umpire, so I'll just go out there and not bank on anything like that. Just go out there and just be physical and do what I need to do. And then if that results in some free kicks, great, but if not, I'll just keep going about my business with the on ball unit.'
