FREMANTLE is not affected by the retirement of Colin Sylvia or Ryan Crowley's upcoming AFL Anti-Doping Tribunal hearing, says football operations manager Chris Bond.
It was business as usual for the undefeated Dockers on Wednesday morning at Fremantle Oval. Almost the entire squad was out on the training track with Crowley and injured duo Alex Silvagni and Anthony Morabito the only absentees.
Senior players Luke McPharlin, Matthew Pavlich and Michael Johnson ran laps as they have done at most mid-week sessions so far this season and Chris Mayne joined them. Danyle Pearce ran with youngsters Lachie Weller and Ed Langdon while the rest of the squad broke into their normal skill sessions.
Hayden Ballantyne is raring to return for Sunday's clash against Melbourne at the MCG after serving his two-week suspension. But it is a tough side to break into at the moment given how well the team is playing.
Bond said on Tuesday afternoon that the players had not been affected at all by what had happened with Sylvia and Crowley.
Sylvia 'wasn't at the level required': AFL days over for Freo mid
"No, not at all," Bond said.
"The team has handled it really well. We are very transparent with our players with exactly what's going on. So our players are aware all the way through.
"From our point of view everyone would see the way we're training and the way we're playing it has had no effect on the team."
The AFL released a statement on Tuesday morning advising that Crowley's Tribunal hearing had been delayed by 17 days after the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority had requested more time to respond to submissions made by Crowley's legal team.
Bond said Crowley had taken the delay in his stride.
"He's handling himself very well," Bond said.
"He's got great support from family, friends, his legal team and the club as well. We're all getting around Ryan to make sure he's in a good state of mind, and he is.
"He's very positive about where it's at and what he wants to do. He's training extremely hard and he'll continue to do so."
Crowley had been training until recently when a calf issue had slowed his progress. His Tribunal hearing will now take place in Melbourne on May 18.
