Ross Lyon and Lenny Hayes put everything into trying to win a premiership together at St Kilda, but the Fremantle coach will have no sentiment for the retiring champion when the Dockers take on St Kilda on Saturday.
Hayes, one of St Kilda’s all-time greats, announced that he will retire at the end of the 2014 AFL season on Tuesday ahead of the Saints hosting Lyon’s second-placed Fremantle at Etihad Stadium this Saturday.
Lyon has nothing but enormous respect for the 34-year-old 291-game veteran having coached him for five years at St Kilda and to grand finals in 2009 and 2010.
But the Fremantle boss won’t be focusing on Hayes this week other than to warn the Dockers against the bottom-placed Saints finding a spark out of the retirement declaration.
“I suppose I’m the Fremantle coach and we play them. The concern is he’s a great player, so we’ll have to plan heavily for him this week. I certainly haven’t spoken to Lenny or texted Lenny. I’m sure at the right time we’ll have a conversation,” Lyon said.
“We all come to the end. He’s left nothing in the tank. My memories of Lenny are that he was a great leader, incredibly hard trainer and he always played without restraint and limitations. Regardless of the scoreboard, up or down, he played the same. He always found more to give.
“When things were desperate you could rely on Lenny. When everyone was fatigued and exhausted Lenny could dig deep and find a bit more and that’s really what separates the great players. He was, and is, a pretty special player.”
As for his Fremantle team that is currently on an eight-game winning streak in second spot on the ladder, Lyon will lose small forward Hayden Ballantyne to a second suspension for the year while All-Australian defender Luke McPharlin should return.
Lyon won’t be tempted into resting the 32-year-old despite a bye the following weekend and the fact he has played just one of the last five matches.
“We are really optimistic he will play and we are planning for him to play but he needs to get through training,” Lyon said.
