Fremantle great Matthew Pavlich says the Dockers have a “conflict of interest” in managing the upcoming trade period.
Fremantle are set to be one of the more active clubs throughout October, with four players already requesting trades out of the club.
Three of those – Rory Lobb, Griffin Logue and Blake Acres – are managed by Corporate Sports Australia’s Colin Young, who Mark Duffield of The West Australian says has had conflict with the club throughout the year.
Lobb’s trade request has so far been denied, while the Dockers also stated they don’t want to lose Logue and Acres.
But in a further complicating factor, Young is also believed to manage Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir.
When discussing Lobb’s trade request, Pavlich raised the management situation as a significant concern.
“I’m not surprised Fremantle are standing their ground. He’s contracted, and if you’re Fremantle, you’ve got an issue with one of the managers at the moment who wants three of their players out of the club,” Pavlich said on SEN WA Breakfast.
“There are some conflicts of interest there for him when you’ve got the coach in your stable as well, so some issues are there for Freo to deal with.
“When you’ve got Blake Acres, Griffin Logue and Rory Lobb all wanting out and the same manager looking after those players, that’s the big issue for them.”
While the Dockers have suggested they’ll explore trades for the others who have requested one, Lobb was reportedly “rocked” by his being denied.
He’s also understood to have skipped a mandatory player meeting last week, but the 29-year-old remains one his side’s most important players having kicked 36 goals in 2022.
“If you’re Freo and you’ve got a contracted player who is a key forward and ruckman and one of the other key forwards/defenders in Griffin Logue wants out, you hold him to his contract, I think you stand firm on that,” Pavlich continued.
“I’m holding Rory to his contact until such time you get a good deal.”
The Western Bulldogs are said to have strong interest in Lobb, who is also understood to have bought a house in Melbourne suburb South Yarra in recent weeks.