Harvey questions Essendon celebrations
Fremantle coach Mark Harvey has fired a pot shot at Essendon ahead of Sunday's AFL clash at Subiaco Oval, claiming the Bombers may have over celebrated after last week's win over St Kilda.
And Harvey has put his own team on notice following last week's embarrassing loss to Melbourne, warning players their future at the club could depend on how they perform in the final two rounds of the season.
Essendon can book a spot in the finals if they beat Fremantle and Port Adelaide lose to Brisbane at the Gabba.
But Harvey questioned whether the Bombers would be up to the task this weekend after their Herculean win over the previously unbeaten Saints last week.
Essendon only secured victory in that match when Saints forward Nick Riewoldt missed his set shot after the siren.
"They celebrated well," Harvey replied when asked about the Bombers' performance.
"Emotion can do a lot of things to people and players, can't it?
"So it just depends (how they back it up), I guess we'll find out."
Harvey, still seething from the 63-point defeat to last-placed Melbourne, put his players through a gruelling boxing session on Monday as punishment.
"There's always different ways to train the mentality of your players so that was one of those sessions," he said.
"Everyone's been put on notice.
"At this time of year you want to be playing well.
"(You want) to see hopefully some players that are desperate, aggressive on a more regular basis and that will hold weight in selection now.
Harvey said he would wait until the end of the season before deciding the fate of several out-of-contract players.
Among those discussed will be veteran Dean Solomon, back-up ruckman Kepler Bradley and Marcus Drum.
Solomon will undergo knee surgery on Friday but has indicated his eagerness to continue on in 2010.
Harvey said the Dockers would look to expose Essendon around the stoppages after Bombers ruckman Paddy Ryder (knee) was ruled out of the match.
Essendon named defender Dustin Fletcher in their 25-man squad despite the veteran picking up a hamstring injury last week, but Courtenay Dempsey (hamstring) will definitely miss the match.
The Bombers recalled Darcy Daniher, Leroy Jetta, Heath Hocking, Cale Hooker, and Jason Winderlich.
Fremantle will be bolstered by the return of defender Roger Hayden from a fractured leg and small forward Hayden Ballantyne from suspension, with Clancee Pearce and Michael Walters named on an extended interchange bench.
The Dockers have won just one game away from home this season and Harvey put the focus squarely on the club's senior players.
"Some guys performances on the road need to improve significantly, (players) that have been around for a period of time," he said.
"That's all about how you analyse yourself and prepare for each game, particularly when you haven't got morale from the outside and you are playing in foreign territory."
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