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Fremantle coach Ross Lyon did his best to stay positive this week, but to borrow a phrase from him — "It's not ideal".
The club's most high-profile off-season signing, Jesse Hogan, was stood down from the round-one clash against North Melbourne because he turned up to training on Sunday under the affects of alcohol.
The club said on Monday he was dealing with an anxiety disorder that he has been managing for some time.
It has been an issue for him before he moved home to Perth in the off-season.
Turning up to training a week out from round one — and a debut for a club — affected by alcohol, has already had serious consequences for him, his teammates, the club and its members.
It is certainly not a great start to what is set be a defining year for the Dockers and their coach.
Lyon needs Hogan at his best as he looks for significant improvement in his team this year.
Clock ticking for coach Lyon
The coach is quickly running out of time to fulfil the pledge he made when he signed his current deal, which takes him through until 2020.
"Ultimately nobody is satisfied with where we are at," he said at the start of 2016.
"We are certainly aiming for a premiership, and we don't shy away from that.
"Particularly at the end of this tenure I will have no excuse not to have achieved that because we are fully resourced, fully supported and I certainly have a timeframe where I can make short term and long-term decisions to shift us to where we want to be."
Since then Fremantle has finished 16th, 14th and 14th.
There have been several big-name recruits that haven't yet worked out, such as Harley Bennell and Cam McCarthy.
Bennell was a risk when the Dockers traded for him and in three seasons has only played two games.
He is sidelined again with a calf injury and without a timeframe for a return.
Hogan does not have a timeframe either but was back training this week.
He is physically fit and, if he can manage his anxiety and make the right decisions from here, Lyon will be hoping he will play good football for the club this season.
In saying that, there is a lot going right at the club right now.
It has generally recruited well over the past two seasons by bringing in players that show character on and off the field.
The AFLW team is playing terrific, inspiring football which is having a real impact on the community.
The number of young girls and boys lining up for autographs post an AFLW match at Fremantle Oval is a great thing to see.
But there remains a small number of players whose actions, preventable or not, appear to be posing a reputational risk to the Dockers.
The administration has also been guilty of being clumsy in the way it handled some contentious issues, which has put further pressure on the club and its players.
Too often at Fremantle recently, those left struggling with unresolved issues or facing questions about their conduct, are making it difficult for those trying to take the club forward.
Topics: sport, australian-football-league, perth-6000, wa, fremantle-6160
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