Western Bulldogs eject Fremantle coaches from training, including ex-AFL player

Kieran Francis

Western Bulldogs eject Fremantle coaches from training, including ex-AFL player image

The Western Bulldogs aren't mucking around ahead of their season-defining match against Fremantle on Sunday afternoon.

With the winner likely to make finals and the loser likely to miss out, it's all on the line at Marvel Stadium.

When Dockers ruck coach Sam Naismith and another unidentified person were spotted at Bulldogs training at Whitten Oval on Friday, action was quickly taken.

Bulldogs assistant coach Daniel Pratt wandered over to Naismith and his offsider and asked both to leave the grandstand and venue.

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Naismith and his 'accomplice' were seen complying with Pratt's orders in a video released on X by journalist Theo Doropoulos.

The Dockers go into the clash as rank outsiders after suffering an embarrassing 57-point defeat to Brisbane in Perth last week.

Naismith joined Fremantle as their ruck and development coach in October 2024.

He played 33 games for Sydney and Richmond and debuting for the Swans in 2014, retiring after three matches for the Tigers last season.

Naismith suffered four ACL knee injuries across his career, issues that ultimately saw him play a lot less AFL than he would have otherwise.

Kieran Francis

Kieran Francis is a senior editor at The Sporting News based in Melbourne, Australia. He started at Sportal.com.au before being a part of the transition to Sporting News in 2015. Just prior to the 2018 World Cup, he was appointed chief editor of Goal.com in Australia. He has now returned to The Sporting News where his passions lay in football, AFL, poker and cricket - when he is not on holiday.