Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir has rubbished a report that claimed players were fed up with his coaching methods on the eve of a season he enters without a contract.
The Dockers boss insisted his door was always open and he was willing to hear suggestions from players after a report aired on Fox Footy suggested players were unhappy.
Longmuir scoffed at the claims when they were put to him during an exclusive interview with 7NEWS.
“It’s laughable, to be honest. I have never had a player come to me demand that we change the style of play, as was suggested,” he said.
“I am really open to players having suggestions on the way we play and the way we structure, the way we go about setting up the program, so the door is always open in my office for feedback.
“But to suggest that players have been told to put their phone away all day — that is untrue. I think some of those comments were a bit unfair.”
Longmuir is expected to soon be the sole remaining out-of-contract coach in the league, with Adelaide in talks to commit to Matthew Nicks.
The Dockers coach is handling his own contract negotiations and said he is confident he has got the backing of the club.
“What is really important to me is I have got the support of people inside the club, they know where we are at, trust the feedback they are giving me day-to-day and I am really confident I have got their support,” he said.
Fremantle on Tuesday confirmed they will be without star ruckman Sean Darcy for around a month and Longmuir left the door open to a debut for young tall Liam Reidy.
“We want to keep the structure the way it is, so three tall forwards and obviously one of those guys will second ruck,” he said.
“Whether that’s Jacko or JT (Josh Treacy) as a second ruck, whether the starting ruck is Reidy or Jacko, we haven’t decided yet.”
Jackson said he was ready to shoulder the load for as long as Darcy missed, but also praised Reidy’s season in the WAFL last year and said the towering 23-year-old could also do the job.
“He had a great year at Peel last year and obviously is a big boy and can play in the ruck, I’m sure if he was called on he would be ready,” he said.