What Lyon did - noting Fyfe could leave if the Dockers didn't have a plan - was a little rev-up to everyone around the club, reinforcing that Fremantle couldn't afford to stand still.

My mail remains very strong that Fyfe is staying. You need a shop window and that's what he is to Freo.

He's clearly going to be the next captain and is also the player the Dockers throw out to members, fans and sponsors and say "this bloke is why you want to be with us."

Equally importantly, Fyfe has the same role when it comes to potential recruits. If you're going after Jesse Hogan - and everyone knows Fremantle wants him - what's the best way to sell him on a future with the Dockers?

Would he want more to be part of a Freo team with Nat Fyfe in the midfield and kicking the ball to him? Or one without him?

Fyfe's injury record is a slight concern in the long haul but these are cracks in bones and plates that are the issue; not a savagely broken leg.

While Fyfe will remain a Docker, Lin Jong's controversial tour of Collingwood's facilities is a reminder that others will be looking at greener pastures...and then there is strong mail about the place right now about some high-profile players looking elsewhere.

The biggest of them would be Alex Rance. He only signed a new contract at Richmond last year but ultimately, if he wants out, that just means Richmond has more control of where he might go.

My understanding is that Rance isn't happy and would like to look at other options. If so, there would be 17 clubs interested, including, I would have thought, both West Coast and Fremantle. The party with the best hand might be Gold Coast, which has Dion Prestia, who has been heavily linked with Richmond.

There is plenty of talk that GWS is after another Richmond player, Brett Deledio. On face value that wouldn't be good news for Richmond but Deledio has had his injury troubles in the past couple of years and if the Tigers looked like getting a  couple of young players or draft picks in return, who is to say they wouldn't be tempted?

Speaking of GWS, word has the Giants shopping Rory Lobb and Jack Steele for the No.1 pick Essendon will now surely get at the end of the season. Given Lobb originally hails from WA, the Dockers will be doing themselves a disservice if they don't get involved in those kinds of discussions as well.

Essendon is going to have some more thinking to do, with chat that Melbourne is chasing Michael Hurley and Michael Hibberd.

It was interesting to see Tom Mitchell put his contract talks on hold with the Swans a couple of weeks back. All the talk previously had linked Mitchell with Carlton but I'm led to believe Hawthorn has drifted into the picture now too - which makes sense with someone like Sam Mitchell getting into his last couple of years.

If there's a school of thought that the top-eight is already set - and it's worth noting that ninth-placed Port is still two games behind eighth spot - then the final third of the season might just be about jockeying for positions.

The behind-the-scenes jostling for players could be just as interesting as what happens on the field.

Heroes of the week:
Patrick McGinnity, Will Minson and Kane Mitchell all looked dead and buried before their unexpected revivals last week for the Eagles, Bulldogs and Power respectively. Just goes to show what an opportunity can do for someone.

Goats of the week:
Has to go to the St Kilda players for turning up on the Gold Coast and dishing out what they did last week. Horribly frustrating for fans to have to watch that kind of garbage only a week after the Saints had upset Geelong. A special mention to the Jack family, for this week's public drama ahead of Kieran's 200th AFL game.

Things that make you go hmmmm:
Everyone will shake their heads and tut-tut about Lin Jong visiting Collingwood mid-season but it's not like players are the only ones pushing the envelope...clubs have a long history of not treating players especially well at the end of their times. The classic old-school story had Ian Downsborough rocking up at Eagles HQ to go on the end-of-season trip and suddenly getting told "you're off to Port Adelaide."

Brad Hardie pens a weekly AFL column for WAtoday. You can also hear him on Radio 6PR Sports Today with Karl Langdon on weeknights from 6pm to 8pm