Kane Cornes: Fremantle Dockers forward Rory Lobb would be silly to leave the club as it pushes for success

Rory Lobb mistimed his exit from Greater Western Sydney for a homecoming to Fremantle. Now, the polarising forward could get it all wrong again by thinking there is a greater opportunity by crossing the Nullarbor again. Lobb sought a trade to Fremantle at the end of 2018 and the next season Greater Western Sydney reached their first and only grand final while Fremantle finished 13th. The Swan Districts product should be grateful there was a roadblock when he tried the U-turn to get back to the Giants during last year’s trade period. Fremantle are on the rise. The Giants will miss the finals and are searching for a new coach. Now, the 29-year-old forward is reading the wrong roadmap again ... thinking the grass is greener somewhere else, such as the Western Bulldogs. Lobb has been an enigma for much of his 133-game AFL career. He has developed a polarising image, creating angst in his own club’s supporter base, the media and, most tellingly, among his teammates and coaches at each of his two clubs. He has been criticised for failing to command a position. He has raised eyebrows for refusing to embrace the role of a ruckman. He has carried the labels of frustrating, inconsistent, overpaid and for not being physically aggressive enough. Each assessment, as harsh as they might have seemed to Lobb, have been entirely justified until now. The West Australian is in his ninth season. He has the experience — starting at GWS in 2014 — and age to now know where he fits in the game. Last Sunday against Port Adelaide, everyone could see it. The coaches saw it. Justin Longmuir and Ken Hinkley gave Lobb nine of a possible 10 votes in their association award. While Fremantle held on against a fast-finishing and desperate Port Adelaide at Optus Stadium, Lobb played the game of his life. He kicked a career-high five goals in a match-up against All-Australian defender Aliir Aliir. He proved a nightmare for Aliir and the Power while grabbing four crucial marks inside 50. It was the first time Lobb had kicked more than three goals since round 17 last year. At the start of the season, Lobb’s season-high goals tally was 29 in 2019 when he played 24 games. Lobb is on track to smash that mark with his count at 27 from just 14 games this year. The AFL’s official statisticians, Champion Data, rate Lobb as the game’s fourth-best forward, behind Taylor Walker (Adelaide), Tom Hawkins (Geelong) and Tom Lynch (Richmond). Lobb has never played better. And he is a critical part of a team that is good — really good. It is ranked fourth. There is the dream of the Dockers’ first premiership seeming more and more real. So why would Lobb want to pack his bags again? Is it the prospect of Melbourne premiership ruckman-forward Luke Jackson returning home to Perth? Or is it the reported $1.5 million contract on offer from the Bulldogs? Lobb’s blunt answer this week was: “We’ll have to see.” Lobb let his football on Sunday do more talking for him. From the outside, Lobb seems a player who is never happy. This damages his reputation and the image of his flamboyant and outspoken Perth-based manager, Colin Young. Just nine months ago, Young unsuccessfully tried to deal Lobb back to GWS, less than two years after working a trade the other way. Neither Fremantle nor the Giants would agree on the trade, so Lobb remained a Docker. He should be grateful. Lobb today is at a club with rising hope. The Giants are at the crossroads waiting for a new coach to decide how they will turn. But Lobb still has Young courting the competition for him which isn’t a smart move. Seasoned player agents such as Paul Connors rarely fail to land their players at the clubs of their choice. He certainly delivers once the desired trade becomes public. Complicating — but not limiting — any trade in October is Lobb being on contract at Fremantle until the end of next season. The Dockers would require significant compensation if they lost Lobb, perhaps the draft picks and salary cap relief that ensures Jackson moves from Melbourne. Young may be acting on this prospective trade. Fremantle should not. Jackson will not help the Dockers’ answer their need for a key forward. Jackson has kicked only 27 goals in 43 AFL games. Fremantle has desperately tried to replace their finest player, key forward and captain Matthew Pavlich, since he retired as the club’s greatest goal kicker in 2016. Finally, with Lobb as the centrepiece, the support of Matt Taberner and the electric mix of small forwards including Lachie Schultz, Michael Frederick, Michael Walters and Sam Switkowski, Fremantle have a potent attack. It is a combination Fremantle should not mess with. Lobb has done an enormous job to improve his reputation this year. His football has done the talking. It would be a poor career move to seek another trade in October. Furthermore, his manager Young cannot afford yet another embarrassing scenario where he fails to get a deal done, leaving Lobb to return to Fremantle (again) with his tail between his legs.