AFL Daily: Fraser’s key reveal over Blues search; Ross delivers swipe after Neale leak

Josh Fraser says he hasn’t been invited to participate in Carlton’s senior coach hiring process.

Meanwhile, St Kilda coach Ross Lyon has explained the intentions behind his meeting with Brisbane free agent Lachie Neale. Read on in AFL Daily.

Watch every match of every round of the AFL Premiership Season LIVE and ad-break free during play on FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.

Fraser’s revelation comes as he continues to soar in popularity with the Blues surging to a six-game winning streak under his reign.

But he’s never once stated a desire to coach the club permanently, and he wasn’t listed in the six-name shortlist of candidates recently leaked.

Geelong assistants James Kelly and James Rahilly, Hawthorn’s Daniel Giansiracusa, St Kilda’s highly-touted Corey Enright, the Bulldogs’ Brendon Lade and Fremantle’s Jaymie Graham make up at least six of the names in the running for the job.

Experienced coaches Ken Hinkley and John Longmire are also expected to be of interest to Carlton officials.

Fraser officially confirmed on Thursday morning that he hadn’t been tapped on the shoulder, giving a plain and direct “no” when asked in his weekly press conference.

MORE COVERAGE:

TALKING PTS: Fresh Butters move could be ‘best deal’ for Port; Dons star reduced to ‘nothing player’

TRADE WHISPERS: THIRD Vic club to meet with Neale as ‘overlooked’ detail in shock move revealed

AFL 360: ‘Complicating factor’ in Hird’s Bombers bid… but club great could be best to solve ‘deeper’ issue

The interim boss was probed on what he thought about the ongoing process going on behind closed doors.

“This is part of it,” he said. “My role right now and my responsibility is to the players and the football club as an interim coach.

“I respect the process that’s going on off to the side; I haven’t taken any real notice of it, to be honest.

“I think as soon as I start to do that, it takes away from the energy and the focus I need on our playing group.”

Asked if he sees himself still at Carlton next year, regardless of the role, he said: “Yeah, I do.

“I see myself being involved in a way forward for the footy club,” he said.

Fraser was also quizzed on comments made by Chris Davies in late May, when the Blues’ football boss said of the club’s talent: “I still don’t think the list is good enough, ultimately, to compete at the top level.”

But that remark was made after Carlton’s second-straight win. It’s won four more consecutive games since then. So, is that assessment still valid?

“I think we’re getting outcomes at the moment, but I still think we’ve got a lot of work in front of us,” Fraser said.

“And that’s developing our list … so that’s a part of it. Driving standards is another part of it; the way we train and educate - there’s a holistic approach to this.

“But yeah, I think there’s always work to be done on your list.”

Amid more questioning over captain Patrick Cripps’ future, Fraser was also asked whether player ownership had improved since he took over as coach.

“I think that’s hard to answer, because I arrived in November, so I haven’t been here (before that).

“But it’s been a real focus over the past six weeks to hand things over to the playing group and give them responsibility, and they seem to be enjoying that.”

The former Collingwood ruckman was asked to reflect on his own self-improvement and what he’s learnt since starting the job.

“I think it’s given me a chance to lean back on some past experiences, and confirm some philosophies of mine,” he said.

“And in different ways be challenged, in terms of what this interim job entails.

“At some point in time, I’ll be able to take a breath and reflect a little bit more. At the moment, things, as we know, move pretty quickly in the industry.

“So I’ve tried to make it less about me and more about the group, but I do feel like I’m learning a lot.”

Fraser and the Blues aim for their seventh-straight win on Saturday night, when they play Richmond.

ROSS COY ON NEALE ‘FRIENDSHIP DINNER’

St Kilda coach Ross Lyon has downplayed his “friendship dinner” with dual Brownlow Medallist and free agent Lachie Neale.

The star Brisbane Lion is out of contract at the end of the year and is drawing interest from Collingwood, Essendon and now St Kilda.

Neale is catching up with his former Fremantle coach following the Lions’ clash with Geelong on Thursday night.

Lyon spoke about the pre-existing relationship with Neale and called the catch-up “blown out of proportion”.

“To be honest, that close friend will be there as well, we’ve got a mutual friend and there has been no preliminary discussions or anything like that,” Lyon said.

“Except clearly it was in the AFL landscape, and I’d simply describe it as a normal dinner with both people window shopping.

“There’s certainly no strong agenda from either side. Lachie has got a game tonight and playing great footy and for their club.

“Our dinners tend to remain confidential, I know Lachie and I didn’t talk about it, so that talks to other people with less integrity. That’s OK, I will leave it at that.”

Lyon said the report that St Kilda star Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera would attend the dinner as a bargaining chip was a curveball he threw himself.

“That was just a red herring I threw out to excite you all and it did, (but) it’s not true and that’s OK, both sides of the fence don’t come with facts a lot of the time,” he laughed.

Neale, who has been pivotal in the Lions’ back-to-back premierships, played 135 games at Fremantle under Lyon.

Lyon called Neale a “special player” but denied any romance about the two reuniting as player and coach at Moorabbin.

“This is a friendship catch-up … we’re late to even thinking about (recruiting Neale), it’s just doing due diligence about the situation,” he said.

“Because I wouldn’t have thought he’s leaving Brisbane and I still don’t think that’s guaranteed.

“If Collingwood, Essendon, everyone is talking to Lachie, then I can slip in between entree and main, ‘Mate, what are you thinking about doing with your life and footy?’,

“Clearly it’s been a tumultuous time but it talks to his preparation and his dedication … I’d like to leave it at that.

“Romance is your words, what’s the likelihood? I’ll frame it again: It’s a friendship dinner that somehow has turned into this circus.”

Lyon, in good spirits, later joked Neale could be the “icing” on top of the young group of Saints tasked with driving the club to success.

“We need it to be Nas (Wanganeen-Milera), (Mattaes) Phillipou, (Hugo) Garcia, (Darcy) Wilson, (Tom) De Koning over the next five or six years, no doubt about it, (Hugh) Boxshall, (Charlie) Bamfield … throw Lachie Neale in, I don’t know,” he joked.

Click here to read article