'Sorry for competing': Lyon hits back at Windhager criticism

Ross Lyon says trying to nullify star midfield opponents is a standard part of the game as his tagger Marcus Windhager remains in the headlines

Nick Daicos is tackled by Marcus Windhager during the R15 match between Collingwood and St Kilda at Marvel Stadium on June 21, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

ROSS Lyon has derided the focus on his tagger Marcus Windhager, saying star midfielders have had close attention "since Adam was a boy".

The St Kilda coach was unimpressed that the AFL Tribunal upheld Windhager's fine for striking Collingwood opponent Nick Daicos, predicting a surge in penalties as a result.

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Lyon and his Collingwood counterpart Craig McRae have been vocal about the Windhager-Daicos duel, which highlighted last Saturday night's clash.

"Just to be clear, what are the tactics? I don't understand," Lyon asked at a Friday morning pre-training media conference.

"Sorry for going out and competing. I thought you were allowed to compete in AFL - I never knew playing on someone was a tactic, manning up at stoppage.

"Since Adam was a boy, people have played and the great midfielders get tighter attention, that's just the way it is."

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In reference to Windhager's fine, Lyon said: "It set a high standard for contact, hasn't it? It's really interesting.

"There are going to be a lot of fines in the AFL."

Lyon would not confirm Windhager's assignment for the game in Perth on Sunday against Fremantle.

But on Thursday, gun Dockers midfielder Caleb Serong said he and teammate Andrew Brayshaw would "embrace" the match-up.

"Terrific - well done Caleb," was Lyon's reply.

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The Saints coach said the umpiring department had visited the club during the week and had discussed several issues, including how Windhager can let the umpires know when opponents try to disrupt his tagging role.

This will be the first time Lyon coaches against his old club in Perth. He coached the Dockers from 2012-19, taking them to the 2013 Grand Final.

"That's not something I've thought about ... it's a decade ago. It's part of my history, I'm proud of what we achieved there," Lyon said.

"I walk back in comfortably."

He also said there was no succession plan in place for senior assistant coach Corey Enright, following media speculation this week.

"He can have it today if he wants - I don't know if I really (want to) go over to Perth," Lyon said, as a joke.

"We'll just continue to grow him. There's nothing anywhere in writing or any agreement.

"Clearly I have less summers in front of me than I've seen, right? So it probably applies to my football coaching as well.

"It's above my station in life at the club. It's certainly not something that's present or front of mind ... (but) it's a nice theory, we like it."

Corey Enright looks on during a St Kilda training session at RSEA Park on June 27, 2025. Picture: Getty Images/AFL Photos

Lyon and football boss Dave Misson also spoke about key forward Max King, who will not play at all this season because of an ongoing knee problem.

"We feel like we've identified the problem, the meniscus repair. We feel like his knee is in good shape," Lyon said.

"We wish we had gotten to it earlier, but we didn't, for a whole bunch of reasons that I can't explain."

Misson said they are "pretty confident" after King's latest surgery in the past few days that when he resumes running in three months, there will be no more problems.

King went to Adelaide and had a special ultrasound to work out why his knee kept having "clunking" episodes when he was running.

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