Fremantle Dockers training halted by lightning ahead of Gather Round clash with Collingwood Magpies

Fremantle’s preparation for a blockbuster Gather Round clash with Collingwood have been disrupted by wild weather, as lightning in Adelaide forced training to be delayed. Hundreds of Dockers fans watching on at Unley Oval were told to shelter under cover for safety reasons as players remained indoors during their scheduled Captain’s Run on Thursday morning. Rain fell consistently in Adelaide all morning but thunderstorms descended on the area just moments before the start of training. Under AFL regulations, players are not allowed to train or play when lightning is present. Injured forward Michael Frederick was the only Docker to set foot on the field before the delay and was spotted signing autographs for fans. An announcer at the venue told fans, some of whom had travelled to South Australia for Gather Round, that it was only expected to be a delay and training had not been cancelled. Players headed upstairs into the Jack Oatey Stand to take photos with fans and sign autographs. Loyal fans who remained at training were rewarded with the club eventually returning to the oval. The session started more than one hour late due to the lightning but the Dockers will now get the chance to prepare properly after a morning of drama. Fremantle will face Collingwood at Adelaide Oval in a primetime Friday night fixture, with teams set to be named on Thursday afternoon. More to come.