Harvey not rushing new deal with Dockers

Fremantle coach Mark Harvey is ready to talk to the club's hierarchy about a new
deal but isn't fussed if it doesn't happen any time soon.
Harvey entered the AFL season under immense pressure to keep his job after leading
the Dockers to just six wins in each of the previous two seasons.
The 44-year-old is out of contract at season's end but an impressive 3-0 start to
the year has seen his stocks rise significantly ahead of Sunday's top-of-the-table
clash with St Kilda at Etihad Stadium.
"I've never been pushing the issue," Harvey said when asked about the contract
situation on Wednesday.
"Whenever the decision comes to sit down and talk about things we'll do it.
"But at the moment all I'm doing is coaching and making sure we are getting the best
out of the players."
Despite the Dockers' best-ever start to a season, Harvey said he could still feel an
enormous amount of pressure surrounding the club.
The former Bomber said that pressure may have led to himself and several players
being bland during press conferences.
"I think we are under a fair bit of external pressure. Maybe if we release that
maybe you will see the character come out," Harvey said.
"There's external pressure on and off the field, perhaps we just need to let go of
that a little bit and just relax and let the characters evolve in the game and play
the game.
"Don't make a minor thing significant and that's what is happening at the moment and
that's why you're probably seeing a lot of players and coaches being like that."
Harvey refused to talk up his team's chances of reaching the finals despite their
unexpected start to the year.
"I've been realistic with where we're at," he said.
"At the moment we've probably been meeting teams at the right times and we are
taking advantage of that.
"We haven't had a lot of injuries ... but some of these other sides have had some
significant problems in the first three rounds and that's why it will balance itself
off at some stage.
"That's why you be realistic about where you're at.
"I wouldn't have thought there would be too many coaches or clubs talking about
finals at this time of the year."
St Kilda will be without injured skipper Nick Riewoldt (hamstring) and suspended
forward Justin Koschitzke for the match against Fremantle.
Harvey said their absence would make the Saints unpredictable and also dismissed
suggestions the fallout from the Mick Malthouse-Stephen Milne spat could affect St
Kilda.
"I would have thought maybe it's a distraction for a day or two and then you move
on," he said.
Dockers defender Chris Tarrant (ankle) is a likely starter against the Saints but
Nick Suban will miss 1-2 weeks with his own ankle complaint.
Harvey said Etihad Stadium held no fears for his side after posting two wins there
already this year - a pre-season win over North Melbourne and their round two
victory over Essendon.