"Wallace calls for patience"

[tigersalive]

So after finishing ninth again in 2006 - for the fifth time in the 13 years since a top eight was introduced - Wallace said finals were the aim, but not necessarily the measuring stick of the club's growth.
"Fremantle finished ninth (and 10th) two years in a row, then took a quantum leap last year to the preliminary final," Wallace said.
"Their graph mightn't have risen from the outside in that 12 months and they copped a bit of criticism with people saying 'Well this is a finals side and they haven't moved from ninth'.
"But internally, they'd have seen a large change in the maturity of players getting ready to take that next step.
"Yes, we want our graph to rise. Yes, we'll be looking at trying to push ourselves inside that top eight.

. . . .

Wallace admits Tambling needs to step up, but compares him with Port Adelaide's Shaun Burgoyne, who took time to develop into an elite AFL player.

"He needs to get up the ground and impact games," Wallace said of Tambling.

"If you look at Shaun Burgoyne, it probably took him five or six years to mature and develop to exactly where he needs to be.

"What I'm wanting Richard to do is continue to improve his game so he becomes the player I saw at 18 years of age.

"If you're in the top 10 players at 18, there's no reason you shouldn't be in the top 10 players in Australia at 24 with development and confidence."

Full article here . . . http://afl.com.au/Season2007/News/NewsArticle/tabid/208/Default.aspx?newsId=39040

[WilliamPowell]

Fremantle 

Understand what you are saying Tezza but Freo Pluuuuuzzzzzzzeeeeee

"What I'm wanting Richard to do is continue to improve his game so he becomes the player I saw at 18 years of age.

"If you're in the top 10 players at 18, there's no reason you shouldn't be in the top 10 players in Australia at 24 with development and confidence."

Hmm the bold bit - I am sure he said the same thing about Pettifer 

[tigersalive]

Fremantle 

Understand what you are saying Tezza but Freo Pluuuuuzzzzzzzeee

haha yeah the worst possible comparison but maybe scarily similar. 

[Jackstar]

 
Not going to waste my breath !
Fremantle !
Oh Terry. The solarium is effecting your brain

[1965]

Fremantle 

Understand what you are saying Tezza but Freo Pluuuuuzzzzzzzeeeeee

"What I'm wanting Richard to do is continue to improve his game so he becomes the player I saw at 18 years of age.

"If you're in the top 10 players at 18, there's no reason you shouldn't be in the top 10 players in Australia at 24 with development and confidence."

Hmm the bold bit - I am sure he said the same thing about Pettifer 

pettifer could still surprise us all

how old is he?

[Mr Magic]

Fremantle's cool with me..

I'm tipping them for the flag this year.

[mightytiges]

I wouldn't have named another club as Plough did but all that says is improvement isn't necessarily linear. We might need to take a step back before going forward. The Swans hovered in the bottom half of the Eight for a few years before making back to back grannies. The Eagles, Saints, Cats and Doggies probably took a year longer than their fans and the media were expecting them to reach the finals.

A fairly pragmatic article from Wallace. Maybe even an open admission that finals this year would be a stretch for us. Skillwise based on the 3 preseason games so far that wouldn't be a surprise  . I'd rather an honest appraisal and prediction than many of the fairy-floss articles over summer saying we're fitter, stronger, faster, etc....

pettifer could still surprise us all

how old is he?

Petts turned 25 in January.

[1965]

pettifer could still surprise us all

how old is he?

Petts turned 25 in January.

Plenty of time to become the superstar many (some?) thought that he would be.

[Mr Magic]

A fairly pragmatic article from Wallace. Maybe even an open admission that finals this year would be a stretch for us. Skillwise based on the 3 preseason games so far that wouldn't be a surprise  . I'd rather an honest appraisal and prediction than many of the fairy-floss articles over summer saying we're fitter, stronger, faster, etc....

True that.

[mightytiges]

pettifer could still surprise us all

how old is he?

Petts turned 25 in January.

Plenty of time to become the superstar many (some?) thought that he would be.

Here's Petts peers from the 2000 draft. As far as first rounders he's probably mid-range. Not a superstar but not a dud. Newman would be our best get from this draft at the minute IMHO.

Priority
1 Nick Riewoldt
2 Justin Koschitzke
3 Alan Didak

First
4 Luke Livingston
5 Andrew McDougall
6 Dylan Smith
7 Laurence Angwin
8 Daniel Motlop 
9 Kayne Pettifer
10 Jordan McMahon
11 Trent Sporn
12 Shaun Burgoyne
13 Ashley McGrath
14 Daniel Harris
15 Simon Wiggins
16 Scott Thompson
17 James Davies

Second
18 Daniel Kerr
19 Jason Cloke
20 Kane Cornes
21 Nick Ries
22 Richard Hadley
23 Drew Petrie
24 Luke Ablett
25 Mark Coughlan
26 Shane Birss
27 Ted Richards
28 Steven Greene
29 Jamie Charman
30 Saverio Rocca
31 Blake Campbell
32 Sam Hunt

Rest of picks at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2000_AFL_Draft

[letsgetiton!]

Not going to waste my breath !
Fremantle !
Oh Terry. The solarium is effecting your brain

WHY ??

 its the damn truth, 2/3 yrs ago, freo were a joke, they now have the better over WCE and will win the premiership this yr.  they have improved out of site and are now in the top bracket of clubs.
i think ur anti terry is effecting your brain

[WilliamPowell]

Only reason I mentioned Freo is because I cannot stand them 

I reckon they are the Yo-yo club - up one minute down the next especially when they start believing their own publicity

[letsgetiton!]

Only reason I mentioned Freo is because I cannot stand them 

I reckon they are the Yo-yo club - up one minute down the next especially when they start believing their own publicity

dont worry wp, i knew where u were coming from, i hate them too. but they are improving and along with sydney , th only side that can match wce

[mightytiges]

Freo have topped up from other clubs sacrificing early draft picks in recent years. Tarrant, Solomon, both Carr's, Black, Bell, Cook, Farmer, Headland, McPharlin. That's almost half of their best 22 from other clubs. If they win the flag in the next year or two then it'll be worth it but it could bite them back on the bum long term if they don't.

[Mr Magic]

Freo have topped up from other clubs sacrificing early draft picks in recent years. Tarrant, Solomon, both Carr's, Black, Bell, Cook, Farmer, Headland, McPharlin. That's almost half of their best 22 from other clubs. If they win the flag in the next year or two then it'll be worth it but it could bite them back on the bum long term if they don't.

Sure but they've also got R. Murphy, Peake, Sandilands, Johnson, Mundy etc.
Freo have a good mix and will give the premiership a real shake this year or next.t.