Freo says it wants to hang onto Warnock and "will not let the talent it has nurtured over the last few seasons leave easily." But their CEO also says they are "aiming for a certain number of picks in the first three rounds." ---------------------------------------
Rosich to reinvigorate Dockers list
West Australian | 24th July 2008, 17:15 WST
With a revamp of the club’s playing list on his mind, new Fremantle CEO Steve Rosich has targeted the first three rounds of this year’s national draft as the key to the Dockers’ on-field fortunes.
Rosich was formally announced by the club as the successor to Victoria-bound Cameron Schwab this afternoon and was keen to discuss his strategy to take the club forward.
With Fremantle’s off-field position healthy, thanks largely to the work of Schwab in recent years, Rosich will focus his attention on the football department.
And that means changes to the club’s playing stocks with a keen eye towards youth.
While not ruling out the possibility of trading players or draft picks to build a stronger list, Rosich said that the tactic so-often used by the club in the past is not a part of the current plan.
The Dockers hierarchy has been derided in the past for poor performances during trade week and at the draft table and they are keen to get things right this time around.
Rosich made the point that draft picks take on extra significance this year, with concessions set to be handed out to the new Gold Coast and western Sydney franchises in coming seasons.
“We’ll certainly be aiming for a certain number of picks in the first three rounds,” Rosich said.
“I don’t think you (rule out trading draft picks) under any circumstances, but certainly our strategy at this point in time is to retain all of our picks in the first three rounds.”
The club is also keen to retain what Rosich described as “required players”, including young Victorian ruckman Robert Warnock, despite several stars attracting attention from opposition clubs.Rosich has been hard at work with senior members of the football department over the last few months and was a key negotiator in the deals which saw Matthew Pavlich, Aaron Sandilands and Luke McPharlin re-sign with the club.
Some player are being touted as ‘trade bait’ and could be used to secure more early round draft picks for Fremantle, but the club will not let the talent it has nurtured over the last few seasons leave easily.
“At this point in time we’re working through a process of retaining all of our required players that are likely to attract reasonably high draft picks,” Rosich said.
“So, no, we’ll go into the draft with the picks we get from where we finish (on the ladder).
“Rob’s (Warnock) a young and talented player and we’re working through a process at the moment that will hopefully see him stay at the Fremantle Football Club.”Rosich avoided saying that the club’s recruitment policy had been flawed in the past, but said the focus is firmly on youth this time around.
“You certainly look back and learn from the past,” Rosich said.
“Our framework that we’ll be setting going forward in the immediate future is to reinvigorate the list via the national draft.
“That’s what we’ll be doing.”
The policy of injecting youth into the squad should be music to the ears of most Fremantle fans, who have endured another tough season in 2008.
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