Wallace confirms that Tigers will chase Warnock
Lyall Johnson | August 20, 2008
RICHMOND coach Terry Wallace yesterday flagged the club's interest in pursuing Fremantle giant Robert Warnock.
The 206-centimetre, 21-year-old Docker, who was drafted in 2005 from Sandringham under 18s but has played only 21 games, is out of contract this season and has indicated he wants to return home.
The Tigers, with Troy Simmonds playing a lone hand in the ruck while Adam Pattison and former Bomber Tristan Cartledge develop, are in desperate need of another tall centre-square option.
Fremantle is trying to hold Warnock, with coach Mark Harvey yesterday lashing out at Melbourne for making a presentation to the player last week. "I thought it was an interesting tactic," Harvey said. "I don't think he (Warnock) has been affected by what appears to be an ambush."
Wallace said yesterday he was certain the Tigers would talk to Warnock about the possibility of coming to Punt Road.
"He's a big boy, he's a big lad. And he's a Melbourne-based boy who looks clearly like he's coming back to Melbourne," Wallace said. "Of course, from a recruiting perspective, we'd be in the marketplace.
"My job at this time of the year is to concentrate on the last two games of the season and let the recruiting boys do what they need to do. I don't like to get clouded between the two at this stage of the year but we probably are looking for another ruckman, so he'd be on our radar."
Warnock visited Demon headquarters last Thursday after accepting an invitation from former Dockers coach Chris Connolly, now Melbourne football operations manager.
But when Warnock arrived, Connolly, Melbourne coach Dean Bailey and a group of players clad in suits were there to greet him, armed with a powerpoint presentation in their bid to entice him to the club.
The in-demand Warnock, whose brother plays at Melbourne, could command about $1 million over the next three years on the open market, with a number of Victorian clubs expected to bid for his services.
The Demons, who are almost certain to finish last, could snare Warnock without trading for him via the pre-season draft.
Fremantle chief executive Steve Rosich is expected to talk with Warnock and his manager Colin Young over the coming weeks about a new deal.
Warnock, who had season-ending shoulder surgery after round 17, managed only nine games this year, spending most of the first half of the season battling for form in the WAFL.
"Robbie's a required player and in the end, that will be his decision about what he wants to do," Harvey said.
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