NEWS HEADLINES
Fremantle Football Club
Dockers got what they wanted
13/10/2006 8:53:00 PM
Fremantle has unashamedly targeted an AFL premiership in the next three years at the expense of any substantial involvement in next month's "super draft".
The Dockers were the major players in today's final day of the trade period, loading up with Collingwood star forward Chris Tarrant and Essendon premiership defender Dean Solomon.
In the process, they gave away their first-round and third-round draft picks, as well as handing defender Graham Polak to Richmond and forward pocket Paul Medhurst to the Magpies.
It left Fremantle with just one draft pick in the top 50 and as the only club without a first-round selection in the November 25 national draft, which is expected to produce an extraordinary array of talent.
But coach Chris Connolly said it was all part of a grand plan - put in place when he arrived at the club in 2002 - to push for a premiership from 2007 onwards.
"We have experienced players coming into our squad, Chris has played in two grand finals, Dean Solomon's a premiership player and we all know and believe that Fremantle's window's now open and we're looking to compete against the best," Connolly said.
He said the Dockers had a wave of talented players all about to hit what should be the peak stage of their careers.
"There's a critical mass moving into that area, so we would hope that the window's going to be open for four or five years, but I think history shows it might only be three," Connolly said.
"So we've got to make our move now, make it aggressively and we know there's some real class teams out there, particularly the two grand final teams.
"We're really going to have to take a step forward on all fronts to compete against them at the end of the season."
The recruitment of 26-year-old Tarrant, an All Australian in 2003 and a five-time leading goalkicker for the Magpies, has Connolly most excited, as his presence in attack should stop opposition defences double- or triple-teaming Matthew Pavlich.
Tarrant was equally excited about the chance to play alongside Pavlich and Jeff Farmer.
"You're going to have to have a few mobile defenders to keep up with all of us, so it's definitely one of the main attractions," he said.
But he said the Dockers' potential to win next year's premiership was the prime motivation.
"I wouldn't be heading over there for any other reason than to have a real crack at it," Tarrant said.
"I think Subiaco suits my style of football, it's a big ground, it's a fast track, so I really think myself and Matthew Pavlich can have a fantastic partnership down there.
"If we can work really well together I can't see any reason why we can't be true premiership contenders."
Collingwood and Richmond were also happy with their parts in the three-way deal that sent Tarrant west.
The Magpies ended up with draft pick eight, which originated with the Tigers, making them the only club with two first-round selections.
"We've got pick eight and pick 10 in the draft, it's as good as there's been in a long time," Collingwood chief executive Greg Swann said.
"And obviously Paul Medhurst is going to come to the club and hopefully get back to the form he was in a couple of years ago.
"We're really happy that it's done."
Polak satisfied Richmond's urgent need for a tall defender, at the price of a downgrading of five positions in the first round of the draft, and the swap of selection 42 for the Magpies' pick 60.
"To get a key position player with an exchange of draft choices in a few rounds, we're rapt," football director Greg Miller said.
"We know we're a bit deficient in that area.
"To get a player who's 22 years of age with the credentials that he's got is a great win for the Richmond footy club."
In other trades to take place today, exiled West Coast ruckman Michael Gardiner was thrown a lifeline by St Kilda, in exchange for a swap of low-ranking picks.
And, after five days of sometimes heated negotiation, Hawthorn ruckman Peter Everitt was finally granted his wish to move to Sydney two minutes before today's 2pm (AEST) deadline.
The Swans gave up their second-round draft pick in return.
There were nine players to change clubs overall, with deals for Jason Akermanis (Brisbane to Western Bulldogs), Shane Birss (Bulldogs to St Kilda) and Andrew McDougall (West Coast to Bulldogs) having been resolved earlier in the week.
Meanwhile, Carlton pair Bret Thornton and Jordan Russell will almost certainly nominate for the pre-season draft, after the Blues failed to grant their wish to trade them.
AAP
The Dockers were the major players in today's final day of the trade period, loading up with Collingwood star forward Chris Tarrant and Essendon premiership defender Dean Solomon.
In the process, they gave away their first-round and third-round draft picks, as well as handing defender Graham Polak to Richmond and forward pocket Paul Medhurst to the Magpies.
It left Fremantle with just one draft pick in the top 50 and as the only club without a first-round selection in the November 25 national draft, which is expected to produce an extraordinary array of talent.
But coach Chris Connolly said it was all part of a grand plan - put in place when he arrived at the club in 2002 - to push for a premiership from 2007 onwards.
"We have experienced players coming into our squad, Chris has played in two grand finals, Dean Solomon's a premiership player and we all know and believe that Fremantle's window's now open and we're looking to compete against the best," Connolly said.
He said the Dockers had a wave of talented players all about to hit what should be the peak stage of their careers.
"There's a critical mass moving into that area, so we would hope that the window's going to be open for four or five years, but I think history shows it might only be three," Connolly said.
"So we've got to make our move now, make it aggressively and we know there's some real class teams out there, particularly the two grand final teams.
"We're really going to have to take a step forward on all fronts to compete against them at the end of the season."
The recruitment of 26-year-old Tarrant, an All Australian in 2003 and a five-time leading goalkicker for the Magpies, has Connolly most excited, as his presence in attack should stop opposition defences double- or triple-teaming Matthew Pavlich.
Tarrant was equally excited about the chance to play alongside Pavlich and Jeff Farmer.
"You're going to have to have a few mobile defenders to keep up with all of us, so it's definitely one of the main attractions," he said.
But he said the Dockers' potential to win next year's premiership was the prime motivation.
"I wouldn't be heading over there for any other reason than to have a real crack at it," Tarrant said.
"I think Subiaco suits my style of football, it's a big ground, it's a fast track, so I really think myself and Matthew Pavlich can have a fantastic partnership down there.
"If we can work really well together I can't see any reason why we can't be true premiership contenders."
Collingwood and Richmond were also happy with their parts in the three-way deal that sent Tarrant west.
The Magpies ended up with draft pick eight, which originated with the Tigers, making them the only club with two first-round selections.
"We've got pick eight and pick 10 in the draft, it's as good as there's been in a long time," Collingwood chief executive Greg Swann said.
"And obviously Paul Medhurst is going to come to the club and hopefully get back to the form he was in a couple of years ago.
"We're really happy that it's done."
Polak satisfied Richmond's urgent need for a tall defender, at the price of a downgrading of five positions in the first round of the draft, and the swap of selection 42 for the Magpies' pick 60.
"To get a key position player with an exchange of draft choices in a few rounds, we're rapt," football director Greg Miller said.
"We know we're a bit deficient in that area.
"To get a player who's 22 years of age with the credentials that he's got is a great win for the Richmond footy club."
In other trades to take place today, exiled West Coast ruckman Michael Gardiner was thrown a lifeline by St Kilda, in exchange for a swap of low-ranking picks.
And, after five days of sometimes heated negotiation, Hawthorn ruckman Peter Everitt was finally granted his wish to move to Sydney two minutes before today's 2pm (AEST) deadline.
The Swans gave up their second-round draft pick in return.
There were nine players to change clubs overall, with deals for Jason Akermanis (Brisbane to Western Bulldogs), Shane Birss (Bulldogs to St Kilda) and Andrew McDougall (West Coast to Bulldogs) having been resolved earlier in the week.
Meanwhile, Carlton pair Bret Thornton and Jordan Russell will almost certainly nominate for the pre-season draft, after the Blues failed to grant their wish to trade them.
AAP
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