From the West Australian.
QUESTION: You've re-signed all your young stars and recruited another premiership player in Des Headland. Is it time for Fremantle to take a giant leap?
I think we'll continue to improve and at some stage we'll take a leap. But that's related to how well the opposition improves.
2: Will you be disappointed if you don't make the final eight this year.
It's difficult to answer that. I'll be disappointed if we don't improve as a team.
3: After eight years in the competition do you think Fremantle supporters are becoming impatient to see the team play finals football?
I'm sure they are. We could trade all of our talented 22-year-olds for the best 27-year-olds in the comp and come sixth for the next couple of years, if that's what they want. But if they want to give themselves an opportunity to win a premiership, we've got to keep this age bracket of 22 together and continually add youth to it over the next couple of seasons.
4: So are you standing by your target of 2005 as the year when you can make the biggest impact on the finals?
When I first came here I expected us to move into the finals at that stage. But it's difficult to talk in terms of ladder positions because it is directly related to the ability of the opposition. I think all things being even, and even considering the opposition, we should be a strong chance to make the finals in 2005. Now that doesn't mean we can't make it this season. It just depends on how quickly we improve and whether the opposition improves.
5: What is your greatest fear coming into 2003?
The fear is probably injuries. We design our training to minimise that. I don't hold any other fears over and above that.
6: Are you taking a huge risk by removing Matthew Pavlich from a young defence and putting him on the ball?
Yeah, I'm taking a risk, there's no question about that. But we think Matthew can have the biggest influence on the game there. He's one of our absolute elite players. It gives him the chance to make the mark on the game he wants to.
7: Pavlich, Troy Simmonds, Paul Hasleby and Matthew Carr all reached a new level last year, who can join them in that elite bracket this season?
I think Des Headland is one. I mean Des Headland has only played half a year of good football really. But he has done an apprenticeship that puts him in good stead to really improve. He needs to consolidate himself in the midfield. I guess Paul Medhurst, Luke McPharlin, probably Trent Croad, and Anthony Grover would be four who we'd like to see consolidate themselves as quality players in the competition.
8: How do you fit Paul Medhurst, Jeff Farmer, Clive Waterhouse, Trent Croad and Justin Longmuir into the one forward line?
Not sure ... not sure yet. We've got some strategies in place. We just haven't been able to bring them all together in a match yet. But it's a good problem to have.
9: What must you do to improve this year?
We have evolved the way we play so we are going to be a bit more aggressive offensively, which exposes our young defence a bit more. So our ball movement is probably the number one focus ... we must move the ball with more efficiency and also create an environment where our forwards do get a one-on-one opportunity. We need to win contested possessions, too, and get our accuracy up to speed. Our accuracy really hurt us last year, being 14th in the competition. It really cost us games, being inaccurate in front of goal.
10: How many games will you win interstate?
I'm not sure. If you are going to make the finals you probably need to win nine at home and three away. Then you probably need to win more if you are going to move into the top-four bracket. It's the great challenge for all clubs, winning interstate. We didn't win any last year and we had a poor travelling routine and we've got the second youngest team in the comp. But a lot of the older teams who have experienced squads and are comfortable with their travelling routine, they didn't win many either. I think Melbourne teams only won 14 per-cent away. It is one of the great challenges for all clubs.
QUESTION: You've re-signed all your young stars and recruited another premiership player in Des Headland. Is it time for Fremantle to take a giant leap?
I think we'll continue to improve and at some stage we'll take a leap. But that's related to how well the opposition improves.
2: Will you be disappointed if you don't make the final eight this year.
It's difficult to answer that. I'll be disappointed if we don't improve as a team.
3: After eight years in the competition do you think Fremantle supporters are becoming impatient to see the team play finals football?
I'm sure they are. We could trade all of our talented 22-year-olds for the best 27-year-olds in the comp and come sixth for the next couple of years, if that's what they want. But if they want to give themselves an opportunity to win a premiership, we've got to keep this age bracket of 22 together and continually add youth to it over the next couple of seasons.
4: So are you standing by your target of 2005 as the year when you can make the biggest impact on the finals?
When I first came here I expected us to move into the finals at that stage. But it's difficult to talk in terms of ladder positions because it is directly related to the ability of the opposition. I think all things being even, and even considering the opposition, we should be a strong chance to make the finals in 2005. Now that doesn't mean we can't make it this season. It just depends on how quickly we improve and whether the opposition improves.
5: What is your greatest fear coming into 2003?
The fear is probably injuries. We design our training to minimise that. I don't hold any other fears over and above that.
6: Are you taking a huge risk by removing Matthew Pavlich from a young defence and putting him on the ball?
Yeah, I'm taking a risk, there's no question about that. But we think Matthew can have the biggest influence on the game there. He's one of our absolute elite players. It gives him the chance to make the mark on the game he wants to.
7: Pavlich, Troy Simmonds, Paul Hasleby and Matthew Carr all reached a new level last year, who can join them in that elite bracket this season?
I think Des Headland is one. I mean Des Headland has only played half a year of good football really. But he has done an apprenticeship that puts him in good stead to really improve. He needs to consolidate himself in the midfield. I guess Paul Medhurst, Luke McPharlin, probably Trent Croad, and Anthony Grover would be four who we'd like to see consolidate themselves as quality players in the competition.
8: How do you fit Paul Medhurst, Jeff Farmer, Clive Waterhouse, Trent Croad and Justin Longmuir into the one forward line?
Not sure ... not sure yet. We've got some strategies in place. We just haven't been able to bring them all together in a match yet. But it's a good problem to have.
9: What must you do to improve this year?
We have evolved the way we play so we are going to be a bit more aggressive offensively, which exposes our young defence a bit more. So our ball movement is probably the number one focus ... we must move the ball with more efficiency and also create an environment where our forwards do get a one-on-one opportunity. We need to win contested possessions, too, and get our accuracy up to speed. Our accuracy really hurt us last year, being 14th in the competition. It really cost us games, being inaccurate in front of goal.
10: How many games will you win interstate?
I'm not sure. If you are going to make the finals you probably need to win nine at home and three away. Then you probably need to win more if you are going to move into the top-four bracket. It's the great challenge for all clubs, winning interstate. We didn't win any last year and we had a poor travelling routine and we've got the second youngest team in the comp. But a lot of the older teams who have experienced squads and are comfortable with their travelling routine, they didn't win many either. I think Melbourne teams only won 14 per-cent away. It is one of the great challenges for all clubs.