24/07/2008 10:19 PM
Incoming Fremantle chief executive Steve Rosich has signalled a 'significant number' of changes to Fremantle's playing list during the off-season, with the newly appointed CEO refusing to rule out changes to the club's coaching staff as well.
Thirty-eight-year-old Rosich said he was determined to turn Fremantle from a 'good' club to a 'great' one that enjoyed sustained on-field success, saying the first step in this process would be a major overhaul of the football department at season's end.
But Rosich said the club would not necessarily be trading for established players, as it has done with mixed success in the past.
Instead, Fremantle would be focusing on the draft, particularly as it would be the last one this decade that was uncompromised by the introduction of the new Gold Coast and west Sydney clubs over the next few seasons.
"Our framework that we'll be setting going forward, is to re-invigorate the list via the national draft and that's what we'll be doing," Rosich said at the announcement of his appointment on Thursday.
"Our strategy at this point in time is to retain all our picks in the first three rounds."
"We've been doing quite a bit of work over the last few months and working closely with (coach) Mark Harvey and (football list development manager) Chris Bond (and) we'll be assessing the players that have been on our list for a period of time ... the exact number we are not sure of but it will be a significant number," he said.
And, when asked if there would be changes made to Fremantle's coaching staff, Rosich would only say, '(We) can't rule it out categorically, no'.
After starting his football administrative career at the Dockers' cross town rival West Coast, Rosich has been Fremantle's general manager of commercial operations since 2004, taking over as the club's manager for strategic operations after previous CEO Cameron Schwab announced he would be stepping down earlier this season.
Rosich has since been responsible for the re-signing of skipper Mathew Pavlich and ruckman Aaron Sandilands, along with several other player contracts.
But he was ambiguous on whether veterans Jeff Farmer and Dean Solomon would be offered new contracts, despite Harvey previously saying he wanted Solomon at Fremantle next season.
He said that new contracts for Solomon and Farmer would be discussed at season's end, but said Josh Carr would be offered a new deal despite speculation he may be returning to Port Adelaide, where he won a premiership in 2004.
"With respect to Josh Carr, he's vice-captain, a leader of our football club and a required player," Rosich said. "We'll look forward to working with him very shortly."