Anything and Everything Fremantle
Archive for October, 2010
Freo board hopefuls out of tune on song
014 years
by DockerNow.com
in News
Fremantle’s new jumper and logo have received a ringing endorsement from the record number of nominees for the club’s board, and the majority are open to continuing the change with a new theme song.
Ten men and three women nominated for the member elected vacancy on the board, with incumbent Kate Grieve seeking a second term.
Grieve was part of the club’s brand renewal committee which oversaw the changes to the jumper and logo. Fremantle has also promised to discuss a song change with the members.
The West Australian contacted 11 of the 13 candidates and many were adamant that the controversial song should be changed.
Assistant coaching role for Simon Lloyd
014 years
by DockerNow.com
in News
Fremantle has finalised its match day coaching staff for season 2011.
Senior development coach Simon Lloyd has been appointed assistant coach as part of an expanded role that will see him continue to oversee the club’s development academy.
To accommodate Lloyd’s expanded role, the club has appointed an additional development coach in Steve Grace, the current coach of the Oakleigh Chargers in the TAC Cup.
Grace will join recently appointed development coaches Jason McCartney and Ashley Prescott and part-time development coach Shaun McManus in Fremantle’s development academy.
The finalisation of Fremantle’s full-time coaching staff will see Lloyd join Barry Mitchell, Todd Curley and Michael Prior on senior coach Mark Harvey’s panel of assistant coaches.
Laidley to Freo?
014 years
by DockerNow.com
in Miscellaneous
Time is running out for Fremantle to add highly regarded former North Melbourne coach Dean Laidley to their coaching staff under Mark Harvey.
The Dockers are expected to significantly speed up their selection process for a new assistant-coach in the next few days.
Dockers football management is expected to head to Melbourne for discussions with possible assistant coaching candidates this weekend.
Laidley has been linked with a possible move to Fremantle with his high powered manager Ricky Nixon confirming an initial approach from Dockers chief executive Steve Rosich.
Hasleby shocks WA footy
014 years
by DockerNow.com
in WAFL
Recently retired AFL star Paul Hasleby is set to rock WA football foundations with a sacrilegious switch to end his career with South Fremantle.
Hasleby is a decorated product of traditional WA heavyweight East Fremantle but he is understood to have agreed to end his playing days at South and not with his original club.
The respected Dockers veteran of 208 senior games in a distinguished career launched in 2000, has explored various coaching options at AFL and local level for his initial professional steps after his playing days at the highest level.
Don’t give Fremantle anthem the heave ho, says composer Ken Walther
014 years
by DockerNow.com
in Miscellaneous
The man who composed the Fremantle theme song has made an impassioned plea to the club not to give it the heave ho.
The song Freo, Heave Ho is in the gun as the Dockers opt for a new image on the back of their successful season on the field.
Ken Walther, a musical director for 26 years, said he rated the song among his best works, given he based it on The Song of the Volga Boatmen.
He said the advertising agency that approached him had been emphatic he had to work with the Russian song.
All Freo fans deserve a voice, says candidate
014 years
by DockerNow.com
in Miscellaneous
The row over Fremantle’s theme song intensified yesterday when board candidate Sonia Sain called for every member to vote on the potential change and fans lashed out at incumbent board member Kate Grieve on internet chat boards.
While the majority of the board candidates polled by _The West Australian _ were either in favour of or open to changing the song, Sain said the club needed to ask a far greater cross-section of the membership before any decisions.
Fremantle surveyed about 7 per cent of members about the jumper in 2009. Sain said that figure was acceptable in the corporate world but not in a sports club.
“It’s about doing more research,” said Sain, sponsorship manager for Constable Care.
“It’s OK to do this in the corporate world but when it comes to membership, there is a sense of ownership. You have to give people the opportunity to vote. You have to give them clear options. It can’t just be ‘do you want to change the song’? They have to know what they’re going to be changing it to.
McCartney joins Freo’s development academy
014 years
by DockerNow.com
in News
Fremantle has further beefed up its development academy with the addition of AIS/AFL high performance coach Jason McCartney.
McCartney joins Fremantle following a seven-year stint in junior development with the AFL.
Most recently, he has overseen the AFL’s high-performance unit which has fostered the best of the best in recent drafts – giving him an insight not only into what it takes get the best out of young talent but also a glimpse into the next young batch coming through.
Fremantle football manager Chris Bond said McCartney would complement the club’s development program.
“Given Jason’s playing background and expertise in player development, we are delighted to have secured his services as a development coach,” Bond said.
“We believe Jason will significantly enhance our development academy, which is headed by senior development coach Simon Lloyd.”
Recruitment of assistant coach underway
014 years
by DockerNow.com
in News
As confirmed earlier today, Chris Scott has vacated his position as an assistant coach with the Fremantle Dockers to take on the senior coaching role at Geelong.
Chief executive officer Steve Rosich said that the club has commenced proceedings to identify a replacement for Scott, who joined the club ahead of the 2008 season.
“We are very appreciative of Chris’ input during his time here at the club and, while disappointed to lose such a highly regarded person, we understand and accept his decision to leave and further his AFL coaching career as a senior coach,” he said.
“The club is currently working through a process to recruit an assistant coach to replace Chris, and a short-list of candidates has already been identified.
“Interviews with the candidates will commence shortly and an announcement confirming an appointment will be made in due course.
“In the mean time, we will not be making any external comment on a replacement for Chris until an appointment is confirmed.”
Freo blow as Scott lands Cats job
014 years
by DockerNow.com
in News
As Fremantle look to move on from losing a key player behind their big improvement last season, new Geelong coach Chris Scott says he is acutely aware of the fine line he will walk as the AFL club aims to return to the top without rebuilding.
The Dockers assistant and two-time Brisbane premiership player was the surprise choice to replace Mark Thompson, who cited burnout when he resigned suddenly at the start of the month.
On the one hand, Scott and Geelong know he must introduce new ideas and overhaul their game style if they are to quickly overtake premiers Collingwood, who smashed the Cats last month in their preliminary final.
But Scott, who has been appointed to a three year term, also stressed he has plenty to learn as he comes into one of the league’s best-run clubs as a complete outsider.
It is all at once a dream debut AFL senior coaching job and a massive challenge.
Meet Freo’s draft dodger
014 years
by DockerNow.com
in New Recruits
Most 22-year-old footballers believe their AFL dreams are over if they haven’t been drafted. The overwhelming majority of players are selected at 18 and it takes something special to convince an AFL club to take a punt on a mature-aged player.
But Tendai Mzungu is different. He’d never even nominated for a draft as a teenager, believing he simply wasn’t good enough to be considered.
The Perth defender finally filled in the nomination form as a 22-year-old in 2008 and now he’s a Fremantle Docker at age 24.
Mzungu’s story should warm the hearts of every footballer in the country who has gone to bed dreaming of playing at the elite level. Born in Melbourne to a Zimbabwean father and Perth mother, he fell in love with the game and never gave up.
But football wasn’t always about personal success for the versatile Mzungu. Coaches at Trinity Aquinas Football Club were stunned by his form in 2004 and told him he should be playing in the WAFL. But Mzungu’s closest friends played for Trinity Aquinas and he loved going into battle with them every week.
