THE name is Bond. Chris Bond.
This Mr Bond must save, not the free world, but Fremantle from destruction.
After disastrous seasons in 007 and 008, Bond’s role could well get dangerous. In fact, if he adopts my suggestion, he may need a license to kill.
Okay, enough of the puns already.
Bond is of course the Fremantle list manager. It’s football’s new position of power - securing what all the clubs outside the eight, and even some of them in it, are all about – the future.
It’s re-building, it’s developing the youngsters. It’s getting 50 games into him, and 100 games into him. It’s getting that operation done now so you are ready for the next pre-season.
So much for taking it one week at a time.
In the last couple of years three clubs have dared to defy this trend and live for the moment – the Sydney Swans, Western Bulldogs and Fremantle.
So far so good for the Swans and Bulldogs, but that game is up for Freo.
If ever a team needs some aggressive ‘list management’ it is Fremantle.
But this is where it gets dangerous for Mr Bond. I believe he is obligated to consider trading the club’s greatest ever player, Matthew Pavlich.
I left two lines clear, just in case you are a Fremantle fan.
I should emphasise that this is simply a dispassionate outsider's view. But it is a considered one.
Pavlich has been a magnificent player for Freo, but it is worth applying that new mantra ‘will he still be around when they can genuinely challenge for a premiership’?
It is not his fault, but the answer is probably no. This group has tried and failed.
Pavlich will turn 27 in the off-season after nine years and just under 200 games. He is at the peak of his powers.
Fremantle needs midfielders, and the only place to get them is the draft. Trading Pavlich could see the club end up with five or six selections in the top 20 of the next NAB AFL Draft.
I don’t think it would be unreasonable to demand two first-round picks for Pavlich – perhaps one high and one low.
The South Australian clubs are the natural fit. Imagine Pavlich running around in the Adelaide forward-line – the panacea to a problem that has haunted the Crows for a very long time.
But Port Adelaide is the prime candidate. They need to challenge again while the Burgoynes and Cornes brothers are on top of their game, and they’ll finish low enough to be in a position to make it happen.
Having lost 12 games – seven of them by under ten points – it shouldn’t be too hard to ‘list manage’ Fremantle through the next eight weeks to ensure they have less victories than West Coast and Melbourne.
Four wins or under would also produce an extra pick at the start of the second round – and five picks in the top 20.
A wooden spoon would enable Freo to pick up exciting WA ruckman Nicholas Natanui.
If it was decided one more selection was needed then that might mean considering trading promising big man Robert Warnock. He is in high demand from the Victorian clubs – one of which might be prepared to forgo a reasonably high first-round selection.
Youngsters like Rhys Palmer, Garrick Ibbotston and Chris Mayne have already displayed their talent. But put them with a whole new group of quality 18-year-olds and suddenly the future looks bright.
This would also take the pressure off Mark Harvey whose first season has been a disaster, both on the field, and in the public relations department. Expectations would be lowered, and Harvey would be given time to develop his own team – and not renovate somebody else’s.
Of course Pavlich is in contract, but it would surprise me if he couldn’t be persuaded to go home to finish off his career with a better chance of a flag.
It is sad that football has come to the point where trading such a champion is even up for discussion. But if the game really has become a business, then consider it they must.
Never say never (again)
Sorry, I couldn’t resist one more.
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
