Freo focus on fresh faces for future
Aaron Sandilands says it is important that Fremantle fast tracks their youth to sustain a premiership challenge over coming seasons.
The Dockers ruckman confirmed he would not need pre-season surgery following the club’s straight sets exit from finals sealed with a 22-point semifinal loss to Port Adelaide at Patersons Stadium on Saturday night.
He said it was important for the team to keep improving and pass on as much knowledge to the squad’s younger players so the club could “keep trying to challenge”.
Sandilands and Pavlich are both playing on next season but are in the twilight of their careers.
Fellow veteran Luke McPharlin is expected to announce his retirement over coming weeks, leading some critics to suggest the club’s premiership window could be closing after reaching a maiden grand final in 2013.
“For us it’s just about improving,” Sandilands said.
“We’ve got some great youth coming through on the list and all our young players are really improving and improving quickly.
“We see no reason why we can’t keep improving next year. Hopefully things go all right.”
Sandilands will learn tomorrow if he is named in the All-Australian team for the fourth time in his career.
He said he was not contemplating when his career might end after managing 23 matches this season in his first largely
injury-free year in four years.
“I’m injury free, so I’m going to enjoy a couple of weeks break now and then I’m looking forward to the next pre-season,” Sandilands said.
“I’m still loving rocking up to training every day and enjoying the challenge.
“(I’m) contracted for next year and if I can stay fit and healthy and I’m still loving it, I can’t see why I wouldn’t keep going.”
