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Roos abandons youth policy
By Tim Morrissey
July 10, 2003
PAUL ROOS' much-heralded youth policy has become a victim of the Sydney Swans' stunning success.
The Swans coach admitted yesterday that his plan to blood more rookies between now and the end of the season had been put on hold.
With the fifth-placed Swans just one win behind competition leaders Port Adelaide with eight rounds to go, Roos' focus is on "getting the team balance right".
This sudden change of tack in what is primarily a rebuilding year for the club can be interpreted as the start of the Swans' assault on the finals.
However, Roos' youth policy has already been a major success story with the emergence of rookie sensation Adam Schneider, schoolboy rugby convert Lewis Roberts-Thomson, tough defender Mark Powell and promising ruckman James Meiklejohn.
Although Roos had intended blooding more rookies as part of the Swans' rebuilding process, the team's winning ways have prevented this.
"With the lack of injuries and given the good form of Roberts-Thomson and Schneider and the guys we've already tried, it's going to be harder now to blood a first-gamer," Roos said.
The return from injury of defenders Jason Saddington and Ben Mathews to line up against St Kilda at the SCG on Saturday night has given Roos a selection dilemma.
"It's hard to find two players who performed poorly in our win against West Coast last Sunday," Roos said. "It's a good situation for the club but it's not a good situation for the two players who are going to miss out with Benny and Saddo coming back in."
Athough the Swans mentor is still refusing to talk finals footy despite Sydney winning eight of their past 10 matches, Roos is fine-tuning his team in the countdown to September.
"We are now looking more at getting the team balance right," he said. "Where Saddo is going to play and where Benny is going to play and who can we do without ... all those sorts of things."
With utility Ben Fixter, tough defender Brad Seymour and ruckman Stephen Doyle all potentially only two to three weeks away from injury comebacks, Roos is facing more tough selection choices at the end of the month.
The club is anticipating that in the next 48 hours they will sign off on a new deal to lock in Michael O'Loughlin.
Director of football Andrew Ireland is expecting a letter of confirmation from O'Loughlin's manager Ron Joseph today confirming a three or four-year contract extension.http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0...-23211,00.html
By Tim Morrissey
July 10, 2003
PAUL ROOS' much-heralded youth policy has become a victim of the Sydney Swans' stunning success.
The Swans coach admitted yesterday that his plan to blood more rookies between now and the end of the season had been put on hold.
With the fifth-placed Swans just one win behind competition leaders Port Adelaide with eight rounds to go, Roos' focus is on "getting the team balance right".
This sudden change of tack in what is primarily a rebuilding year for the club can be interpreted as the start of the Swans' assault on the finals.
However, Roos' youth policy has already been a major success story with the emergence of rookie sensation Adam Schneider, schoolboy rugby convert Lewis Roberts-Thomson, tough defender Mark Powell and promising ruckman James Meiklejohn.
Although Roos had intended blooding more rookies as part of the Swans' rebuilding process, the team's winning ways have prevented this.
"With the lack of injuries and given the good form of Roberts-Thomson and Schneider and the guys we've already tried, it's going to be harder now to blood a first-gamer," Roos said.
The return from injury of defenders Jason Saddington and Ben Mathews to line up against St Kilda at the SCG on Saturday night has given Roos a selection dilemma.
"It's hard to find two players who performed poorly in our win against West Coast last Sunday," Roos said. "It's a good situation for the club but it's not a good situation for the two players who are going to miss out with Benny and Saddo coming back in."
Athough the Swans mentor is still refusing to talk finals footy despite Sydney winning eight of their past 10 matches, Roos is fine-tuning his team in the countdown to September.
"We are now looking more at getting the team balance right," he said. "Where Saddo is going to play and where Benny is going to play and who can we do without ... all those sorts of things."
With utility Ben Fixter, tough defender Brad Seymour and ruckman Stephen Doyle all potentially only two to three weeks away from injury comebacks, Roos is facing more tough selection choices at the end of the month.
The club is anticipating that in the next 48 hours they will sign off on a new deal to lock in Michael O'Loughlin.
Director of football Andrew Ireland is expecting a letter of confirmation from O'Loughlin's manager Ron Joseph today confirming a three or four-year contract extension.http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0...-23211,00.html
This is typical of media reaction. Roos has to play the best team as much as posibble until the final 8 is secured trying to keep players fresh for the finals at the same time.
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