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Goodes all set and Ball wanted for next year
Goodes all set
By TIM MORRISSEY
31jul03
ADAM Goodes declared yesterday he was mentally and physically ready to carry the Swans' principal rucking duties in the countdown to the AFL finals and beyond.
Goodes knew he was up to the task even before he found out on Monday, along with the rest of his teammates, that the club had lost Jason Ball for the season.
"I got a lot of confidence from [Sunday's Fremantle] game; when Bally did go down I knew at the 10-minute mark in the first quarter I had enough legs in me, even at the end to run out the game," Goodes said.
The 23-year-old Sydney star was a tower of strength in their hard-fought win over the Dockers to retain second spot on the ladder with Goodes virtually shouldering all of the ruck work.
Swans coach Paul Roos praised Goodes' performance in ruck after Ball suffered a season-ending shoulder injury and said there did not need to be a drastic overhaul of the team's structure despite the loss of one of their key positional players.
However, Roos acknowledged yesterday that the side could not afford to let Goodes shoulder all of the ruck duties and believed it was crucial for youngsters Lewis Roberts-Thomson and James Meiklejohn to help fill the enormous void left by the loss of Sydney's No. 1 ruckman.
"We are got going to have to change things dramatically," Roos said. "It's as much giving Adam a break and making sure we don't run him into the ground.
"He won't be able to do what he did on Sunday for every one of the last five games.
"It would kill him . . . he was just phenomenal [against Fremantle]."
Even Goodes admitted he could not do it on his own, especially on Sunday against finals contender the Adelaide Crows who boast the best ruck combination in the AFL right now in Rhett Biglands and Matthew Clarke who are both top four in hitouts for the league.
"Physically they're much bigger and that's going to be a problem in the ball ups and throw-ins around the ground," Goodes said.
"I can hold my own in the centre bounces running and jumping.
"It's just creating enough of a contest around the ball and getting my teammates to come third man in to help as well."
Goodes says he can continue to count on Swans full forward Barry Hall doing a lot of the ruck work in the forward line which has created many opportunities inside the Sydney forward 50 this year.
"Barry is really good in the forward line and whichever backman picks him up has to do the ruck work and that gives us such a benefit," added Goodes.
The reality though is that Roberts-Thomson, with nine games of senior experience coming off the Swans bench, and Meiklejohn ? a three-game player ? are not ready yet to carry the rucking responsibilities on their own.
That makes Goodes probably the most important Swans player in the side right now.
Although it's all over for Ball, Roos was able to to offer the 31-year-old ruckman some consolation before he went under the surgeon's knife on Tuesday night by telling him the club wanted to renew his contract for next season.
"I just wanted to make it clear to Jason that we want him to stay," Roos said.
Goodes all set
By TIM MORRISSEY
31jul03
ADAM Goodes declared yesterday he was mentally and physically ready to carry the Swans' principal rucking duties in the countdown to the AFL finals and beyond.
Goodes knew he was up to the task even before he found out on Monday, along with the rest of his teammates, that the club had lost Jason Ball for the season.
"I got a lot of confidence from [Sunday's Fremantle] game; when Bally did go down I knew at the 10-minute mark in the first quarter I had enough legs in me, even at the end to run out the game," Goodes said.
The 23-year-old Sydney star was a tower of strength in their hard-fought win over the Dockers to retain second spot on the ladder with Goodes virtually shouldering all of the ruck work.
Swans coach Paul Roos praised Goodes' performance in ruck after Ball suffered a season-ending shoulder injury and said there did not need to be a drastic overhaul of the team's structure despite the loss of one of their key positional players.
However, Roos acknowledged yesterday that the side could not afford to let Goodes shoulder all of the ruck duties and believed it was crucial for youngsters Lewis Roberts-Thomson and James Meiklejohn to help fill the enormous void left by the loss of Sydney's No. 1 ruckman.
"We are got going to have to change things dramatically," Roos said. "It's as much giving Adam a break and making sure we don't run him into the ground.
"He won't be able to do what he did on Sunday for every one of the last five games.
"It would kill him . . . he was just phenomenal [against Fremantle]."
Even Goodes admitted he could not do it on his own, especially on Sunday against finals contender the Adelaide Crows who boast the best ruck combination in the AFL right now in Rhett Biglands and Matthew Clarke who are both top four in hitouts for the league.
"Physically they're much bigger and that's going to be a problem in the ball ups and throw-ins around the ground," Goodes said.
"I can hold my own in the centre bounces running and jumping.
"It's just creating enough of a contest around the ball and getting my teammates to come third man in to help as well."
Goodes says he can continue to count on Swans full forward Barry Hall doing a lot of the ruck work in the forward line which has created many opportunities inside the Sydney forward 50 this year.
"Barry is really good in the forward line and whichever backman picks him up has to do the ruck work and that gives us such a benefit," added Goodes.
The reality though is that Roberts-Thomson, with nine games of senior experience coming off the Swans bench, and Meiklejohn ? a three-game player ? are not ready yet to carry the rucking responsibilities on their own.
That makes Goodes probably the most important Swans player in the side right now.
Although it's all over for Ball, Roos was able to to offer the 31-year-old ruckman some consolation before he went under the surgeon's knife on Tuesday night by telling him the club wanted to renew his contract for next season.
"I just wanted to make it clear to Jason that we want him to stay," Roos said.
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