Heath James to return???

[caj23]

Did I miss this in another thread? If correct it's great news!

"Roos said the inclusion this week of three-game rookie James Meiklejohn would add height and bolster the rucking corp which Hawthorn demolished.

Flagging more changes, he said "another surprise inclusion along similar lines (to Meiklejohn)" would come under consideration.

The tip was Heath James, a rookie to inspire the troops having battled his way back onto the playing list recently after years of injury.

Eleven torn hamstrings and a ruptured patella tendon in his left knee have contributed to James playing just five senior games in four seasons at Sydney"

http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,6922288-23211,00.html

[desredandwhite]

Sensational news, if it is him. I hope he's being played because of his good form in the twos (and from what I've seen, he's really not that far off) and not just for emotion. Onya Jamesy, you deserve a bit of luck.

[sharp9]

I assume that that means MJ would come in for Stevens. The question is whether James (if he plays) would replace Saddington or Mathews (with Saddo going to the half back flank.)

[Plugger46]

Originally posted by sharp9
I assume that that means MJ would come in for Stevens. The question is whether James (if he plays) would replace Saddington or Mathews (with Saddo going to the half back flank.)

It would have to be Mathews, Saddo or Fosdike, to go out of the side for James.

I hope it's Mathews.

[ugg]

None of those 3. My red hot tip would be Nicks.

[caj23]

Stevens is definitely gone this week.

Hopefully the inclusion of Meiklejohn will release LRT to help out in the back line. I would like to see Roos throw him in the deep end and play him at CHB or FB (depending on the match ups).

I suspect if James is selected will be played off the interchange and nursed through the first couple of games

[Swansinger]

If you're THAT Will Sangster , this'll bring back the memories(1999).

The 'kids' did well last Saturday, too , but we never looked like kicking 20.11 !

At the SCG:
Sydney 2.4 6.7 15.9 20.11.131
Hawthorn 3.3 8.3 12.6 16.7.103
During the week Swan folk queued up to inform me that Lockett had 17 goals to go for the record, not 20 as I said. Apologies. He booted another 5 here, so that leaves 12. The Swans showed some semblence of their best form after half time in this game, after bumbling through a first half where the Hawks perhaps should've punished them more. Premiership anniversary hangover, perhaps. Three compulsory changes were made by the injury-plagued Swans, another big man fell in Feast (knee strain) plus Jon Stevens (rib) and Bomford (foot). In came Bennett, Filandia and tall, skinny first-gamer Will Sangster from Prahran. The Hawks brought in Treleven, Cox and Vandenberg to replace Barlow, out with a sprained wrist, Dixon with an ankle and axed Joel Smith.

Swans fumbled and bumbled throughout the first half, partly in response to the Hawks' tight marking. Swan skipper Paul Kelly careered about elbowing Hawthorn players in the head and eventually had to be dragged, while Lockett missed his first two shots at goal. At the other end Salmon got the Hawks' first goal after a strong mark, Lord and Graham also got early goals. Cresswell got the Swans first and Dunkley, down forward for a rare spell, kicked a goal from a tight angle with a woeful mongrel punt. More of the same in the second stanza, Hawthorn skipped away as Crawford and Salmon drove them forward, goals came from big men Krummel and the excellent Croad . One of the few fit Swan big men, Goodes, injured his hamstring and it didn't look good for Sydney. Nevertheless they managed the last two goals of the half to go in just 8 points down.

There followed a Sydney blitz of 6 to start the third term. Schwass and Cresswell cleared the first two bounces of the half, both went down Plugger's throat and he made no mistake. Tall, blonde Bennett kicked two goals as well, young Fosdike got one and O'Loughlin fired, suddenly the locals were 4 goals in front. The Hawks lost Cresswell's tagger, Woods, with a hamstring while full back Hay, who'd done alright on Lockett, was off too. But now Schwass, in particular, and Cresswell were alight. Hawthorn managed to slow the avalanche by moving big Thompson to full forward and he booted three late goals, including one from a mark pretty much on, or after, the siren. But the momentum was with the Swans and they answered every Hawk challenge in the final term.

Great game from aging champ Wayne Schwass, with 31 well-used disposals (22 kicks). Cresswell had 21 touches, the bulk after Woods departed and kicked 4 goals too, Lockett finished with 5 goals from 6 marks. Luff and McPherson were good in defence, McPherson very good early when the Swans were poor. But best of all were performances from youngsters Bennett (12 touches, 2 goals), Fosdike (15 disposals, 2 goals) and Sangster (13 hitouts after Carey proved a useless ruckman). O'Loughlin also kicked 2 goals. Hawks had few four-quarter contributors apart from Crawford (33 disposals), a tremendous trier. Thompson looked good with his 3 goals and Harford (19 touches) was handy. McCabe did a good stopping job on Kelly and Croad wasn't bad in attack early, finishing with 3 goals. Salmon couldn't help winning in the ruck with 22 hitouts and he also kicked 3 goals. Lord booted 2 goals. Holland had 18 touches and took 10 marks, it says here, but I don?t recall seeing him that often. Judge summed it up. "In the space of about 20 minutes they kicked seven goals and we didn't answer, so if you lose a game by four-and-a-half goals in the end, that's pretty significant." Eade said "We've been playing some good football and beaten some reasonable opposition. But there's still a long way to go...We just started to run harder and maybe not make as many mistakes as we had in the first half with handling errors, we seemed to take clean possession in the second half and that was the difference."

[SWANSBEST]

I have been pushing for the inclusion of Meiklejohn for some time. This will give the team better balace and free up Goodes. The inclusion of James was due because of his good form in the Reserves . Both LRT and Heath can play forward or back and this gives Roos more options . I hope that it happens .

Get excited
By JOHN THIRSK
12aug03
COACH Paul Roos has told his Sydney Swans players to get excited and go out and enjoy themselves in their upcoming matches against last year's grand finalists Brisbane and Collingwood.

There was no doomsday outlook from Roos yesterday as he pondered what might have been following their upset weekend loss to Hawthorn.

Now in fifth spot, the Swans' charge to the finals stalled as they chase the coveted top four home-ground advantage.

The scenario is simple ? win two of the next three games (last match against 14th-placed Melbourne) and finish in the top four or possibly sink as low as eighth.

Roos is also considering bringing in three-game rookie James Meiklejohn and another "surprise" inclusion, possibly Heath James, for Sunday's game against the Lions at the Gabba.

Roos's plan is to have three "big guys" to join Adam Goodes, and 11-game teenager (19) Lewis Roberts-Thomson to offset the loss of the injured ruck star Jason Ball.

"We are not running out of puff," Roos said after two successive defeats (Adelaide, Hawthorn).

"We have been up for a long time [15 weeks] and probably only put in two poor performances in that time.

"The last thing we can afford to do is panic.

"It's a case of getting excited again and going out and enjoying ourselves in the final three games.

"We have nothing to lose and that is the message we have to get across to the players.

"This [approaching the finals] is where we are going to get the experience to eventually become a premiership team.

"It's all about experience for these guys next year.

"These are the things which might happen next year and the year after.

"Whatever happens happens and from now in is a bonus and on Saturday night (Hawthorn) they looked as though they had the weight of the world on their shoulders."

Roos said the Swans had surpassed all the critics' predictions in holding a top-eight spot (12-7) three games out from the finals series.

"The bubble hasn't burst ? I don't think the bubble was even building," he said, referring to two losses in the last fortnight.

"Nobody even expected us to be in the finals and with three games to go the plan is to get out and enjoy them and have a real crack at it.

"I don't think the guys will have a problem at all recharging because there is no pressure on us.

"The pressure is on Port, Brisbane and Adelaide.

"In reality it is great to finish in the top four, but if we don't, we don't."

http://www.dailytelegraph.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,6923835%255E2771,00.html

[TheHood]

IN:
James and James

OUT:
Stevens and Nicks (Stevie Nicks)

[undy]

"It's a case of getting excited again and going out and enjoying ourselves in the final three games.

right on Roosy - hell, even when we lose its more fun to watch.

Roos's plan is to have three "big guys" to join Adam Goodes, and 11-game teenager (19) Lewis Roberts-Thomson to offset the loss of the injured ruck star Jason Ball.

Three - that would be Meiklejohn, James (can't remember his height) AND Doyle ??

[BAM_BAM]

the third would be LRT.

Great to see Heath come back.

[TheMase]

Originally posted by BAM_BAM
the third would be LRT.

Great to see Heath come back.

You are assuming that, because that is not what he said.

He said "Three big guys to join Adam Goodes AND Lewis Roberts-Thomson"

[EMJ]

Top news about Heath James and Meiklejohn - answers how James went after being hurt on Sunday. All the guys admire him for how he has hung in there through all his injuries. So why not add him as a boost but also his form is good too. We have watched him progress through the Reserves.

[Dave]

Originally posted by SWANSBEST
"We have nothing to lose and that is the message we have to get across to the players.


http://www.dailytelegraph.news.com.a...5E2771,00.html

Exactly!

[Syd Swan]

I'm tipping it will be James, Mikeljohn and Hunt (presuming he's not injured) will be the inclusions this week, with the outsider being Malsceski if they are looking for a smaller player.