well done brad seymour

[daniel f]

Like everyone im ecstatic to see brad seymour back in the team,even if he is unable to hold his spot going into the finals its just great that the melb swannies fans and all those travelling down are going to be able to give this great servant to the bloods a big send off come games end,lets hope that he can recapture some of his 96\97 form and help out with a bit of toughness and exsperience in the coming weeks,go the mighty bloods

[SWANSBEST]

Seymour to see more action
4:56:14 PM Fri 29 August, 2003
Barry Levinson
afl.com.au
Swan Brad Seymour?s injury-plagued season could be about to take a sharp turn for the better, with the defender set to play his first game for the season against Melbourne at the MCG on Saturday.

And if the experienced 27 year-old can complete the match against the Demons unscathed, Sydney coach Paul Roos said Seymour looms as an important player for the Swans? finals campaign.



A knee injury to centre half-back Jason Saddington, suffered in round 20 against the Brisbane Lions, has left a vacancy in Sydney?s back six and Roos said a lack of height in defence could pose a problem in September.

?I think with Saddington out it is (a concern),? the coach stated after the Swans had a light run on the MCG on Friday afternoon.

?We coped very well with ?Saddo? and Craig Bolton, Schaubs (Andrew Schauble) and Leo Barry, but if you take Jason out of the mix we certainly need to find another one (tall) that?s going to stand up.

?Brad?s one that?s played that role before and hopefully he?ll get an opportunity tomorrow to do that at some stage and we?re hoping he does it well.?

After undergoing a shoulder reconstruction in the pre-season, Seymour was beset by calf and hamstring injuries.

But after playing the last three matches for the Sydney reserves, Roos has given the veteran of 131 games the opportunity to cement a position in the team ahead of the finals.

?He certainly has had a bad run with injuries,? Roos said of Seymour.

?You?re never 100 per cent certain when guys have been out for a long time, but he?s an experienced player and has got the runs on the board, so we?re hoping that he plays well tomorrow.?

The Swans have also called upon another player with little match practice under his belt.

Talented ruckman-forward Stephen Doyle has been included for his first senior game since injuring his knee way back in round one against Carlton.

The 22 year-old has only played 17 matches since debuting in 2000, but Roos believes he too could be an important player in the finals, providing support to Adam Goodes in the ruck and Barry Hall and Michael O?Loughlin in the forward line.

?He?s certainly a more experienced ruckman than Lewis (Roberts-Thomson) and James (Meiklejohn),? Roos noted.

?They?ve both done terrific jobs, but we?ve always planned for ?Doyley? to come back.

?He played last week (in the reserves) and he?s certainly in our best 22, so we need him to play tomorrow. Hopefully he looks okay and the plan is to play him through the finals.?

Coming up against the 14th-placed Demons ? a team that has only won five matches this season ? Roos said he would have been worried about his players taking the match too easily, had they not suffered a defeat to Collingwood at Telstra Stadium last weekend.

Needing to win give themselves a chance of a top four finish, Roos said the Swans won?t be lacking in motivation.

?I think in a small way with the guys it?s a positive that they lost last week because you?d think they?d be switched on for tomorrow?s game,? the coach said.

?The danger is if they had have won last week, this game becomes superfluous to a certain degree. The challenge is there. It?s fairly and squarely at their feet to perform tomorrow.?

http://afl.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=116487

[daniel f]

cheers hadnt seen that one,sounds like if he gets a few kicks tommorow hell be in for at least 1 more game,i was thinking maybe the club was just doing the rite thing by brad and giving him a send off game,but i suppose i should have realised it had to be more than thet because i doubt theirs room for any sentiment just yet at the club as the boys all look ahead to hopefully a long and successful finals campaign

[BAM_BAM]

Brad's had extensive finals experience. He is one of the 96 Grand Final players. And has also played in all finals since IIRC.

Bringing him back this week would be as a test to see how he performs. If he's up to it, and going by his ressies form he is, he should cement himself a spot in the team. Particularly if Saddo doesn't make it back.