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Week off a 'real blessing' for Swans
Paul Gough
afl.com.au
5:27:53 PM Mon 8 September, 2003
Sydney coach Paul Roos says the week off will be a ?real blessing? for his gallant but injury-decimated side ahead of its home preliminary final in a fortnight.
The Swans? casualty list is now so high that it has a staggering 15 names (including several youngsters not in contention for AFL selection) on its injury list.
This of course even includes Roos himself after the Swans boss coached his team to one of the greatest finals triumphs by any club in history on Sunday while on crutches as he recovers from a ruptured achilles sustained in a basketball match.
However with the luxury of next weekend off ? ahead of a Telstra Stadium preliminary final against either Brisbane or Adelaide ? following Sunday?s magnificent qualifying final win over Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium ? the Swans? injury list has a chance to decrease.
And the player that is most set to benefit is star forward Michael O?Loughlin, who is now a realistic chance to be available for the preliminary final.
O?Loughlin tore his hamstring in the final round match against Melbourne and while he still faces a race against time to be ready for the penultimate week of the season ? the fact the Swans will enjoy this weekend off gives him some chance of being available.
?He (O?Loughlin) would have been pretty doubtful to play next week (in the semi-finals had the Swans lost to Port) but we are hopeful now he might get up for the preliminary final,? Roos said.
The usual minimum recovery time for a hamstring injury - such as the one sustained by O?Loughlin - is three weeks and it will be exactly three weeks from the time he sustained the injury by the time the preliminary final comes around.
And given the way the Swans? forward line functioned in the win over Port ? with Barry Hall starring with six goals amid great support from crumbers such as Nick Davis and Adam Schneider ? the return of the gifted O?Loughlin would give the Swans attack a powerful look for the preliminary final.
However key defender Jason Saddington, who is desperately trying to overcome a knee injury, is unlikely to be ready for the preliminary final.
And number one ruckman Jason Ball (shoulder) and Brad Seymour, who suffered an injury to his medial ligament during the win against Port, have definitely been ruled out for the rest of the season.
The Swans may also lose back-up ruckman Stephen Doyle for the preliminary final due to an ankle injury sustained against Port although another young ruckman in James Meiklejohn is rated a far better chance of overcoming hamstring soreness.
The other player injured during Sunday?s gallant win ? the much-improved Tadgh Kenneally ? is expected to play in the preliminary final despite suffering a corked thigh against Port.
And other senior players in Jarrad Sundqvist (hamstring) and Ryan O?Keefe (shoulder) are also rated a good chance to be available further increasing Roos? options as he attempts to get the Swans into the grand final in his first full season as coach.
Paul Gough
afl.com.au
5:27:53 PM Mon 8 September, 2003
Sydney coach Paul Roos says the week off will be a ?real blessing? for his gallant but injury-decimated side ahead of its home preliminary final in a fortnight.
The Swans? casualty list is now so high that it has a staggering 15 names (including several youngsters not in contention for AFL selection) on its injury list.
This of course even includes Roos himself after the Swans boss coached his team to one of the greatest finals triumphs by any club in history on Sunday while on crutches as he recovers from a ruptured achilles sustained in a basketball match.
However with the luxury of next weekend off ? ahead of a Telstra Stadium preliminary final against either Brisbane or Adelaide ? following Sunday?s magnificent qualifying final win over Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium ? the Swans? injury list has a chance to decrease.
And the player that is most set to benefit is star forward Michael O?Loughlin, who is now a realistic chance to be available for the preliminary final.
O?Loughlin tore his hamstring in the final round match against Melbourne and while he still faces a race against time to be ready for the penultimate week of the season ? the fact the Swans will enjoy this weekend off gives him some chance of being available.
?He (O?Loughlin) would have been pretty doubtful to play next week (in the semi-finals had the Swans lost to Port) but we are hopeful now he might get up for the preliminary final,? Roos said.
The usual minimum recovery time for a hamstring injury - such as the one sustained by O?Loughlin - is three weeks and it will be exactly three weeks from the time he sustained the injury by the time the preliminary final comes around.
And given the way the Swans? forward line functioned in the win over Port ? with Barry Hall starring with six goals amid great support from crumbers such as Nick Davis and Adam Schneider ? the return of the gifted O?Loughlin would give the Swans attack a powerful look for the preliminary final.
However key defender Jason Saddington, who is desperately trying to overcome a knee injury, is unlikely to be ready for the preliminary final.
And number one ruckman Jason Ball (shoulder) and Brad Seymour, who suffered an injury to his medial ligament during the win against Port, have definitely been ruled out for the rest of the season.
The Swans may also lose back-up ruckman Stephen Doyle for the preliminary final due to an ankle injury sustained against Port although another young ruckman in James Meiklejohn is rated a far better chance of overcoming hamstring soreness.
The other player injured during Sunday?s gallant win ? the much-improved Tadgh Kenneally ? is expected to play in the preliminary final despite suffering a corked thigh against Port.
And other senior players in Jarrad Sundqvist (hamstring) and Ryan O?Keefe (shoulder) are also rated a good chance to be available further increasing Roos? options as he attempts to get the Swans into the grand final in his first full season as coach.