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Saddo will be very handy if he stays injury free. He is confident which is half the battle.
Saddington primed for a big 2004
2:00:55 PM Fri 13 February, 2004
Karen Collins
afl.com.au
Sydney Swans key defender Jason Saddington believes he is primed for a big season after a healthy pre-season and overcoming the quad and knee ailments that interrupted him last year.
?Pre-season training has been going very well,? Saddington told afl.com.au.
?I have stayed injury free which is good as it?s been the first time in a few years where I haven?t had an injury in pre-season and I am feeling fit, strong and really enjoying it too. I am 100 per cent fit with no problems at all.?
Saddington admits he has not fulfilled his potential and hopes the strong start to the season will see him become more dominant in 2004.
?I want to consolidate myself a bit more as a key defender. I think last year I let myself down a few times or I got beaten by quite a few players so that was quite disappointing.
?This year I just want to make sure I become a consistent solid defender and one who is always hard to beat.?
Sydney?s preparations for the new season have been hampered by their extended season last year and their training ground - Lakeside Oval - opposite the Sydney Cricket Ground remaining unfit for training.
However, the 24-year-old feels it won?t affect their early season performances.
?We have been at a few different grounds, at a few different schools and different places here and there so it has been a bit different.
?It is nice to just stay at the club all the time but I think the guys have adapted to it pretty well and everyone has trained just as hard so I don?t think it is going to have too much of an influence.?
Barry Hall, Michael O?Loughlin, Ben Mathews, Leo Barry, Jared Crouch, Paul Williams, Matthew Nicks will be rested or not play due to injuries in Sydney?s first hit-out of the season against Essendon at North Sydney Oval on Saturday.
But Saddington expects the players taking part will play with every intention to cement themselves a spot - like Adam Schneider did last season when he made his debut in the now traditional fixture and went on to play every senior game.
?(The game will test the players) to see where they are at the moment and work out some things you may need to improve on over the next few weeks before the season actually starts.
?It is also a good chance for the young kids to show what they have got and try and get themselves in there at the start of the season.
?It is also exciting for the more experienced players to play with those young guys because normally you don?t get to. It is going to be a good challenge for everyone,? he said.
Saddington primed for a big 2004
2:00:55 PM Fri 13 February, 2004
Karen Collins
afl.com.au
Sydney Swans key defender Jason Saddington believes he is primed for a big season after a healthy pre-season and overcoming the quad and knee ailments that interrupted him last year.
?Pre-season training has been going very well,? Saddington told afl.com.au.
?I have stayed injury free which is good as it?s been the first time in a few years where I haven?t had an injury in pre-season and I am feeling fit, strong and really enjoying it too. I am 100 per cent fit with no problems at all.?
Saddington admits he has not fulfilled his potential and hopes the strong start to the season will see him become more dominant in 2004.
?I want to consolidate myself a bit more as a key defender. I think last year I let myself down a few times or I got beaten by quite a few players so that was quite disappointing.
?This year I just want to make sure I become a consistent solid defender and one who is always hard to beat.?
Sydney?s preparations for the new season have been hampered by their extended season last year and their training ground - Lakeside Oval - opposite the Sydney Cricket Ground remaining unfit for training.
However, the 24-year-old feels it won?t affect their early season performances.
?We have been at a few different grounds, at a few different schools and different places here and there so it has been a bit different.
?It is nice to just stay at the club all the time but I think the guys have adapted to it pretty well and everyone has trained just as hard so I don?t think it is going to have too much of an influence.?
Barry Hall, Michael O?Loughlin, Ben Mathews, Leo Barry, Jared Crouch, Paul Williams, Matthew Nicks will be rested or not play due to injuries in Sydney?s first hit-out of the season against Essendon at North Sydney Oval on Saturday.
But Saddington expects the players taking part will play with every intention to cement themselves a spot - like Adam Schneider did last season when he made his debut in the now traditional fixture and went on to play every senior game.
?(The game will test the players) to see where they are at the moment and work out some things you may need to improve on over the next few weeks before the season actually starts.
?It is also a good chance for the young kids to show what they have got and try and get themselves in there at the start of the season.
?It is also exciting for the more experienced players to play with those young guys because normally you don?t get to. It is going to be a good challenge for everyone,? he said.
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