swans reserves

[monopoly19]

Anyone know how the team went in Canberra this afternoon? Did the senior listed players pull through okay?

[Bron]

Saw a glimpse of the game on the news this evening, but they didn't mention the results. Would like to know.

[Reggi]

Last hitouts before season

Last hitouts before season

By Len Johnson, Emma Quayle
March 21, 2004




The Brisbane Lions and West Coast continue to take an optimistic outlook on the prospects of key players Michael Voss and Michael Gardiner, respectively, playing in round one, despite neither player taking part in practice matches yesterday.

Voss, who is battling a worsening knee cartilage condition, trained with the Lions on Friday night, but decided not to risk the knee in a twilight practice match yesterday. If he plays against Sydney next Saturday night at the Gabba, it will follow only one half of football this pre-season.

Gardiner, West Coast's No. 1 ruckman, has not played since round 16 last year when he damaged the posterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.

Gardiner did not play during the pre-season competition after injuring a hamstring last month. He was due to play for Claremont against Peel Thunder in a WAFL practice match last night but withdrew as a precaution.

The 24-year-old big man remained confident of playing against the Western Bulldogs at Docklands next Sunday, he told The West Australian.

"It's been a while since I've been in a ruck contest but I'll be right come next week," Gardiner said.

Brisbane senior players Blake Caracella, Chris Johnson, Brad Scott and Aaron Shattock played in last night's practice match and are expected to be available for selection against Sydney.

Swans Jason Ball, BenMatthews and Michael O'Loughlin had significant playing time in a shortened practice match against ACT team Tuggeranong in Canberra.

O'Loughlin played three of the four 17-and-a-half-minute quarters and kicked three goals in an encouraging display.

Ball and Matthews played the whole game, as did big man Stephen Doyle, who kicked five goals. Sydney coach Paul Roos, who did not see the game, said the news on Ball was encouraging and that the No. 1ruckman would definitely be available next week.

Roos said that Matthews was more advanced in his recovery from an ankle injury than the club had thought.

"Two weeks ago he definitely would not have played (in round one)," Roos said, "but now we will have to consider him."

The only Swans unavailable for round one are hamstring trio Andrew Schauble, Ben Fixter and Adam Schneider, and RohanWarfe, who is recovering from surgery. The Hawthorn injury curse continued yesterday at Optus Oval, when young midfielder Rick Ladson injured his wrist in the third quarter of the Box Hill Hawks' practice-match loss to the Northern Bullants.

The Hawks have already ruled out several players for next week, including full-back Jonathan Hay and young defender Tim Boyle.

Michael Osborne and Luke Brennan also played for Box Hill yesterday.

Collingwood's Ben Kinnear, Mark McGough, Simon Prestigiacomo, Brayden Shaw and Tom Davidson all got valuable match time in a practice game for Williamstown at North Ballarat.

Leigh Colbert, who has not played since injuring an ankle against Melbourne in the first round of the pre-season competition, played three quarters of the VFL practice game between Port Melbourne and Werribee yesterday.

"He took some strong marks, got through OK and was pretty happy afterwards," said Kangaroos football manager Tim Harrington.

"He could have played four quarters, but we'd seen enough from him over the first three to indicate that he's ready to go."

- with West Australian

[Reggi]

Good news on everyone but Schneider - better not to risk him I guess if his hamstring is questionable.

Good to see Doyle get amongst the goals

[ItsAllGoodes]

Report from the Swans website about last weekends reserves game

http://sydneyswans.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=139063