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Today's match-up between Adam Goodes and Matthew Pavlich will be one of the clashes of the season - two young tyros who can change the state of the game in an instant.
Goodes, of course, will play this season with added expectations, as one the three players to win a Brownlow Medal last season.
Having coached Goodes for three-and-a-half seasons, I have a fair idea of what makes him tick.
Contrary to what some people believe, I enjoyed a good relationship with Adam and still do. As his former coach, I was rapt when he received football's highest individual accolade.
Speaking with him after that win and again this week reinforced to me that he is a mature, level-headed young man - a future leader of the club.
He possesses a definite air of confidence, something he had even on the day he first walked into the Swans.
It is a confidence that some people may construe as egotistical, but one that is completely inoffensive. It is a confidence born out of self-belief and a willingness to always look for improvement.
At times during our association, I was hard on him. This was about reinforcing the need to learn and apply the basics of the game. I was constantly at him to form a solid, hard-working base to his game.
Part of the problem early in his development was that he did not start playing football until he was 14. He played soccer and basketball, both of which no doubt contributed greatly to his athleticism. Reading the play on a football field, however, did not come naturally. He was poor at contested work, tackling and general body work.
Adam has enormous flair and many "tricks" to his game. Early on in his career, these formed the base of his game, which led me one day to accuse him "of playing like a Harlem Globetrotter".
To his credit, he worked hard and listened even harder to rectify these weak points; he was given extra one-on-one training and video education on how to to use his body in contested situations.
He was one of a group of Swans players who benefited from some training sessions with a wrestling and judo expert we brought in, who helped the guys learn how to use their body weight to maximum advantage. When he'd soaked up all of these various coaching aides, Adam would ask for more and seek out additional feedback.
After a terrific debut season, in which he won the Rising Star award, the expectations on him grew immeasurably. It was a season in which he took over the ruck duties because Greg Stafford was out injured for a year.
Once Stafford returned, Adam, because of his size and the Swans' lack of tall forwards, was earmarked as a key forward. It was an error on my part. The position does not suit him.
While it helped his development in the contested ball area, it did not allow him to be a consistently good player.
Adam made a poor start to 2002, and a few selectors wanted to drop him before the round-seven match against Melbourne. His lapse in form had a bit to do with him being played out of position. There were also a few personal issues involving his family at the time that were a big concern and distraction.
I became aware of these issues and after talking to him before that game was determined to show some faith and confidence in him. He lined up at centre half-back on David Schwarz and was a big contributor to our victory. Over the next six weeks, he was in the team's best players four times. Since then, he has blossomed, due largely to a return to rucking duties, an increase in his size and in confidence.
Adam is a sincere, caring person who is totally honest in what he says. He is an open book.
I can recall one player meeting, in which there was discussion about what one leading Melbourne journalist had written about a particular player. The players decided someone should talk to this journalist. Adam bobbed straight up with his mobile phone in hand, and began to quote the journalist's phone number.
Some wag reckoned that Adam must have every journalist's personal phone number, which sent the whole place into raptures. That Adam was able to laugh along just cemented his popularity.
One thing central to Adam Goodes is his great sense of family; he absolutely adores his mum and siblings. To get a gauge of his affection for his mother, Lisa May, you only had to see them together on Brownlow night last year.
You can be certain Adam won't be complacent after last year's success. His confidence is fuelled by being on centre stage. He thrives on the limelight and on being the main player in the team. He really celebrates being an elite athlete.
I have coached many indigenous players - Michael McLean, Darryl White, Gilbert and Adrian McAdam, Michael O'Loughlin, Troy Cook, Robbie Ahmat and Adam. It is a joy to watch these guys display their talent and to examine their approach to life.
Adam Goodes is forging ahead to the top of that group, and his success will just spur him to greater heights. He could well become the greatest indigenous footballer to play our game.
Goodes, of course, will play this season with added expectations, as one the three players to win a Brownlow Medal last season.
Having coached Goodes for three-and-a-half seasons, I have a fair idea of what makes him tick.
Contrary to what some people believe, I enjoyed a good relationship with Adam and still do. As his former coach, I was rapt when he received football's highest individual accolade.
Speaking with him after that win and again this week reinforced to me that he is a mature, level-headed young man - a future leader of the club.
He possesses a definite air of confidence, something he had even on the day he first walked into the Swans.
It is a confidence that some people may construe as egotistical, but one that is completely inoffensive. It is a confidence born out of self-belief and a willingness to always look for improvement.
At times during our association, I was hard on him. This was about reinforcing the need to learn and apply the basics of the game. I was constantly at him to form a solid, hard-working base to his game.
Part of the problem early in his development was that he did not start playing football until he was 14. He played soccer and basketball, both of which no doubt contributed greatly to his athleticism. Reading the play on a football field, however, did not come naturally. He was poor at contested work, tackling and general body work.
Adam has enormous flair and many "tricks" to his game. Early on in his career, these formed the base of his game, which led me one day to accuse him "of playing like a Harlem Globetrotter".
To his credit, he worked hard and listened even harder to rectify these weak points; he was given extra one-on-one training and video education on how to to use his body in contested situations.
He was one of a group of Swans players who benefited from some training sessions with a wrestling and judo expert we brought in, who helped the guys learn how to use their body weight to maximum advantage. When he'd soaked up all of these various coaching aides, Adam would ask for more and seek out additional feedback.
After a terrific debut season, in which he won the Rising Star award, the expectations on him grew immeasurably. It was a season in which he took over the ruck duties because Greg Stafford was out injured for a year.
Once Stafford returned, Adam, because of his size and the Swans' lack of tall forwards, was earmarked as a key forward. It was an error on my part. The position does not suit him.
While it helped his development in the contested ball area, it did not allow him to be a consistently good player.
Adam made a poor start to 2002, and a few selectors wanted to drop him before the round-seven match against Melbourne. His lapse in form had a bit to do with him being played out of position. There were also a few personal issues involving his family at the time that were a big concern and distraction.
I became aware of these issues and after talking to him before that game was determined to show some faith and confidence in him. He lined up at centre half-back on David Schwarz and was a big contributor to our victory. Over the next six weeks, he was in the team's best players four times. Since then, he has blossomed, due largely to a return to rucking duties, an increase in his size and in confidence.
Adam is a sincere, caring person who is totally honest in what he says. He is an open book.
I can recall one player meeting, in which there was discussion about what one leading Melbourne journalist had written about a particular player. The players decided someone should talk to this journalist. Adam bobbed straight up with his mobile phone in hand, and began to quote the journalist's phone number.
Some wag reckoned that Adam must have every journalist's personal phone number, which sent the whole place into raptures. That Adam was able to laugh along just cemented his popularity.
One thing central to Adam Goodes is his great sense of family; he absolutely adores his mum and siblings. To get a gauge of his affection for his mother, Lisa May, you only had to see them together on Brownlow night last year.
You can be certain Adam won't be complacent after last year's success. His confidence is fuelled by being on centre stage. He thrives on the limelight and on being the main player in the team. He really celebrates being an elite athlete.
I have coached many indigenous players - Michael McLean, Darryl White, Gilbert and Adrian McAdam, Michael O'Loughlin, Troy Cook, Robbie Ahmat and Adam. It is a joy to watch these guys display their talent and to examine their approach to life.
Adam Goodes is forging ahead to the top of that group, and his success will just spur him to greater heights. He could well become the greatest indigenous footballer to play our game.
(I can only hope)
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