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The Australian
Nicks has nothing to lose
By Scott Coghlan
May 15, 2004
ALL the talk at Sydney since Paul Roos took over as coach has centred on the unsung players that have flourished under his guidance.
Sydney seemed down and out when Roos took over from Rodney Eade, but less than two years later, the former Fitzroy and Swans star has invigorated the careers of a host of players and has turned his team into highly rated finals contenders.
However, one Swan who has been the exception to that rule is talented forward Matthew Nicks.
Injury and poor form have seen the fortunes of Nicks, once touted as a future captain of the club, wane when those of almost all around him have been on the rise.
Nicks, who has not played an AFL game this season because of a back problem, gets a belated birthday present when he returns from injury for the important match against West Coast at Subiaco Oval today.
Nicks, who turned 29 on Thursday, will finally reach the 150- game milestone today and Roos agreed it was an important time in his career.
"It is when you have a number of injuries and off-season operations," Roos said.
"We have been pretty keen to bring him on slowly. At his age and so forth, it is a pretty critical season for him, so we've made sure he's had a good run into this game.
"You want to give a guy like that every opportunity to play well and we think he has good preparation and will be a valuable player for us."
A relaxed Nicks said he was relieved to finally reach the milestone and, more importantly, just to be back in the team. "It is nice to finally get a game," he said.
"I wanted to play a little earlier than this, but just to get the body right, the fitness going and get a bit of form back took me a few games in the reserves.
"We're finally here and I've got Mum and Dad coming over, so I'm looking forward to it."
Nicks' woes coincided almost exactly with the departure of Eade after 12 rounds of 2002.
He kicked 12 goals in Eade's last four games at the helm of Sydney.
Under the new coach, he managed just six goals in the last 10 games of that season.
With a back injury troubling him, Nicks kicked only 18 goals in 16 games last year.
His career reached its lowest point when he was dropped for the last three games of the season and although he was recalled for Sydney's two finals appearances, he again failed to perform and did not kick a goal.
Although Adam Schneider is still missing, star forward Michael O'Loughlin will also resume from injury against the Eagles.
O'Loughlin, who kicked six goals when the sides last met, has not played since round two and Roos said he would have a limited role today in a significant match for two teams coming off three straight losses.
"He won't play 120 minutes, but I'm sure the time he is out there he is going to be very positive for us," he said. "He's a real touch player, Micky, and although he's down on his fitness, he will contribute to the team.
"It is also the fact you have to play a good player on him, and that sometimes means a good defender is on him and not Nick Davis or Barry Hall.
"You have to give blokes like Mick O'Loughlin a lot of respect."
Roos agreed Sydney's forward line looked more potent this week.
"Probably in name, although not in terms of fitness," he said.
"It is getting there."
The Swans have a better record in Perth than most and Nicks said he believed the wide open spaces of Subiaco Oval suited his team's running players.
"All the guys enjoy coming over here to play," he said.
"There is a lot of difference with the SCG, with the size of the ground.
"We have had a reasonably quick side over the last few years, with young guys that can run through the lines and we know we can play on this ground."
Nicks is not the only Swan reaching a milestone this weekend, with former Magpie Nick Davis notching his 100th game.
Nicks has nothing to lose
By Scott Coghlan
May 15, 2004
ALL the talk at Sydney since Paul Roos took over as coach has centred on the unsung players that have flourished under his guidance.
Sydney seemed down and out when Roos took over from Rodney Eade, but less than two years later, the former Fitzroy and Swans star has invigorated the careers of a host of players and has turned his team into highly rated finals contenders.
However, one Swan who has been the exception to that rule is talented forward Matthew Nicks.
Injury and poor form have seen the fortunes of Nicks, once touted as a future captain of the club, wane when those of almost all around him have been on the rise.
Nicks, who has not played an AFL game this season because of a back problem, gets a belated birthday present when he returns from injury for the important match against West Coast at Subiaco Oval today.
Nicks, who turned 29 on Thursday, will finally reach the 150- game milestone today and Roos agreed it was an important time in his career.
"It is when you have a number of injuries and off-season operations," Roos said.
"We have been pretty keen to bring him on slowly. At his age and so forth, it is a pretty critical season for him, so we've made sure he's had a good run into this game.
"You want to give a guy like that every opportunity to play well and we think he has good preparation and will be a valuable player for us."
A relaxed Nicks said he was relieved to finally reach the milestone and, more importantly, just to be back in the team. "It is nice to finally get a game," he said.
"I wanted to play a little earlier than this, but just to get the body right, the fitness going and get a bit of form back took me a few games in the reserves.
"We're finally here and I've got Mum and Dad coming over, so I'm looking forward to it."
Nicks' woes coincided almost exactly with the departure of Eade after 12 rounds of 2002.
He kicked 12 goals in Eade's last four games at the helm of Sydney.
Under the new coach, he managed just six goals in the last 10 games of that season.
With a back injury troubling him, Nicks kicked only 18 goals in 16 games last year.
His career reached its lowest point when he was dropped for the last three games of the season and although he was recalled for Sydney's two finals appearances, he again failed to perform and did not kick a goal.
Although Adam Schneider is still missing, star forward Michael O'Loughlin will also resume from injury against the Eagles.
O'Loughlin, who kicked six goals when the sides last met, has not played since round two and Roos said he would have a limited role today in a significant match for two teams coming off three straight losses.
"He won't play 120 minutes, but I'm sure the time he is out there he is going to be very positive for us," he said. "He's a real touch player, Micky, and although he's down on his fitness, he will contribute to the team.
"It is also the fact you have to play a good player on him, and that sometimes means a good defender is on him and not Nick Davis or Barry Hall.
"You have to give blokes like Mick O'Loughlin a lot of respect."
Roos agreed Sydney's forward line looked more potent this week.
"Probably in name, although not in terms of fitness," he said.
"It is getting there."
The Swans have a better record in Perth than most and Nicks said he believed the wide open spaces of Subiaco Oval suited his team's running players.
"All the guys enjoy coming over here to play," he said.
"There is a lot of difference with the SCG, with the size of the ground.
"We have had a reasonably quick side over the last few years, with young guys that can run through the lines and we know we can play on this ground."
Nicks is not the only Swan reaching a milestone this weekend, with former Magpie Nick Davis notching his 100th game.