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Rules make for rollercoaster ride
By Swans coach Paul Roos
May 28, 2004
THE nail-biting one point win over Hawthorn that ended our four game losing streak spoke volumes about the character of the Swans.
When your confidence has been shaken like ours was sometimes the hardest thing to do is just get over the line for that much-needed win.
It wasn't pretty but the determination the players showed through to the end after failing to capitalise on some early chances to put Hawthorn away was commendable.
However, the win highlighted that there is still plenty of improvement needed after a rollercoster start to 2004. But the Swans aren't the only team to go through some wild ups and downs this season.
I believe 2004 has been a rollercoster ride for several teams because of the AFL's salary cap and national draft.
The rules and restrictions the clubs have to operate under have been designed to deliver parity to the competition and create the ultimate level playing field.
We are not quite there yet but I'm sure at the end of the home and away season the AFL would love to see all teams with an 11-11 win/loss record.
Unlike the past, a team just can't go out at the end of the year and sign up any uncontracted player they like, the same way you can't just look at your list and say, 'Ok, we need a tall defender or we need an attacking midfielder or a monster full forward'.
Cap restrictions and draft rules mean there's no such thing as bulking up your roster with 30-35 great players because you can't pay all of them what they deserve.
If you look back say 15 years ago your reserves team would be stacked with 28, 29 and 30-year-olds at the end of their careers.
In the past if you were hit with injuries these guys would step right back into senior footy without missing a beat.
Now most club's seconds sides are stacked with teenagers which is a major reason why most teams can't cope and can slip into a slump when they get a number of injuries to key or experienced players.
Most clubs these days have six to 10 players on their list who physically and mentally aren't really at a stage to play senior football yet.
The Swans are a good example of this after drafting eight 17 to 19-year-old kids in the last two years we hope will develop into AFL players.
I'm not using injuries to several key positional Swans players as an excuse for why we lost four consecutive games but it certainly plays a factor in a competition where the margin for error, even against the bottom team on the ladder, is extremely small these days.
I think if you look at most of the teams that have been on losing streaks this year the one common denominator between them all is that they have had key players out injured.
Look at Collingwood. They have been without the likes of Nathan Buckley, Josh Fraser, Scott Burns, Chris Tarrant, and Simon Prestigiacomo for a good chunk of this year.
I think that goes a long way to explaining why the Magpies have gone from grand finalists in 2003 to last on the ladder after nine rounds.
Even the injury and suspension toll caught up with reigning triple premiers Brisbane last week when they lost to Fremantle by 59-points at Subiaco.
Brisbane easily have the most talent and the most depth on their list compared to the rest of the competition but take away injured players like Alastair Lynch, Clark Keating, Chris Scott and Craig McRae, on top of losing Jonathon Brown and Jamie Charman to suspensions, and the Lions are vulnerable.
But you tend to find once teams which have been on losing streaks get their good players back from injury they start to string some wins together.
The Daily Telegraph
By Swans coach Paul Roos
May 28, 2004
THE nail-biting one point win over Hawthorn that ended our four game losing streak spoke volumes about the character of the Swans.
When your confidence has been shaken like ours was sometimes the hardest thing to do is just get over the line for that much-needed win.
It wasn't pretty but the determination the players showed through to the end after failing to capitalise on some early chances to put Hawthorn away was commendable.
However, the win highlighted that there is still plenty of improvement needed after a rollercoster start to 2004. But the Swans aren't the only team to go through some wild ups and downs this season.
I believe 2004 has been a rollercoster ride for several teams because of the AFL's salary cap and national draft.
The rules and restrictions the clubs have to operate under have been designed to deliver parity to the competition and create the ultimate level playing field.
We are not quite there yet but I'm sure at the end of the home and away season the AFL would love to see all teams with an 11-11 win/loss record.
Unlike the past, a team just can't go out at the end of the year and sign up any uncontracted player they like, the same way you can't just look at your list and say, 'Ok, we need a tall defender or we need an attacking midfielder or a monster full forward'.
Cap restrictions and draft rules mean there's no such thing as bulking up your roster with 30-35 great players because you can't pay all of them what they deserve.
If you look back say 15 years ago your reserves team would be stacked with 28, 29 and 30-year-olds at the end of their careers.
In the past if you were hit with injuries these guys would step right back into senior footy without missing a beat.
Now most club's seconds sides are stacked with teenagers which is a major reason why most teams can't cope and can slip into a slump when they get a number of injuries to key or experienced players.
Most clubs these days have six to 10 players on their list who physically and mentally aren't really at a stage to play senior football yet.
The Swans are a good example of this after drafting eight 17 to 19-year-old kids in the last two years we hope will develop into AFL players.
I'm not using injuries to several key positional Swans players as an excuse for why we lost four consecutive games but it certainly plays a factor in a competition where the margin for error, even against the bottom team on the ladder, is extremely small these days.
I think if you look at most of the teams that have been on losing streaks this year the one common denominator between them all is that they have had key players out injured.
Look at Collingwood. They have been without the likes of Nathan Buckley, Josh Fraser, Scott Burns, Chris Tarrant, and Simon Prestigiacomo for a good chunk of this year.
I think that goes a long way to explaining why the Magpies have gone from grand finalists in 2003 to last on the ladder after nine rounds.
Even the injury and suspension toll caught up with reigning triple premiers Brisbane last week when they lost to Fremantle by 59-points at Subiaco.
Brisbane easily have the most talent and the most depth on their list compared to the rest of the competition but take away injured players like Alastair Lynch, Clark Keating, Chris Scott and Craig McRae, on top of losing Jonathon Brown and Jamie Charman to suspensions, and the Lions are vulnerable.
But you tend to find once teams which have been on losing streaks get their good players back from injury they start to string some wins together.
The Daily Telegraph
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