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Table-topping but level-headed Swans boosted for WA trip
April 3 2003
Experienced duo Andrew Schauble and Daniel McPherson have staked their claims for a place in the Swans line-up to face Fremantle on Saturday night.
Defender Schauble (quad) and utility McPherson (hamstring) both missed Sydney's big season-opening win over Carlton at Telstra Stadium last Saturday.
However, Schauble, Sydney's 2000 best-and-fairest winner and McPherson, one of the Swans' longest serving players, participated fully in training yesterday, unlike forward Michael O'Loughlin.
All Australian representative O'Loughlin, who missed Sydney's entire pre-season schedule with knee tendonitis, ran before yesterday's session but didn't participate in the remainder of training and was considered unlikely to be selected this weekend.
But Schauble and McPherson's likely availability will be a welcome boost for Sydney following last weekend's injuries to midfielder Daryn Cresswell and ruckman Stephen Doyle.
Cresswell was expected to miss three to four games with a calf injury, while Doyle could be sidelined for some time with a knee problem.
An arthroscopy on Doyle's knee was deferred to next week because of a graze, and Swans officials were reluctant to speculate on the length of his rehabilitation.
But they did concede that the worst scenario would have the injury-prone 21-year-old sidelined for a substantial portion of the season.
Schauble and McPherson apart, youngsters Luke Ablett and Mark Powell are also likely to be considered for this weekend.
The Swans shifted training yesterday to a suburban ground on the outskirts of Sydney in an attempt to perfect their preparation for Saturday's match.
Coach Paul Roos said the Swans trained on Campbelltown's Monarch Field because it was a bigger ground than the SCG and, therefore, more similar in size to Subiaco Oval, Saturday's venue.
Subiaco was Sydney's bogey ground for the best part of a decade, with the Swans losing seven straight games there against West Coast and Fremantle from 1989 to 1997.
The Swans broke their drought there in 1998 and have won three of their past five matches at the West Australian venue.
While Sydney topped the ladder after their opening-round rout of Carlton, Sydney coach Roos stressed that his players would remain level-headed.
"I don't think they're getting carried away by any stretch of the imagination," Roos said.
April 3 2003
Experienced duo Andrew Schauble and Daniel McPherson have staked their claims for a place in the Swans line-up to face Fremantle on Saturday night.
Defender Schauble (quad) and utility McPherson (hamstring) both missed Sydney's big season-opening win over Carlton at Telstra Stadium last Saturday.
However, Schauble, Sydney's 2000 best-and-fairest winner and McPherson, one of the Swans' longest serving players, participated fully in training yesterday, unlike forward Michael O'Loughlin.
All Australian representative O'Loughlin, who missed Sydney's entire pre-season schedule with knee tendonitis, ran before yesterday's session but didn't participate in the remainder of training and was considered unlikely to be selected this weekend.
But Schauble and McPherson's likely availability will be a welcome boost for Sydney following last weekend's injuries to midfielder Daryn Cresswell and ruckman Stephen Doyle.
Cresswell was expected to miss three to four games with a calf injury, while Doyle could be sidelined for some time with a knee problem.
An arthroscopy on Doyle's knee was deferred to next week because of a graze, and Swans officials were reluctant to speculate on the length of his rehabilitation.
But they did concede that the worst scenario would have the injury-prone 21-year-old sidelined for a substantial portion of the season.
Schauble and McPherson apart, youngsters Luke Ablett and Mark Powell are also likely to be considered for this weekend.
The Swans shifted training yesterday to a suburban ground on the outskirts of Sydney in an attempt to perfect their preparation for Saturday's match.
Coach Paul Roos said the Swans trained on Campbelltown's Monarch Field because it was a bigger ground than the SCG and, therefore, more similar in size to Subiaco Oval, Saturday's venue.
Subiaco was Sydney's bogey ground for the best part of a decade, with the Swans losing seven straight games there against West Coast and Fremantle from 1989 to 1997.
The Swans broke their drought there in 1998 and have won three of their past five matches at the West Australian venue.
While Sydney topped the ladder after their opening-round rout of Carlton, Sydney coach Roos stressed that his players would remain level-headed.
"I don't think they're getting carried away by any stretch of the imagination," Roos said.
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