Tweet
Swans do it tough for ruckmen
By TIM MORRISSEY
04apr03
THE Swans' remaining ruckmen will head in to tomorrow's match against Fremantle with a straightforward briefing ? don't hold back against the Dockers and pray to the footy gods you don't get hurt.
Ahead of the match that will see defender Leo Barry play his 100th match, Swans director of football Andrew Ireland believes a successful season hinges on Adam Goodes and Jason Ball staying injury free.
"We really don't have any margin for error in the ruck," Ireland said.
"Most clubs have probably got three or four ruckmen on their list. With three we were in reasonable nick, now without Stephen Doyle it limits our flexibility. Our problem is we haven't got another 200cm-plus player on our list."
After Doyle's frustrating two-year run with injuries continued last week with the giant ruckman damaging his knee in the stunning 74-point win over Carlton, the Swans have once again been left short in the middle.
Ireland agrees there is now pressure on Goodes and Ball to play to their potential and stay healthy.
"We don't have to restructure the ruck so much given the fact that Adam and Jason did most of the work anyway," Ireland said.
"But Stephen would have been very handy against the Dockers because they've got two big ruckmen with Sandilands and [Troy] Simmonds."
In another setback for Doyle, Wednesday's arthroscopy has been postponed for a week.
But Ireland said the club hopes the damage is not a worst case scenario.
"Stephen has good movement although his knee does catch slightly," Ireland said.
The best prognosis is that Doyle will be sidelined for four weeks and at worst, 16 weeks.
But his absence has forced the Swans to restructure their forward line more than they had anticipated, with the news that the mercurial Michael O'Loughlin has been ruled out of the Fremantle match.
"We will have to restructure a little bit now with Mickey O'Loughlin hopefully coming back into the forward line next week. It's disappointing. If Doyley wasn't out and with Mickey coming back, it would have made it pretty difficult for opposition defences," Ireland said.
Sydney coach Paul Roos resisted the temptation to play O'Loughlin.
"We could have probably rushed Mick back in but didn't want to push it, but I'd say he will be right for next weekend," Roos said.
Sydney's backline will be back to full strength with the confirmed return of Andrew Schauble.
Barry will finally get a long overdue "reward" when he makes his 100th AFL senior appearance.
One of Sydney's longest-serving players, Barry, 25, made his debut in 1995, but a succession of injuries stalled his progress.
"I thought I might have been able to get the hundred games up last year, but unfortunately I missed half of the season, but it's a bit of a reward for the last few years," Barry said.
By TIM MORRISSEY
04apr03
THE Swans' remaining ruckmen will head in to tomorrow's match against Fremantle with a straightforward briefing ? don't hold back against the Dockers and pray to the footy gods you don't get hurt.
Ahead of the match that will see defender Leo Barry play his 100th match, Swans director of football Andrew Ireland believes a successful season hinges on Adam Goodes and Jason Ball staying injury free.
"We really don't have any margin for error in the ruck," Ireland said.
"Most clubs have probably got three or four ruckmen on their list. With three we were in reasonable nick, now without Stephen Doyle it limits our flexibility. Our problem is we haven't got another 200cm-plus player on our list."
After Doyle's frustrating two-year run with injuries continued last week with the giant ruckman damaging his knee in the stunning 74-point win over Carlton, the Swans have once again been left short in the middle.
Ireland agrees there is now pressure on Goodes and Ball to play to their potential and stay healthy.
"We don't have to restructure the ruck so much given the fact that Adam and Jason did most of the work anyway," Ireland said.
"But Stephen would have been very handy against the Dockers because they've got two big ruckmen with Sandilands and [Troy] Simmonds."
In another setback for Doyle, Wednesday's arthroscopy has been postponed for a week.
But Ireland said the club hopes the damage is not a worst case scenario.
"Stephen has good movement although his knee does catch slightly," Ireland said.
The best prognosis is that Doyle will be sidelined for four weeks and at worst, 16 weeks.
But his absence has forced the Swans to restructure their forward line more than they had anticipated, with the news that the mercurial Michael O'Loughlin has been ruled out of the Fremantle match.
"We will have to restructure a little bit now with Mickey O'Loughlin hopefully coming back into the forward line next week. It's disappointing. If Doyley wasn't out and with Mickey coming back, it would have made it pretty difficult for opposition defences," Ireland said.
Sydney coach Paul Roos resisted the temptation to play O'Loughlin.
"We could have probably rushed Mick back in but didn't want to push it, but I'd say he will be right for next weekend," Roos said.
Sydney's backline will be back to full strength with the confirmed return of Andrew Schauble.
Barry will finally get a long overdue "reward" when he makes his 100th AFL senior appearance.
One of Sydney's longest-serving players, Barry, 25, made his debut in 1995, but a succession of injuries stalled his progress.
"I thought I might have been able to get the hundred games up last year, but unfortunately I missed half of the season, but it's a bit of a reward for the last few years," Barry said.
Comment