They are trying: Roos

[ScottH]

They are trying: Roos Yeh, very trying.

"The last three weeks I can?t fault their effort," Roos said. "The efforts last week of (Brett) Kirk, (Craig and Jude) Bolton, (Ryan) O?Keefe and (Paul) Bevan, the majority of them are trying as hard as they can.

Don't know how bevan got a mention there.

"We are still working our way through the list and still trying to unearth some really good players. Lukey has really developed and is starting to become a really good midfielder. We know we need that."

Luke would be the most improved so far this year.

The selection committee hope number one ruckman Jason Ball will overcome his hamstring strain to return for Saturday night's clash at Telstra Stadium, while they may also bring in a first-timer.

First Timer, woot!

Jason Saddington, returning from a knee injury suffered in round ten last year, remains a chance though will not be rushed.

[Snowy]

"The fact that we lost on Saturday night was obviously very disappointing but a quarter of the side are young, with Paul Bevan, Adam Schneider, Luke Ablett, Sean Dempster, Jarrad McVeigh, Lewis Roberts-Thomson.


Think Roos puts too much faith in the fact that some are young ; some are clearly not up to it.

[NMWBloods]

It's not like West Coast was full of old grandpas though - how weak is this excuse - 'they're young and they're trying hard'. Who gives a toss - they're getting paid a lot of money as professional sportsmen - they need to do more than just try hard (and I question even that in some games from many of the players).

[Legs Akimbo]

"We are still working our way through the list and still trying to unearth some really good players."

Interesting, given the list has definitely not been worked through as yet, maybe this is a signal it is about to be. Does this mean playing a few of the guys who haven't had a game yet? Perhaps trading for a first round draft selection or three? hmmm. How about about upgrading a couple of signets from the Rookie list?

What's going on with that by the way? When do they make the decision about Doyle's replacement?

[Wil]

"We are still working our way through the list and still trying to unearth some really good players."

Then what is tanking all the pre-season games to play all youth players???? For nothing!? May as well played all the seniors and got them match fit so we may not be so poor in the early part of the season...

Roos is really starting to annoy me.

[NMWBloods]

I also don't understand why some guys have been on the list for a number of years and had very little (or no) game time.

[Legs Akimbo]

Originally posted by Wil


Then what is tanking all the pre-season games to play all youth players???? For nothing!? May as well played all the seniors and got them match fit so we may not be so poor in the early part of the season...

To keep them happy so they don't start an insurrection.

[originalswan]

quote: "The last three weeks I can?t fault their effort," Roos said. "The efforts last week of (Brett) Kirk, (Craig and Jude) Bolton, (Ryan) O?Keefe and (Paul) Bevan, the majority of them are trying as hard as they can."

Give me a run I'll also try as hard as I can - my endeavour would never be questioned - only problem is FITNESS and SKILL - Oh well at least the Swans have fitness!!!

[Ruda Wakening]

Originally posted by Snowy
Think Roos puts too much faith in the fact that some are young ; some are clearly not up to it.

Age isn't the problem. Hardly having any other exceptional players around to learn from is.

[Young Blood]

Originally posted by Snowy
"The fact that we lost on Saturday night was obviously very disappointing but a quarter of the side are young, with Paul Bevan, Adam Schneider, Luke Ablett, Sean Dempster, Jarrad McVeigh, Lewis Roberts-Thomson.


Think Roos puts too much faith in the fact that some are young ; some are clearly not up to it.

None of them are stars (yet), but who is clearly not up to it?
Bevan - 4th(?) in Rising Star last year. Not playing as well yet this year, but doesn't mean he's not up to it. Still one of the most desperate in the side, I love his attack on the ball and the player - even if he does give away too many frees.
Schneider - even better than Bevan in his first year. Hasn't done much at all since, but last year injury (including preseason) played a big role. Quick and creative, but doesn't get the pill enough. Needs to get fitter.
Ablett - our most improved player this year, now clearly in our best 22.
Dempster - has impressed in his first few games.
McVeigh - clearly good enough. Should get more ground time to promote his development.
LRT - has the most potential of all of these, but the least to show for it today. (It would be nice if he could quietly develop playing on the opposition's 3rd or 4th tall forward, but we don't have that luxury at the moment.)

Ablett and Dempster aside, I'd like to have seen more from this lot this year, but then the team hasn't being playing well. I certainly think it's too early to abandon any of them. There aren't too many players in the league aged 22 or less, or less than 50 games, who are consistently good players. (and most who are were very early draft picks).

Putting current form aside, I think our structural problems lie not with our oldest (27+) or youngest (<22) players, but with those in the middle. This is the group that should be driving our improvement, and its not happening.

[Snowy]

Personally I am not convinced that any of the midgets are really up to it. Ablett has improved but will never be a top-liner, Schneider looks to be a supporting cast type player, ditto Buchanan. All have obvious weaknesses. Compare these to the type of midfielders the best teams are building or have built around. McVeigh looks classy enough but soft ; doesn't get the ball enough. His disposal can still be a tad sloppy. Any team can have young players or the youngest list, it's how many of that group who become great or highly effective players which ultimately counts.

[Young Blood]

I agree with most of this.

McVeigh is still pretty young and slight. We should expect that experience and physical maturity will see him round out his game. And I think there's still hope for Schneider, if he was able to get really fit. But for this season, the FP is for him.
The one I think should be moving (almost) permanently to the midfield now is Davis, and he is still a reasonably young player.

Of course we've already got Kirk, Jude and now Ablett winning the ball in the middle - we just need some more class in there. Hopefully the Goodes penny has finally dropped.

Hopefully our next generation of classy midfielders are in the 2s: Willoughby was a reasonably early pick and there are good wraps on Moore. I haven't heard much about Schmidt.

[NMWBloods]

Ablett doesn't really win the ball much - only 8 clearances in 5 matches.

[Young Blood]

Yes, I was a little generous there. But he does seem to have stepped up to the job as the main defensive midfielder.

[NMWBloods]

Yep, but we don't need any more defensive midfielders. We have a team full of them. We don't have any offensive midfielders in the side.