Williams blasts Swans
By Tim Morrissey
21apr03
SWANS best and and fairest Paul Williams has questioned his team's intelligence after Sydney sunk to their third consecutive loss.
And Swans coach Paul Roos talked as if he were ready to swap his coach's whiteboard for a psychiatrist's couch.
After Sydney's hapless seven-goal defeat to Hawthorn at the MCG on Saturday night this much is indisputable -- the Swans aren't playing smart or skilful football.
"There was no excuse for that performance," said Williams, the Swans' best and fairest players for the past two years. "We made some stupid mistakes at critical times.
"We as a side can't afford to do that. I reckon Hawthorn kicked six or seven goals from our mistakes."
After kicking the first three goals of the match, Sydney had the Hawks under the pump, but then it all went horribly wrong, with the Swans eventually losing 10.8 (68) to 17.8 (110).
Key defender Andrew Schauble missed a gift from
15 metres out in the first period. Then two Swans errors at the other end of the field handed Hawthorn their first two goals on a silver platter.
That set the tone for the rest of the match, leaving Roos perplexed over the mental processes of some players.
"It's hard to remember what goes through players' minds," said Roos, who played 356 AFL games before retiring at the end of 1998.
"If someone handballs it to you and you just drop the ball, I don't know why that happens.
"If you kick it straight to the opposition, I'm not sure why that happens."
Despite unravelling after their encouraging start, the game was still there to be won when Swans forward Nick Davis kicked his second goal 12 minutes into the third quarter, giving his team a 54-51 lead.
But Sydney simply failed to grab their opportunities as Hawthorn out-scored the visitors eight goals to two in the remainder of the game.
"That's a common thread really, when the game's there to be won," Williams said.
"We haven't got enough guys standing up to win it for us. We are relying on too few.
We need to develop the young guys as quickly as we can and fast track them into good footballers."
Although this is seen as a rebuilding year for the Swans, Roos admits there is mounting pressure on him to quickly develop Sydney's young guns because a number of middle tier players have failed to come on as hoped.
"I think certain individuals have [gone backwards]," Roos admitted.
The Swans' exciting 19-year-old prospect Adam Scheider, who kicked a goal and two behinds against Hawthorn, has already cemented a place in Roos' top 22 list.
And if the team's form doesn't improve quickly, new draftees Sean Dempster, Jarrad McVeigh, Nick Malceski and Josh Thewlis should also start to see some action.
"We have got four quality young guys -- it's a matter of when you throw them in the cauldron of AFL football," Roos said.
"But certainly, if guys don't start to improve you've got to look to that to get to the next level you want to go to.
"Sometime you've got to be a bit ruthless. If you think guys aren't up to it you've got to make a decision."
Sydney are scheduled to play last year's grand finalists Collingwood and Brisbane Lions after their ANZAC Day clash at the SCG against Melbourne. If they lose those three matches, their season will be in tatters at 1-6.
"We have some big decisions to make in the short term and the long term," Roos said.
But the Swans mentor ruled out immediate wholesale changes, saying: "The last thing you want to do is have [the young guys] playing senior footy losing confidence and thinking, 'Geez, this is a bit hard for me'.
"It can actually destroy a player."
By Tim Morrissey
21apr03
SWANS best and and fairest Paul Williams has questioned his team's intelligence after Sydney sunk to their third consecutive loss.
And Swans coach Paul Roos talked as if he were ready to swap his coach's whiteboard for a psychiatrist's couch.
After Sydney's hapless seven-goal defeat to Hawthorn at the MCG on Saturday night this much is indisputable -- the Swans aren't playing smart or skilful football.
"There was no excuse for that performance," said Williams, the Swans' best and fairest players for the past two years. "We made some stupid mistakes at critical times.
"We as a side can't afford to do that. I reckon Hawthorn kicked six or seven goals from our mistakes."
After kicking the first three goals of the match, Sydney had the Hawks under the pump, but then it all went horribly wrong, with the Swans eventually losing 10.8 (68) to 17.8 (110).
Key defender Andrew Schauble missed a gift from
15 metres out in the first period. Then two Swans errors at the other end of the field handed Hawthorn their first two goals on a silver platter.
That set the tone for the rest of the match, leaving Roos perplexed over the mental processes of some players.
"It's hard to remember what goes through players' minds," said Roos, who played 356 AFL games before retiring at the end of 1998.
"If someone handballs it to you and you just drop the ball, I don't know why that happens.
"If you kick it straight to the opposition, I'm not sure why that happens."
Despite unravelling after their encouraging start, the game was still there to be won when Swans forward Nick Davis kicked his second goal 12 minutes into the third quarter, giving his team a 54-51 lead.
But Sydney simply failed to grab their opportunities as Hawthorn out-scored the visitors eight goals to two in the remainder of the game.
"That's a common thread really, when the game's there to be won," Williams said.
"We haven't got enough guys standing up to win it for us. We are relying on too few.
We need to develop the young guys as quickly as we can and fast track them into good footballers."
Although this is seen as a rebuilding year for the Swans, Roos admits there is mounting pressure on him to quickly develop Sydney's young guns because a number of middle tier players have failed to come on as hoped.
"I think certain individuals have [gone backwards]," Roos admitted.
The Swans' exciting 19-year-old prospect Adam Scheider, who kicked a goal and two behinds against Hawthorn, has already cemented a place in Roos' top 22 list.
And if the team's form doesn't improve quickly, new draftees Sean Dempster, Jarrad McVeigh, Nick Malceski and Josh Thewlis should also start to see some action.
"We have got four quality young guys -- it's a matter of when you throw them in the cauldron of AFL football," Roos said.
"But certainly, if guys don't start to improve you've got to look to that to get to the next level you want to go to.
"Sometime you've got to be a bit ruthless. If you think guys aren't up to it you've got to make a decision."
Sydney are scheduled to play last year's grand finalists Collingwood and Brisbane Lions after their ANZAC Day clash at the SCG against Melbourne. If they lose those three matches, their season will be in tatters at 1-6.
"We have some big decisions to make in the short term and the long term," Roos said.
But the Swans mentor ruled out immediate wholesale changes, saying: "The last thing you want to do is have [the young guys] playing senior footy losing confidence and thinking, 'Geez, this is a bit hard for me'.
"It can actually destroy a player."