Sydney's Advantage

[Kildonan]

Having a settled line-up allows teams like Sydney to consistently improve their core playing group.
But what effect will it have if they suddenly have a run of injuries?

Players used at each club in 2006

Sydney..........24
West Coast....27
Adelaide.........28
W Bulldogs......28
Collingwood.....29
Hawthorn........29
Kangaroos.......30
Essendon........30
Fremantle........31
Port Adelaide...31
St Kilda...........31
Melbourne.......32
Carlton...........32
Geelong..........34
Brisbane.........34
Richmond........35

Sydney, West Coast, Adelaide and Collingwood all have relatively settled teams. W Bulldogs are running out of players to rotate through the team which explains their low number. At the other end of the table, Brisbane and Richmond are playing kids in order to develop a team for the future. Geelong are desperately trying everything/everyone to see if they can recapture their preseason form. Carlton and Melbourne are developing youth too, but with vastly different levels of overall team quality. Melbourne are successfully developing their kids and all the while maintaining a great level of competitiveness with the leaders of the competition. Carlton are still a while away from being competitive.

The policy of bringing in youth in a continual cycle of development allows a club to develop their future stars without dropping to the bottom of the ladder to do so.

The Saints recruiting policy seemed to aim for an accumulation of players around the 2001 draft crop. After this draft, the Saints did not recruit a great deal of youth, only returning to the youth policy last season. These kids will be ready to play a few games next year. I expect that we will again top up on youth in this 2006 "superdraft" and continue to trickle talented youth into the team. Meanwhile the policy seems to have tried to consolidate the squad in a similar approach to Sydney, but we have been denied this through injury.
The benefit is that, like last year, many of our second string or marginal players are getting some decent match time. Our depth players have become our regular players.

 

[Kildonan]

Roos: It may be time for axe
Sydney Morning Herald
Michael Cowley
June 12, 2006

Sydney 7.8 (50) St Kilda 7.10 (52)

THE stability of their senior team and an astounding lack of serious injuries have made the Swans the envy of the other 15 AFL clubs.

But there is another side to this story, one which may force coach Paul Roos to start dropping players from his team in coming weeks.

Roos admitted after Saturday night's two-point loss to St Kilda that, while it had been a luxury to have used only 24 players this season, "staleness" could become a problem.

"I don't like to pre-empt anything, but I think you'd like to introduce a couple of new players," Roos said.

"It's great we've got the same 24 going every week, but I think there's a balance, too, between getting a [Luke] Vogels in, or a [Jarred] Moore or [Paul] Bevan back in the side. I think we miss [injured youngster Nick] Malceski. He's a new player to the side, and I don't think we would have said that at the start of the year.

"I think sometimes the new players can add something a bit different.

"It's certainly not a priority but I'd like to see some of those guys getting picked and I know the bloke who picks the team, so maybe we can do something about that.

"We've got two weeks to think about it, but it's definitely a possibility because I think you've got to reward those guys in the seconds at some point, otherwise two things can happen - they can get a little bit frustrated and the senior players can get a little bit fatigued and mentally weary.

"I just think it's something we maybe need to think about over the next couple of weeks. Not that you can plan too much in footy, but you'd like to make sure a Vogels gets a game and Bevo gets back in the team and Jarred Moore and Tim Schmidt … hopefully they will get their opportunity."

Another problem facing the Swans is that their reserves are not even getting game time in the ACT league.

Due to the rain, SCG officials decided to cancel Saturday's scheduled clash with Weston Creek. The team has a bye next weekend, plays the following week, then has another bye the week after, meaning that the players will have played just one game in almost five weeks.

Roos was "bitterly disappointed" about Saturday's cancellation, and believes the schedule does disadvantage his club.

"The greatest fear is that you want to pick players and you try to pick players, but they are not getting much game time over the next month," he said. "We often leave guys out of the seconds, too, because we need to keep them in case there is an injury in the [senior team] warm-up.

"Luke Vogels will have had half a game in four weeks which is unacceptable to try and prepare yourself for AFL footy. You are talking about a professional organisation that turns over $30 million a year that obviously needs to play their players in games.

"It's almost farcical that we can't provide a game for our players."

Sydney have next weekend off due to the split round and Roos believes that physically and mentally the break will do his seniors good.

Several Swans have not been able to train much of late due to niggling injuries, and while Roos conceded that getting them on the field each weekend is the main priority, "at some point it starts to hurt if you can't get them to train".

"Hally [Barry Hall] went into the game very sore last night. He pulled out of training on Thursday with hamstring tightness. He's been fantastic but he'll be a lot better for having the weekend off."

Asked if the injury affected Hall's performance, Roos said: "I think it did. [Matt] Maguire is a good athlete but he's certainly not a better athlete than Hally. He [Maguire] did a terrific job but you could tell that Hally couldn't run, he couldn't really extend, he couldn't sprint and he got caught behind a fair bit, so I think it did affect his performance."

Maguire admitted there was motivation to perform well against Hall following the publicity which followed their previous clash.

In last year's preliminary final Hall gave Maguire a "love tap" which sent the defender to the ground. Hall was suspended but had the decision overturned on appeal, clearing him to play in the grand final.

Maguire was criticised by many for what was believed to have been a dive, and for not offering to help Hall beat the charge. The Saint says that suggestions he was not prepared to testify were untrue.

"There is a little bit of motivation when people question your integrity," he said. "A few people out there might have called me a diver or that I was even scared of Barry, which is [only] their opinion.

"I was out here, not for revenge or anything, just to knock him off and contribute to a team effort."

Errr....

So Roos is saying that he is disadvantaged by not having injuries to players...

Um.

I'm not quite sure if this is a whinge, an excuse, or merely a philosophical cogitation.

 

[skipper kelly]

Am I allowed to comment on this?

 

[JeffDunne]

Why wouldn't you be Skip?

 

[skipper kelly]

Why wouldn't you be Skip?

I try not to post too much on team boards JD. I understand it is the domain of those supporters and will be mainly one eyed.

Anyway. I dont believe Roos is whinging. He is just stating that while having a settled line up is great, some players can go stale and younger developing players who could be getting a game arent. Because of this the younger players at Sydney are at a disadvantage a bit like Brisbane pre 2005. A small price to pay for having your best team on the park.

I dont see it as an excuse or a whinge, I just see it as an honest answer to a question.

I am happy that Roos has recognised this and may start to rotate a few of the deserved youngesters and give them some game time.

As for Hall playing injured. That was a mistake and certainly not an excuse as to why Sydney got beat.

 

[skipper kelly]

.. just further to that JD. Not many sides in the modern era win the premierhip without having near on their best team on the park for most of the year. That is obvious. As flags are the ultimate goal any downside is small compared to the reward.

Maybe if St. Kilda can get the best players on the park the extra game time to the fringe players over the last season will put the club in good stead.

 

[St DAC]

Maybe if St. Kilda can get the best players on the park the extra game time to the fringe players over the last season will put the club in good stead.

We live in hope ...

 

[Kildonan]

Am I allowed to comment on this?

Skipper, you are a quality poster who rarely loses his head. You don't have to feel as if you are walking on eggshells in here. Say what's on your mind, express your opinion, even disagree with us. It's all good.

I know your not the type to come in trolling.

As with any forum, there are those who may misinterpret the intent of a "foreign poster" but you don't need to be told this do you?

When I post on other clubs' forums I try to be positive and post clearly so that I don't get misinterpreted. If I indulge in a bit of "rivalry", I try not to offend.

You seem to do the same. Why Mr meek here???

 

[skipper kelly]

Skipper, you are a quality poster who rarely loses his head. You don't have to feel as if you are walking on eggshells in here. Say what's on your mind, express your opinion, even disagree with us. It's all good.

I know your not the type to come in trolling.

As with any forum, there are those who may misinterpret the intent of a "foreign poster" but you don't need to be told this do you?

When I post on other clubs' forums I try to be positive and post clearly so that I don't get misinterpreted. If I indulge in a bit of "rivalry", I try not to offend.

You seem to do the same. Why Mr meek here???

Thanks StKildonan. I dont post very often on other teams boards mainly due to the one eyed nature of many posts. I respect that the team boards are the place for this. Even when I posted in the 'My Bets' thread, I felt I crossed the line with my original post.

St. Kilda have been through a bit of controversy over the last 18 months so I enjoy reading what your supporters have to say. I often read the other saints forum but would never post. I enjoy the absolute one eyed blindness of many who post. Nothing wrong with it and it keeps me attuned to how the supporters are thinking. Living in Queensland I dont come across many people like the rabid Vic supporters I was accustomed to.

I usually read the team boards before and after a game with Sydney. 99% of the time I wouldnt comment because if you cant express a one eyed view on your own team board, without being challenged, then where can you.

I will keep in mind your invitation though. As for Mr Meek, well thats good for my blood pressure.

Cheers.