SWANSBEST
18th August 2003, 04:30 PM
No pressure on us: Roos
9:04:42 PM Sun 17 August, 2003
Andrew Browne
afl.com.au
Sydney Swans coach Paul Roos has described the win over the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba as ?fantastic? and he is happy to be in the finals race, but he will continue the no-fuss approach with his players and believes the pressure is on other clubs in premiership contention.
?I don?t think there is any pressure on our players. No one picked us to finish in the top eight,? declared a delighted Roos after the 14-point upset win on Sunday.
?The Lions already have a couple (premierships) in their pocket so the pressure is on those teams who have set themselves to win a grand final this year such as Port (Adelaide), Adelaide and Collingwood.?
Roos? comments about the Swans? winning chances against the Lions were queried in some quarters in the lead-up to the game but it is a formula that is working well for the coach and he is not about trying to change it now.
?We are in a different stage to what the other top four sides are,? he said.
?The club is trying to rebuild with good players around over the next five to seven years and we are still testing where we are at.
?People will write us up during the week and next week we might lose and then write us off but that?s footy.?
Roos said the win at the Gabba and the blockbuster against Collingwood at Telstra Stadium next week would provide the Swans with some early finals experience
?Today was a like a final with Brisbane fighting for a top two spot and next week does not get any easier with Collingwood in front of 70,000 people,? he said.
?I hope the boys enjoy the win today and enjoy the build-up to next week because that?s why you play footy.?
Roos had taken note that a couple of the Lions players might have lacked solid match conditioning for the contest.
?We think we are a pretty fit team and we did mention that there were a couple of their players that might be underdone but those players can still play well on limited game time.?
The coach praised the performances of his backline, led by Andrew Schauble - who made sure Alastair Lynch had an off day - and ex-Lion Craig Bolton, who reduced Jonathan Brown?s influence after he again booted three goals in the first term.
Barry Hall with his five goals and Michael O?Loughlin also received strong mentions.
But what about the conversion rate that has caught the attention of Lions coach Leigh Matthews? He praised the Swans? accuracy in front of goal, as evidenced by O?Loughlin?s ?check side? kick on the run from the boundary line in the final quarter.
?When teams flood it allows you an opportunity to pick angles instead of bombing the ball to the top of the goal-square or centre half-forward,? commented Roos.
?It has been important to us the fact that our forwards are pretty good shots at goal.?
http://afl.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=113446
9:04:42 PM Sun 17 August, 2003
Andrew Browne
afl.com.au
Sydney Swans coach Paul Roos has described the win over the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba as ?fantastic? and he is happy to be in the finals race, but he will continue the no-fuss approach with his players and believes the pressure is on other clubs in premiership contention.
?I don?t think there is any pressure on our players. No one picked us to finish in the top eight,? declared a delighted Roos after the 14-point upset win on Sunday.
?The Lions already have a couple (premierships) in their pocket so the pressure is on those teams who have set themselves to win a grand final this year such as Port (Adelaide), Adelaide and Collingwood.?
Roos? comments about the Swans? winning chances against the Lions were queried in some quarters in the lead-up to the game but it is a formula that is working well for the coach and he is not about trying to change it now.
?We are in a different stage to what the other top four sides are,? he said.
?The club is trying to rebuild with good players around over the next five to seven years and we are still testing where we are at.
?People will write us up during the week and next week we might lose and then write us off but that?s footy.?
Roos said the win at the Gabba and the blockbuster against Collingwood at Telstra Stadium next week would provide the Swans with some early finals experience
?Today was a like a final with Brisbane fighting for a top two spot and next week does not get any easier with Collingwood in front of 70,000 people,? he said.
?I hope the boys enjoy the win today and enjoy the build-up to next week because that?s why you play footy.?
Roos had taken note that a couple of the Lions players might have lacked solid match conditioning for the contest.
?We think we are a pretty fit team and we did mention that there were a couple of their players that might be underdone but those players can still play well on limited game time.?
The coach praised the performances of his backline, led by Andrew Schauble - who made sure Alastair Lynch had an off day - and ex-Lion Craig Bolton, who reduced Jonathan Brown?s influence after he again booted three goals in the first term.
Barry Hall with his five goals and Michael O?Loughlin also received strong mentions.
But what about the conversion rate that has caught the attention of Lions coach Leigh Matthews? He praised the Swans? accuracy in front of goal, as evidenced by O?Loughlin?s ?check side? kick on the run from the boundary line in the final quarter.
?When teams flood it allows you an opportunity to pick angles instead of bombing the ball to the top of the goal-square or centre half-forward,? commented Roos.
?It has been important to us the fact that our forwards are pretty good shots at goal.?
http://afl.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=113446