Roos kicks off 2009 with a twin spin

[ShockOfHair]

Lets keep the pessimism on hold for at least one game.

Or Baz drops his first chest mark.

[Flossie]

Scaring me enough to change my tip from the hawks to the cats!!

Why don't we play round 1 before everyone starts whinging.

Totally agree with this post. Lets keep the pessimism on hold for at least one game. I go into every season with high hopes and until I am proven otherwise I will stay positive about the Swans chances for the season.

[AnnieH]

Is that a good thing?

I would have thought that it would be embarassing to any team to be so short of depth that you are forced to play immature youngsters in round 1 . . . and it smacks of desperation.

The Swans softly-softly approach with youngsters makes much more sense - give them time to mature and introduce them gradually, and only when they've shown enough to deserve a shot at the big time.

Throwing 3 or 4 untried youngsters into the team in round 1 would be suicidal for the team, and probably for the youngsters involved . . . and for what? To make the team more "interesting"??

Scaring me enough to change my tip from the hawks to the cats!!

Why don't we play round 1 before everyone starts whinging.

[chammond]

Have a look at round 1 teams, to see how many new players( many from last years draft), let alone young players, are listed for all other clubs.

Is that a good thing?

I would have thought that it would be embarassing to any team to be so short of depth that you are forced to play immature youngsters in round 1 . . . and it smacks of desperation.

The Swans softly-softly approach with youngsters makes much more sense - give them time to mature and introduce them gradually, and only when they've shown enough to deserve a shot at the big time.

Throwing 3 or 4 untried youngsters into the team in round 1 would be suicidal for the team, and probably for the youngsters involved . . . and for what? To make the team more "interesting"??

[Legs Akimbo]

Who knows? Decent chance that some of them would have been. Vez I am pretty sure would have been in the team. Schmidt quite probably based on what he is capable of. But hard to tell given he hasn't been fit for about 15 months now.

Smith and Laidlaw are the two more doubtful calls.

Looking at the selected team, the only one who might well have been in is Barlow, but he's been under an injury cloud for the past week or so. O'Dwyer doesn't look far off but he hasn't had a pre-season where he's set the world on fire.

Brabazon?
Meredith?

[ShockOfHair]

I didn't read it as any kind of spin - Roos just observing there's more hype in Bleak City, and the irony of the older blokes being healthy and the young ones breaking down.


Battle-weary guns a concern for Roos - AFL.com.au

[ernie koala]

Who knows? Decent chance that some of them would have been. Vez I am pretty sure would have been in the team. Schmidt quite probably based on what he is capable of. But hard to tell given he hasn't been fit for about 15 months now.

Smith and Laidlaw are the two more doubtful calls.

Looking at the selected team, the only one who might well have been in is Barlow, but he's been under an injury cloud for the past week or so. O'Dwyer doesn't look far off but he hasn't had a pre-season where he's set the world on fire.

Liz, I agree with all the above. I just get ticked off that I'm now hearing the excuse of injury for not selecting a younger team. Rightly or wrongly the Swans pick their young players sparingly and belatedly, compared to all other clubs. I'm not looking to get into another discussion re; recruiting....but....Have a look at round 1 teams, to see how many new players( many from last years draft), let alone young players, are listed for all other clubs.

[liz]

1. Had to play the older players because all the young uns he would of picked are injured. ie Schmidt, Smith, Laidlaw , Vespa
Am I really to believe all these 4 would of been selected if fit..Going on Roosey's selecting form, I think not.

Who knows? Decent chance that some of them would have been. Vez I am pretty sure would have been in the team. Schmidt quite probably based on what he is capable of. But hard to tell given he hasn't been fit for about 15 months now.

Smith and Laidlaw are the two more doubtful calls.

Looking at the selected team, the only one who might well have been in is Barlow, but he's been under an injury cloud for the past week or so. O'Dwyer doesn't look far off but he hasn't had a pre-season where he's set the world on fire.

[royboy42]

Enjoy the season Ernie!

[ernie koala]

It hasn't taken long..not a ball has been kicked and Roosey is already spinning a double negative of excuses...
1. Had to play the older players because all the young uns he would of picked are injured. ie Schmidt, Smith, Laidlaw , Vespa
Am I really to believe all these 4 would of been selected if fit..Going on Roosey's selecting form, I think not.
2. Players aren't getting enough hype (melbourne style) here in Sydney, to be up for round 1.
The obvious solution would of been, take the squad to Melbourne today, go to tonights game, train at South Melbourne lakeside oval tomorrow in front of some south melbourne faithful... even watch tomorrow nights gf replay together at their hotel...
It certainly beats sitting in Sydney whinging about it.