SYDNEY PREVIEW
2007 in brief
Played: 23
Won: 12
Lost: 10
Drew: 1
Finished: 7th
Played every game (23)
Darren Jolly
Brett Kirk
Nick Malceski
Craig Bolton
Ben Mathews
Peter Everitt
Ted Richards
Adam Goodes
Jarrad McVeigh
Ryan O’Keefe
Michael O’Loughlin
Nick Fosdike
Jude Bolton
AFL debuts
R6, No.48: Kieren Jack (2)
R13, No.22: Matthew Laidlaw (1)
R20, No.41: Ed Barlow (4)
Best and Fairest Award
1 Brett Kirk 461
2 Nick Malceski 396
3 Craig Bolton 392
4 Adam Goodes 358
5 Ryan O’Keefe 347
Leading goalkickers
Barry Hall 44
Michael O’Loughlin 40
Nick Davis 33
Adam Schneider 27
Ryan O’Keefe 23
All-Australians
Nil
Departures
Retired: Stephen Doyle
Traded: Adam Schneider (St. Kilda), Sean Dempster (St. Kilda)
Delisted: Simon Phillips, Jonathan Simpkin, Luke Vogels.
2008 in brief
Chairman: Richard Colless
Chief Executive: Miles Baron-Hay
Coach: Paul Roos
Captains: Brett Kirk, Leo Barry, Craig Bolton.
Coaching staff: Paul Roos, John Longmire (coaching co-ordinator), John Blakey, Peter Berbakov, Mark Stone, Brett Allison (development), Daniel McPherson (development).
Arrivals
Father-Son selection: –
Trade: Martin Mattner (traded from Adelaide), Henry Playfair (traded from Geelong)
Rookie elevation: Ed Barlow, Luke Brennan, Kieren Jack
Scholarship elevation: Craig Bird
NAB AFL Draft: Brett Meredith, Patrick Veszpremi (2007 NAB AFL Draft)
International rookie selection: Brendan Murphy (Carlow, Ireland)
Non-registered for three years selection: –
NAB AFL Rookie Draft: Jake Orreal, Aaron Bruce, Dean Terlich, Matthew Beckmans
The Year Ahead
Widely regarded as having an ageing list, the 2005 Premiers last year made their earliest exit from the finals series since Paul Roos had his first full season in charge.
The Swans, who’ll be eager to prove they’re not a spent force this year, bowed out in their elimination final against Collingwood, suffering a 38-point defeat, their third loss against the Pies in 2007.
However the Harbour City side were troubled by injury for much of the year, with a knee injury confining talented defender Tadhg Kennelly’s contribution to just 13 out of a possible 23 games and star forward Barry Hall also struggling with injury for much of the season. Despite a knock to the shoulder in a reserves game last weekend, Kennelly should be fit for round one but the NAB Cup did claim one Swans’ victim. Defender Nick Malceski, who finished second in the club’s best and fairest ruptured his ACL in their round one defeat to Hawthorn and even if radical surgery to speed the recovery process is successful, he’ll almost definitely be out for the majority of the season.
Luckily for the Swans they traded for the hard-running Martin Mattner from Adelaide, whose acquisition is now all the more important in Malceski’s absence. Former Cat Henry Playfair was also an addition during trade week.
The Swans kick off their campaign against the St. Kilda in round one at Telstra Dome, which should have extra spice considering former assistant coach Ross Lyon is at the helm of the Saints and former Swans premiership players Adam Schneider and Sean Dempster now call Moorabbin home.
Premiership readiness
Despite many commentators’ predictions of the Swans finishing outside the top eight, Paul Roos’ outfit still has the potential to threaten. Hanging on for seventh position last year, they probably won’t finish any higher and maybe even just sneak the last spot in the top eight.
But if they do make the finals, the lack of September action last year means the player group, who for the two years previous had been involved in the last Saturday in September, are hungry to get back in premiership contention and this hunger could propel them in any possible finals’ action, providing they can stay injury free.
Who to watch
Former Crow Martin Mattner’s transfer to the Harbour City has become even more significant since the injury to Nick Malceski. The defender,, who is known for his attacking style should compliment the running game of Tadhg Kennelly. Their partnership and the possible return of Malceski later in the year should make for an interesting new defensive dynamic at the Swans.
Also watch out for new stoppage strategies and tactics as former Eagles’ football analyst Mark Stone has left the West to join his former club’s biggest rivals as an assistant coach.
Predicted ladder finish
8th: The Swans may just scrape into the top eight but if their big names remain injury free, they’ll be much bigger threat in this year’s finals’ campaign. What’s more the Swans will be enjoying the fact that the wider football community is writing them off, because that’s when they’re most dangerous.
Betting: $18
From the Club: Paul Roos
“I don’t think you ever look at where you’re going to finish. What you do is say, ‘are we going to be in the mix this year?’ There are so many unknowns but as a club we’re saying, ‘look we think we’re in a good position to make the eight’. How much higher, how much lower, depends on our injuries, our form all those sorts of things. This year we’re confident that we’ve got a good group of competitive players and we’re hoping we’ll be in the mix.”
The final word
The key to the Swans success this year will be to remain injury-free. With a more senior list than other AFL clubs, Sydney need their big names available to compliment a group of young players, including Craig Bird, Kieren Jack, Ed Barlow, Heath Grundy and Jarred Moore who’ve all impressed in the pre-season. If they can manage that, maybe a resurgent Swans team could cause September contenders some problems.
