Young Swans must take their chances: Bolton

SYDNEY Swans midfielder Jude Bolton says the side’s younger players will be encouraged to make the most of their opportunities for the remainder of the season.

With the Swans seemingly out of contention for a spot in the eight after their 10th loss of the season against Carlton last Saturday, 2010 and beyond has become the focus.

Coach Paul Roos has made it clear he wants to give his younger players more senior experience.

Bolton says the younger brigade will be made to feel confident they can take on the rest of the season.

It will be a point emphasised at Wednesday's regular team development meeting as the club looks to regenerate just as they did in 2002/3.

“We'll be pencilling in where we're at as a team,” Bolton said. “That's why we have these meetings... we really want the young guys to take ownership of what we're about.

“That's what happened when Andrew Dunkley, Wayne Schwass, Paul Kelly, and those guys retired.”

Bolton said it was up to players like Jesse White and Nick Smith to come through and take control.

Another issue that will be raised at Wednesday’s team development meeting is the drop off in the Swans’ hardness at the ball.

“We've been inconsistent in a lot of areas,” Bolton said. “Earlier on in the season we were definitely smashed in that area [contested ball situations] and that's something we really need to work on.”

“Our effort has been down across the board and that's been disappointing over the last couple of weeks.

“We have just dropped away with some cough-ups around the footy. To be over-run like we were against Carlton is really disappointing, especially before our Hall of Fame dinner. It was pretty disrespectful.”

In other news, defender Ted Richards is expected back in Sydney early next week.

Richards was left coughing up blood after colliding with Craig Bolton and Carlton's Brendan Fevola in a marking contest late in the 51-point loss to the Blues at Docklands last weekend.

He suffered a punctured lung, broken ribs and internal chest bleeding and remains in hospital in Melbourne.

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