Belief beginning to build: Roos

SYDNEY Swans coach Paul Roos says the team’s 55-point win against Port Adelaide will give his players some much needed belief as they approach the halfway mark of the season.

Before Sunday’s clash at the SCG, the Swans had failed to string two wins together this season but that looked set to change after a blistering eight-goal first quarter.

The home side then held the Power at bay for the rest of the afternoon to score a comfortable win and move their win-loss record (5-4) into positive territory for the first time this year.

“I think they’ve got a little bit of belief now, hopefully. They know how to play but it’s just about getting up every single week and that’s the hardest thing in footy,” Roos said of his players.

He said the addition of Nick Malceski and Jared Crouch to the side that beat West Coast in round eight had improved the Swans’ resilience. 

“We’ve got some really good game time into the young guys but probably today it was time for the experienced guys to show there’s still a bit of fight and a bit of life in them,” Roos said.

“It was clearly the best we’ve played this year. I think we’ve played some good footy this year but it was our best four-quarter performance.”
 
Midfielders Brett Kirk, Jarrad McVeigh and Jude Bolton were among the Swans’ goalkickers and Roos said his side’s even spread of scorers was a key to the victory.

But he said the strong performances of Michael O’Loughlin and Barry Hall allowed their teammates to make those contributions. 

“It’s probably the best Hally’s caught the ball. He took some really good contested marks and Mick, every time he goes near the ball, he looks like he’s going to make something happen and he generally does.

“They’re in really good form together and they really complement each other. Having Mick and Hally in form certainly makes us a much better team.”

With two successive victories, the Swans head to Canberra’s Manuka Oval to take on the Western Bulldogs on Sunday.

“Every week’s going to be a battle and next week we’ve got the Bulldogs, who played outstanding against Geelong,” Roos said. 

“Hopefully we can get on a bit of a roll. That’s two in a row and you’ve got to make hay while the sun shines.”

Roos said defender Lewis Roberts-Thomson, a late withdrawal on Sunday with a hamstring complaint, should be fit to play while Craig Bird appeared to have recovered well after receiving concussion against the Power.