SYDNEY Swans coach Paul Roos has been talking up his new players ahead of the club's season opener with St Kilda on Saturday night.
“We really wanted to bring a bit more run, and with Marty Mattner coming in... that has proved to be more of a masterstroke now,” Roos said on Tuesday.
Mattner was picked up from Adelaide in the off-season and was set to slot in with Tadhg Kennelly and Nick Malceski as part of a dream team of running defenders.
Malceski, runner-up in the club's 2007 best and fairest, picked up a season-ending injury in the pre-season, meaning Mattner's presence will be even more important for Roos.
“We've probably been stopped in our tracks a little bit with the injuries over the last few weeks,” Roos said of Malceski as well as Nic Fosdike's injury.
“So from that point of view we go into Saturday night with a newish looking team with, including Mattner, up to five or six guys who haven't played a lot of footy for the Sydney Swans, so that's what we wanted to achieve from our pre-season.
“I haven't finalised picking the team but there'll be a few guys who haven't played before or haven't played a lot of [senior] footy for the Swans.”
The return of a fit Tadhg Kennelly after six months in rehab was also like getting a new player. Roos said that while the Irishman would train lightly on Tuesday, he would be fine for Saturday night. "We'll let him do some stationary skills today and let him train on Thursday,” he said.
However, while Roos was happy to spruik the Swans youth, when it comes to the ruck contest on Saturday, the Saints' experienced Steven King and Michael Gardiner have guided Roos' selection thoughts.
“We know we have Lewis Roberts-Thomson, who's our preferred ruckman, the only problem is that he was centre half-back two years ago but he's played a lot in the ruck," Roos said.
“So at this stage it'll be Lewie and Jolls [Darren Jolly] in that position. Teddy Richards has rucked a bit as well but we've got to make a decision on that.”
Quizzed on the chance of elevating promising Jesse White to that position, Roos was cautious. “It is probably a bit bigger ask for not a natural ruckman," he said. "We'd probably play him down back or up forward but he's done a good job as a pinch-hitting ruckman.
“But I just feel we'd like to go in with two more experienced guys against their two experienced ruckmen.”
As for his opponents, coached by his mate Ross Lyon, Roos felt the Saints had a little more depth this season. One addition at St Kilda is former Swan Adam Schneider, a player who has provided the club with fond memories.
“He's part of this club's history having won a premiership here so we wish him all the best," Roos said.
“We hope Schneids has a great season, just not on Saturday night.”
