Experienced reserves setting the standard

Crouch said forwards Tommy Walsh and Jesse White, who have both played senior football this season, have shown professionalism and leadership within the reserves ranks.

“I think the most pleasing thing is that both (Walsh and White) have played a senior game and have come back and played well,” Crouch told SwansTV.

“When they have come back they haven’t sooked or thought the world was against them, they’ve actually come out and played some really good football.”

The coach said the pair had led from the front in recent weeks, and combined for 11 goals against Ainslie in Canberra last Saturday.

“Their attitude has been most pleasing and they’ve been on the end of some very good work from up the field and they’ve done their part and they’ve kicked straight,” Crouch said.

“I’ve been really pleased with those guys as well as Mitch Morton, who has also been in and out of the senior side.

“It makes it easier for the younger players to learn of them as senior players, but it also shows how important attitude is out on the football field.”

Last weekend’s victory was the reserves’ seventh win for the season, which moved the side a game clear on top of the NEAFL Eastern Conference table.

Crouch said he was impressed with the overall team effort against the Tricolours, in particular their cohesion during this early-to-middle stage of the season.

“It’s been really pleasing, especially when we’ve had such an influx of new players,” he said.

“They’ve been working pretty hard over the last few weeks and have been playing some good football, especially early, and set the standards to set up the game.

“You have to be a bit wary that the new players might take a little bit of time to gel and that some of the young bodies might take a little while to get used to playing against men, but I think the boys have worked really well as a team.

“Overall we’ve been pretty happy with everything that’s been going on.”

One of those young players who has impressed Crouch is Tom Mitchell, who is now in his second season at the club.

After an injury interrupted 2012, the 19-year-old is at full fitness and has been the Swans reserves’ most prolific ball winner in the last month of football.

Crouch said Mitchell, who was named as an emergency for the senior side last week, was working hard to elevate his fitness to an AFL standard.

“I guess the good thing for Tom is that he’s been able to play full games of football,” he said.

“I think the last three (weeks) he’s played a full game, but there is no doubt that the fitness level required at the reserves level compared to AFL level is totally different.

“He just needs to continue to work hard not only in games to make sure he gets extra running there, but to also make sure he continues to do that during the week.

“You can only play against the opponents you’ve got at the level you play, but it’s just about making sure you use every opportunity you’ve got to do the extras, to make it as ‘senior-like’ as you can during the week.”

The Swans reserves will be looking to notch up their fourth win on the trot when they take on Belconnen in Saturday afternoon’s curtain raiser at the SCG.

Crouch said Belconnen, who have moved into second place on the Eastern Conference table, would be another test for his young side this weekend.

“From what I understand Belconnen have been very good all year,” he said.

“I think they’ve had some players who used to be at the club come back and Belconnen are a very proud club in Canberra and have always been certainly very strong.

“I’m looking forward to them coming out and wanting to test themselves on the SCG against senior listed players.