Young guns key to success

By James Matthey

While the sight of Jude Bolton, Adam Goodes and Ryan O’Keefe leading the Swans to victory is a familiar sight for supporters, the squad’s younger members are playing an equally important role in 2013.

The likes of Luke Parker, Tony Armstrong and Sam Reid, among others, have stepped up this season to ensure that the defending premiers aren’t just relying on the senior players to carry their side over the line.

Swans co-captain Adam Goodes recognised their contribution, saying the club’s youngsters are keeping the more experienced players on their toes.

“I think the competition for spots is high and that’s what you want.

“It’s one of those things that you need at a football club. You need the young guys to keep pushing the older guys, you need the young guys to keep pushing the middle tier players so they don’t get comfortable in their positions as well and you’re seeing on the weekend just passed how hungry players are.

“Look at a guy like Luke Parker who’s just taken another step this year, and obviously towards the end of the year he was just a sub-player coming on and playing that role for us and now he’s just turning himself into an elite midfielder,” said Goodes.

“The club has worked extremely hard to get the balance right for positions and to get the young players in that can fill spots.

“It’s a battle for positions and that’s what you want and that’s what you need at successful clubs to keep getting better and improving every year.”

The Swans’ depth has been helped with the acquisition this year of some strong home-grown talent, including Clovelly’s Dane Rampe, who debuted in Round 1 against the GIANTS, and Narrabri’s Sam Naismith.

Goodes also sounded an ominous warning to opposition teams, claiming he is back to peak fitness after a knee injury suffered in last year’s Grand Final hampered his pre-season.

“It’s been great, I’ve had three games now where I’ve been pretty much at 100 per cent capacity,” said Goodes.

“It’s been a slow build up through pre-season but it’s nice to get those full games under my belt and I’m feeling fitness wise that I’m just as fit as any other boys.

“Obviously I had to rest for quite a fair bit of time on my pre-season just to get my knee right but I haven’t had any setbacks with it.

“It feels fine, it feels great to jump off, turn, twist, and I’ve had a pretty full-on running pre-season this side of Christmas…since then it’s been great and I’ve played five games of footy now and three pretty much at 100 per cent,” said Goodes.

Despite starring in the forward line in the 2012 decider and playing a pivotal role for the Bloods in the same position this season, Goodes said he would relish the opportunity to get back into the midfield.

“I definitely would love to play more in the midfield, but like I said before our midfield is just playing so well.

“Until the big fella Kurt Tippett comes in I’m happy to play that role up forward and pitch in in the midfield when they need me, but unfortunately they haven’t needed me this year which is a positive as well.

“I’ve got two half-good legs at the moment so I’d like to think I could play a bit more of a role than what I did in the Grand Final, but we’re very disciplined in this football club and you play your role for the team, whatever it is, from week to week and it changes for each player so I’m happy just to keep on doing that.”

Goodes will be hoping to continue his impressive 2013 form when the Swans come up against Geelong on Friday April 19 at the SCG.