SYDNEY midfielder Craig Bird will be sidelined for up to three months due to a stress fracture in his foot.
The 21-year-old will not require surgery but he won't be able to resuming running for approximately six weeks.
"Whilst this is obviously not ideal, we know Craig will be back sometime in the front half of the season," Swans coach Paul Roos said.
"Craig has had a great pre-season prior to this injury which makes this particularly disappointing for him and the Club."
"At least this setback has happened early in the year so he will still have an opportunity to get back into the team and have a good season."
Taken with pick 59 in the 2007 national draft, Bird has played 36 games for Sydney.
SYDNEY has booked a NAB Cup quarter-final showdown with St Kilda with a hard-fought 12-point win over Carlton at Blacktown Olympic Park on Saturday night.
The Swans led at every change and eventually prevailed 2.7.11 (71) to 8.11 (59).
It was Sydney’s first win in the pre-season competition in eight years under coach Paul Roos.
Lewis Jetta - who was taken by the Swans with pick 14 in last year's national draft - was lively with two goals including a super goal while fellow first-round draftee Gary Rohan was also impressive.
Jude Bolton and Nick Malceski were busy contributors while ex-Hawk Ben McGlynn kicked two goals.
For Carlton, Heath Scotland collected 23 possessions and booted two goals, skipper Chris Judd and Richard Hadley won plenty of the football while Mitch Robinson kicked two first-quarter goals.
The Blues had the better of general play early and got the first goal of the match with Robinson converting after four minutes of action.
Sydney responded through McGylnn and found themselves in front after Martin Mattner kicked a super goal late in the term.
A comical error was made in the first quarter with a train siren being mistaken for the quarter-time siren.
The umpires were notified of the mix-up and the last 49 seconds of the term were played out as the Swans went into the first change with a two-point buffer.
In what was a scrappy second term, Sydney booted two goals to one to go into the main break with a narrow lead.
Carlton should have been in front at half-time but they let themselves down in front of goal, booting six behinds for the quarter.
Jetta showed his class with a super goal on the run at the six-minute mark of the third term before the Blues got the quick reply through Andrew Carrazzo.
The Swans then broke the game open, with majors from Rohan, Jetta and skipper Brett Kirk helping them establish a commanding 29-point lead.
It appeared as if Sydney would run away with the contest but Carlton lifted and hit back with late goals from Scotland and Lachlan Henderson to remain with striking distance at three-quarter time with Sydney holding a 17-point advantage.
The Blues got the crucial first goal of the final stanza with Scotland kicking his second but the Swans steadied through McGlynn and held on for a breakthrough win.
SYDNEY: 1.1.2, 1.3.2, 2.6.8, 2.7.11 (71)
CARLTON: 0.2.3, 0.3.9, 0.6.9, 0.8.11 (59)
SUPER GOALS: Sydney: Mattner, Jetta,
Carlton: Nil
GOALS: Sydney: McGlynn 2, Jetta, McVeigh, Dennis-Lane, Rohan, Kirk,
Carlton: Robinson 2, Scotland 2, Yarran, Carrazzo, Henderson, Thornton,
BEST: Sydney: Jetta, Malceski, J.Bolton, Kennelly, McGlynn
Cartlon: Scotland, Judd, Hadley, Robinson, Carrazzo
INJURIES: Sydney: Nil
Carlton: Brad Fisher suffered a suspected torn anterior cruciate ligament.
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Nil
UMPIRES: Kennedy, Ryan, Stewart
CROWD: 9,732 at Blacktown Olympic Park
NEW Sydney Swans forward Daniel Bradshaw will miss the club's NAB Cup campaign after undergoing knee surgery on Wednesday.
Scans revealed the former Brisbane Lion had cartilage floating in his knee and he had an arthroscope to remove the debris.
The 31-year-old is tipped to resume running in two to three weeks and is expected to be right for Sydney's round one clash against St Kilda at ANZ Stadium.
NEW Sydney recruit Daniel Bradshaw says it is relief to finally be a Swan after being selected by the club with pick four in the pre-season draft on Tuesday.
The 31-year-old walked out on Brisbane after being used as trade bait in an attempt to lure spearhead Brendan Fevola to the Lions.
He held talks with Carlton and Sydney before agreeing to terms on a three-year contract with the Swans.
But the deal could not be done unless Melbourne, Richmond and Fremantle all bypassed the 219-game veteran.
Bradshaw, who began training with Sydney in November, admitted to being a 'little bit nervous' heading into the draft.
"I felt like I was 17 again waiting for the draft," Bradshaw said.
"It would have been a surprise if another team had picked me up but just over the moon to be able to play for the Swans."
Swans coach Paul Roos plans to use Bradshaw alongside promising young forward Jesse White and dual Brownlow medallist Adam Goodes
"We probably didn't expect going into last year to lose both Mick (O'Loughlin) and Hally (Barry Hall) so to get Bradshaw probably continues with that plan we originally had going into 2009," Roos said.
"It gives us a chance to continue, more than anything else, that development path with Jesse White in that key forward role."
“With Goodes, Jesse White and Braddy, it’s a pretty good forward line going into 2010."
IRISHMAN Tadhg Kennelly is back at the Sydney Swans and believes he will be a better player next season.
The 28-year-old left the club in January to pursue his boyhood dream of winning an All-Ireland final with his native County Kerry.
The 2005 premiership defender, who signed a new two-year deal with the Swans last week, joined his teammates for training on Wednesday morning after arriving in Sydney on Tuesday night.
Kennelly vowed to repay the faith the club has shown in him and said he would be able to play with a lot more freedom in 2010 after achieving his goal of winning Gaelic football's biggest prize in September.
"The club has been an unbelievable support for me and I feel I have a massive loyalty to the club," Kennelly said.
"I owe them a lot and I feel I'll be a much, much better player personally because I don't have that drawcard of going back anymore."
"I feel that weight's off my shoulders. I feel like I can express myself a lot more and just go at it."
"There's times when I was going to games here in Australia and I was thinking, 'God, I wish I was going to Croke Park and playing with Kerry,' but that weight's well off my shoulders now and I feel like I can move on and really express myself as a footballer."
Kennelly, who was dogged by knee and shoulder injuries between 2007-2008, said a year away from the AFL had left him feeling refreshed physically.
"I feel like I’m 25, 26 years of age again because I didn’t pick up any injuries over there," he said.
"There’s a lot more running (in Gaelic football) than there is over here… and there is body contact, but it’s not as severe, obviously, because you don’t have to tackle. That’s been the best thing for my body."
"The shoulder’s fantastic and I can’t wait to get a good pre-season under my belt."
The decision to return to Australia wasn't easy an easy one for Kennelly but he said he was excited about his second stint at Sydney.
"There's very little chance that I'm going to go back playing (Gaelic) football again and that was very tough for me. This is probably the toughest decision of the lot," Kennelly said.
"I'm looking forward to the next three months, obviously I've signed a two-year contract and we'll see after that but in the short term it was very, very tough to leave (Ireland)."
"Obviously having a successful year over there was a fairytale really. I'm extremely excited it's like I'm coming to a new club again."
DUAL premiership player Stuart Dew has joined Sydney as a development coach.
Dew was a member of Port Adelaide's 2004 premiership side and played 180 games for the club before retiring at the end of the 2006 season.
The 30-year-old was lured out of retirement after a year out of the game by Hawthorn and played a key role in the Hawks' win over Geelong in the 2008 premiership decider.
However, after having his 2009 season ruined by injury, Dew elected to call it quits for the second time.
The development coaching role became available after Brett Allison returned to North Melbourne.
Dew will work alongside Stuart Maxfield and Daniel McPherson in the Swans' development department.
"I am excited about joining the Sydney Swans," Dew said.
"I have admired this Club from afar on the field and loved the way it operated.
"I now really look forward to getting involved, getting to know the group and contributing to what looks like an exciting list to work with."
Sydney coach Paul Roos said the club was 'extremely pleased' to have secured someone of Dew's calibre
“Coming from two excellent clubs in Port Adelaide and Hawthorn, and having won premierships with both, he will bring a wealth of experience and knowledge that he will be able to pass onto our players," Roos said.
Dew will start working at the Swans on Monday.
SYDNEY has delisted 2005 premiership player Luke Ablett and injury-prone forward Henry Playfair.
However, Swans coach Paul Roos said there was a chance the duo could be at the club in 2010.
"We'll assess them against how many picks we want, and what Luke or Henry brings compared to a young player coming into the list," Roos said.
"They're still training and very much in the mix to be part of the team."
Ablett has played 133 games for Sydney while a chronic hamstring complaint restricted Playfair to just 11 appearances in his two seasons with the Swans after crossing over from Geelong.
SYDNEY premiership player Tadhg Kennelly will return from Ireland to play with the club next season.
The 28-year-old quit AFL football on the eve of the 2009 season to return to Ireland to pursue his boyhood dream of winning an All-Ireland Gaelic football title with his native County Kerry.
But after that dream was fulfilled in September, Kennelly has decided to come back to Australia to add to his 158 games in the red and white.
Swans coach Paul Roos was delighted that the 2005 premiership defender was returning to the club.
"It's great news for the footy club - it was all sort of finalised last night," Roos told SEN on Friday morning.
"He's a terrific player and the year off has only helped him from a footy point of view get his body back right and we look forward to seeing him next week."
Roos said Kennelly may be moved away from his customary half-back position given the recruitment of Rhyce Shaw and the development of Martin Mattner.
"I think the first thing is to get him back as quick as possible, because he's got to step up aerobically from a 90-minute game to a 120-minute, so he really needs to get a good pre-season under his belt and I'm confident he'll do that," he said.
"He played a bit on the wing and he played as a forward in Ireland as well, so there's a variety of different roles we could play him in."
Kennelly, who was not delisted by the Swans, will sign a two-year deal.
SYDNEY coach Paul Roos is confident former Brisbane full forward Daniel Bradshaw will join the Swans via the pre-season draft.
The 30-year-old, who rejected a two-year contract from the Lions after being offered up in a trade for spearhead Brendan Fevola during trade week, nominated Sydney over Carlton as his preferred destination.
Melbourne, Richmond, Fremantle and North Melbourne have picks before the Swans in December's pre-season draft but Roos expects Bradshaw to be available at their first pick.
"He's got four kids, he carries a salary as he should and you've got to have room in your salary cap. Obviously he's 30 years old as well and some clubs like Melbourne and Richmond are going down different paths," Roos said.
"We expect him to get to pick five but obviously there are no guarantees."
Roos said Bradshaw - who kicked a club record 496 goals for Brisbane - would be a perfect addition to Sydney's forward line which no longer features Barry Hall and Michael O'Loughlin.
"The loss of Hally means we're trying to replace him with Adam (Goodes) in that similar role at centre half-forward, but we've got no one to replace Mick," he said.
"But Bradshaw is just the perfect player who can play out of full-forward with Jesse White next to him, so being able to emulate what Mick's been able to do and kick goals and help Jesse and tackle and set up things."
"In terms of the number of goals, who knows? But in terms of the amount of experience, we know he can be a quality player and person who can provide some experience that we've lost."
SYDNEY midfielder Tim Schmidt has retired from AFL football at the tender age of 23 to pursue a career in real estate.
Schmidt was taken with pick 29 in the 2003 national draft and played 17 games for the Swans after making his AFL debut in 2006.
Sydney chief executive Andrew Ireland said the club was 'supportive' of Schmidt's decision.
"On behalf of all at the club, we thank him for his efforts over the six years he has been with the club and wish him every success in the future," Ireland said.
South-Australian born Schmidt plans to stay in Sydney.
SYDNEY has informed Ryan Brabazon, Matthew Laidlaw and Daniel O'Keefe that their services are no longer required.
Brabazon, who was selected with pick 59 in the 2005 national draft, played just three games for the Swans including two this season.
Taken with selection 51 in the 2005 draft, Laidlaw made only one appearance for the club due to a shocking run with injuries.
O'Keefe was Sydney's first-round pick (number 15 overall) in the 2006 national draft but injuries prevented him from making his AFL debut.
September 11th 2009 15:07
SYDNEY midfielder Ryan O’Keefe has claimed his first Bob Skilton Medal.
O’Keefe polled 528 points to win the best-and-fairest award ahead of first-year Swan Rhyce Shaw (453) and co-captain Brett Kirk (421).
The win comes almost a year after the 28-year-old had pushed for a move back home to Victoria.
The 2005 premiership player had been linked to Hawthorn but Sydney and the Hawks were unable to agree to terms during trade week and O’Keefe ended up signing a four-year deal with the Swans.
O’Keefe, who has spent the majority of his career as a forward, moved into the midfield in 2009 and enjoyed a stellar season, averaging just under 24 possessions per game.
The top ten for the Bob Skilton Medal:
Ryan O'Keefe – 528 points
Rhyce Shaw – 453 points
Brett Kirk – 421 points
Darren Jolly – 415 points
Adam Goodes – 394 points
Jarrad McVeigh – 366 points
Kieren Jack – 346 points
Martin Mattner – 330 points
Heath Grundy – 318 points
Jude Bolton – 306 points
SYDNEY key forward Jesse White has earned the final NAB Rising Star nomination of the season.
White kicked three goals and took 10 marks in the Swans' eight-point loss to Brisbane at the SCG last Saturday night.
The 21-year-old, who was taken with pick 79 in the 2006 national draft, made his debut in round six last year and has shown some promising signs in his 18 appearances in 2009.
The former basketballer recently signed a two-year deal with Sydney, ending speculation he would return home to join the new Gold Coast team.
The AFL will honour White and the 21 other nominees at an awards function in Melbourne this Wednesday.
Brisbane midfielder Daniel Rich is the hot favourite to win the NAB Rising Star award.
TonyK
Cibbuano
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