TonyK
CibbuanoSwans on notice
August 25th 2008 08:02
SYDNEY has two weeks to show whether they are a spent force according to coach Paul Roos
The Swans have lost six of their past eight matches to drop to eighth place on the AFL ladder.
While a sixth straight finals appearance is guaranteed, Roos said his players needed to perform better against Brisbane this week and in the first week of the finals to prove that the club is still a genuine force.
"I think the next couple of weeks will tell. There's certainly some signs. I guess that's to be expected. You play in the finals series five or six years. I think you've got to give some credit to the group that even though we are not playing great footy at the moment, to make the finals six years in a row ... it's enormously challenging," he said.
Roos said some players will be rested this weekend but admitted it was important that his side go into the first week of the finals with a confidence boosting win under their belt.
"I think you've got to find the balance. We've got two weeks, this game's important on Saturday night, but more from the point of view of how we set up for the next final. We might need to rest some players," he said.
"We've got a week to sort ourselves out and get ourselves to a position where we are able to compete against St Kilda, or Adelaide, or Collingwood. That's the immediate challenge."
"We know it doesn't mean anything in terms of getting in or out of the finals. We've got to take the opportunity to rest some players with an important game the following week.
We need to take this week to get ready for the first week of the finals."
The Swans have lost six of their past eight matches to drop to eighth place on the AFL ladder.
While a sixth straight finals appearance is guaranteed, Roos said his players needed to perform better against Brisbane this week and in the first week of the finals to prove that the club is still a genuine force.
"I think the next couple of weeks will tell. There's certainly some signs. I guess that's to be expected. You play in the finals series five or six years. I think you've got to give some credit to the group that even though we are not playing great footy at the moment, to make the finals six years in a row ... it's enormously challenging," he said.
Roos said some players will be rested this weekend but admitted it was important that his side go into the first week of the finals with a confidence boosting win under their belt.
"I think you've got to find the balance. We've got two weeks, this game's important on Saturday night, but more from the point of view of how we set up for the next final. We might need to rest some players," he said.
"We've got a week to sort ourselves out and get ourselves to a position where we are able to compete against St Kilda, or Adelaide, or Collingwood. That's the immediate challenge."
"We know it doesn't mean anything in terms of getting in or out of the finals. We've got to take the opportunity to rest some players with an important game the following week.
We need to take this week to get ready for the first week of the finals."
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