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The champion midfielder put in an eye-catching display in the midfield at Olympic Park which was capped off by two lovely goals. Swan had a wretched 2014 campaign that was dogged by heel, foot and hamstring injuries and restricted him to his lowest tally of disposals in nine years. His preparation for last season was ruined by glandular fever and a wrist reconstruction, but fast forward 12 months and assistant coach Robert Harvey said the Brownlow Medalist was looking in much better shape. "He's not getting any pain in his body, he's been graduated into the system really well and he's been full training now for about four weeks," Harvey said. "The way he moved tonight was really positive. " He's clearly moving better than last year so now the challenge is to manage him and keep him up and going and get enough work into him to be right for Round 1." Harvey confirmed Swan would also play at least some practice matches over the next few weeks. Collingwood's three new recruits - Travis Varcoe, Levi Greenwood and Jack Crisp, who were all traded in from other clubs last year - took part in the match too and, while they didn't set the world on fire, did enough to please Harvey. "All three had their patches and I thought obviously Travis Varcoe with his finishing, we saw the class at times tonight. He's going to be really important for us," Harvey said. "Crisp, I thought, some of his tackling for an intra-club game was really strong and some of his work around the ball ... we're excited about and Levi coming from North he's looking like continuing that year he had last year – he hasn't put a foot wrong either." Untried youngsters Nathan Freeman, whose 2014 was written off by hamstring injuries, and top five pick Jordan De Goey also impressed through the midfield and Harvey said the pair would be pushing for selection come Round 1. "I thought he (Freeman) got better as it went on. To see him running so strongly at the end and some of his contest work in that last 10 minutes of the game were probably some of his best," Harvey said. "He had a horrific year last year and just to see a young kid - an early draft pick - get out there and do what he can do is positive and it's going to give him a lot of assurance going into the season. " He's ready to go." Another source of excitement on the night was American rookie Mason Cox who split his time between forward and ruck. The 211cm giant is still raw and requires more development but he kicked a goal and took a big pack mark and Harvey was impressed with what he saw. "The guy has only been in the game a couple of months so he's still learning the caper but we feel he's got a future clearly," Harvey said. "To be that athletic and that tall and he's picked up the game so well, we're excited with where he's at." Other players who stood out were captain Scott Pendlebury, Steele Sidebottom, Alex Fasolo up forward, Jesse White, Brodie Grundy, Marley Williams, Patrick Karnezis, Josh Thomas, Taylor Adams and Tom Langdon who kept Tyson Goldsack quiet. Nathan Brown pulled out of the game late due to a corked muscle but is fine, according to Harvey. |
The 30-year-old turned it on for the crowd kicking two goals and gaining two clearances in quick succession, demonstrating his readiness to bounce back from a disappointing 2014. He played all but the final 10 minutes and was busy all game. Assistant coach Robert Harvey said it was evident Swan was moving better at this stage than he did last season and his form reflected his impressive approach over summer. "The way he moved tonight was really positive," Harvey said. "Now the challenge is to manage him and get him up and going and get enough work into him to have him ready for round one." The Magpies were impressed with the early form of its first pick in the 2014 NAB AFL Draft Jordan De Goey, who was conspicuous around the packs, winning the ball in tight and showing great strength and pace. Harvey said there were still areas De Goey needed to work on but he could be pushing for senior selection early in the season. "He's a confident kid, who feels he belongs at that level … certainly the contest does not worry him," Harvey said. Although De Goey faded out of the game he did not look out of place while fellow top 10 draft pick Nathan Freeman – who missed virtually all of 2014 with hamstring problems – performed better the longer the game went. Harvey said Freeman should gain confidence from his performance after a horrific 2014. Another player cruelled by injury in recent seasons, Alex Fasolo, played up forward, signalling the experiment of playing him in defence might be over. He kicked a trademark snap in the final quarter. Harvey said Fasolo had trained as a forward this pre-season and was likely to begin the year close to goals. Fasolo also pushed up on the wing late in the game. Captain Scott Pendlebury showed his class at times but played an outside role while key forward Travis Cloke kicked two goals and was busy. Recruit Travis Varcoe played on the wing and forward of centre attempting to take the game on and showed he will add the run that Heritier Lumumba provided before he left for Melbourne at the end of last season. "We saw [Varcoe's] class at times tonight and he is going to be really important for us," Harvey said. The coach also praised Levi Greenwood – who crossed from North Melbourne in trade week – and said he had not put a foot wrong since joining the club. In front of an impressive crowd on a balmy night, Magpie supporters looked to enjoy the festive atmosphere. Harvey knows it's early days but he was satisfied with what he saw. "Bucks has talked a lot about how even we want to be this year as a team and that was a good start for us in that regard. There were guys putting their hand up at times all night." The only downside was the late withdrawal of defender Nathan Brown who pulled out of the game after receiving a corkie at training on Friday. Harvey said there was no point risking him in an intra-club game and the move was a precaution. With a squad of 37 available the only significant names to miss other than Brown were Ben Reid, Clinton Young, Darcy Moore, Matt Scharenberg and Brent Macaffer. Sharenberg and Macaffer are recovering from knee reconstructions. |
 Swan, who described his disappointing 2014 campaign as “horrendous” and “putrid”, turned back the clock in front of a large crowd at Olympic Park. The 30-year-old, who played through the midfield and off a wing, was excellent throughout, but particularly devastating in a third-quarter burst reminiscent of his very best. He ripped balls from stoppages, sidestepped tacklers, surged into space and kicked goals in an eye-catching performance. But perhaps most encouraging for Pies fans was the return of the trademark zip that made him one of the game’s most devastating on-ballers. Collingwood assistant coach Robert Harvey said the club had been buoyed by Swan’s fitness a month after he returned to full training from off-season hip surgery. “He’s played a lot of these games and it was just good for us to see that he’s moving the way we thought he’d move and that he still does what he does,” Harvey said. “That’s a good sign. It was just good to see him moving so freely and it looks like he’s enjoying his footy. “You can see he’s moving better. He’s not getting any pain through his body. He’s clearly moving better than last year so now the challenge is to manage him and keep him going and get enough work into him to be right for Round 1.” Former defender Lachie Keefe caught the eye in his first outing as a forward, competing well in aerial contests, while Alex Fasolo will also return to the forward line in 2015. American college basketballer Mason Cox also started inside 50m and showed glimpses of the raw talent that has the Pies excited, particularly in the ruck at centre bounces. “He’s still learning the caper but we feel he’s got a future, clearly, to be that athletic and that tall and he’s picked up the game so well,” Harvey said. Second-year midfielder Nathan Freeman, whose 2014 debut season was ruined by a nightmare hamstring injury, got better as the game went on. Jordan De Goey, the Pies’ first pick in November’s national draft, was equally impressive. Off-season recruits Travis Varcoe, Jack Crisp and Levi Greenwood all had their moments, with Varcoe’s outside pace and skill shaping as a key addition. The club reported no fresh injuries. Defender Nathan Brown was a late withdrawal after suffering a corked leg at training. |
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Friday, February 20, 2015
Intra-Club Match
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