Ryan O'Keefe

[Junktimer]

Few things I would like a few opinions on:

- Will he get much midfield time this year, got a bit last year.  If so, will he be used negatively as a tagger, or as a creative player?

- Is he fit?  Said last night he has had a "groin reconstruction", though I think that was in December, so he has had time to recover.  Said he is likely to play next week.

Cheers guys

[SydneyRox]

ROk is due to return this week against collingwood according to the swans website.
If he is fully fit, he would normally rotate through the mids/forward line, Roos pretty much allowed him to run a free agent (back in 2009)
Last year he carried that groin for the majority of the year, so his biggest asset which is his endurance was compromised. Meant he was called on to do some tagging and negating roles.

IMO he is needed in the mids and floating forwards, if he and Goodes can roam round the ground at will, it makes for two very difficult matchups for most teams.
He was my first selected in both formats this year, looks to be way underpriced.

[j959]

As SydRox writes above ... first look at ROK for this year ...

"Longmire looking forward to Pies challenge"
Source: Swans official website - dated 23 Feb 2011

The Sydney Swans will welcome back Ryan O’Keefe and Heath Grundy for this Friday night’s clash with reigning premiers Collingwood at Etihad Stadium, after both got through today’s final training session.

A final team of 26 will be named from an extended squad of 29 players to take on the Pies, which includes youngsters Jed Lamb, Luke Parker, Dan Currie, Lewis Johnston and Byron Sumner.

Swans coach John Longmire said he was looking forward to the challenge that Friday night’s match presented the team.

“We haven’t beaten them for a long time but it’s a new playing group and a new coaching group, and we will be making sure we do our best to give the best account of ourselves. We know we have to be at our best to get near the Pies and hopefully get over the line,” he said.

“It’s a good opportunity to play against the best team from last year. We’ve got a lot to learn, a lot to improve and to be able to play Collingwood and really test our structures and what we’ve been working on is really important," Longmire said.

Defensive efforts will be among the focuses for Longmire this weekend, with Collingwood's defence rated among the competition's best.

“We need to make sure we focus on the defensive aspects of our game, and we need to make sure our pressure skills when we don’t have the footy are first class.

“The best time you get to score is from turnovers - if your pressure side of your game is up, it tends to looks after your attacking side of the game as well,” he said.

Longmire said the new interchange rules, to be introduced for the 2011 premiership season, would mean some more experimenting with players in different parts of the ground throughout the preseason. 

“I think that will be a challenge for all coaches, to make sure we get that balance right.

“We’ve already heard a lot of the ruckman talking about their roles. On the weekend we put Pykey down back for a little bit, and I think we will continue to evolve that over the preseason and give blokes opportunities, whether it’s back or forward, to make sure we have enough flexibility come the season proper.,” Longmire said.

[bolding added]

Link to article at: http://www.sydneyswans.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/7106/newsid/108280/default.aspx

[Wes Mantooth]

agreed looks great but must be watched and I think its risky.
at 30years of age, how reliable are these "groin reconstructions"?

bet his missus must be happy... haha, i kid, i kid.

[SydneyRox]

Those who got on him, especially in Super Coach (like I did) will be very happy with his round 1 score. To back it up, he was all over the place on Sunday, one of the only guys not to have a poor second half, very encouraging.