WXV: Toronto Wolves

[roo boys!]

Coach roo boys! on the Andrew Swallow injury

As you will all know by now, Toronto vice-captain Andrew Swallow went down with a ruptured achilles tendon while playing against Cairo on the weekend.

Its my responsibility as head coach to provide an update on his recuperation. Andrew returned from a successful surgery yesterday afternoon and he will spend the next few weeks in a plaster cast before moving into a boot. The plan is to keep the weight off his leg for a while then slowly easing him back into things. With all going well he could resume running in time for Toronto's pre-season camp up the Rockies. We'll obviously keep Andrew to a limited program early days and take the most careful approach to his recovery, rushing back such an important player when he's underdone is idiotic. Hard to set a date on when he'll make a competitive return to senior football, but he was down at the club today trying to convince the medical staff to let him play this week. Tough little bugger.

I'd also like to take this opportunity to provide a little clarity about his injury and the surrounding circumstances. With Toronto looking like we'll be around the mark of the points cap this season I decided it was probably best for the club for Andrew to strip a few thousand points off the tally by having a week or two off. (yes, he's that good). So, I briefly mentioned it to him before the game with something along the lines of "Hey Andy, if it looks like we're either home or not in a position to win don't be afraid to give yourself a reason to sit the game out". All of us in the coaching staff were just expecting him to "roll an ankle" and put a bit of an act on, but being the consummate professional that he is Swallow took it upon himself to inflict just about the worst injury possible. As he jogged off the ground after rupturing the tendon he came up to me and said "Is that good coach?"

In other news, inaugural winner and club captain Scott Pendlebury has taken...ummm....a bit of lead in the B&F count :P

Cunners flown up to 2nd in the last few weeks

Best and Fairest Running Tally
24 - Scott Pendlebury
7 - Ben Cunnington
6 - Brock McLean
5 - Jack Riewoldt, Paddy Ryder, Michael Johnson
4 - Ben Cunnington, Clint Jones, Andrew Swallow
3 - Dayne Zorko, Sam Butler, Jack Ziebell
1 - Darren Jolly

[ossie85]

Lol, pendlebury only slightly behind the next five put together!

[roo boys!]

Lol, pendlebury only slightly behind the next five put together!

And here I was thinking we weren't entirely a one man team....  :-[

[Toga]

Wanna trade Spitz back to Beijing? :P

[roo boys!]

Wanna trade Spitz back to Beijing? :P

Still getting over the loss of Liam Shiels :P

[CrowsFan]

I'd also like to take this opportunity to provide a little clarity about his injury and the surrounding circumstances. With Toronto looking like we'll be around the mark of the points cap this season I decided it was probably best for the club for Andrew to strip a few thousand points off the tally by having a week or two off. (yes, he's that good). So, I briefly mentioned it to him before the game with something along the lines of "Hey Andy, if it looks like we're either home or not in a position to win don't be afraid to give yourself a reason to sit the game out". All of us in the coaching staff were just expecting him to "roll an ankle" and put a bit of an act on, but being the consummate professional that he is Swallow took it upon himself to inflict just about the worst injury possible. As he jogged off the ground after rupturing the tendon he came up to me and said "Is that good coach?"

Sounds like you may want to get his head checked out too. May be a "special needs" guy...

[roo boys!]

Well he certainly is specialllllll




Sorry none of the Pumas players are that committed to their club to take the coach's word as gospel.

[Purple 77]

Lol, great read rb

[roo boys!]

Well with the season done and dusted now, it's time to run a comb through the 2013 playing list and seriously look at who performed and who didn't. To be honest not sure how aggressive I'll be in the trade period, still pretty happy with my best XV when they all get out on the park and lift their averages back to what they were in 2012! (Looking at you Nicholson, Zorko, Grima, Robbo, Pedo of 2011 and even Swallow when he recovers)

Currently in the rehab room are Andrew Swallow (achilles), Nathan Grima (back), Darren Jolly (knee), Clint Young (hamstring), Tom Curran (foot), Nick Hayes (foot), Tommy Walsh (hamstring). We expect all of these blokes to be back for pre-season training, Swallow will be on a modified program.

The club is still deciding what to do regarding the Best and Fairest presentation, the plan was to hold the presentation during the week of the WXV grand final, but the players moaned that they'll all have to come along and said "Just give it to Scotty already" so we're considering just giving him the medal now seeing as the running tally has removed all mystery for the fans. May as well update the final tally:

Elimination Final Voting
3 votes - Scott Pendlebury
2 votes - Ben Cunnington
1 vote - Steven Morris, Jamie MacMillan (both late inclusions off the emergency list haha)

Toronto Wolves Final Best And Fairest Tally
27 - Scott Pendlebury
9 - Ben Cunnington
6 - Brock McLean
5 - Jack Riewoldt, Paddy Ryder, Michael Johnson
4 - Ben Cunnington, Clint Jones, Andrew Swallow
3 - Dayne Zorko, Sam Butler, Jack Ziebell
1 - Darren Jolly, Steven Morris, Jamie MacMillan

[Purple 77]

Pendles a deserving winner, a guy you can build a team around!

Surprised Swallow only got 4 votes!

[roo boys!]

Pendles a deserving winner, a guy you can build a team around!

Surprised Swallow only got 4 votes!

Yeah I was as well tbh, Jolly, Swallow, Zorko and JZ a lot lower than I would have hoped. At least Jolly has his injuries to blame, but this was done purely on points scored this year with no bias input so a lot of the time Swallow would get 90-110 which might get him 1 vote but not a lot of big 3 vote games. Dropped off before getting injured.

For example his highest score of the year (137) came in round 1, where captain Pendles pulled out a 160 haha. Not often 137 gets you 2 votes

111 in rd 2 got him no votes, Pendles, Riewoldt and Jones all outscoring him

Again 125 in rd 5 resulted in another non-voter, with Zorko going 151, Pendles 136 and McLean 126.

His other 2 votes came in Rd6 with another 130, then he proceed to pump out 4 more tons without receiving a vote.

Very unlucky man!

[Purple 77]

Ah I see, I have a similar situation with a couple of my Brewers. One is leading the count current by one vote, who is averaging 11 ppg less then second!

Funny how things work out like that.

Maybe Zorko would benefit from a move to Berlin next season... 

[roo boys!]

Haha I'm not chasing him as hard as I did over the off season to give him up cheaply....will consider all offers though.

[Holz]

If only you werent a roo fan, could probably buy Swallow cheap at any other club (except dublin of course)

[roo boys!]

If only you werent a roo fan, could probably buy Swallow cheap at any other club (except dublin of course)

Could certainly get him for a lot less than he's worth I reckon, just shows by him going at #72 in the TX draft.

Thinking of that, I may type up one of those "list trading analysis thingos"

Available
Andrew Embley, Tom Bell, Ash McGrath, Michael Jamison, Aaron Joseph, Jesse Crichton, Taylor Hine, Nick Hayes, Mason Shaw, Jacob Gillbee, Ben Mabon, Nick Salter, Tom Jonas, Mark Whiley, Tom Curran, Frazer Dale, Ben Johnson (all yours if you want him, might chuck a Hudson haha)

Tradeable
Mitch Robinson, Dan Nicholson, Matt Maguire, Cam Pedersen, Steven Morris, Sam Butler, Matt Shaw, Brock McLean, Clint Young, Clint Jones, Jamie MacMillan, Levi Greenwood, Aaron Edwards, Aaron Hall, Tommy Walsh, Jesse White, Tom Hickey

Vital to team structure, would consider trading for similar player
Darren Jolly, Michael Johnson, Dayne Zorko, Nathan Grima

Will require some offer
Jack Ziebell, Paddy Ryder, Jack Riewoldt, Ben Cunnington

Don't try
Scott Pendlebury, Andrew Swallow, David Rodan