John Longmire fronts the media and chats on all the hot topics, including James Rowbottom's tribunal hearing, our victory over Essendon, and his thoughts on co-captain Dane Rampe as he prepares for his 200th game in the red and white.
On James Rowbottom’s suspension
"We felt as though we had a real case and we thought we argued it really well at the tribunal and had a fair hearing," he said.
"Unfortunately, it didn’t go our way. We will sit down after training and see what that looks like for us. James has been a very important part of our team this year and what we will from here will be decided upon this afternoon."
On our performance against Essendon
"It was an important game for us after we had a disappointing loss against Gold Coast," he said.
"It was important for us to bounce back. We felt like we played a hard and competitive game but the challenges keep coming.
"Carlton are probably the no.1 midfield in the competition – it’s a tough game this week and our energies and efforts are being directed towards that. We moved on pretty quickly from the Essendon game."
On the challenge of facing Carlton
"I watched them play on Sunday and they are a well-balanced team at the moment," he said.
"While they have one of their key forwards out, they restructured last week really well – they put some small forwards in there and they are doing a really good job.
"Their midfield gives them plenty of supplies and plenty of inside 50s. Their backline is really well balanced at the present time so they’re a really good team and it’s a great test for us this weekend against one of the form teams of the competition."
On Dane Rampe's 200th game milestone
"I think it’s a fantastic story. He missed four drafts and he went to Melbourne to try and pursue his dream and it didn’t come off, then he came back to Sydney and played in the local footy league," he said.
"I remember when he did his first training session here, he did a 3km time trial and ran really well – we didn’t know a lot of his background but what we did know from that run was that he had a great blend of speed and endurance.
"When we put him on the rookie list, we saw a real competitor emerge, and from the moment he walked into the place he has been a fantastic contributor to our club – on and off the field.
"He’s one of the great characters in our club, a wonderful balance of being a hard and tough competitor but also being really caring to his team-mates and friends. We feel that blend of a person at a footy club is really important.
“It’s a wonderful example to anyone – in particular, to the young guys in the Sydney market to know that you can still find a path on an AFL club. To be knocked back so many times – it’s a great story of resilience and commitment and drive to be able to achieve your goals.
"Then to come into the team, and be one of the most trusted players over a long period of time, is a testament to the type of person Dane is. He is a wonderful leader for our footy club.
