The Sydney Swans have made three changes for their round 13 clash against league-leaders Geelong on Saturday at Skilled Stadium.
Matthew Laidlaw will make his senior debut; Jarred Moore comes in to play his eighth career game while Nick Davis returns to the forward line after sitting out the Collingwood loss with a foot complaint.
They come in at the expense of Adam Schneider, Heath Grundy and Barry Hall, who has finally succumbed to a groin injury.
Laidlaw was drafted number 51 overall in 2005 and was on the cusp of making his senior debut last season before showing impressive form in the pre-season. The 20-year-old was recruited from Carey Grammar/Oakleigh U18.
Roos hopes the debut of Laidlaw offsets the players disappointment in losing Hall.
“Schneider out, Grundy out, Matty Laidlaw plays his first game, which is always exciting, a young kid playing and Jarred Moore will come back in as well,” Roos said on Thursday when he confirmed the team changes.
“I think losing Barry's a real downer, and you can put a positive spin on it, but I think the positive thing is a young kid playing his first game. You hope the players are more upbeat when they hear and I think that sort of stuff does give players a little bit more of a lift.
“I don't think Schneids or Heath Grundy are playing particularly poorly, but we've taken the approach this week that the best thing for them is to go back to seconds and play some really good football and we think that's the best way to get them into really good form.”
Roos is impressed with Laidlaw’s strength for his age and admits his versatility got him over the line.
“Matty's six foot, 83 kilos, strong bodied and very, very quick. He's very powerful for a young kid. He plays back and forward, and that's probably the thing that gets him over the line,” Roos added.
“There's probably two or three young guys who are in the mix to get selected as well, but the fact he can go back and go forward (helped). He's played full-forward in the seconds as well, as a key forward, and undersized key forward, so that's an advantage. He's a pretty exciting young kid."
Meanwhile tough tagger Max Rooke returns for Geelong after serving his one match suspension with Kane Tenace omitted.
ROUND 13
GEELONG vs. SYDNEY SWANS
Saturday, 2.10pm – Skilled Stadium
SYDNEY SWANS
B: Richards, Barry, Dempster
HB: Bevan, C.Bolton, Mathews
C: Ablett, Kirk, Malceski
HF: R.O'Keefe, O'Loughlin, J.Bolton
F: Davis, Goodes, Buchanan
FOLL: Jolly, McVeigh, Fosdike
I/C: Everitt, Laidlaw, Moore, Schmidt
EMER: Schneider, Thornton, Vogels
IN: Davis, Laidlaw, Moore
OUT: Hall (groin), Grundy, Schneider
GEELONG
B: Milburn, Scarlett, Enright
HB: Mackie, Egan, Harley
C: Corey, Bartel, Wojcinski
HF: Chapman, Mooney, Varcoe
F: Johnson, N.Ablett, Stokes
FOLL: Ottens, Ling, G.Ablett
I/C: Blake, Kelly, Selwood, Rooke
EMER: Hunt, Tenace, Johnson
IN: Rooke
OUT: Tenace
