Ahead of his first AFL season at the helm, Senior Coach Dean Cox appeared in a press conference on Wednesday, March 5, to discuss Opening Round.

Find out what he had to say about Errol Gulden’s recovery, Tom McCartin’s role in the forward line and his first game as Senior Coach.

On Sydney now opening the season

“It's a bit of a different situation, I think first of all, for the people in Queensland and northern New South Wales, we just want to make sure they're safe. We understand football is just a game, there's a lot more at stake than just a game of footy. That's the first thought. The second thought is it's a great opportunity for this football club to open the season and play an amazing football team in Hawthorn as well.”

On Hawthorn

“They've played some really good footy. They've played Geelong and the Bulldogs; I suppose Geelong jumped them early at their home ground. I think what they did last year was phenomenal for a young football team. Their strengths weren't only, like everyone talks about, their ball movement, it was about the ability to play the game in the front half. Their contest was really strong, they've got some quality players that are really dangerous. We're under no illusion there, they are a very, very good and dangerous football team.”

On the injury list

“Unfortunately, that's what happens when you're playing games and trying to get prepared for a season. If you want to push the boundaries as much as you possibly can to get them in the shape they need to be, you're unfortunately going to lose one or two along the way. 

"It's not great to lose some of the calibre of players we do, but that's why you have a squad and you've got a large group of young players that can come in and hopefully fill the void.”

On Errol Gulden

“We haven't spoken to the surgeon, other than obviously things went well. He's back in Sydney, so from now it's about him just trying to get through the next couple of weeks.

Then once we reassess him, the timeframe will come from that. Obviously, it won't be anytime soon, so that's the unfortunate part for the footy club.”

On Brodie Grundy and Tom Papley

“We'll train tonight, they did what they had to do Monday and now it's about trying to ramp right up for tonight's session. We'll assess them after training, but also tomorrow morning and see how they pull up.  So far, they've done what's required, which is pleasing for us.”

On Tom McCartin

“He's been good and that's the thing with Tom playing a different spot or one that he hasn't played for a long time, it's going to take time. 

I think the thing with Tom is just to play on instinct and not think about it too much. He's got a really high work rate, and to be able to put defenders into positions where he's up for an outlet or he's leading back to goal or he's turning his bloke inside out.

 The other thing I said to Tom is he's learnt from so many great players about how to implement their craft in his game, and that'll take time. But he's really enjoying it, so hopefully he can stay playing the way he has been.”

On James Jordan

“I think the good balance with James is his ability to play both sides of the ball. One thing you want, you certainly want a midfielder to be a hard two-way running midfielder, and James is at the top of the tree in that regard.

He's defensively minded when he needs to be, his ability to try and attack when he has to has been really good this pre-season. Finding the balance is important, you've also got him there to be able to knock someone over and he can do it at the start of a game, he can do it mid-game where he just switches mentally and goes, okay, now my role for the team is this, and he does it. That's why he's loved at the footy club.”

On John Longmire

“I've spoken to him regularly, I think that's one thing, we’ve got a great facility with a coffee area up the top, and that's where I've spent all my time, to be able to bounce ideas off him.

He's sort of wanted to allow us to do it our way, and certainly myself, but he's a great sounding board. He's an incredible football brain, but also a great friend as well. It hasn't just all been about footy, it's been about everything else going on and vice versa with him.”

On his first game as Senior Coach

“I'll be nervous, I suppose like most of the players, the season's here and it's real. At the moment I'm okay, it's just getting through the next couple of days.

My thing is, I've got to prepare the players as well as I possibly can. That's my initial role, hopefully, by the time they're ready Friday night, they're clear with what they have to do and try and implement what we want, but also what Hawthorn does.

From there it's about in-game, I've just got to manage that the best way I possibly can. I've had a little bit of experience doing it, not in the hot seat, but it’s one I'm really looking forward to.”