Assistant coach Henry Playfair is looking forward to the challenge of overseeing all areas of game day during the Swans’ second NAB Challenge match on Sunday.
Playfair, embarking on his fourth season as forwards coach, will take to the hot seat for Sunday’s clash against Fremantle at Drummoyne Oval.
It will be the first time Playfair has taken sole responsibility of a full playing list since 2011 when the former Cat and Swan coached the club’s reserves side to the NEAFL grand final.
Playfair believes the experience gained from that stint, plus knowledge learned over the past three seasons as an assistant under senior coach John Longmire, should hold him in good stead.
“I’m really excited and really looking forward to it,” Playfair said.
“A couple of years ago I would have been anxious, pretty nervous and a bit uncertain.
“I still am all of those a little bit but I’m more excited than anything.”
Instead of focusing solely on the likes of Lance Franklin and Adam Goodes in the forward line, Playfair will have all corners of Drummoyne Oval to oversee which is sure to be a “different and challenging” task.
While Playfair is confident in his own coaching ability there will always be the welcomed help and guidance from his fellow assistants and senior counterpart.
“As an assistant we have our own area to focus on and make recommendations on,” Playfair said.
“This time around to step out of that, even though it’s only for a week and it’s a NAB Challenge game, it gives you a further insight into what it’s like sitting in the main chair.
“John’s still a massive part of it and will be floating in and out of the box to throw up some ideas. At the end of the day he has the overriding call and if he wants something done, then I’ll get it done for him.”
Playfair takes over from fellow assistant John Blakey who coached the side against Brisbane.
The stand-in coach will be buoyed by the return of Franklin, Goodes, Ted Richards, Jarrad McVeigh, Tom Derickx and Jake Lloyd into the 29-man squad for Sunday’s game which can be watched live at sydneyswans.com.au
Senior assistant coach Stuart Dew will then take over for the team’s final hit-out ahead of the season proper, against GWS in Canberra on March 22.
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