Coach John Longmire confirmed the news before the team’s final training session on Friday morning, with Rohan set to play his first game since he suffered a horrific leg break in round four last season, and his 23rd senior game overall.
After major surgery on his fractured tibia, more than a year of rehab, and four matches in the NEAFL, the popular 22-year-old told SwansTV he couldn’t wait to get amongst it with his Swans’ team mates this weekend.
“I’m pretty excited and I’m pretty pumped as well,” Rohan said.
“I can’t wait for Sunday.
“It actually feels like it’s my first game again and it feels like I’ve just come into the club and am making my debut.”
Since making his return via the reserves in mid-July, Rohan has been pushing hard to put his name in contention for senior selection.
He kicked two goals in his first match back in the NEAFL and has been building towards full match time, which he achieved in the Swans reserves’ most recent match against UWS.
After five weeks of waiting, Rohan said he was excited and a little be shocked to get the good news from Longmire earlier this week.
“I found out on Tuesday before training and Horse brought us all in and announced it then,” he said.
“It hit me pretty hard because I wasn’t expected to play so soon, but I was very excited that all of the hard work I’ve done has paid off.
“I thought I’d struggle a bit when I came back (via the reserves) but I played pretty well and have played consistently and now I’m finally playing seniors.”
Speaking on Friday, Longmire said the Swans’ players and coaches were thrilled to see Rohan named in the team this weekend.
“There are not too many players who get a standing ovation when they come back and start playing again in the reserves, so that’s the esteem he’s held in around the footy club,” he said.
“He’s just a really popular kid and he’s really upbeat and gets around the place and is a really good person to be around.”
The coach said Rohan’s attitude and resilience over the last 15 months had been exceptional given the severity of his injury.
“I remember when I went and saw him after the North Melbourne game last year when he was in hospital and I’ve never been so disappointed after a win and to see him sitting there in his hospital bed with his family, who have been magnificent support, was really tough,” Longmire said.
“The challenge to come back from that injury is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, in football and he’s been able to do that and show an enormous amount of resilience along the way.”
While more than 480 days have passed since he lined up in his last game for the Swans at the SCG in April last year, Rohan said he felt fit and has full confidence in his leg.
“I’ve played four games, and although in one game I struggled a bit, in the others I played pretty well and I was very confident in my leg, so I don’t worry about it,” he said.
Longmire said the club had full confidence in Rohan’s fitness ahead of Sunday’s game, adding that Rohan’s recovery after his four reserves games had been excellent.
“We’ve been speaking to the medical and conditioning staff and it was really a discussion about how well he’s been pulling up after the games, and he’s been pulling up extremely well and probably even surprised us with how well he’s been pulling up,” Longmire said.
“He played close to 100 minutes on the weekend in our reserves and we probably didn’t expect him to be bouncing back so quickly on the Monday and pulling up so well.”
The coach added the 22-year-old had shown no signs of losing his lightning pace since coming back from his long lay-off.
“The stuff we’ve seen and his work at training, as well as his work with the reserves, at times we’ve seen that absolute top-end, genuine pace,” he said.
“There wouldn’t be many who I’d say would be faster than Lewis Jetta, but he’s probably one of them and that’s been really exciting to see.”
The pacey youngster player admitted he was suffering from some nerves leading into the weekend, but said the support of his team mates will fill him with confidence ahead of Sunday’s match against the Saints.
“I’m a little bit nervous but I’m very excited and very pumped,” he said.
“I’m pretty confident to go out there so I just can’t wait.
“The guys are pumped, which is good.
“They’ve just been very supportive since day once and since I did it.
“They’ve come off a loss last week so hopefully I can spark them up a bit this weekend.”
In Rohan’s first game back via the reserves, family and friends from his home town of Cobden filled a bay on the second tier at the SCG.
This week, Rohan said he wouldn’t be surprised if there was even more support for his long-awaited senior return.
“I think the full town is coming,” he said.
“Mum and my family are coming up so it’s good.
“Hopefully now there just won’t be more injuries!”
