“They’re desperate to play,’’ says Paul Roos. The coach has been at the helm of the Swans for seven years but never seen his charges so ready to play matches at this time of year.
 
In an exclusive video interview with sydneyswans.com.au, Roos says the challenge now is to keep the players at their peak till the season starts.
 
With that in mind, the Club’s coaching and fitness staff have taken the unprecedented step of giving the players a week off at the start of February, to freshen them up for the season ahead.
 
So fit are the players after a long pre-season that they are already doing full contact drills and playing mini practice-games. For the first time in his illustrious coaching career, Roos is confident of fielding a near full-strength team for the round one pre-season game, against Carlton at Blacktown on February 20.

Click here to watch the interview.