Baker praises young Swans’ intensity in round one draw

WHILE he fully expects Ballarat’s young list to have its ups and downs this season, new Swans coach Ash Baker could not have been prouder of their first-up effort against North Ballarat in round one of BFNL football.

He is hoping they can replicate the appetite and intensity shown against the Swans in this weekend’s clash against expected improvers Sebastopol.

While the Swans had to be content to share the points with the more experienced Roosters following a thrilling draw, Baker was pleased with their competitive spirit and never-say-die attitude.

“The boys cracked in really well. It was a close game, but I was pretty happy with how we played,” he said.

“I thought the boys just brought the effort all day in and around the contest. Our tackle pressure was good.

“As I said to the boys after the game, you do want to walk away with some reward for your effort.

“While it’s not the four points, at least we get two points. You go down by a point, you get nothing and you feel a bit hard done by.”

A major positive for Baker was some of the side’s up-and-coming players making their mark.

The Swans fielded a team with an average age of about 22, with only four players above 27 and one above 30.

More than half of the team had played fewer than 30 games.

“There were lots of boys in only their second or third year of footy, so for them to get the exposure against a quality opposition and play well, it was pleasing,” he said.

Equally encouraging was the form of gun recruit, former Richmond and North Melbourne key position player Biggie Nyuon, who was the Swans’ best.

Other impressive round one performers for the Swans included Wyatt Squires, Andrew Hooper, Fraser Perkins and Jack O’Brien (three goals).

Baker, who is in his second stint as the Swans coach after previously leading the club from 2013-16, is clear on what he wants to see in this weekend’s clash against Sebastopol.

“Hopefully we bring that effort and intensity again,” he said.

“But we are a young side, so we are going to be up and we are going to be down at different times.

“There’s definitely a few areas we need to work on, which we will.”

On Sebastopol: “We don’t really get as good lay of the land until a few rounds in, but they look like they could be back to their best and pretty handy,” Baker said.

The Burra were made to pay for a sluggish start against East Point, finding themselves 30 points down at quarter-time in an eventual 16-point loss to the Kangaroos.

Honours were shared in the middle two quarters before the Burra piled on six goals to four in the final term to finish the contest full of running.

Back from a 12-month stint with his former club Horsham Demons, Hugo Papst shone for Sebastopol with six goals.

In other round two contests, Redan and Sunbury play their first games of the season against impressive round one winners Bacchus Marsh and Darley respectively; North Ballarat and East Point clash at MARS Stadium; and Lake Wendouree hosts Melton.