Injured Sydney co-captain Jarrad McVeigh will take to the coach’s box for this Saturday’s NAB Challenge clash with Port Adelaide in a new-look leadership experiment.
McVeigh will assume the full duties of head coach, including everything from pre-game commitments to post-match interviews in a bid to improve the team’s communication and on-field performances.
“It’s about helping out our team and just looking at different ways to improve our leadership,” he explained.
“We want to see what we see out on the field to see if that correlates to what the coaches are seeing.”
In a club first for the Swans, McVeigh will be assisted by a number of on-field senior players across key areas of the park who will filter information down to other players.
“A lot of the other leaders are playing and how we can filter that message to our group and the way we speak to each other will help,” McVeigh said.
“Ultimately it’s what we do out on the ground that can be wins and losses.
“Coaches make a lot of moves throughout the game but in the end it’s the players on the field who are trying to organise and do different things.”
One of the highest priorities for the one-off coach will be the performance of Lance Franklin, who will play his first official match since returning from personal leave and thumb surgery.
Franklin was the centre of attention in last Friday night’s intra-club trial, and McVeigh was impressed with his performance.
“But I think for him personally he will want to get out there and play and get back to the footy again,” McVeigh said.
“He’s done most of the sessions, he’s come back fit and firing to play the NAB Cup coming into the season.”
McVeigh himself appears unlikely to return from a knee surgery to play round one, however he believes the lack of a pre-season shouldn’t be of concern.
“I didn’t play last year at all and I played round two,” he said.
“Having 14 pre-seasons under your belt can count for experience.”
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