IF YOU wanted to get an insight into Paul Roos’ passion for the game, you only had to view his post-match media conference following Melbourne’s loss to North Melbourne at the MCG on Sunday.
Like all coaches, he hates losing.
But in any result, Roos’ demeanour remains clam, measured and realistic. Sure, he can command attention with a fierce look of determination in his eye, and has an aura that is a must for any senior coach.
Every now and then he will expose his passion for the game to an even greater level. He might be one of the game’s biggest names, but he has insatiable appetite for watching the game. And he loves Australian rules.
No question, Roos has his views on how the game can be set-up – in terms of draft age, competition structure across the country and other ways to improve talent.
But when it comes to the game itself, he says nothing comes close to it.
And he was in no mood for anyone to criticise the game he loves, in light of recent scrutiny towards the look and state of the game.
“Every game on the weekend is played with exactly the same rules. I’m sick of hearing about how bad the game is – I think it’s a disgrace the way we attack the game as an industry,” he said.
“I’m sick of hearing about it – I love the game. I think it’s a great game and I just wish more people would be more positive about it.
“Every week every game is played under the same rules, so it’s not like a high-scoring game has different rules to a low-scoring game.”
Roos pointed to a range of reasons why the competition has gone through a period of change in recent times.
“[There are] young teams, expansion [clubs] and rule changes – there are a thousand different reasons other than going back to the well and changing the rules again,” he said.
The question of how the game looked came after Melbourne and North Melbourne played an entertaining match.
Sure, there were mistakes in the contest, but there were some genuine highlights throughout the day.
For example, Angus Brayshaw and Jack Viney both kicked fine running goals and Jesse Hogan was again a standout for someone so young, with his marking and four majors. ,
And although the margin almost blew out to almost six goals, the fact that the game was still in the balance just before time-on in the final term, emphasised that it was a good contest to watch. Plenty of goals were kicked and the free-flowing nature added to it.
While not all matches are like this – but what sport has great contests on every occasion? It was a good one to watch, although a disappointing result in the finish for any Demon supporter.
But Roos stressed that the state of the game was something that would be debated for as long as the game’s played.
“My point is that it’s the same rules. The rules we played today were the same rules against the Brisbane Lions,” he said.
“My point is there will be bad games ladies and gentlemen – that’s going to happen.
“[I read an article recently] about congestion around the ball [relating back to] 1911 or 1914. So when we’re dead and buried they’ll still be talking about it.”
He’s right. There will always be scrutiny over the game – good, bad and indifferent and the opinions will be different and varied.
Long live footy!
