By Adam McNicol

 

DURING his seven years with St Kilda, Troy Schwarze sampled the extreme highs and lows of elite football. In 2000, his debut season, he was part of the Saints team that finished on the bottom of the ladder. He played 20 games in 2002, but had to endure regular drubbings as St Kilda struggled to be competitive and ended the year in 15th place.

 

Just two years later, in 2004, the Saints were the competition's glamour team. They won the pre-season premiership before Schwarze's career hit its high note when he kicked the winning goal in St Kilda's one-point win against premiers the Brisbane Lions, in front of a full house at Telstra Dome.

 

Although he never managed to become a permanent fixture in the team during the following two seasons, he still felt his AFL career would continue.

 

That all changed when Grant Thomas was axed last September. Initially, Schwarze received only positive signs from the Saints' new coach Ross Lyon. But in October, with little warning, he, too, was shown the door.

 

"I went to training on the first day of pre-season and the next day they sacked me," Schwarze said. "Plus they offered me a contract and then pulled it out. I was about to sign but they withdrew it."

 

Schwarze already had experienced enough ups and downs to last a lifetime. But it was the mature way he handled himself that most impressed his former mentor.

 

When Thomas received a call from some mates at the Sorrento Football Club asking if he could recommend them a new coach, he directed them straight to Schwarze. At only 24, the ex-Saint now finds himself in charge of his own footy team.

 

"The opportunity arose and I thought, 'Why not?'," Schwarze said. "I was going to play in the VFL but I knew realistically there was no chance I would play at the top level again. I thought the best way to enjoy my footy was to play locally."

 

Schwarze's arrival at Sorrento has coincided with an off-field changing of the guard. New president Gary Woodhams is heading an almost entirely new board that features a number of the area's most prominent names, including Sorrento Hotel owner Rob Pitt. Channel Seven managing director Ian Johnson is also playing an advisory role.

 

They have made a point of not just ensuring the club appeals to the locals, but also to the many people from Melbourne who spend their weekends on the Mornington Peninsula.

The initiative paid off in style when a huge crowd turned out for the Sharks' first home game of the year against arch-rival Rye.

 

On the field, the Sharks have also made a flying start to the drought-delayed season. As well as recruiting Schwarze, they have been boosted by the return of key defender Guy Stringer, a member of their 2004 premiership team. Their midfield also ranks as one of the best in the Mornington Peninsula's Nepean competition, thanks to the addition of Mornington best and fairest Hagan Haimona.

 

But last weekend, Schwarze had the first hiccup in his coaching career when Sorrento, undefeated after big wins over Rosebud, Rye and the Frankston Bombers, was knocked over by little-fancied Tyabb.

 

Such underdogs were the Yabbies before the match, which was played at Hastings because Tyabb's ground is being resurfaced, the preview in the league's Record stated: "The Sorras were awesome last week with Cameron, Stringer, Kenyon, Cairns and Schwarze dominating the big man department … Problem is the Yabbies don't have the talent to match these guys … I think we know the result!"

 

As it turned out, we didn't. Despite trailing by four points at half-time, Tyabb's underrated team was inspired after the break. In the final quarter, Sorrento twice looked to have established a matchwinning lead, before the Yabbies kicked two late goals and won by three points.

 

Confirming Sorrento's new-found status as the team to beat, the scenes of elation among the Tyabb players after the match were reminiscent of a grand final. They capped off their upset win by belting out their club song, which has the same tune as Hawthorn's but finishes with the memorable line: "We are the mighty fighting Yabbies."

 

Having positioned himself at centre half-forward, Schwarze copped plenty from the crowd as he struggled to impose any influence on the match. He kicked a classy running goal in the third quarter but when a Tyabb youngster booted an immediate reply, one supporter delighted in yelling out: "At least that didn't cost us 20 grand!"

 

Schwarze remains a player who, because he is fast and wiry, yet also 190 centimetres, has no obvious best spot in the team. He is, as the ABC's Coodabeen Champions love hearing recruiters say, a half-forward, half-back, who can have a run in the midfield and hold down a key position if needed.

 

Finding his ideal role has become one of his few problems. It has made settling into the slower pace of bush footy a longer process than he hoped for.

 

"I'm not dominating, I'm just flashing in and out of games," Schwarze said. "I'm not consistently playing well, which is disappointing. It has taken me a bit of time to adjust but if I keep saying it will take a bit longer, then it will be the end of the year, so I've got to adjust quickly. Every week I read the paper and the best player in the opposition team is the bloke that played on me."

 

A bye yesterday meant the Sharks have an extra week to ponder their first loss of the season. Next Saturday, they face a huge challenge against top side Dromana, which again has legendary former Mornington full-forward Simon Goosey leading the way.

 

Schwarze is confident his team will be back to its best and his own form will improve. Although he has a big challenge on his hands, he is already finding country football a refreshing change from the AFL.

 

"Obviously, I put a bit of time into the boys and how I want them to play," he said. "But in terms of preparing myself, I don't stress out about the game as much as I used to. I can go and have a beer straight after the game and relax. That makes it more fun."

 

Article first appeared: The Age May 20, 2007