Geelong Advertiser |
JAYDEN Symes says he felt like a fish out of water when he made the leap to the GFL.
But if you ask Geelong West-St Peter’s coach Terry Bright, the Bell Post Hill triple premiership player hasn’t looked out of place at major league level.
“Not at all,” Bright said.
“And if you talk to his former coach Brent Grgic, he would say the same thing about Jayden.
“He was a star for him in Bell Post Hill’s premiership sides and they certainly developed him fantastically and they deserved a lot of credit.”
Symes arrived at West Oval at the start of the season after clinching three-straight flags with the Panthers.
And he hasn’t put a foot wrong.
“He’s been fantastic, Jayden,” Bright said.
“He’s rucked tirelessly on his own when Rhys Raymond went back to Warrnambool at the start of the year. We certainly had one of the best ruck combinations in the comp, I belief, and Jayden’s had to carry it all on his own.
“He certainly has stepped up for us and we’re happy with his output and the way he’s conducted himself around the club.”
Widely regarded as the frontrunner to claim the Rooster’s best and fairest, Symes has proved a revelation.
“I probably am playing the best footy of my career but I don’t think I’m doing too much more than I was last year,” Symes said.
“It’s just that I’m at a new level and probably get more praise.”
The 22-year-old insists he struggled with a “significant increase in tempo” initially.
“It took me a few games to get used to the pace of GFL footy,” Symes said.
“Even in the first few practice matches I felt really slow and I got exposed. But after two or three games I started to get used to the pace and I got better and better as the season has gone up.
“I’ve just got the confidence that I’m good enough at the level.”
A lean, 194cm ruckman, Symes admits his biggest asset is his work ethic.
And given most of his opponents stand head and shoulders above, the first-year knows he must stand tall.
“I’m pretty competitive and I want to get better,” Symes said.
“I’m probably one of the smallest ruckmen in the league, so it’s good experience to play against some of these guys who are seven foot week in, week out.
“You have to work out ways to use your athleticism, which is my advantage I suppose, and run around and find the ball instead of just standing in the middle and worrying about ruck work.”
The Roosters will make at least two changes for tomorrow’s clash against St Joseph’s, with Leye Meleisea and Matt Davis returning.
Meleisea missed last week’s clash against North Shore to compete in an amateur boxing bout, while Davis has overcome a broken hand.
Star on-baller Kevin Bourke will play, despite missing the second half against the Seagulls with an ankle injury, but fellow midfielder Chris Moreland remains in doubt.
“He didn’t play the week before (the game against North) because of this problem with his ankle,” Bright said.
“At the moment he’s got an issue we need to work through but if he’s fit he wants to play footy — it’s as a simple as that.”
Bright revealed he had discussions with Moreland about potentially wrapping the star in cotton wool.
“I’m aware of what’s going on with The Recruit and we’re just working through it week by week,” he said.
“We’ve talked about it and he just wants to play. He says he wants to play footy and that’s the bottom line. We’ve got a good relationship and we’ll do what’s best for him and the team.”
Stefan Garrubba is “touch and go” to play again this season after re-injuring his hamstring.
Jahd Anderson, who has endured an interrupted season, also re-injured a hamstring and is out for the rest of the season, joining Tim Brown, groin.
