IT’S COMING UP ROSA FOR SUNS
WHY VETERAN HAS A KEY ROLE TO PLAY
EXPERIENCED Suns mid Matt Rosa believes he still has a big role to play at Gold Coast as he tries to fight off a brigade of thirsty young players and retain his position in the final year of his deal at the club.
Rosa has been pitched into the biggest battle to retain his position in the last decade of his career in 2018.
Compartment syndrome in a thigh stalled the start to his 2013 season but it is the growing confidence of a young Suns list under Stuart Dew that has kept one of Gold Coast’s best runners to two games in the opening five rounds.
The 31-year-old, who is out of contract at the end of the season, said he was excited by the challenge.
“I am moving as well as I have moved in a while,” Rosa said. “The body feels good and the mind is fresh.
“The young guys are improving really quickly, which is exciting to see. That is going to make the footy club move forward quickly.
“It’s good fun competing with those guys and they keep you young and fresh as well.”
Rosa played in the seasonopener against North Melbourne but was dropped for the club’s Round 2 game against Carlton for Aaron Hall, who he replaced for last Sunday’s win over Brisbane.
It came after an interrupted pre-season for Rosa, who had hamstring problems either side of the Christmas break.
“There is great competition for spots. Some guys had some great pre-seasons and I had a bit of an injury-interrupted pre-season,” he said.
“It was always going to be a challenge but I think the good thing is the group is so tight at the moment and we understand that you’re going to need the whole list to continue to play good footy throughout the whole season.
“All I have worried about is controlling what I can control and working hard and competing when I get the opportunity.”
Meanwhile, teammate Kade Kolodjashnij will undergo multiple tests this week after suffering a concussion in Gold Coast’s NEAFL loss to Brisbane.
In the same game, Harrison Wigg refractured his ankle and is expected to be in a moonboot for the next six weeks.
Will Brodie (quad) and Josh Schoenfeld (hamstring) will both be subjected to fitness tests.