NEW Swan Districts recruit Tom Roach finally made the big call to move to Western Australia in 2010 and he has no doubt the game style of the WAFL will suit him perfectly.
Roach, the son of former Richmond champion goalkicker Michael, comes to Swans after himself playing 11 games with the Tigers between 2004-06 and since has become a two-time VFL premiership player with North Ballarat.
He wanted to finish his university studies before leaving Melbourne despite offers each year from clubs in the WAFL, and now that he has his human movement degree he made the move and is glad to be at Swan Districts.
"It was a big decision and I was tossing up about if I was really going to do it or not, but I know that the club contacted me last year and they offered me a position here," Roach said.
"I was pretty close to coming then, but I stayed to finish uni and now that I've completed my human movement degree nothing was stopping me. I thought it was time for a change and if I didn’t do it now, I was never going to so I did it this year and I'm looking forward to it."
East Fremantle, among other clubs, had been keen on Roach ever since he was delisted from Richmond and with his pace and ball carrying ability he appeared perfectly suited to the WAFL, but now he's glad it is Swans where he's ended up.
"Once I got delisted a few clubs over here were interested and after each season since more clubs have shown an interest as they felt the big grounds would suit my game. I was always one day coming over and now it's happened," he said.
"I had a couple of other clubs interested, but because Swans had shown the most interest for a couple of years and is a great club with a great history, this was the No. 1 choice for me."
Roach's first day of training with Swans was certainly a rude awakening with it being 40-plus degrees, but he arrives feeling fit and he has no question he will be able to show his very best form in 2010 in the WAFL.
"On my first day over here to train it was 42 degrees, so it's certainly hot but I don’t mind that. I reckon I'll lose a bit of weight in it, though, and do a fair bit of sweating. I think I'm fairly fit at the moment and hopefully I can just add to that to get right for Round 1," he said.
"The bigger grounds will help me. VFL footy is in tight with stoppages after stoppages, and that isn’t really my go. The outside footy will be good to run around in a fair bit of space out there."
Swans have lost a grand final and preliminary final the last two years and have been able to maintain most of their key players while also adding Roach, Matt Riggio, Ryan Davis and Andrew Krakouer, among others.
Roach is a two-time VFL premiership player so is hoping that experience plus the other recruits can help Swans get over that hump for a first flag since 1990.
"The last couple of years have been pretty good in the VFL winning a couple of flags so hopefully I can bring a bit of good luck over here and we might be able to break through," he said.
"They have been up there the last couple of years, so hopefully a few of us new inclusions can add a bit and put the club right up there."
It is a very new experience for Roach coming to Swans. He does know Travis Casserly and Krakouer from his Richmond days, so it's all about getting to know his teammates and the competition right now.
He has heard plenty about the black-and-white faithful, though, and is looking forward to playing in front of them.
"I played with Krakouer and Trav, so I know them pretty well and Trav actually lived with me for a month when he first moved over to Melbourne. I used to play against Twoms (Wayde Twomey) in the VFL so there's a few boys that are familiar faces," he said.
"I don’t know too much about it, just that it's fast footy, played on bigger grounds and maybe a little more skilful than the VFL. I know it's a good competition, very competitive and also bigger crowds than I'm used to in the VFL as well. I've heard a few stories about the fans here too and being the old black-and-white club of the WAFL you'd expect nothing less. It should be good."
