Swans to keep using motivational tools on milestone dayThursday, May 1, 2014 - 6:46 PM - by Chris Pike

TALLAN Ames deserves a big stage for his 200th WAFL match and he gets it this Saturday as his Swan Districts take on Subiaco in a top-of-the-table clash with Swans set to continue using criticisms from others to spur them on.

Swan Districts were written off by most pundits coming into the 2014 season but what stung the black-and-whites the most were the players who left their club to join rival WAFL sides thinking they would have more success, and the ones who returned to WA but elected to play elsewhere.

However, what has resulted is a passionate group at Swan Districts full of heart and spirit, playing to the plans from the coach perfectly and that have won four straight matches following a narrow opening game loss to East Perth.

As their skipper Ames prepares to play his 200th match this Saturday against the top-of-the-table and unbeaten Subiaco at Medibank Stadium to add another mark to a remarkable career already including a premiership, fairest and best and three appearances for WA, he has never more enjoyed his football more.

"It's bloody awesome right now to be honest. At the end of the pre-season and start of the season, I was thinking how many years I could keep doing this but this first chunk of the season makes me think I could play 250 games or even 300 if it continues this way," Ames said.

"It's those external influences that can keep you mentally refreshed and we have had a new lease on life.

"We might not have the biggest bodies or be as athletic or talented, but we are refreshed mentally and we go into every game thinking and acting positively. When that all happens, you want to keep going."

Nobody at Swan Districts ignored the fact that most pundits expected them to struggle with the loss of the likes of Tom Roach, Wayde Twomey, Brett Robinson, Shaun Hildebrandt, Dayle Garlett, Rory Lobb and Kyle Hams.

That has spurred on Swans a little, but more has been the fact that Twomey and Hildebrandt went to Subiaco, Andrew Krakouer joined West Perth and Josh Pullman joined South Fremantle.

With so many people thinking that Swan Districts would struggle in 2014, the club have continued to be motivated by that and that certainly will again be the case against Subiaco in the top-of-the-table clash this Saturday.

"It's a motivational tool that we've used for the first six games of the year, without doubt. It has been a highly motivational tool the first time we've played each club and we'd like to continue that right throughout the year," he said.

"It has given us that hunger to actually pull the boots on and take it up to players who have left the club or come back from other leagues and not to the ducks.

"It's also good to stick it up them as well with the way we are travelling. We are coming up against Subiaco this week and a couple of our past players, and that will be a motivational tool again."

As well as Ames playing his 200th WAFL match against Subiaco on Saturday, one of his 2010 premiership teammates Ryan Davis will be celebrating his 100th game with Swans and he has some added reasons to be ready to take on the Lions and some ex-teammates.

"He is super pumped for this weekend. There has been some information given to him over the pre-season that will fire him up against Subiaco this week and we look forward to him controlling that, and applying it in a positive matter for the team," Ames said.

"He has been sensational over the last few rounds coming off being the whipping boy of the last two or three years from Stiff and also Brian Dawson. His professionalism on and off the park nowadays is second to none, and that' reflecting in his performances."

Ames has always been a man for the big occasion and never shy of the spotlight, and as a result a top-of-the-table clash up against Subiaco on Saturday is a perfect way for him to celebrate his 200th game.

However, he isn’t focusing on what a win would mean or the fact that he is up against some former teammates as he will simply be focused on his role at full-back trying to stop Subiaco kicking a winning score. 

"A top-of-the-table clash are the big games that big-game players stand up in so we are looking forward to blooding our youth in a game like this to see how they stand up against strong and experienced teams which Subiaco is," he said.

"If we go up against them and show a decent worth then it also reinforces that we are going pretty well. It's not strange coming up against players. As soon as you cross that white line, you go into duck mode or beast mode, and we are all just guys smashing up against guys.

"I don’t take much emotional attachment out of playing up against former teammates, I try to just take the scalp of their full-forward and lead the team. Once the siren goes, we can catch up on a beer but that might be after a game that is pretty heated with a few blood drops shed and all of that stuff."

Ames began his WAFL career as a player used all over the ground whether in the ruck, on a wing, up forward and only occasionally down back.

However, for around the last five years now he has been at full-back and likely the best in that position in the competition.

That is exactly where he has told coach Greg Harding he wants to finish his career as well and he is proud of the defensive unit he has around him with the likes of Justin Simpson, Alex Howard, Jarrad Blight, Travis Casserly, Kirk Ugle, Brent Latch, Graham Jetta and Brandon Jetta. 

"We definitely see ourselves as a team within a team and we try to keep it as consistent as possible. We have Brandon Jetta coming in for the first time this year and having the two Jetta brothers running around gives us a lot of confidence," Ames said.

"Travis Casserly is back in after a bit of rigmarole the last couple of years and he is breaking lines, and his dash and ball use is amazing. Howie is stepping up and Latchy is also in there after a pretty serious injury to his foot last year.

"And then there is the ever-stalwart and consistent Justin Simpson who is fantastic to have. We've also got Ugle's foot skills and evasive powers coming off half-back. We pride ourselves on being a team within a team, and we are enjoying playing footy together."