Pint-sized pair back to best
NIKKI TUGWELL
6 August 2007
Daily Telegraph
ADAM Schneider made a splash in his debut 2003 season as a baby-faced boy wonder from the small town of Osborne.
That year he made a name for himself as an impact player off the interchange bench with a sixth sense near goals.
His explosiveness remains his big asset as he yesterday reminded the football world of his gamebreaking abilities.
The same could be said for Amon Buchanan, who has steadily grown in stature every season since his breakthrough 2004 season.
His creative run-and-carry -- which was one of the major reasons for the Swans success in 2005 -- destroyed the Demons yesterday.
The resurgence of both players, who were dropped for form last month, are significant reasons why Sydney are in top-four contention.
Between the pint-sized duo, they had 52 disposals (including 29 kicks, 13 marks, 10 inside 50s).
"Some of our better ball-users and quicker players are really getting hold of the ball," Swans coach Paul Roos said.
"Schneids has had a really good month of footy."
Schneider has been a multiple goalkicker for the past four weeks and is averaging a career-high 17 possessions this season.
He has now kicked 22 goals, booting another two yesterday, and had six scoring assists to take his season tally to 25.
The beauty of Buchanan and Schneider in such form is that it gives the Swans a whole greater depth of performance.
Opposition sides naturally plan to stop Adam Goodes, Barry Hall and Ryan O'Keefe but when their middle-tier players dominate the way Schneider and Buchanan did yesterday the Swans became a particularly difficult proposition.
Schneider did a job on Aaron Davey last time they met at the SCG in April but was unleashed yesterday.
In a blistering second-quarter display he had nine possessions and three inside 50s.
Often he was the final link as the Swans cleared from a stoppage and would either dash away or spot-up a teammate and deliver with precision by foot into the forward line.
When he was not driving the Swans into attack he was dropping back across halfback and generating rebound.
Buchanan's output, particularly at the stoppages, was phenomenal all day.
Schneider missed the Swans' opening-round loss to West Coast with a hamstring injury sustained in a trial match in February.
He was then dropped for the Swans' match against Geelong following Sydney's mid-season defeat against Collingwood.
Buchanan was dropped for the West Coast match and also missed against Carlton and Fremantle.
Schneider articles
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Riewoldting
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Schneider articles
Last edited by Riewoldting on Fri 12 Oct 2007 10:21pm, edited 1 time in total.
"To be or not to be" - William Shakespeare
"To be is to do" - Immanuel Kant
"Do be do be do" - Frank Sinatra
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Riewoldting
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Swan still spurred on by a mate's memory
David Sygall
7 May 2006
Sun Herald
Premiership player Adam Schneider never forgets where he came from, David Sygall writes.
FEW PLAYERS have endured such extremes as Adam Schneider. From bursting onto the AFL scene as an 18-year-old, to a frustrating run of injuries, to being dropped to the reserves, to winning a premiership last year.
He has seen more of what the game has to offer than most and he's still a week from his 22nd birthday.
Schneider's world has ebbed and flowed in a truly remarkable way off the field, too.
He grew up in the tiny southern NSW town of Osborne - population 10 - playing footy with his brothers, Damien and Leigh.
Each day after school they would go to a field two kilometres from home and kick a ball, often with their close mate John Jacobson. They would mark out the lines at the ground for the weekly local match before returning home to be with mum, dad and a whole lot of cattle, sheep, chooks, dogs and cats.
"It was a real country upbringing," Schneider says. "That's where I learnt a lot about life and enjoyed my footy when I was younger."
Drafted in 2001, Schneider moved from little Osborne to the big smoke and a couple of years later made his senior debut. Leigh flew back from London to surprise his younger brother at his first game. Damien returned from overseas for Adam's fifth match. Mum and Dad were proud. These were happy times.
Midway through that season, when the Swans had a weekend off, Schneider went to Osborne and caught up with friends, including his mate Jacobson.
Days later tragedy struck. Jacobson was driving in nearby Wagga Wagga and had a terrible car accident. Three passengers were hurt, but not seriously. Jacobson, however, had severe internal injuries and was rushed to Sydney. Four days later his life support system was switched off.
The impact on the town, the families who lived nearby and the three Schneider boys, particularly Adam, was profound.
"The crash was on a Sunday; he was brought to Sydney and I was lucky enough to see him before they turned off the life support," Schneider says.
"That was important - I got to say goodbye to John and be with him, with his mum and dad there. The thing was, there wasn't even a scratch on him, just his insides were completely stuffed.
"It was a big thing in all of our lives. It was my first [senior] year at the Swans. I was home the weekend before and to not see my mate again after that was a big shock.
"It was something that shook me up and made me weigh up things in life, like I'm sure it does for everyone [who loses someone that way]."
Schneider sold one of his Swans outfits and gave the money to John's parents because he wanted to help out however he could.
"I wanted to make them feel a little better," he says. "John's mum and dad were fantastic. We went through it together and helped each other out."
Swans coach Paul Roos told Schneider to take time off and go home. Later he visited the club's counsellor to help make sense of the loss. "The club supported me and my mates did too," Schneider says. "John and I grew up together. He was one of those blokes we played footy with all the time and he was a close mate."
Today, before the Swans play Brisbane, Schneider will go through his routine of writing John's name on his hand. "It gives me something to play for, even now," he says. "Every game I write his name on my hand so he's there with me. If I'm tired or complaining about something during a game, I'll look down at my hand and see his name there.
"John would give anything to just have a sore leg or whatever, so it's a reminder that I'm thinking of him."
Schneider lost Jacobson but is close to his brothers, particularly Leigh, whom he describes as his best mate. Leigh says: "Adam was pretty devastated to lose someone like that.
"He has good memories and he decided he wanted to dedicate his career to John. Adam's a pretty quiet fella off the field, just a country boy, and that affected him quite a lot."
Adam and Leigh live together, something the Swan says gives him a sense of being home.
"My brother knows more about me than anyone else," he says. "I go to him when I need some help or advice. It's what you've got to have when you live up here.
"I didn't know anyone here and got homesick. It's great to have someone who knows me so well."
Schneider's vulnerability is refreshing given his on-field persona as a cheeky small bloke playing a big bloke's game.
The message on his mobile says: "Hello. Hello? . . . Please leave a message." You can almost see the cheeky grin.
But for those who think he's too smart for his own good, Schneider can explain.
"When you are small you've got to have certain attributes that help you out, because it's tougher," he says.
"It's not being a smart-arse at all - it's about using what you've got. If you are small, you need to be smart and quick. Maybe that's where the smart-arse thing comes from.
" I enjoy things. After a win I'll be out there mucking around, having a bit of fun."
Jokes aside, Schneider says he is feeling comfortable in Sydney. He returns to Osborne when he can, and enjoys the peace on the farm.
"My old man tries to get me out on the tractor, but I like to rest," he says.
"It's great to get away from a big town like Sydney.
"The farm is what I'm used to. It reminds me of when I was younger."
David Sygall
7 May 2006
Sun Herald
Premiership player Adam Schneider never forgets where he came from, David Sygall writes.
FEW PLAYERS have endured such extremes as Adam Schneider. From bursting onto the AFL scene as an 18-year-old, to a frustrating run of injuries, to being dropped to the reserves, to winning a premiership last year.
He has seen more of what the game has to offer than most and he's still a week from his 22nd birthday.
Schneider's world has ebbed and flowed in a truly remarkable way off the field, too.
He grew up in the tiny southern NSW town of Osborne - population 10 - playing footy with his brothers, Damien and Leigh.
Each day after school they would go to a field two kilometres from home and kick a ball, often with their close mate John Jacobson. They would mark out the lines at the ground for the weekly local match before returning home to be with mum, dad and a whole lot of cattle, sheep, chooks, dogs and cats.
"It was a real country upbringing," Schneider says. "That's where I learnt a lot about life and enjoyed my footy when I was younger."
Drafted in 2001, Schneider moved from little Osborne to the big smoke and a couple of years later made his senior debut. Leigh flew back from London to surprise his younger brother at his first game. Damien returned from overseas for Adam's fifth match. Mum and Dad were proud. These were happy times.
Midway through that season, when the Swans had a weekend off, Schneider went to Osborne and caught up with friends, including his mate Jacobson.
Days later tragedy struck. Jacobson was driving in nearby Wagga Wagga and had a terrible car accident. Three passengers were hurt, but not seriously. Jacobson, however, had severe internal injuries and was rushed to Sydney. Four days later his life support system was switched off.
The impact on the town, the families who lived nearby and the three Schneider boys, particularly Adam, was profound.
"The crash was on a Sunday; he was brought to Sydney and I was lucky enough to see him before they turned off the life support," Schneider says.
"That was important - I got to say goodbye to John and be with him, with his mum and dad there. The thing was, there wasn't even a scratch on him, just his insides were completely stuffed.
"It was a big thing in all of our lives. It was my first [senior] year at the Swans. I was home the weekend before and to not see my mate again after that was a big shock.
"It was something that shook me up and made me weigh up things in life, like I'm sure it does for everyone [who loses someone that way]."
Schneider sold one of his Swans outfits and gave the money to John's parents because he wanted to help out however he could.
"I wanted to make them feel a little better," he says. "John's mum and dad were fantastic. We went through it together and helped each other out."
Swans coach Paul Roos told Schneider to take time off and go home. Later he visited the club's counsellor to help make sense of the loss. "The club supported me and my mates did too," Schneider says. "John and I grew up together. He was one of those blokes we played footy with all the time and he was a close mate."
Today, before the Swans play Brisbane, Schneider will go through his routine of writing John's name on his hand. "It gives me something to play for, even now," he says. "Every game I write his name on my hand so he's there with me. If I'm tired or complaining about something during a game, I'll look down at my hand and see his name there.
"John would give anything to just have a sore leg or whatever, so it's a reminder that I'm thinking of him."
Schneider lost Jacobson but is close to his brothers, particularly Leigh, whom he describes as his best mate. Leigh says: "Adam was pretty devastated to lose someone like that.
"He has good memories and he decided he wanted to dedicate his career to John. Adam's a pretty quiet fella off the field, just a country boy, and that affected him quite a lot."
Adam and Leigh live together, something the Swan says gives him a sense of being home.
"My brother knows more about me than anyone else," he says. "I go to him when I need some help or advice. It's what you've got to have when you live up here.
"I didn't know anyone here and got homesick. It's great to have someone who knows me so well."
Schneider's vulnerability is refreshing given his on-field persona as a cheeky small bloke playing a big bloke's game.
The message on his mobile says: "Hello. Hello? . . . Please leave a message." You can almost see the cheeky grin.
But for those who think he's too smart for his own good, Schneider can explain.
"When you are small you've got to have certain attributes that help you out, because it's tougher," he says.
"It's not being a smart-arse at all - it's about using what you've got. If you are small, you need to be smart and quick. Maybe that's where the smart-arse thing comes from.
" I enjoy things. After a win I'll be out there mucking around, having a bit of fun."
Jokes aside, Schneider says he is feeling comfortable in Sydney. He returns to Osborne when he can, and enjoys the peace on the farm.
"My old man tries to get me out on the tractor, but I like to rest," he says.
"It's great to get away from a big town like Sydney.
"The farm is what I'm used to. It reminds me of when I was younger."
"To be or not to be" - William Shakespeare
"To be is to do" - Immanuel Kant
"Do be do be do" - Frank Sinatra
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Riewoldting
- SS Life Member
- Posts: 2883
- Joined: Thu 05 May 2005 1:34am
- Location: Perth WA
Why Paul Roos changed his mind about Adam Schneider - A SPECIAL SWANS FRIENDSHIP
Tim MORRISSEY
26 July 2003
Daily Telegraph
THIS time last year Paul Roos thought Adam Schneider, the Swans fifth pick -- 60th overall -- at the 2001 AFL draft, was a little too arrogant and surly for his own good.
The Swans coach now openly admits he totally misread his 19-year-old goalkicking rookie sensation.
Not because Schneider is clearly a natural and one of the most exciting young footballers in the league with a deadly left foot and the ability to make things happen.
When Roos looks at this small but powerfully built kid from Osborne, near Wagga, he sees someone who is already a role model on and off the field.
Roos received another reminder this week just how wrong his take on Schneider was when the Sydney goalsneak told the club that he was going to auction his entire uniform he will be wearing against Fremantle tomorrow.
The proceeds of the auction will go to the parents of Schneider's best mate John Jacobsen. Jacobsen died a month ago as a result of a car crash on the way home from a 21st party.
Schneider was at his childhood mate's bedside when he died.
Before the doctors turned off the life support machine and Schneider said his final goodbye, he promised to kick a goal in every game for the rest of the season and dedicate his career to Jacobsen.
"I was very close to John and pretty close to his parents as well," Schneider said. "John was an only child and I think his mum and dad are going through a pretty rough time at the moment.
"I just want to do as much as I can to help them out.
"That was the main reason I'm doing this auction, to show I care about them and to let them know everyone else does as well,"
The tragic death of a mate has changed Schneider's life forever. But Roos believes the strength of character Schneider has shown off the field is one of the reasons he is a natural on the field.
"It sounds a bit strange but it's almost like Adam was born to be a footballer, to be a role model and to use his life and his personality to help other people," Roos said.
"It's a big call to make on a young kids and it's extremely early but there are some signs that Adam is one of those kids who just pops up every now and then and takes everyone by surprise.
"I don't think we have to put too big a tag on him as a player but if you also consider the fact he's a good role model at an early age it's a reasonable package to start off with at an AFL club as a 19-year-old."
Roos admits Schneider, who has played in every Swans game this season and has 22 goals to his name already, has come a long way in a short time.
Schneider is one of the reasons why the Swans have caught the league by surprise and rocketed into second place with a 11-5 record.
His performances show a level of maturity well beyond his years, which no one anticipated last season when Schneider endured a difficult start at the club in the Swans reserves, interrupted by injury and glandular fever.
"We probably didn't understand Adam and how hard it was for him coming as a young kid to Sydney," Roos said.
"It sometimes appeared that he just didn't really seem all that interested and sometimes that comes off as a little bit of arrogance and cockiness.
"But the reality is, that we as coaches probably made a number of mistakes with judging Adam.
"He is a lot different to the kid I probably thought he was last year.
"When he went back home to Osborne at the end of last season and then came back it almost like `hell who is this kid and where did he come from'.
"It was case of Adam maturing and adjusting to Sydney and we as coaches made some poor judgments on him because it's easy to forget sometimes just how hard it is to leave home for the first time.
"And when you've got 42 players to look after it's easy to dump everyone in the same barrel and I'll put my hand up to say I was one of the people who really didn't understand Adam back them.
"But he's a real good kid who just needed that period of adjustment.
"It was a year he needed to go through but he's come through it fantastically and he's really fitting into the club now, his work ethic is great and he's a pleasure to coach."
The auction for Schneider's uniform -- guernsey, shorts, socks, boots, will be conducted online from the Swans website: www.sydneyswans. com.au from Monday.
All proceeds from the auction will go to the Jacobsen family.
Tim MORRISSEY
26 July 2003
Daily Telegraph
THIS time last year Paul Roos thought Adam Schneider, the Swans fifth pick -- 60th overall -- at the 2001 AFL draft, was a little too arrogant and surly for his own good.
The Swans coach now openly admits he totally misread his 19-year-old goalkicking rookie sensation.
Not because Schneider is clearly a natural and one of the most exciting young footballers in the league with a deadly left foot and the ability to make things happen.
When Roos looks at this small but powerfully built kid from Osborne, near Wagga, he sees someone who is already a role model on and off the field.
Roos received another reminder this week just how wrong his take on Schneider was when the Sydney goalsneak told the club that he was going to auction his entire uniform he will be wearing against Fremantle tomorrow.
The proceeds of the auction will go to the parents of Schneider's best mate John Jacobsen. Jacobsen died a month ago as a result of a car crash on the way home from a 21st party.
Schneider was at his childhood mate's bedside when he died.
Before the doctors turned off the life support machine and Schneider said his final goodbye, he promised to kick a goal in every game for the rest of the season and dedicate his career to Jacobsen.
"I was very close to John and pretty close to his parents as well," Schneider said. "John was an only child and I think his mum and dad are going through a pretty rough time at the moment.
"I just want to do as much as I can to help them out.
"That was the main reason I'm doing this auction, to show I care about them and to let them know everyone else does as well,"
The tragic death of a mate has changed Schneider's life forever. But Roos believes the strength of character Schneider has shown off the field is one of the reasons he is a natural on the field.
"It sounds a bit strange but it's almost like Adam was born to be a footballer, to be a role model and to use his life and his personality to help other people," Roos said.
"It's a big call to make on a young kids and it's extremely early but there are some signs that Adam is one of those kids who just pops up every now and then and takes everyone by surprise.
"I don't think we have to put too big a tag on him as a player but if you also consider the fact he's a good role model at an early age it's a reasonable package to start off with at an AFL club as a 19-year-old."
Roos admits Schneider, who has played in every Swans game this season and has 22 goals to his name already, has come a long way in a short time.
Schneider is one of the reasons why the Swans have caught the league by surprise and rocketed into second place with a 11-5 record.
His performances show a level of maturity well beyond his years, which no one anticipated last season when Schneider endured a difficult start at the club in the Swans reserves, interrupted by injury and glandular fever.
"We probably didn't understand Adam and how hard it was for him coming as a young kid to Sydney," Roos said.
"It sometimes appeared that he just didn't really seem all that interested and sometimes that comes off as a little bit of arrogance and cockiness.
"But the reality is, that we as coaches probably made a number of mistakes with judging Adam.
"He is a lot different to the kid I probably thought he was last year.
"When he went back home to Osborne at the end of last season and then came back it almost like `hell who is this kid and where did he come from'.
"It was case of Adam maturing and adjusting to Sydney and we as coaches made some poor judgments on him because it's easy to forget sometimes just how hard it is to leave home for the first time.
"And when you've got 42 players to look after it's easy to dump everyone in the same barrel and I'll put my hand up to say I was one of the people who really didn't understand Adam back them.
"But he's a real good kid who just needed that period of adjustment.
"It was a year he needed to go through but he's come through it fantastically and he's really fitting into the club now, his work ethic is great and he's a pleasure to coach."
The auction for Schneider's uniform -- guernsey, shorts, socks, boots, will be conducted online from the Swans website: www.sydneyswans. com.au from Monday.
All proceeds from the auction will go to the Jacobsen family.
"To be or not to be" - William Shakespeare
"To be is to do" - Immanuel Kant
"Do be do be do" - Frank Sinatra