Why Cox is wary of former club in season finale

13 hours ago

West Coast great Dean Cox says he is wary of his former side after they took ladder-leaders Adelaide to the brink a fortnight ago as he prepares to finish his first season as Sydney coach in Perth.
Cox will become the eighth former Eagle to coach against his old side when they clash at Optus Stadium on Saturday evening.
It will round out a tough first season for Cox at the helm, with the Swans not playing in September after making last year's grand final against Brisbane.
Meanwhile, the Eagles are $4.90 outsiders to add a second win in their first year under Andrew McQualter.
290-game Eagles premiership player Cox said he would focus on the WA club's nine-point loss to Adelaide from a fortnight ago rather than the 94-point drubbing by the Western Bulldogs when he prepares his team for the clash.
'I'll always love the footy club. I think one thing you always do is when you're a part of that organisation,' he told ABC.
'I always watch from afar with interest. I don't dive deeply in it unless it's in the last month or something when we're coming up against them.
'You're always trying to see some stuff that 'Mini' wants to improve in that playing group and the way he wants to play, and it is going to take time.
'When you have injuries, certainly to a lot of the key players, we found at the start of the year, and they've had through this part of the season is you find out a lot about young kids and where the playing group can go forward.
'We'll look certainly a lot at the Adelaide game and the way they handled that. That was a phenomenal performance. So, we'll be spending most of our time on that one.'
Claremont product Angus Sheldrick is a player who has thrived under Cox, playing a career-best 19 games this season.
The 21-year-old turned down reported overtures from West Coast to return home to sign a three-year extension at the Swans which will tie him to the club until the end of 2027. Claremont product Angus Sheldrick has thrived under new coach Dean Cox. Credit: Bradley Kanaris / Getty Images
'He's had a really impressive season and the good part about it was rewarding him with a contract,' Cox said.
'And for him to want to stay and be a part of this group going forward is a testament, he's worked extremely hard.
'He's had injuries in his first couple of seasons and they haven't been one- or two-week injuries. They've been seven-week, 11-weeks, so to be able to build a season where he's been able to play week-in, week-out has been great for him and his development. We see a bright future at our footy club and are just rapt to have him stay.'